Chandler, U.S.A. — A USA Today article has reported a telethon put on to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy victims brought in $23 million. The telethon, presented by the American Red Cross, aired on NBC earlier this month. Christian Weems, an active participant in community service efforts, made note of the generosity of her fellow Americans.

According to the news piece, New Jersey natives Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi were featured performers during the telethon. Popular recording artist and star of the hit NBC television program The Voice Christina Aguilera was also featured. Matt Lauer of the station’s wildly successful morning show Today, hosted the event. Nightly News anchor Brian Williams also stopped by.

In addition to its featured performers, the article noted the telethon provided viewers the opportunity to take in a variety of musical acts. New Yorker Billy Joel, along with rock band Aerosmith and R&B artist Mary J. Blige entertained the crowd. Saturday Night Live alum and current television stars Tiny Fey and Jimmy Fallon provided comedic relief.

Christian Weems was heartened to hear of the telethon’s overwhelming success. She has a good deal of community service experience under her belt, including the organization of a relief effort following Hurricane Katrina. After that storm devastated much of New Orleans and its surrounding areas, she spearheaded a drive to make hygiene kits for citizens. The people of her hometown Chandler, Arizona, donated supplies that resulted in the delivery of 2,500 kits.

In statement about the most recent relief efforts, Christian commented: “What an amazing testimony of the goodwill of people and the positive impact we can have when we pull together during a time of crisis. Let us not forget that more help is still needed in many of the areas that were damaged most by Sandy and that these communities will need help for years to come.”

The article also highlighted appearances were made by actors Kevin Bacon, Whoopi Goldberg and Danny DeVito as well as comedian Jon Stewart.

In 2005, the broadcast company held a similar telethon to solicit donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. The article noted that show brought in $40 million worth of support.

Image Courtesy : Anton Oparin / Shutterstock.com

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As a budding young graphic designer, Claudia van Rooijen continues to experiment with Photoshop to create beautifully colorful textures and collages. The subject of most of her collages are the singers that have inspired her throughout her life. She is still attending school in the Netherlands and prefers to practice her art as a hobby rather than making it into a career.

ToonariPost (TP): Who or what are your inspirations and why?

Claudia van Rooijen (CR): Let me start off by saying that I love listening to music whenever I am making something. I am a sensitive person and listening to music just puts me into a special place or makes me feel better whenever I’m having a bad day. Music is the most inspiring thing to me.

To be completely honest I don’t really have a person that inspires me, there are people out there that are really talented but I wouldn’t say that I get inspired by them. I also get inspired when I see good resources, when I see something that is great I imagine in my head what I could use it for. Seeing beautiful artwork also makes me excited to open up Photoshop and see what I can do.

TP: What sort of music to you listen to when you are getting creative in Photoshop?

CR: I listen to all kinds of music from Pop to R&B, Soul and even some Country. I am a huge fan of artists with beautiful voices so I listen to Christina Aguilera, Carrie Underwood, Leona Lewis, Melanie Fiona among others. It all depends though, currently I am going through my ‘Carrie Underwood’ phase. I have always loved her music and voice but at the moment she is pretty much all I listen to.

TP: How do different songs or types of music affect the artwork you are working on at the time?

CR: I wouldn’t know if it really affects my artwork to be honest. When I play music I just play an album and you know with albums, one song is going to be uptempo and the next one might be a ballad. I don’t have a playlist with all happy songs or all sad songs. It goes from happy to sad to being happy again.

Perhaps if I would listen to a lot of sad songs my artwork would be a little darker but usually I prefer to listen to uptempo songs when making something because sometimes I just don’t feel like listening to sad songs. I think the music might influence me in a certain way, but I wouldn’t really know how to explain it.

TP: What artists would you consider working with to do a piece? What type of work do you think would come from this partnership?

