New vid - Shontelle's 'Impossible'

To paraphrase Timbaland...

It's been a long time... we shouldn'ta left you...

But now we're back islandistas! And with something new - Shontelle's video for her single Impossible. Check it below and then our take on it after the cut.

Islandista music notes - new Livvi Franc vid & Shontelle's princely pay-day

We've got news for you on two of the Barbadian islandista singers who have followed in Rihanna's wake over the last two years - Livvi Franc and Shontelle.

First let's start with Livvi Franc who brought out the video for her new single Automatik, just last week. Check it out below and then our take on it...



For some reason, we were shocked to realise that this is just Livvi's second single of her still upcoming debut album. It just feels like she has been around for a while - she was signed to Jive Records as far back as October 2007, after all.

But it may well be a good thing that Jive is taking their time to cultivate her sound and it shows in the song which is really nice and catchy. The chorus in particular is sticking in our heads and it has a dance-pop beat to it that should do especially well in Europe and maybe even farther afield. The video is nothing to shout about conceptually - it's clubbish - beautiful people dancing in a club. More could probably have been done with it especially since the theme Automatik allows one to play around with all kinds of fun and futuristic concepts like machines and robots. Oh well ...

Now in some serious money-making news, Shontelle is in for a very big pay day as young Prince Azim of Brunei is flying her in to perform at a private party for him this weekend self for US$ 200, 000!

Get. In. DEY Shon! Get yuh money girl!

Even Shontelle herself seemed a little bit bemused by it all, telling Women's Wear Daily at a NYFW show on Monday:

"They’re paying us $200,000 just to be there. It’s a pretty major situation. I think it’s all oil money."

Brand new Shontelle:Licky video premiere & new single

Islandista Shontelle has been hard at work, prepping her sophomore album - the follow up to her moderately successful debut, Shontelligence.

Her music video for her lead single, Licky (which was released in October) was released last week (see above), while the power ballad-ish song Impossible was released online earlier this month.

Our thoughts on it all and the Impossible single after the cut.

Caribbean quartet performs at NFL half-time show

Feeling so proud to be from the Caribbean today.

The Caribbean quartet of Hal Linton, Melanie Fiona, Shontelle and Vita Chambers performed as part of the half-time show today at the NFL game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers at the Ford Field in Detroit. The four were part of a six-artiste set from Universal/Motown performing a tribute to Motown on its 50th anniversary.

Just to put it in perspective, previous performers at the half-time shows at NFL Thanksgiving Day games in Detroit (which has the oldest Thanksgiving Day Classic tradition - going all the way back to 1934) have included Mariah Carey and Toni Braxton. And now that list includes our Caribbean quartet.

And they rocked it out - every one of them. Check out the vid below.

Hot Islandista style

Islandista Rihanna and Selita Ebanks hit the scene in recent days looking as hot as a Caribbean summer!

First Rihanna was at the London premier of Inglourious Basterds in a black Alexander McQueen jumpsuit. Now we are not real big on a lot of jumpsuits/playsuits out there - too many folks wear them badly and end up looking like either a mechanic or a baby with a disturbingly sexy onesie.

But of course Ri-ri rocked it out... with mounds of pearls, a dramatic pompadour, lace gloves ruby red lipstick and attituuuuude gyal!

[caption id="attachment_1297" align="aligncenter" width="281" caption="photo source: theybf.com"][/caption]

Islandistas at the BET Awards & after-parties

Sighhhh.... oh BET.

BET, BET, B.E.T.

What can we say about Black Entertainment (or is that Exploitation?) Television's awards show on Sunday night?

Well for one, we like others really only tuned in for the expected Michael Jackson tribute.

If it weren't for that, we doubt we would have made it all the way through.

It was especially rough towards the end there when Lil Wayne and the world's most hyped new rapper Drake performed 'Every Girl in the World'.

And Lil Wayne brought his 10 year old daughter and her friends up on stage.

To sing along with the lyrics "I just wanna f*ck every girl in the world."

Shontelle and Rihanna link up in London

Fellow Bajan islandistas, former cadets and of course singers, Shontelle and Rihanna have apparently linked up in London and it is causing a minor tweet-storm (I think I just coined that phrase) in the twittersphere witha few loyal fans (and apparently a load of paparazzi) parked outside the hotel where they are both staying, desperate for a pic or autograph and tweeting updates.

As you would know from our post on Friday, Shontelle is in the UK on tour with Beyonce as part of her 'I Am' tour.

Apparently Rihanna has flown out to London town as well which explains the pics of her at JFK airport on Friday.

She and Shontelle have been tweeting back and forth since last night. A snippet of their exchanges:

• @RiRiFenty pssst. Where r u?about 23 hours ago from twidroid in reply to RiRiFenty


• @Shontelle_Layne LONDON baby :-)about 23 hours ago from mobileweb


• @RiRiFenty me 2. I was jus makin sure. Hope I see u! Gonna DM u now :pabout 22 hours ago from twidroid


• @RiRiFenty indeed! After party 2? ;)about 21 hours ago from twidroid in reply to RiRiFenty

@Shontelle_Layne i'll see what i can do! aha i'm kidding! of course! :-)about 21 hours ago from mobile web

• @Shontelle_Layne we'll make sure of it! tomorrows concert? :-Pabout 21 hours ago from mobile web
  
      

According to fan/twitterer Patsy Travers, Rihanna left the hotel about two hours ago to go do a soundcheck, fuelling rumours that she will be performing in the London show of Beyonce's I Am Tour tonight. We'll stay tuned for that.

In other Shontelle-related stuff, here's a clip that her lil sis recorded of her performing her break-out hit 'Roll' in Birmingham over the weekend.

