Song of the Month - Giulietta "No De$$ert"

It's been a few months since I've even heard the slightest peep out of Giulietta. After all the insanity surrounding her last album and the fact that she had her last single produced by T-Pain, it looked for a bit like she was going to let things calm down a bit. Wrong. She's back again with a new single and a hilarious and sexy new video to go along with it (you'll understand which is which when you see it.) Here's my top pick for August 2013 -- "No De$$ert" by Giulietta!

Oh lordy this cover is hilarious. Taken straight from the music video more or less, it depicts the star of the video, aside from Giulietta, getting her dessert. I actually don't understand the name of the track, since "dessert" is hardly mentioned at all. She spends most of the time bossing around whoever the song is written to be towards. She comes off much more cute than bitchy, thankfully, which makes her even more adorable. I know she's going for sexy but look at her bein' cute!

Musically I'm a bit torn. As a stand alone song, I'm in love with this track. It is very Hyper Crush sounding, not being too rap, but also not truly electronic either. It has a traditional rap beat, but the vocals sway far from the genre. As a Giulietta song I'm a little saddened. I'm used to "Voodoo" and "Pretty In Pink" style Giulietta. Perhaps I'll get that back in a future single. For now, I'm running with the flow here, and it's amazing. Unfortunately Taylor Skye's parts of the song were minimal.

As usual for this artist, the song is not up on iTunes. It is, however, available to listen to for free on SoundCloud and YouTube. I can't express enough how ballsy it is to release music regularly for free. The music industry is expensive, so don't take her free stuff for granted. Her last single "No Where" was available on iTunes, but it was also produced by T-Pain, so it was a bit expected.

Check out the official video below for a good laugh or two and see her look amazing!

Reality TV Review: RHNJ Season Five Episode 13

After a trying two and a half seasons, it looks like some of the major issues have been resolved. Who knows if this will open the doors for more issues, but it looks like Teresa has finally got the memo that she's gotta stop blaming literally everyone or else she'll have no friends. Still love you, Tre! Anyway, this is the first part of our obligatory vacation story. We all remember what happened in last season's camping fiasco. Let's hope this one is a bit more tame.

Chad Michaels + Liquid360 Make One Hot Music Video

I already posted a bit on how interesting this song was turning out to be, but with missed deadlines and a lack of official anything, I was losing hope for this one. Thankfully Chad is not a lady that breaks promises. We finally have the new music video -- and let's just say that even with the strange timing of Cher and her #1 impersonator coming out with a video at the same time, I've still got my eyes on Chad.



What can I say? This song is hot. Before I had a harder time deciphering which voice was which, so the visual aid helps a lot. Both Chad and Liquid get a good amount of vocal time, making this a true duet instead of a featuring track. The way I interpreted the lyrics was that she was talking about how being the winner of RPDR and getting the crown isn't everything. Simply winning doesn't make you a queen and the crown is only temporary. The main version of the song is produced by Majik Boys, who we have come to know and love in the gay music scene over the past years. Huge shout out to the boys!

When it comes to the video, I have to say I'm in love. The lighting, the colors, the makeup, the hair, even the costumes -- everything is perfect. Seeing Liquid360 for the first time was awesome as well because he's friggen hot. Who needs a video ho when you've already got a hot singer? Chad looked stunning as always for this encounter. I don't know if he's had work done since the show or if the lighting was just that good but she looks even younger than All Stars. I swear to God Chad is aging backwards.

The video tells the tale of a queen who has reached a high level of fame and developed an ego. Said ego gets this queen into a lot of trouble and once her fifteen minutes of fame are up, people start to see the bitch she really is and dump her. Mixed in, as always, are a lot of sexy dance sequence because it is a drag queen video after all.

Did I mention I think Liquid360 is really hot? Can we get more of him?

The track is also finally available on iTunes. There's also a remix album with a far sexier album cover!

Scarlette Fever Has New Lead Single "Sunday Best"

What day other than Sunday would be better to post about a track called "Sunday Best"? I've been keeping a close eye out on Scarlette over the past few months as she preps to release her new EP, and I have to say this single has got me amped once again. And even better -- it may be a genre you wouldn't expect from this site. Prepare yourself for more country-pop. It's the good kind, I promise!

I have to say that Scarlette has continued to impress me. She started out as a bit middle of the road, and has now settled nicely into the country-pop blended genre as a standout of the forthcoming artists of said sect. This track is fresh from her recent stint recording in California, and it shows a distinct improvement in quality and vocal strength. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing an artist realize their potential, even if there's always room to grow.