CR: I have never really thought about doing that, to be completely honest with you. There are a few people out there that I really enjoy watching. One of them is So-Ghislaine. I just love what she is doing, her resources are amazing and her collages are great too. If we were to do a piece together, it would probably be a collage because I think that would be the best type. I would assume that I could learn something from her and perhaps she could learn something from me. Another person I really enjoy watching is Photonica.

Her style just speaks to me, it’s very colorful and lately she has been doing a lot of typography and manipulation kind of things. I think her work is very original and creative as well. I would love to learn typography, I am absolutely terrible with text placement. I think typography is great. I am planning on following some tutorials on it in the near future.

TP: If there was any art medium that you wish you could master, what would it be and why?

CR: I’m not sure what your definition of ‘mastering’ an art medium may be, but I would have to say that I would love to master Photoshop CS5. I am pretty decent with it, but I know that there are a ton of features that I have yet to discover or put to good use. I think Photoshop is just such a versatile program that you can do whatever you want with it. If you have some sort of image in your head, you can probably create it in Photoshop, too. That’s how I see the program, it’s really amazing.

TP: What are your goals in life?  Do you plan to continue art as a hobby, or make it a career?

CR: My goal in life is to just find a job and perhaps start a family one day. I am planning on keeping this as a hobby because I don’t see how this possibly could be a career for me. On the other hand I like not feeling obligated to this. I think that if this would be some sort of ‘job’ for me, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much because it would mean that I still have to come up with something even if I really don’t feel like doing anything.

TP: Do you feel that your culture has influenced you in some way that makes you different than other artists?

CR: I doubt it. I come from a western culture, if that is how you even say that and I do not believe that my culture has had anything to do with the kind of artist I am.

TP: Can you tell me more about your background?  What experiences brought you to be the person you are today?

CR: I had an unusual childhood, quite tough at times. I have an older brother and I come from divorced parents. My teen years were especially hard and I’ve been through a lot of stuff that I would love to put behind me one day. Today I see myself as a strong person that tries to stay positive no matter what. It’s a daily struggle, but I try to get there. Thankfully, I have a lot of things keeping me busy so I think I am going to be just fine.

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Universal City, CA, U.S.A. – Universal CityWalk‘s “5 Towers” state-of-the art concert venue welcomes the Final Four of NBC’s blockbuster vocal competition show, “The Voice,” for a live performance at 10:30am on Thursday, May 3, 2012. The special one-time concert in Los Angeles invites fans to Universal CityWalk to cheer on their favorite performer. “The Voice” winner will be announced next Tuesday, May 8.

CityWalk’s new interactive outdoor concert venue will serve as the energetic backdrop to showcase the leading vocal artists from celebrity musician coaches Christina Aguilera, CeeLo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.

The artist lineup set to command the stage at “5 Towers” include Kansas native Chris Mann for Team Christina, Florida native Juliet Simms for Team CeeLo, Connecticut native Tony Lucca for Team Adam, and New York native Jermaine Paul for Team Blake. Competing to be named “The Voice” in Season 2 of the hit show, each of the final four artists will perform one song on the “5 Towers” stage and the performances will be streamed live to Facebook, NBC.com and at the NBC Experience Store in New York.

First to christen the “5 Towers” stage in July 2011 was none other than CeeLo himself paving the way for the first-of-its kind outdoor concert venue with fan immersive features and next-generation technology.  The Music Spotlight Series held this spring at “5  Towers” featured Billboard chart-topping talent Carly Rae Jepsen, as well as an eclectic and impressive lineup of local homegrown favorites including The Thomas Nicholas Band, Midnight Red, and Cherri Bomb, to name a few.

“We are so excited to have the finalists from ‘The Voice’ here at the 5 Towers on CityWalk,” said Pat Donahue, Director of CityWalk Entertainment. “While we’ve hosted established recording artists like Flo Rida, Good Charlotte and Justin Bieber, we also have a strong commitment to supporting emerging artists.  It’s a great privilege to provide up-and-coming talent with an outstanding, state of the art venue to do what they love to do – which is to play great music and entertain the masses!”

