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By Michael Lopez

Throughout 11 wild seasons, Randy Jackson has remained an American Idol constant. And beyond that, he's a music legend, having played on albums by Journey, George Michael, and Mariah Carey. So clearly he knows his stuff and he's got some very interesting things to say about this latest version of Idol.

"I think we're in a great groove now," Jackson told us during an exclusive conference call. "Everyone makes such a fuss about the judges, but it really is the talent. If you don't have the talent…people might want to watch about five minutes then be like 'Okay.' So, I think it's really about that talent and what we get back from these kids."

Randy may have a point, but clearly the fans are entranced by the antics of his cohorts Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Though they got a little bit of flack last year for being a bit wet behind the ears, Jackson assured us that there are big changes in store.

"[Jennfer, Steven, and I] talk about everything," he explained. "But this season you may see them be a bit more stern. They may surprise you. This Hollywood week was the toughest we've ever had on the kids."

And according to Randy, tough love is a necessity if you want to succeed in the music business. He went on to offer his philosophies on why criticism is important when prepping singers for a life behind the mic.

"This is a process that gets you ready for the future," he said. "You think Idol’s hard? Wait until you become an artist and you're trying to put a record out. After our show, you jump into the ring and duke it out with Madonna, with Rihanna, with Katie Perry. After this, you're setting yourself up for the competition of life and the competition never ends."

Speaking of competition, Jackson also made sure to speak out about Idol’s big rival in the ratings race, NBC's The Voice. Even though TV's other vocal talent show scored huge post-Super Bowl ratings, Randy isn't worried one bit.

"Listen, Idol is in its eleventh season," he proudly stated. "The Voice [had] huge numbers. I think any show after the Super Bowl will have huge numbers. They've got an original show and I think there's room for everyone out there."

Let's hope Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Cee-Lo Green feel the same way.

What's your favorite reality singing show? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Exclusive Entrevistas, Jennifer Lopez, Música, Randy Jackson, Reality shows, Steven Tyler, Television, The Voice, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Fresh off the heels of her Super Bowl halftime show, Madonna has announced plans to tour the world in support of her new album. The Material Girl will reportedly kick off the festivities in Israel on May 29 and move across several continents throughout the remainder of the year.

Interestingly, this latest musical run will be the first time she's hit the road since her "Sticky & Sweet Tour" in 2009. And proving she's still got the goods at age 53, Madge will be hitting venues in destinations ranging from Australia, to Europe, to the Middle East.

Fans clearly got a taste of what to expect this past Sunday when the singer debuted a new track alongside Nikki Minaj and M.I.A. And though it's doubtful she'll bring M.I.A. along for the ride (especially after that finger wagging incident), we're sure their song will make the set list.

Several dates are still getting locked in, but you can expect Madonna in Tel Aviv by late May, France by August, and Miami sometime in the fall. And just to prove she's still connected to the Latino crowd, Madge will be hitting South America sometime after that.

Are you looking forward to seeing Madonna live? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Hot Stuff, Madonna, Música, Tours

By Michael Lopez

A while back we mentioned how Don Omar was going to be a headliner at one of Indianapolis' pre-Super Bowl concerts. But unfortunately, that reggaeton jam never came to be. El Don cancelled his appearance at the last minute, possibly due to tension with Univision.

According to Latin Gossip, Omar was upset with the way Univision was handling the television rights. Though it hasn't been confirmed, many believe he bailed because he couldn't secure a deal with the broadcasting giant.

Clearly that left a lot of fans disappointed, but the show still went on. Alejandra Guzman and Larry Hernandez carried the slack, delivering powerhouse performances for the crowd.

And interestingly, Guzman even showed a little New England pride during her set. Before breaking out into one of her signature tunes, the Mexican songstress threw on a colorful Patriots-inspired football helmet.

Do you think it was wrong of El Don to bail on the concert? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Alejandra Guzman, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Don Omar, Música, popnews, Super Bowl, univision

By Ikam Acosta

The Juanes Unplugged show, which will air sometime in late May or early June, was taped earlier tonight at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach.

Some of the songs that will be featured on Juanes Unplugged are "Es Por Ti," "Todo En Mi Vida Eres Tu," "A Dios Le Pido," "Hoy Me Voy," "Camisa Negra," and "Odio Por Amor," among others. The dress rehearsal took place the night before, at the same venue.

The crowd was more energetic during the actual taping than in the dress rehearsal, as you could imagine, since it was filled with more fans and contained a broader audience. During the rehearsal, however, we got the added treat of seeing Juanes sing duets with two contest winners, one being an amazing songstress by the name of Emanuela Bellezza, with whom he sang "Fotografía."