The track itself is much more Reba than Taylor Swift in regards to the archetypes. Her vocals are so perfect for this style of music, and she isn't afraid to belt out those notes towards the end. What I really love about this song in comparison to other country tracks is that it isn't just walking your through a story while holding your hand. Sure, there's a story to it, but she has it wrapped up in metaphors and other poetry, making it just as mysterious as it is heart-felt.

"Sunday Best" is the lead-in single for her upcoming EP Single White Female. The EP is due out October 23, 2013. The EP consists of two versions of "Sunday Best" as well as two other tracks recorded live. That's not much of a wait for us all, which makes me even more excited. According to the mailer I got on this latest single, it is also a nice taste of what's to come for her full-fledged album Attack Of The 6ft Woman, due out early next year. No word yet on if the album will contain studio versions of the live tracks mentioned before.

Currently you can listen to the track on SoundCloud and pre-order the single on iTunes due out September 29.

Reality TV Review: RHNJ Season Five Eisodes 11 + 12

Here we have another two-fer. I decided that since neither of these episodes were very groundbreaking or shocking that I'd add them up into one post. I think it worked out. Now, there may not have been any huge cat fights, but that's not to say nothing happened. Don't believe me? Well let's take a look, shall we?

Alyssa Edwards Has Still Got Secrets

In a world were internet shows come and go more quickly than you can click a link to watch them, it's nice to see that one show I actually have been enjoying has stuck around. I know I've already posted about this recently, but I feel like I need to reiterate -- Alyssa Edwards is amazing. There. I said it. Check out another amazingly funny video she's got as part of her "Alyssa's Secret" video webseries.



The blog has been awfully focused on music and housewives lately that I thought I'd remind you all (well most of you) of how you got here in the first place. Ok, so to be fair that have been a lot of drag/trans posts in the past couple of weeks, but this one is not music related, so that counts right? I just wanted to post about Alyssa Edwards, Ok!? Stop judging me!

Anyway, it is a relief to see that at least one of my drag favorites still has a show. While it may not be as hilarious as Willam's Beatdown, it still has a charm to it that only Alyssa could deliver. She seems to go into all of these gigs unscripted, and rambles on and on about whatever topic they throw at her that week. And here's the catch -- she's always hilarious! I don't even know if the funny is intentional, which is what gets most of my laughs. Most of the time she seems so completely serious that it's hard to tell if she's playing a character, or if she's just spacey.

I'll take her either way.

This particular episode had me rolling. It was all about sex in drag. Contrary to what many might think, most queens, or at least those I've come into contact with, aren't really into sex in drag. Alyssa hits the nail on the head with an intriguing story about being the prettiest girl in the room. She even goes as far as to say you better not come to her house empty handed. And no, they didn't edit out the prostitution joke. Sorry bout it.

Be sure to check out all her other hilarious videos and keep this diva on the air. Well, the internet anyway.

Sorry I Missed It - Wendy Ho "Public Place"

I'd like to say that I don't cover parody songs often, but when it comes to drag queens, it's sort of unavoidable. Thankfully, most of the time they are good. The case is no different when it comes to faux-queen/comedy genius Wendy Ho. Although she is best known for her original tracks, anyone in comedy knows that parodies are huge and often hilarious. For this round, she's chosen pop megastar Rihanna to prod at. Maybe prod isn't the right word.

Wendy Ho, you are always hilarious to me. I had originally heard this track back in December of 2012 when she graced my lovely city with her presence. Back then, the song wasn't completely finished, so it was vastly different from the version that is currently up on iTunes. The version I heard was much closer musically to the original track "We Found Love". Instead of the pulsating electro beats, she's opted to go for a more acoustic sound and more flowing vocals.

The subject matter of the song, as are most of Wendy Ho's songs, is NSFW (I mean c'mon. Her last name is Ho, after all). How do I phrase this as politically correct as possible? Well, she apparently wants to give you a blowjob in every public bathroom in the city. No, really. The track is all about her quest to give oral in public. Too bad she's not a dude. They can just hit up the nearest park for that kinda thing.

What I like best about this song, other than it giving me the most laughs I've had out of a song since Pandora Boxx released "Cooter", is that Wendy is really singing here -- and singing well. A lot of the time she only raps, giving us just a taste of her vocals during a select few choruses. Here, we get a full track of some of her best vocals to date. And here is where I was going to make a joke about Rihanna having after effects on her voice to sound better, but I don't need any more hate mail, ya dig?