Before the final four contestants were announced, the eight semi-finalists recently were treated to a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of Universal Studios Hollywood’s epic, new thrill ride, Transformers: The Ride-3D, set to open officially on May 25, 2012. Photos and video featuring the semi-finalists in the theme park are available upon request.

More information on Universal CityWalk’s upcoming events is available at www.CityWalkHollywood.com.  Artist announcements and “5 Towers” concert venue events can also be found on Twitter @CityWalkLA and Facebook-Universal CityWalk Hollywood.

“The Voice” Final Four Live Performances at Universal CityWalk “5 Towers” Concert Venue
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA  91608
Press Check-In: 8:30AM  /  Media Interviews: 9-11AM  /  Live Concert: 10:30AM-11AM

For artwork and a complete press kit from the show please visit the NBC Universal Media village website at HTTP://WWW.NBCUMV.COM. Follow on Facebook atHTTP://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/NBCTHEVOICE and on Twitter at @NBCTheVoice and #TheVoice.

Image Courtesy of    The Voice

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Russian-born pop singer Grace Valerie makes her Las Vegas debut on Sunday, February 19. Her appearance is the young performer’s latest career triumph.

Valerie, age 21, recently signed with Dream Merchant 21, music-industry veteran and American Idol judge Randy Jackson’s record label. Valerie and Jackson collaborated on her first single, ‘When the Lights Go Down.’ This song’s video quickly became an Internet phenomenon, scoring more than 1.5 million YouTube hits. It reached No. 17 on Billboard’s club chart and was a No. 1 ‘Most Popular’ MTV video.

“I am thrilled to be doing my first show in Las Vegas, a city known for its glitter and glamour,” Valerie says. “Some of the biggest names in show business have performed there, and I feel very grateful to be part of that. The audience will be treated to the choreography and my amazing dancers doing their thing.”

While brand-new to Las Vegas, Valerie already has one summer tour under her belt. Audiences embraced her in Chicago, Orlando, and New York City, among other locations.

Grace Valerie was born in Moscow, Russia in 1990. Even as a girl, she dreamed of being a musician. “I sang Michael Jackson’s songs when I was four, madly wanting to know what they meant,” she remembers. “I grew up singing Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears in my bedroom, always imagining and pretending to be an artist… In high school, I started doing concerts and talent shows.”

But Valerie’s parents envisioned her in an international career, though outside the limelight. They sent her to the Russian University of Economics, from which she graduated with honors. “I loved my school years, and I learned a lot,” Valerie says. “But deep down, I knew I would become an artist.”

Valerie moved to Los Angeles in October 2010, met Randy Jackson soon thereafter, and steadily has risen. She has built a following ever since. ”My fan base is everyone: family people, club goers, kids, young girls, gays — truly everybody,” Valerie told PressPassLA.com. “My music is for everybody to enjoy and just have fun with.”

Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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Oh, how we love a comeback story! The longer you vacation at ‘Rock Bottom Resort’, the faster you will work your way back into the game. Fans allowed Mariah Carey to re-graduate with top honors after the only gleaming touch to her movie, ‘Glitter’, was actually its title. We also forgave Miss Janet Jackson for that infamous wardrobe malfunction that led her to a sugar binge, and the list goes on and on…

After a disastrous 2011, it seems Christina Aguilera is finally poised to make a sparkling return. These days, the songstress has been all over the news for various reasons. As if readying her new album and prepping for the star-studded second season of ‘The Voice’ were not enough, Christina Aguilera has recently opened up about her much-talked about curves in the latest issue of ‘Marie Claire’, and her sincere confessions are swirling all around the internet.

With an effortless statement that reads: “I love my body, and so does my boyfriend”, the superstar has seemingly become the unofficial spokesperson of self-confidence and self-acceptance. Christina Aguilera also shared her personal discomfort with regards to the massive scrutiny that surrounds females in the entertainment industry, something of which the world is well-aware, but seems to subsist with comfortably.