I asked a couple of fans sitting next to me what their favorite part of the show was. "I was surprised with the Joaquín Sabina part, never expected him to be onstage," commented Alexander Monroy, referring to when Juanes welcomed Sabina onstage with him to perform a beautiful rendition of "Azul."

Another fan, Michelle Kates, commented on how she loved the intimacy and the vibe of the whole Unplugged experience. She said it was a "cool concept, great to see him in this kind of setting."

As if there wasn't enough energy filling the room, Juanes really rocked the house with his final number, "Odio Por Amor," when he was joined by Juan Luis Guerra conducting the New World Symphony choir. Needless to say, the taping of Juanes MTV Unplugged was a success.

What Juanes song would you like to see on MTV Unplugged?

Tags Blogger: Ikam Acosta, Emanuela Bellezza, Joaquín Sabina, Juan Luis Guerra, Juanes, Juanes MTV Unplugged, Música, MTV Unplugged, popnews

By Michael Lopez

Pitbull better make some extra room on his mantle because it looks like he'll be receiving a very prestigious statuette. News broke this week that Mr. 305 is set to snag the President's Award at this March's BMI Latin Music Awards.

Taking down the coveted President Award puts Pit with some pretty elite company. Previous honorees have included Juanes and will.i.am, both of whom have sold millions of albums.

And that's precisely why the BMI execs have chosen Pitbull as this year's big winner. In the past several months, his "Give Me Everything" single has sold over 8 million copies and given him the #1 slot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

Add to that countless gold albums and a hugely successful touring career, and you've got yourself an artist more than worthy of hanging with "The Pres." Look for Pit to accept his award March 31 at a posh gala in Las Vegas.

What's your favorite Pitbull single? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, BMI Latin Music Awards, Give Me Everything, Música, Pitbull, President's Award

By Michael Lopez

It's official, Chino y Nacho have a major hit on their hands. The Venezuelan duo's Supremo record has already topped the Latin Album Charts and is about to get even more of a mainstream boost. C y N just confirmed that Akon will be appearing in the video for their latest single, "Bebe Bonita."

"Bebe" is actually a three-way duet between Chino, Nacho, and British rapper Jay Sean. Sean, of course, appears in the video too, but it's Akon who seems to be making the most headlines.

The Konvicted crooner seemed more than eager to help out his old buddies. As we all know, Akon's got a lot of history with Jay, having performed with him on the Supafest tour and on singles like "Down."

And the four of them seem to be getting along great, as evidenced by the pic Lateen Gossip put up on its site. We're already huge fans of the "Bebe" track and we’re hopeful the star-studded video can push Chino y Nacho to even greater musical heights.

Have you picked up Supremo yet? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Akon, Bebe Benito, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chino y Nacho, Jay Sean, Música, Supremo, Videos

By Michael Lopez

We're not sure what was more newsworthy about Christina Aguilera's appearance at Etta James' funeral this weekend; her impassioned performance of "At Last" or the fake tan drip oozing down her legs!

There is no denying that Xtina pulled off an incredible performance of James' signature song. And, for the most part, that's what the media paid the most attention to.

"Etta James was the one who cut right to my soul and spoke to me," Aguilera said before breaking into "At Last." "So tonight Etta, this song is for you."

But, it seems the chisme blogs were still able to take a few jabs at Christina. Photographers snapped fake tanner fluid running down the singer's legs during the procession. Videographers even caught Aguilera attempting to wipe the fluid away with her jacket.

Perhaps Xtina would have been better off consulting some orange-faced pros before stepping up to the mic.

What do you think about Christina's latest beauty blunder? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags At Last, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Chisme, Christina Aguilera, Etta James, Funerals, Música, popnews

By Michael Lopez

Welcome to a whole new year of "El Headliners." The fans have spoken once again and their latest OurStage fave is none other than Joey, an experienced reggaeton vet formerly of Marcy Place. Now working on his solo career, Joey opened up to us about his new sounds and his new plans for 2012.

"It was very exciting when I got the news that I was the new 'El Headliner' ",  he told us. "I'm looking forward to a very bright year ahead."

Unlike a lot of our "El Headliners," Joey's already had a taste of musical success. His old group Marcy Place worked closely with Don Omar and members of Aventura and had a previous presence on Tr3s.

"We started recording our Marcy Place stuff in Aventura's studio," Joey went on to say. "They really believed in our voices and gave us some great input. Our videos got on MTV Tr3s too and our music was definitely out there for the people, which was a good thing."