You can grab the track on iTunes, and be sure to check out a special version of her performing the track in her home studio below.

Lady Gaga Teams Up With Drag Race Divas For New Single Promo

Well that title is a mouthful, but it really tells you exactly what you need to know. Earlier this week, Lady Gaga's new single in what feels like ages (after having a new one every week back in 2011/2012) "Applause" was released on the internet, and it has blown up since. Her official lyric video features some very familiar faces, too, from our favorite reality tv show (competition, as not to offend our housewives) RuPaul's Drag Race.



"But GaoSalad," you plead, "You hate Lady Gaga." No, that's not true. While I can only tolerate maybe three songs from her last album, I have to say she does have a knack for making good pop music. It's just that she is so overhyped that I try to give other acts attention over her and other headliners. But this is RuPaul's Drag Race we are talking about here. I can't just leave this alone. This has to be known.

In the video, Gaga is actually the camerawoman, and is filming various drag queens perform to her new single, which exploded all over the world last week. In said club (which I have no idea the name of), many Drag Race alumni made the scene to perform. Among the crew were Shannel from season one, Shangela of Season two and three, Morgan McMichaels of season two, and Detox from season five. There was even a two second clip from backstage of Willam hogging the spotlight again.

God I love Willam.

On a positive note, I have to say I like this song's feel far more than the previous era of Gaga. If this is any indication of what we are getting with Artpop (and remember, I'm skeptical because "Hair" was supposed to be a preview for her last album, but it turned out to be the only outstanding track for me) then I will be happy. I wasn't too crazy about the subject of the song, being a bit simplistic to be coming from a writer who has sewn many innuendos and interpretations into her music in the past, but it's so damn catchy that I can't help but enjoy it.

Right now the album is shrouded in mystery. It's available for preorder on iTunes, but all that is revealed is that it's coming out November 11, and there will be 15 tracks in total. As of now, "Applause" is listed as the final song, but that is also subject to change. Even the album artwork is simply the single cover for "Applause." Tomorrow is supposed to shine even more light on the situation, but I couldn't let my Drag Race faves get passed up another minute.

UPDATE: The official music video is out now! I personally wasn't crazy about the direction they went in. What do you think? Better with or without Drag Race?

Dina Delicious Moves On Like A Black Widow

Dina has been promising me this song for what feels like forever now. In reality it's only been a month or two at most. She's been talking this one up a lot though, and she's definitely followed through with all her promises. Saucy and dark is the game, and it's name is "Black Widow".

My only complaint is that this song feels like to goes by so fast! In reality it's the same length as most radio-ready tracks are, but it's just so new and fresh feeling that it feels like it should go on much longer. Everything about this track feels perfect. No really, everything. Dina turned heads with her last single, an updated version of 80's hit "Two Of Hearts", and now she's keeping them all looking with "Black Widow".

The feel of the track is something I've not heard of. It mixes a lot of reggae and modern techno with some drum beats that are off kilter, making it feel much more energetic. The song is all about a toxic relationship where the person is all sweet until you get to know her and she sinks in her teeth. It seems to be a warning to keep the toxic people at bay and not let someone into your life so easily.

Originally she said the track was going to be free, but as of now, the track isn't available for download. It is, however, free to stream at any time on SoundCloud. Usually the download function of the website allows for up to 100 downloads, but it doesn't appear as though this option is available to us yet. Perhaps she's trying to gauge the public's reaction to the song before fully releasing it. It doesn't even seem to have an official cover art yet. Time will tell on this one, but at least we've got something new and hot to dance to.

Chad Michaels Joins The Drag Race Music Club

I can't say for sure, but for some reason I think I saw that Chad had once said he didn't plan on doing music. Well, I guess things change, because she's had a track brewing on the DL for us all lately, and if you haven't been following her closely over the past few weeks you may have missed it! She's teaming up with a friend by the name of Liquid360 and is about to release "Tragic Girl".

First of all can I say how amazing this cover is? Everything about it is perfect -- Chad's face, the posing, the colors, EVERYTHING! I wouldn't expect any less from top contender of season four and winner of All Stars. Chad has always personified perfection. She has even been criticized for being too perfect. I mean is that even a real thing?

The track was supposed to come out yesterday, August 13, but it looks like it may have been pushed back a bit. No reasoning has been given from any of her official social media, nor on her website. In it's place, a 30 second snippet of the track was released. The website still has August 2013 as a release date, but no day has been solidified since it's missed projection yesterday.