A few weeks ago, we discussed the insane rumors that claimed executives at NBC had sweet-talked Christina into shedding some pounds to showcase a healthier figure on ‘The Voice‘. Those headlines never remarked on the rest of the male-dominated mentor panel. It is undeniably true that the multi-platinum performer has put on some weight, and it is also evident her style over the last months has not exactly flattered her bigger silhouette.

That was exactly what blogs, websites, and tabloids reported on in 2011, linking her weight gain to a series of unfortunate events like the lyric flub at the Super Bowl or the silver dress she recently donned at the American Music Awards. Christina Aguilera never responded to the controversy.

If anything, her ensembles got tighter and tighter as she shrugged off the tension. Had she freaked out about her image, she would have hopped on the treadmill or run off to a plastic surgeon, as many suggested. As ludicrous as it may sound, the same voluptuous body that was repeatedly slammed by the media a few weeks ago is now an example of healthy confidence. How does that make sense?

The nature of the tabloids is just like that, unpredictable and extremely unfair. When Michael Jackson passed away, everyone seemed to be his biggest fan. Too bad the people behind all the nice articles, lovely headlines, and positive media coverage had previously shattered Michael’s career and personal life. Long story short, they will put you up on a pedestal, and they will later drag you down in the dirt.

Props to Miss Aguilera who can absolutely not care less about what people say about her body. Living up to the inspiring lyrics of her Grammy Award-winning song, ‘Beautiful’, seems to be working out just fine for the blonde talent, whose cover shot looks as slick as can be. Skinny or curvy, the Grammy winner will return to ‘The Voice’ next February 5 on NBC right after the Super Bowl, a multimillion coveted time slot that will garner tons of attention.

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/christinaaguilera

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In the midst of a growing discussion of her weight and style choices, Christina Aguilera seems to shrug off the tension by sporting some attention-grabbing outfits and releasing a new fragrance. The highly talked-about style for this week includes light make-up, no pants, and sheer fishnet stockings.

The talented singer has been snapped while dining out with her beau, taking her son to a pumpkin patch, and buying some lingerie in West Hollywood. Headlines go from, “Christina buys for lingerie instead of pants” to “Xtina starts a pantless trend,” but the controversy doesn’t stop there since the performer has been put on the spot for her weight as well.

Kelly Osbourne, longtime enemy and one of the stars of the popular show, “Fashion Police,” slammed Aguilera using some ugly words and clarifying that while the performer had always mocked her weight, she had actually never looked as bad. Comedienne Joan Rivers, the host of the show, agreed with the panel of judges and added a couple of jokes about her curvy bod.

It has been reported that  Aguilera has been asked to lose some pounds for the next season of the show, ‘The Voice,” an outrageous demand that would make no apparent sense since the reason the songstress was recruited was for her musical talent. Why would she be required to have a skinny figure and not the other mentors?

If the outrageous rumors are true and she’s been told to slim down for the show, we wonder if hit-maker Cee-lo Green would have to go on a diet, too. While she becomes a hot topic in the ongoing war between detractors and supporters, Aguilera keeps working hard on her upcoming album, where she might be collaborating with big names, such as hip-hop star, Eminem.

Her latest fragrance, “Secret Potion,” will soon hit stores, but has already delighted fans with a sophisticated commercial that features Aguilera embracing a sensual look. Aguilera is set to join Maroon 5 onstage for a long-awaited performance of their smash hit, “Moves Like Jagger,” at the American Music Awards on November 20.

A track that has thrust its performers to the top of the music charts all over the world, we wonder if they’ll be teaming up for Aguilera’s next record. However, one thing is clear: Aguilera is living up to the message of her anthem, “Beautiful,” by not paying attention to all the sleazy comments, bad press, and criticism her weight has been getting on the Internet.

With a new fragrance, a promising album in the works, a clothing line with C&A, and a stellar contract to participate in the second season of ‘The Voice,” it seems as if Aguilera will be laughing all the way to the bank this winter.

Allen Berezovsky / Shutterstock.com

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