But, like a lot of talented groups, friction soon tore them apart. Joey explained how management issues and rapid success led to internal struggles among the members.

"It got to a point where I didn't feel comfortable around the group anymore," he said. "So I took matters into my own hands and went independent."

And with the freedom to record the way he chooses, Joey decided to blend several musical genres together. Still keeping true to his reggaeton roots, Joey has added flavors of R&B and pop into his latest sound, which you can hear in his OurStage single, "Mi Vida."

"I'm doing R&B and bachata and even some a cappella stuff," he added. "There are a ton of styles I’m hoping to incorporate. Right now I’m influenced heavily by artists like Chris Brown, Usher, and Daddy Yankee. I’m even listening to a little country at the moment."

Still in the midst of putting together his first full-length album, Joey told us he's got about five tracks completed with many more on the way. And he seemed very confident about taking his musical ambitions to new heights in the years ahead.

"In the next few years, I hope I'll have a few Grammy nominations," he went on to say. "I'd love to be at that level."

You can check out more of Joey's music by visiting his Facebook and Twitter pages.

Who's been your favorite "El Headliner" so far? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, El Headliner, Exclusive Entrevistas, Joey, Joey Pabon, Marcy place, Música, Mi Vida, Ourstage, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

Could we be going "two-for-two" this season on American Idol? As we all know, last year's big winner was part-Latino and judging by the talent we saw on Thursday, we could have another Hispanic champ in our midst.

The A.I. judges hit Texas last night and came face-to-face with some very talented singers. Christina Osorio didn't just have an incredible voice, she had an incredible story. The 28-year-old divorcee is currently raising three small kids and laying it all on the line for her big break.

Osorio's rendition of Adele's "One and Only" wowed the brass, particularly Steven Tyler, who went on to say,

"I love your high marks. When you go upstairs, your tenor is beautiful."

But she wasn't the only memorable Latino of the night. Ramiro Garcia proved to be the episode's most inspirational contender. The upbeat crooner delivered a powerhouse performance of "Amazing Grace," which was even more "amazing" when you consider that he was born without ears.

Hopefully we'll be seeing a lot of Latino talent to come in the next few weeks!

Who's been your favorite Idol contender so far? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Amazing Grace, American Idol, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Hot Stuff, Kristine Osario, Música, One and Only, Ramiro Garcia, Television

By Michael Lopez

After months of hype (and a breakup in between), Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's ¡Q’Viva! series is finally set to debut this weekend. We happened to catch a sneak peek of the premiere episode, which shows a very interesting side to the newly divorced power couple.

In all honesty, the ¡Q’Viva! format does play a lot like Jennifer's "other" reality competition show. And if you ask us, it's kind of strange to premiere both series so close to each other. Could it be giving the TV viewing audience a little too much J.Lo on a weekly basis?

One thing's for sure. With Lopez, what you see is what you get. Jennifer actually comes off quite the same on ¡Q’Viva! as she does on Idol. She's the "sweet" judge, the big-hearted talent scout who clearly hates giving out bad news.

Anthony, on the other hand, is a little more rough around the edges and has some stern moments during the premiere. Sometimes he gives the thumbs up and other times he's crushing karaoke dreams.

But of course, what the audience really wants to see is how well these two interact together. Now keep in mind, ¡Q’Viva! was shot before the Casper Smarts and Shannon de Limas entered the picture.

With the split still pretty fresh, both Jennifer and Marc come off professional and genuinely sweet with each other. There are even a few brief mentions of their twins, Max and Emme.

And the producers made a smart decision by having them address their public breakup almost immediately (vs. glossing over it like it never happened). Clearly part of the season's subplot will include how these two former lovers learn to work hand-in-hand to find talented Latinos.

Which of course brings us back to the "substance" of the show, the talent. In the first episode we meet quite an interesting array of characters. There are Brazilian fighter dancers, Chilean guitar masters, and a pair of Central American twin sisters who have some funny (and flirty) moments with El Cantante.

Superstar choreographer Jamie King is featured as a central figure too, adding input on a few dancing contestants from Argentina. And with his history teaching moves to Ricky Martin, Madonna, and Britney Spears, we're sure he'll add a lively touch to the show.

That being said, ¡Q’Viva! has the potential to turn into quite an interesting reality experiment. But, as we know with all talent competition shows, the true fun doesn't begin until the final eliminations.

Are you looking forward to ¡Q’Viva!? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags American Idol, ¡Q’Viva!, ¡Q’Viva! The Chosen, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Celebrity Divorce, Jamie King, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Música, Reality shows, Television