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Dawn Richard, formerly of Danity Kane (we'll miss you!) and ex-one-third of Diddy's 2010 side project Diddy-Dirty Money, is officially stepping out on her own. And what better time to release a solo single than during the holidays? (Merry Christmas!) True, Justin Bieber may have the monopoly on all things holiday, but that doesn't mean that we can't cheat on him a little to appreciate another killer Christmas tune.

Dawn Richard's latest, "December Sky, is a pop/R&B mid-tempo joint that finds Dawn singing to a loved one who's away during the holiday season. Dawn's sultry voice carries the song, and not only will this record bring a warm feeling to those missing loved ones this December, but it's also about to cement Dawn's place as one bomb-ass solo artist. Get yours, girl.

About what inspired "December Sky," Dawn explains, "A lot of people won't be able to see their loved ones this Christmas. Whether they are serving in Iraq/Iran, in the industry or working a 9-to-5, the truth is a lot of us aren't able to make it home for the holidays. So this record is for them and anyone else missing their love -- the sky and stars are a gift for us both because no matter how far apart we are, we are under the same sky." Yo girl, you offer life coach services?

+ Listen to Dawn Richard's "December Sky."

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Tags Danity Kane, Dawn Richard, Diddy, Diddy-Dirty Money

Credit: Getty Images

Hey, who needs Danity Kane, the powerhouse quintet assembled by P. Diddy on "Making The Band 3"? Certainly not Aubrey O'Day. When you're Aubrey, you do just fine on your own, thank you very much! She's got her own reality show, "All About Aubrey," and just made a splash at the NewNowNext Awards, locking lips with Kim Coles onstage in a very Britney/Madonna VMA moment (albeit without tongue).

Early this morning, Aubrey tweeted a link to her song "Automatic," which has finally made it to iTunes (after it was initially released last year), and it's unshakably delicious. Aubrey knows not to stray too far from her dance-pop roots, singing over a Euro-inspired, thumping club banger that brings to mind both Lady Gaga and Far East Movement. "It's about not having to get done up or put on certain shoe or a particular dress to look sexy," she told Artist Direct. "It's about being able to walk into a room and steal attention."  And if you've ever seen her in a bathing suit, you know Aubrey lives by that code.

In fact, we might be listening to an inescapable summer smash, considering the release of "Automatic" comes just as the warm winds of spring open the gates to the annual race for Best Summer Song. Rihanna has held court for several years now, but even without the quartet of Danity Kane members next to her, shaking your ayse to Aubrey's solo venture may very well be the best way to spend time at a club, barbecue or beach dance party come summer.

Now if we can just pry her off of Kim Coles for a second.

Credit: Getty Images

+ Watch Aubrey kiss Kim Coles at Logo's NewNowNext Awards.

Tags Aubrey O'Day, Danity Kane, Diddy

It's been a while since we had an honest to goodness, choreographed dance move performing, multipart harmony singing, tabloid headline-making girl group to feast our eyes and ears on. Well, the wait is over, folks. Meet The Saturdays.

This five-gal, Irish/English combi has been taking the U.K. by storm with their slick-pop sound and chic look for more than a year, and now they're planning an invasion of these shores. Their sound won't be unfamiliar to those who count themselves as Danity Kane fans; it's well-executed, sugar-rush R&B/dance-pop.

When The Saturdays -- Una Healy, Mollie King, Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White and Rochelle Wiseman -- aren't making news with their music, they're making it some other way. The group have become a favorite beat for the notorious Brit tabloids. A recent story documented the Sandford's "upstaging" (shock! horror!) of her bandmates at a recent concert.

After releasing two albums already, The Saturdays are making their sound even more U.S.-friendly by employing the talents of Ne-Yo and Jason Derulo on their upcoming album, Headlines. You can hear a bunch of The Saturdays' music at their MySpace page, and check out the first single and video from that album, "Missing You," below. Headlines is out in August.

Tags Danity Kane, Jason DeRulo, Ne-Yo, The Saturdays, video

(Credit: Twitpic)

Like so many men before him, Diddy has been bumming around Paris recently. No doubt hip-hop's original Bad Boy has been spending his time in cafes, watching the Seine roll by and contemplating life's great mysteries, his very existence and his very Diddy-ness. Or maybe he's just putting the finishing touches on his appropriately titled, long-delayed album Last Train To Paris.

