Sicilian Nun Singing Alicia Keys Bring A Rapper To Tears

Washington Post reports:

As if to conclusively prove that the international spin-offs of American shows are, in fact, better than the originals, a Catholic nun appeared on Italy’s version of “The Voice” in full habit this week, singing Alicia Keys’s “No One.”

Per “The Voice IT,” the nun is 25-year-old Sicilian Cristina Scuccia, a member of the Ursuline Sisters of the Holy Family in Milan. She’s also quickly becoming an Italian pop culture fixture: The audition went so well that she joined the show on the team of goateed rapper J-Ax, and a video of her performance has been viewed more than 3 million times.

This is all in good fun, obviously — and it is fun, really fun, like pre-Lenten-chocolate-binging fun. But it also touches on some broader cultural changes in Italy and the Catholic church. Italy is home to the Vatican and a large share of the world’s Catholics, but only one in five people there attends mass. Meanwhile, Pope Francis has gone to unusual lengths to bring the institution more in line with the times and project an image of a kinder, gentler, hipper church. A church where it’s apparently all good fun if nuns turn their God-given gifts to the entertainment of the reality TV-watching public.

Speaking of the pope, Sister Cristina remarks at one point in her performance, “I hope that Pope Francis will call me now.”

If he doesn’t, it’s his loss.

Alicia Keys, Pharrell & Kendrick Lamar Team Up With Hans Zimmer For ‘Spiderman 2’ Track

From MTV:

Alicia Keys and Kendrick Lamar have teamed up for the lead track from the upcoming “Spider-Man 2” soundtrack. The song, “It’s On Again,” was written by Pharrell Williams, Keys, K-Dot and film scorer Hans Zimmer.

“I’m very excited to be a part of such a powerful collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams and Hans Zimmer,” Keys said in a statement about the album, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, due out on April 22. “This is the next chapter in the ‘Spider-Man’ legacy and we really feel ‘It’s On Again’ captures the experience, the story — and most importantly — the meaning behind the film, which is that we all have the potential to be extraordinary. There’s a little bit of a super hero in all of us.”

Director Marc Webb said he was looking for the perfect song to close the film, one that would be “upbeat and exciting,” but with just a hint of foreboding. “Alicia’s song, ‘It’s On Again,’ is the perfect end note,” he said.

Webb also praised the score created by Zimmer and the Magnificent Six, which includes Pharrell, Incubus’ Mike Einzinger, ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, Junkie XL, Andrew Kawczynski and Steve Mazzaro. “Every director wants his movie to have a unique sound, but this is beyond unique,” he said of the score. “It’s completely unlike any movie score that’s come before.”

The album will also feature new music from the Neighbourhood, Pharrell, Alvin Risk and LIZ, as well as Phosphorescent’s previously released “Song for Zula.”

Alicia Keys & Pharrell Perform At Black Ball 2013

Alicia Keys and Pharrell Williams appears at this year’s Keep a Child Alive Black Ball event in New York City to perform Pharrell’s recent collaborations ‘Blurred Lines’ and ‘Get Lucky’.

Keep a Child Alive’s Black Ball is a star-studded event where celebrity and philanthropy join hand in hand. The evening celebrates the work of Keep a Child Alive (KCA) and raises millions for children and families affected by HIV in Africa and India. The Black Ball hosts never-before-seen musical collaborations with KCA Global Ambassador, Alicia Keys, and other leading artists.

Alicia Keys – Better You, Better Me

This song is for a film (explained below) that Alicia Keys is also executive producing.

“Better You, Better Me” by Alicia Keys is original music from the film THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE, a beautifully observed and tremendously moving film about salvation through friendship and the way transformation sometimes can happen just by holding on long enough.

UPDATE: JAY Z Brings Out Alicia Keys At Yankee Stadium

UPDATE: During their Yankee Stadium stop, JAY Z and Justin Timberlake dedicated a performance of ‘Forever Young’ to Trayvon Martin (footage below).

JAY Z returned to Yankee Stadium last night for his Legends of the Summer tour with Justin Timberlake. During his set, he brought out Alicia Keys for a performance of “New York State Of Mind”. Second show goes down tonight.

BEHIND THE SCENES: Alicia Keys Covers Marie Claire UK

Alicia Keys makes the cover feature for the latest issue of Marie Claire UK, out now (I think). You can check out the revealing-yet-still-classy looks below, as well.

Our behind-the-scenes video shows the superstar singer on location on the Caribbean islands with the Marie Claire team of photographers, stylists and make-up artists hard at work on the fashion shoot.

Alicia can be seen striking a series of poses for photographer Yutsai as she models key designer looks by the likes of Gucci, Diane von Furstenberg, Versace and Just Cavalli.

[imagebrowser id=74]

ARTWORK/TRACKLISTING: Alicia Keys – VH1 Storytellers (CD/DVD)

alicia-keys-vh1-storytellers

VH1 & Alicia Keys will be letting go of the recording for her Storytellers performance, with was premiered late last year. The package will officially hit stores June 25th. You can check out the tracklisting below.

VH1 Storytellers Tracklisting
1. “No One”
2. “Brand New Me”
3. “You Don’t Know My Name”
4. “Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down”
5. “Not Even the King”
6. “Fallin’”
7. “If I Ain’t Got You”
8. “Girl on Fire”

BONUS PERFORMANCES
9. “New Day”
10. “Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart”
11. “Un-thinkable (I’m Ready)”