The snippet shows a bit of the chorus, focusing on high energy club/dance music. I didn't get enough of the lyrical content to truly analyze what the song is about. What we do know is that there will be at least three remixes packaged with the release, as well as a music video. The extent of Liquid360's involvement in the project is still unconfirmed, although he is slated to be in the video.

We will update on future release dates as they become known.

Tan Mom And Adam Barta Release Another Song

Yeah. You read that right. They've released another song. The first song and video went viral and was all over the media, being blasted as a huge trainwreck (I loved it, personally, but I'm pretty wreck-y myself). These two had the balls to come back with a second strike -- and this time they have a lot more to say. Well, kind of. It's easier to show you than explain.



So this song here... I have to say is not anywhere near as catchy as the first. That's not to say that it's not fun, but it's way too hard to top "It's Tan Mom, bitch." The song starts off with a Katy Perry lyric, and moves on to be a bit more mess music wise then I was hoping. I don't keep up with gossip, but why is Tan Mom trashing Farrah from Teen Mom? Anyway, the song is just a list of things she and Barta have done over the past few months, mostly due to her previous song, such as being on Howard Stern... or dropping her top on the beach. She also calls Adam a pop tart.

The chorus comes in to remind us that this song has a name. "Life of the Party" or something.

The video is the up side this time around. Tan Mom looks like she's much more in her own mind (and she even makes it a point in the track to boast about her sobriety), and the over all quality was upped. The video is helped out by Adam Barta, so obviously it's very gay friendly including rainbows and cute boys. Patricia looks like she's been taking makeup tips from the real housewives (which is a mix of a good thing and a bad thing, moreso depending on who you are).

Things one can learn form this song:
Adam Barta is not her toy.
She is writing a tell-all book.
She kissed a girl.
She's licked Adam Barta.
She still is autotuned to hell -- and we wouldn't have it any other way!

John Rowley Teams Up With Alyce Renee For New Single

It's been a while since we've seen John Rowley. He has been stowed away overseas in Australia (damn I love my Aussies!) working on some new material. This time around, he is taking the David Guetta route and taking the back seat vocally to focus entirely on production. He's enlisted his good friend Alyce Renee to take over singing for the time being for the two's new single "Notice I'm Alive".



This song is definitely something different from the pace we've been moving at here at TOTU. The song is slower and much more experimental sounding. It is much more ambient sounding than anything I've heard from this past year. As a matter of fact, it reminds me of a lot of 90's underground music, taking a throwback to how the indie music scene used to be in the past.

"Notice I'm Alive" is also a different direction for John. He has focused entirely on producing the beat for the song. Previously he has taken the vocals, although I'm not entirely sure if he produced his own stuff at the time. The song sounds very professional and polished, and choosing Alyce for the vocals was a great move.

Both John and Alyce are 19 years old, and have been friends since high school. The two of them bonded early on in their school lives, and have been together ever since. It's unclear as to whether he will be inviting Alyce back for another track (it's still early on, the song just came out after all), but what is clear is that he is going to continue this trend of taking the back seat to produce instead of sing. He has stated clearly that music production is his passion. He wants to continue on this path, which seems to be something he's got quite the talent for.

Reality TV Review: RHNJ Season Five Episode 10

With the first major story arc for this season out of the way, it was starting to look like we would get a little down time. Nope. There is no such thing as down time for New Jersey. These housewives are always freaking out over something. It looks like loose ends with Jacqueline need to be tied up, and we get to see if the breakthroughs Teresa and Melissa's families made over the last few episodes will last. Let's check out another episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey!

MYPHNH(BS) - EMPiRE LIVE

Australians love me, and I love them. Every now and again I get an email from a new act, or even a veteran one, from the great Land of Oz (that's not a racist term, right?), and most often they are amazing! This is no different. Today we will get to know EMPiRE LIVE via their newest single and video, "Stop Time".



Straight out of Melbourne, Australia, EMPiRE LIVE is made up of two incredibly talented youths. Nic Noble is the one making the sounds, and Katherine Tanner is the laying the vocals. They have been known around their local area for the high energy shows they put on, but with their newest single, they are ready to take over the world.

"Stop Time" caught me from the very beginning. I'm not sure whether it was Katherine's Cher-esque vocals, or Nic's pulsing beats, but something drew me into this track immediately. The entire song is a exploration of many turn of phrases dealing with time such as "killing time" and "time to heal". Stopping time is impossible it seems, so now is the time to act. This dance track manages to get across a strong message while still being incredibly fun.