Either way, he's seeing the sights. The above photo, which places Diddy in front of the "Mona Lisa" in Paris' famous Louvre Museum, was spotted on Buzzfeed and swiped from the man's very own Twitpic account. We'd like to invite you all to add your wittiest caption. Here are a couple to get you started:

1. "I told you she was checking out my ass."

2. "I was thinking about reforming Danity Kane and I think Mona Lisa might be perfect! She's fierce and she keeps quiet. (Cough — Aubrey O'Day — cough.)"

3. "Am I buggin' or do you see the gnomes, too?"

Related Content Diddy Takes Ex-Danity Kane Singer Dawn Richard On Last Train To Paris

Tags Aubrey O'Day, Danity Kane, P.Diddy

Rocking a rather distressed jean jacket, Ryan Leslie arrives this morning to make you a relative expert on his new album Transition, with this episode of "The 5."

Leslie came up through the Bad Boy camp, writing songs for Cassie, Cherie Denis and Danity Kane. But this  year he's made a name for himself as a solo artist, and a prolific one at that. Transition, released last month, is his second full-length of 2009, following up his self-titled debut.

In this edition of "The 5," Leslie talks about the globetrotting recording sessions that produced Transition, the role his love-life played in the writing process, the how and the why of all the music videos he shot for the album, and much more.

Check out the in-depth chat with Ryan Leslie below.

Tags Cassie, Danity Kane, Ryan Leslie, The 5, video

And the question is WHY????? Why would you mess with perfection? With something so perfect? I FULL-ON disagree with Blender magazine's (RIP!) assertion that Eddie Murphy's 1985 cult classic, "Party All The Time" is one of the worst songs of all time.

Party on, Eddie. Party on.

"Party All The Time" is one of the BEST songs (of 1985) because it featured a blonde Rick James and his love of the leather tuxedo, celebrated Eddie Murphy's love of handclap synth effect, and the song was recorded in TOTAL earnest. There was nothing ironic about "Party All The Time"! Unfortunately. Which is what makes it so great.

So Aubrey O'Day, why'd you have to go eff with it? Shannon Bex has the right idea -- go country! Or just go topless (again). But DO NOT go where Eddie's gone before, my friend.

Watch Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time" video (woah, what up with that sesssual tension between Rick and Eddie? Just sayin'), and listen to Aubrey O'Day's version. I'm beside myself right now. Who do I talk to about this? Diddy?

Tags Aubrey O'Day, Danity Kane, Eddie Murphy, Rick James, video

A few things you need to know about 19-year-old newcomer Kristinia DeBarge and her new single, "Goodbye," which you may find right at home alongside the likes of Rihanna (you may hear some echoes of "S.O.S" in there) Kat DeLuna, and Danity Kane.

1.) You've heard the song on that Nivea commercial. Trust me, you've heard it.

2.) Kristinia is the daughter of James DeBarge, one of the founding members of '80s R&B pop band DeBarge. (!!!)

3.) "Goodbye" samples the 1969 Steam classic "“Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye," and it's not the only song right now that's using that cut -- Wale's "Chillin'," featuring Lady Gaga, also samples the same song. (Because perhaps there are not enough original songs out there to sample?)

4.) Speaking of Lady Gaga, Kristinia DeBarge's "Goodbye" video was directed by Ray Kay, who also directed Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" video.

5.) In the video, there's a close-up on Kristinia's watch, which is a hot pink Casio Baby-G ($79, Casio Baby-G). Who else rocks the Baby-G? Lady Gaga in her "LoveGame" video.

+ Watch Kristinia DeBarge's "Goodbye" video, and look for Kristinia DeBarge's debut album later this summer.

Tags Danity Kane, DeBarge, Kristinia DeBarge, Lady Gaga, Wale

Flo Rida's new video "Sugar" -- the second single off his sophomore album, R.O.O.T.S. -- is finally out. You know it's sweet, you know it's sexy, and you know it takes place on a beach, but here are more five more facts you need to know about Flo Rida's addictive new cut.

1.) "Sugar" was shot on Miami's South Beach by director Shane Drake, who also shot "Elevator," as well as a seemingly unending list of other major videos, including Panic At The Disco's "Nine In The Afternoon" and Paramore's "Decode" video. But before "Sugar," Shane Drake directed another beach video -- Shwayze's "Corona and Lime video."

