Delicious Pop

Have you heard about Justin Utley, the gay ex-Mormon and survivor of ex-gay therapy? Well, he’s making his voice heard through his music.  The New York City singer-songwriter has been spreading his inspiring message at several Pride Festivals, including Stockholm, Denver, LA, Atlanta, San Diego and Las Vegas.

I actually stumbled upon Justin last summer, and quickly tweeted, “Um, I think I might have a man crush on @JustinUtley. LOL! Good music!” And he was nice enough to tweet back, “Too kind… too kind.” A man —who responds quickly, looks good and could serenade me at the drop of a hat— well, it’s all good in my book. But make no mistake, there’s much more to Justin than those endearing qualities.

It’s been a long road for the alternative country rock singer.  Before he became an advocate for LGBT equality and civil rights, Justin spent 2 years in a Mormon Church program — to be exact, it was conversion therapy designed to covert gay and bisexual men to heteros. Justin stopped therapy and broke ties with the Mormon Church.

In June 2010, he released “Stand for Something,” a powerful single to motivate and inspire others to fight for LGBT equality and end youth homelessness. The song was nominated by the LGBT Academy of Recording Arts for 4 OutMusic Awards, including “Best Songwriter” and “Artist of the Year.”  Justin won an award for the “Best Country/Folk Song of the Year.”   

Fast forward to 2012, and it’s already shaping up to be a busy year for the talented singer-songwriter.  A full band showcase is scheduled for March in NYC; his new video for “Great Escape” is scheduled drop this Spring; and his dance card is filling up quick for scheduled Pride performances.

Make sure you check out Justin’s performance when he comes to a city or town near you, to perform songs from his third studio album, Nothing This Real. What are my favorite picks? I enjoy listening to “Moment for Me,” “Behind My Eyes,” and of course, “Stand for Something,” which I appreciate for its strong, heartfelt message.  So check out the live-version of his award-winning hit, and tell me what you think.

Nicki Minaj - Starships [EXPLICIT VERSION]

I enjoy listening to Nicki Minaj’s Starships, even though I’m on Team Lil’ Kim. There’s enough D-Pop love to go around ladies. I still don’t quite get Nicki, especially after her crazy Grammy performance that apparently ruffled the frocks of the Catholic clergy. Anyway, check out her fun track and tell me what you think.

As promised… here’s It All Belongs To Me, the new track by Monica and Brandy. The R&B divas’ last duet was for The Boy is Mine, 14 years ago.

The women are no longer fighting over a man, but in this song, they are kicking their man —or men— to the curb, claiming all the shit he owns really belongs to them, including that MacBook.

It’s a great song and an even better performance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Thursday night. The women dedicated their performance to Whitney Houston. Monica, wearing a Whitney t-shirt, was visibly upset after the performance, shedding a few tears as the women embraced in a hug. Crying or not, the women look fabulous.

Anyway, the joint pops deliciously. It will appear on Monica’s album, New Life, slated to drop on April 3, 2012, and Brandy’s yet-to-be titled album due out in May.  Tell me what you think about this hot duo’s new track.

If you love musicals and the big lights of Broadway, there’s no way you’ve missed the first two episodes of the new NBC show, Smash. The show stars Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Katharine McPhee, Jack Davenport, Christian Borle and Megan Hilty.

I’m in love with the show and so far, this song, “20th Century Fox Mambo.” I can’t wait to see what’s ahead for the new show, and it looks like it’s already a big ratings winner for the peacock network.