The video may be pretty basic on the surface, but that doesn't stop it from being intense. Katherine spends much of the time looking you dead in the eye while singing the vocals, and Nic is shown playing various instruments that fit into the feel of the song. There are a few visual effects, but too much laid onto it, making it come across more powerful.

EMPiRE LIVE have a great start into the international scene with this song. While it may not be genre-changing, it certainly does set a standard for indie artists everywhere.

As a special bonus, the band have agreed to offer "Stop Time" as a free MP3 download to all the TOTU readers. Grab it while you can and enjoy! Download it here!

Sorry I Missed It - Courtney Janae "Accelerate"

It's been a while since I've done a "Sorry I Missed It" segment. Not really because I've been staying on top of things, more because I keep forgetting this segment even exists. Luckily for Courtney, I was reminded, so now I can go back and highlight this amazing track and video. Wanna check it out? Well here it is.



Fist off, I love this song. The track was brought to my attention a while back, and it has been a steady playlist regular since. It's beat is slower and pulsating, but it doesn't feel like a ballad or a slow song of any sort. Instead, the steadily pounding beat gives it a hard driving force that I haven't heard pulled off well since Queen's "We Will Rock You".

This song is actually one of the four songs from her EP, Uncovered, which came out in the last quarter of 2012. The video is from around the same time, making this an almost year long miss. The song may actually be familiar to some, as it was featured on the wildly popular Oxygen Channel Show Bad Girls Club, known for featuring tons of talented indie artists and getting may new vocalists exposure.

The video itself is another story. It's a tribute to the classic scifi movie Mad Max Beyond The Thunderdome. Visually the video looks amazing. Unfortunately due to the fact that it's going on ideas that have been done over and over since the 80s, it feels very dated and cheesy. I love the scenes of her and her gang driving down the highway on motorcycles, but the scenes with them fighting in the biker bar were a bit too much. I can say that the video is incredibly well done and polished looking, making her stand out much further than artists of her caliber.

You can pick up "Accelerate" on her EP Uncovered on iTunes.

Brandon Hilton Has A New Song, Video, And Movie!

Holy hell, Brandon Hilton has been quite busy since we last saw him on TOTU. He may not have put the finishing touches on his new album (tentatively titled JUDGMEnt), but he has finally seen one of his biggest projects to date come to life. We are talking about his long awaited movie, Midnight Cabaret as well as a song and music video to go along with it. It's a lot to take in, but I'm sure you guys can handle it.



This video is for the track "Almost Forgotten", the theme song for Midnight Cabaret. It is a slower track than what we are used to from Brandon, but it does showcase his range quite well. While not all of the notes are on point vocally, it does show a bit of vulnerability and emotion that brings the movie's character (portrayed by Brandon) to life. The track is all about that one person who gives him hope because they are the only one who is still there for him.

The video is a mix of footage from the film and new footage shot specifically for this track. Since I have not yet had the chance to view the film (hint, hint Brandon!), I will have to use the official website's synopsis for the film. Please note I will do a review as soon as I can get my hands on a copy.

"Meet Adam, a geeky college senior who only wants to feel accepted. An encounter with Jason, his bully from high school, triggers a painful and disturbing past: an abusive, alcoholic father; his mother who committed suicide; and Todd, his older brother who's up for parole. Inspired by the goth drag queen Eve who performs at Midnight Cabaret, Adam decides to change overnight from geek to chic. He then is befriended by a few troublemakers who introduce him to a wild lifestyle of drugs and crime, sending him into a downward spiral and an unexpected journey in finding who he truly is" 

Well it has drag queens, so obviously I'm going to be all over this one! For now, the DVD is available directly through the official website. I will keep you posted for if/when it pops up on any other retailers. This movie has been a long time in the making for Brandon Hilton, and I know he's been dying for it to be fully released since we met over a year ago. It has been viewed on the big screen on several locations, but this marks the first time it is available for home viewing. Grab it while you can!

Reality TV Review: RHNJ Season Five Episodes 8 + 9

So I skipped last week. So what? These two episodes went pretty hand-in-hand, so I'm not feeling too bad about it, and it meant that I got to cover the full story instead of just half of it. I can say it was a crazy roller coaster, but it ended on a positive note. After two seasons of nothing but catfights, things are starting to look up -- and for real this time. Let's hope things stay this way. I mean, it's reality tv, but it's also these peoples' lives. Here's to wishing for the best!