2.) At both the "Corona And Lime" video shoot and the "Sugar" video shoot, Shane Drake took off his shirt, establishing what's basically a pattern -- Shane Drake shoots a beach video, director Shane Drake takes off his shirt. Got that, ladies?

3.) The girl who sings the hook on "Sugar" is R&B singer-songwriter Wynter Gordon, who's written songs for Danity Kane and Mary J. Blige. *Bonus Style Fact: At around 0:11 into the video, Wynter's shown wearing a white enamel necklace by Lia Sophia. Other Lia Sophia fans include Miley Cyrus (she wore Lia Sophia bracelets on Good Morning America), Stephanie Pratt, Audrina Patridge, and Leven Rambin.

4.) Flo Rida samples the song "Blue (Da Ba Dee)," which was an unlikely hit in 1999 by Italian electro-pop band Eiffel 65. Despite the fact that the song was the audio equivalent of waterboarding, it became a #1 hit in 10 countries and earned a 2001 Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording. Quite unfortunately, it was also covered by Crazy Frog, which never should've happened.

5.) While it's unclear if Flo Rida's a big Ian McCulloch fan, it's not a stretch to assume that Flo borrowed the line "lips like sugar" from the Echo & The Bunnymen hit of the same name.

+ Watch Flo Rida's "Sugar" video below, and after the jump, watch Echo & The Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" video.

Read more...

Tags Audrina Patridge, Danity Kane, Echo & The Bunnymen, Eiffel 65, Flo Rida, Leven Rambin, Mary J. Blige, Miley Cyrus, Panic At The Disco, Paramore, Shane Drake, Shwayze, Stephanie Pratt, Wynter Gordon

+ Former Danity Kane member D. Woods provides some terribly blunt revelations about Making The Band and just exactly how real "reality" television is. We applaud her candor. We do not, however, support her new haircut. (Singersroom)

+ Now that Pete Doherty is a Sober Sally, the absolute LAST thing he needs is to be infected with the Swine Flu. NOW GO OUT AND BUY SOME HOG! THE INDUSTRY'S A SUFF'RIN! (Holy Moly)

+ You need to see the trailer for Eminem's new video "3 A.M." It looks like Silent Hill meets a Rob Zombie movie. Pretty creepy (and of course, Em is shirtless). (Rap-Up)

+ As if you needed another reason to head to Austin, TX this year, Pearl Jam and Beastie Boys (along with Dave Matthews Band - meh) are headlining the Austin City Limits Music Festival in October (tix are only $185 for three days.. pretty good for a recesh budgie). Other notables include Lily Allen and John Legend.

+ And here you have it, "the face of digital energy," the official album cover for Black Eyed Peas' "The E.N.D." It's supposed to be a blend of all four band members' faces, but I think it just looks like Fergie after a hard night of drinking, which could explain where her wig went. (Rap-Up)

+ If you're in the market for a creepy Patrick Swayze wax figure (that looks nothing like him but claims to "sport his famous flowing 1980's hairstyle" from Road House), then you have come to the right place! (Live Auctioneers)

Tags Beastie Boys, Black Eyed Peas, D. Woods, Danity Kane, Dave Matthews Band, Eminem, John Legend, Lily Allen, Making the Band 4, Patrick Swayze, Pearl Jam, Pete Doherty, Rob Zombie, Silent Hill, SXSW

+ Ex-Danity Kane member Aubrey O'Day is finalizing talks to star in the next season of A Shot At Love. I mean, anything is better than Tila Tequila, right?? (PopCrunch)

+ American Idol alum Jason Castro has been working on his debut album (and no, it's not the cast recording of the musical Hair). (The Music Mix)

+ Eliciting shrill screams everywhere, Britney Spears will be crowned 'Always Now, Forever Next' at Logo's 2009 NewNowNext Awards in June 2009. (LogoOnline)

+ Next in his series of strange-looking magazine covers, Eminem channels his inner lesbian for the new issue of Vibe. (Bossip)

+ And nothing beats a good picture of Christina Aguilera looking a hot mess. Nothing. (Hollywoodtuna)

+ Turns out we're not the only ones guilty of drunk dialing: add Lily Allen to the list. (TeenMusic.com)

Tags A Shot At Love, American Idol, Aubrey O'Day, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Danity Kane, Eminem, Hair, Jason Castro, Lily Allen, Teddy Ruxpin, Tila-Tequila