Today's Pick

Pure is the first internationally published album by Hayley Westenra who was born on 4/10/87 at Christchurch, New Zealand. In 2004, it was the highest selling New Zealand Album and so it privileged Hayley with an award from the New Zealand Music Awards of 2004. It was distributed in the United States by Universal Classics in 2004. During its first week of sales it sold 19,068 copies. As of 2007, Pure is the best selling classical album for the 21 century in the UK.
Hayley Westenra is one of my favorite singers. My favorite songs include "Heaven", "My Heart Belongs To You", "Never Say Goodbye" and "Amazing Grace".
Let's enjoy the song "Heaven".

Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in London, England in 1998. "Clocks" was released in the U.S. as the 2nd single from their 2nd album, "A Rush of Blood to the Head". Built around a repeating piano riff, the song features cryptic lyrics of contrast and urgency themes. "Clocks" won Record of the Year at the 2004 Grammy Awards, and, to date, is one of Coldplay's most successful songs.
A music video was filmed in support of the song. It was directed by British film maker Dominic Leung, and shot at Docklands' ExCeL Building in London. It features the band performing the song, with a laser show, in front of a staged audience, mostly local college students. Stage effects and blue-red light transitions give the video a surreal feel, not to mention the stoic crowd that make up the audience. Other favorite singles from Coldplay: "Viva la Vida" and "Speed Of Sound".

John Mayer was born in Connecticut on October 16, 1977. The "Your Body Is a Wonderland" is the 2nd single from his debut album, "Room for Squares" in 2001. This song was inspired by his ex-girlfriend, the actress/singer Jennifer Love Hewitt. John won a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Your Body Is a Wonderland”in 2003. In his acceptance speech he remarked, "This is very, very fast, and I promise to catch up."
The video starred the actress Holly Lynch. John also won the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album for "Continuum" and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Waiting on the World to Change" in 2007. I like his blues-rock styles, such as "Gravity", "Say", "Free Falling", and "Daughters".

Enrique Iglesias (born on May 8, 1975 in Madrid), is a Spanish singer has sold over 60 million records worldwide. "Hero" is the 1st single from his 2nd English album "Escape", topped the UK charts, and #1 in many other countries. He was asked to sing the song live at the benefit concert America: A Tribute to Heroes ten days after the September 11th attacks. It was Iglesias' first televised performance of the song.
The music video for "Hero" was directed by Joseph Kahn and features Iglesias as an honorable criminal hunted by his enemies, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays his love interest, while Mickey Rourke plays one of the men hunting him. The video follows a Bonnie and Clyde-esque plot with Iglesias and Hewitt running from their enemies in the desert. Finally, Iglesias' enemies track him down and confront him outside a church. The confrontation leads to Iglesias being floored by Rourke, before being struck with a baton. The video skips ahead where we see Iglesias and Hewitt in the rain surrounded by police cars. Iglesias clutches his torso, implying that he'd been shot. The video ends with Iglesias' death. However, it is assumed that the police caught Rourke.

"Cowboy Take Me Away" is a country hit song from the Dixie Chicks' 5th album "Fly". It reached #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart in February 2000.
The Dixie Chicks is a country music group, formed in 1989 in Dallas, presently comprises Martie Maguire, Emily Robison and lead singer Natalie Maines. The group have sold 30.5 million albums in the US, making them the best-selling female group in the country. The women also became well-known for their independent spirit and controversial comments on subjects such as war and politics.
The first scene of the music video shows a car stopping on a busy street, with Robison's high hot pink cowboy boot splashing through a puddle, and Maines waiting in a crowded elevator until reaching the top floor of an empty industrial-looking loft, joining the other two Chicks. The three begin singing the song and playing their instruments up there at the building-top in the center of a large city, resembling New York City. Gradually, the scene around them begins to slowly melt of forest floors and snow-covered mountains and the like appear, while the trio dance and sing. The city does not ever disappear entirely, but the point is made.

Special thanks to Jinsona for designing blog theme, and Daru Kurniawan Ahmadi (a.k.a 'Cahaya Biru') for XML coding.

Sincerely,
Kevin

Jewel Kilcher was born May 23, 1974 in Utah. She has received 3 Grammy Award nominations and has sold 27 million albums worldwide, and almost 20 million in the US alone. "You Were Meant for Me" is the 2nd single on her debut album, "Pieces of You", and went on to receive a great deal of recognition. It relates the singer's incomprehension of a failed relationship, and her inadequate attempts at moving on with her life. The album was also a huge success and eventually sold over 12 million copies in the U.S. alone.
The music video was directed by Lawrence Carroll for the Radio Edit. Steve Poltz appeared in the video, which would win Best Female Video honors at the 1997 MTV Video Music Awards. My other favorite singles from Jewel are "Hands", "Standing Still", and "This Way".