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 De wining start out a li'l social - I guess cos of the heels but she put down some respectably islandistas wining towards the middle and end!

A pelau post for my islandistas!

I got a pelau kind of post for y'all here - a bit of this and a bit of that. Let it simmer and it gine be real good! :)

The day after completing her Carnival sweep, Queen of the Road, Fay-Ann Lyons-Alvarez was resting up at home and laughing off rumours that she had delivered a 'Carnival Baby'.

 

Speaking to the Trinidad Express, she said:

This is marvellous. The rumour went out by who, we don't know, and people instantly believed it. We told people that called it was not true, and they still believed the rumour. The rumour took precedence over what we were saying. This is the most amazing thing I have ever seen. Even though we are saying the baby has not come as yet, people insist it has. It just goes to show that you can't believe everything you hear. Ian and I had a good laugh over it.

In an interview with Newsday, Bunji added:

It looks like everyone is so excited with Fay’s baby that they feel that it is the nation’s baby. Since Saturday we have been hearing the rumours. We were sitting looking at the television when the announcer came across and announced that Fay had her baby, we just looked at each other and burst out laughing.

They both licked out against the bad-minded people who have been saying ... get this one... that she got pregnant just to get people on her side during Carnival, with Bunji saying:

This is a life not a toy, we wouldn’t do something to jeopardise the child.

Wow. People really taking this thing too far though - how they could really think that her getting pregnant during Carnival could be purpose-work? It doesn't even make any sense, for it certainly made her job more difficult  for while, as she said, she was not sick, you can't jump and wave much when you're eight months along - besides it not being a good idea, gravity is kind of working against you.

Saucy text caused Chrihanna bust-up?

And the news just keeps on coming and coming in this Rihanna-Chris Brown assault mess.

Word from tmz.com is that law enforcement sources have said that the fight (well, really beating because I don't know how many licks Ri-ri got in but Chris seems to have gotten in more) between the couple was caused by a text message that Chris received from a woman while he and Rihanna were driving home from Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party.

From tmz:

Law enforcement sources confirm to TMZ Chris Brown received a text message from a woman while he was driving with Rihanna and that's what started the confrontation that left Rihanna battered and bruised.

We're told the text message was from a woman who wrote about hooking up with Brown later.

Tsk. I guess that was almost inevitable, wasn't it? Not the beating obviously, but the signs of straying. Two such hot young people only just getting the opportunity to explore their youth and hotness is a combustible enough combination for regular folk. When you add the factor of their being basically on their own with no parental supervision that is an even more volatile situation, leading to premature domesticity and kids trying to act like old married couples when they're really young and hormonal - trust me we've seen it - UWI anyone?

Worse, when they are besieged by sexual offers all the time because of their fame and their teen idol/sex symbol status - it could only end in tears.

Ending in blows, however is something else altogether...

In other Chrihanna bust up related news, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office has sent back the evidence which the LAPD sent to them today. Apparently, they want the LAPD to work on it more as they feel there is not enough evidence to charge Chris with at this point in time. Eh? you may say. Apparently they are trying to get him on a whole set of charges including domestic violence, battery etc so they need the evidence to be strong. I thought a buss face was strong evidence but I ent no legal eagle...

In other islandista news (yes, there is actually other news), we have some pics of islandistas and islandistos on the red carpet at various Grammy weekend events. Had them for a while but this Chrihanna bust up has been taking up a lot of time - every time you turn your head, there's a new 'development'.

Soooooooo...

Up and coming Bajan singers Shontelle and Hal Linton both hit the New Era party with Akon.



Love Shon's hot pink skirt, not fond of the black camisole. And you're still too thin hon - please put on a leeeetle more weight.

Actually like Hal's look, even the extra-pointy faux-hawk which is shocking since I DESPISE the trend of faux-hawks - it has generally gotten out of control but Hal rocks it well here - looks funky and like he's doing 'him'. Good church boy that he actually is, he's probably  really doing what the label advises him to do but at least it has the appearance of being individualistic.

Estelle hit up the gifting suite before the Grammys. Again in an outfit that you will either love or hate. I've decided to just embrace Estelle's choices - she's a London chick after all so she's always going to be a bit edgy and off.



And before the madness ensued, Rihanna rocked a very cute blue dress on the red carpet at the Verizon/Blackberry pre-party.

Shontelligence album debut

Islandista Shontelle's album Shontelligence debuted yesterday and she celebrated with a Mad Tee party at Room Service in New York City, which was hosted by Vibe. Check out some of the pics from the party below...



(photo credit: theybf.com)

Doing big things girl... keep on keeping on!

But... while it may seem a bit unseemly to bring this up right when she's getting her shine on... it has to be said that real islandistas are worried and a bit puzzled by some of Shontelle's actions recently.

Like... that interview with kiwibox which we swear must have been forwarded to us no less than a dozen times by various people.



Really Shontelle? Third world? You know you know better... or rather, you don't because you are very much a 'terrace and heights' kind of girl. Bajans have been losing their minds about this. People veeeexxxxxx bad!

And the faux-Yankee accent is... painful.

We here at Islandista are willing to give you a bligh so we just beg yuh... do... don't let the Yankees make you hide who you are. Do you, hon.

Shontelle's T-shirt video

So Shontelle's video for 'T-shirt' came out recently... tell us what you think islandistas! Love it? Hate it? Indifferent? For my part I would have preferred it to have a bit more to it... most of it is shots of her either in the t-shirt on the couch or in the one coral dress. They could have perhaps showed her going through more outfits and reminiscing a bit more over the missing owner of the t-shirt. Just this islandista's view...