Come back, Amy.

I love Amy Winehouse. I don’t care what anyone says. Though she’s somehow narrowly escaped the watchful eye of the ever-badgering news media, Winehouse is still in my music spotlight as she gets me moving, dancing and brushing off my pumps (but not really) every time I listen to her music.

But where has she gone off to? The latest news of our favorite Rehab lady is that she’s collaborating with Fred Perry on a new clothing collection — for your late-night partying, booze binge pleasure. Oh, Valerie.

It’s About Time…

I just ordered my 52-issue subscription to Entertainment Weekly, my go-to source for entertainment news, TV updates, pop culture news coverage, etc. It’s also a place I’d love to contribute to at some point in my life. So, why did it take me so long to send off the check for my packaged zines? Technology, that’s why.

The ease in reading the same articles online that would appear in print (for the most part) make buying an actual magazine in a college seem futile. BUT, I have turned a new leaf. How can I say that I am strongly grounded in the idea that print journalism will live to see halfway into the new millennium if I don’t contribute? So, I rolled up my sleeves, saved up and renewed both my EW and New York Times subscriptions.

I am putting my two cents in (or actually, a total of nearly $100) … what can you do? Remember, holding a magazine is much more soothing and awesome than staring at a 15-inch screen.

What Happened to Pop Music?

Photoshopped by yours truly.

Pop music isn’t for the faint of heart. Known as a genre that takes leaps and bounds into debauchery, fun, exploration and an excitement-driven lifestyle, the tunes of balladeers and discotheque-enthusiasts have meshed to create this music for the masses. It used to be distinctive. It used to be original. And it dared to invent. (JT, anyone?)

Now, each artist at the forefront of the pop genre seem to be riding on each others’ coat tails, only to realize that eventually, someone will have fall off the end, making way for a necessary replacement—most of the time drawing similarities to their predecessor. Leading the pack is, undoubtedly, the illustrious Stephanie Germanotta (am I allowed to call her that?). Needless to say, you all know her “real” name. Her voice may be uniquely akin to influences like David Bowie—who I could make serious money off of if I got a dollar each time she mentioned him—but her overall sound is nothing “new.” After countless listens I find myself craving something different.

Another prime example. Rihanna started off as a voice for Caribbean influence in pop. Her beats were simple and infectious and we all wanted to have a DJ as nice as the one in her debut music video. Two years later, she was a “Good Girl Gone Bad” which was, in essence, a mirror reflection of her drastic shift in style. Good…to, well, you get the idea. I could go on about so many artists known as today’s frontrunners of pop—don’t even get me started on Shakira and Beyoncé—but that would take a while. These artists all had something unique about them. And in a small twinkling of any eye, they changed into a regurgitation of each other, with mainly their physical, commercial image left to set them aside for mass production among different races and backgrounds.

It’s time for pop music to reinvent itself and find a new place on the music spectrum. Get the commercialism out and make commerical investors, talent scouts and big-wigs in the music industry beg to be a part of it.

Don’t let them rule it.

Kanye + Vogue: A Match Made in Fashion Heaven?

The Louis Vitton Don is back on the media radar after lying low post-Taylor Swift fiasco. He’s been spending his time cruising through Paris Fashion Week this week along with his girlfriend, Amber Rose, and got to meet some renowned designers while at it. PETA isn’t a happy camper, though, as West and Rose have both been called out for their fur-centric outfits.

West also got to rub elbows with Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine (and the main subject of the recent film, “The September Issue”—which I loved). I wonder if Anna made any remarks about West and Rose’s recent fashion choices? Or…if she made any remarks to Kanye at all? Then again, she is wearing fur in this photo, so maybe they had something to relate to.

Kanye had some choice words for the bloggers who bashed him and his boo, though. And, of course, it WAS ALL IN CAPS…

Instant Film Cameras: They’re Not Just For Hipsters.

Gaga poses in a Twitpic with her new business card. Great job attempting to cover up the office info, Stefani.

Lady Gaga practically feeds off vintage.

Studio 54, David Bowie and Andy Warhol always top her list when reporters ask her where she finds her mojo for pop music creativity (that and “Fame Monster, Sex Monster and Myself Monster“).

After no doubt noticing her affinity for making the old look fresh and exciting, Polaroid has signed on Gaga as a Creative Director. Urban Outfitters enthusiasts, rejoice! This partnership should be great business for her Heartbeats headphones (seen in her Bad Romance video) and other Gaga merchandise, so don’t be surprised if Polaroid starts releasing instant film cameras with THE FAME plastered all over them. Now, fans can recreate artsy shots of “Just Dance” at their very own debaucherous house parties.

“We won’t be selling cameras with my face on them,” she said. “I’m working on bringing the instant film camera back as part of the future. I’m interested in bringing it back…and combining it with the digital era and making something new.”

Vegans, Designers and PETA, Oh My!

Usually any news involving Tim Gunn makes me all fuzzy inside. Love the man. Throw Ellen DeGeneres and animal rights in the mix and life just starts getting peachy.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) just named Tim and Ellen their 2009 Man and Woman of the Year for their contributions to spreading awareness and advocating fair treatment of animals. Ellen is known for her vegan ways and, come to thing of it, I don’t remember King Gunn ever looking at a design including fur with assuring eyes. I expect him to utter a disappointed “Make It Work” to any designer who dares slap mink on a mannequin.

Throw some faux on it in the presence of the King.

Tyra To Peace Out—a la Oprah

“I’ve been loving having fun, coming into your living rooms, bedrooms, hair salons for the past five years.”

Those are the words that model, talk show host and diva extraordinaire Tyra Banks spoke when she announced to People Magazine that this season would be the final season of the Tyra Banks Show. Umm…sound like anyone we know of? It’s been pretty clear that the more established talk show queen, Oprah, took a “liking” to Tyra after Oprah invited her to co-host a show following the news of Rihanna’s unfortunate situation with singer Chris Brown. Tyra opened up about her own history of enduring physical abuse—a topic that Oprah related to as well. They joined forces to tackle the issue and their empowering words set them on an even higher pedestal of female influence.

So why end the franchise? You’d think that after getting the master out of the way that the apprentice would take her time to shine. Not in this case. I’m sure Tyra felt a small sense of pressure, though. Fans had been comparing her to Oprah for some time, not only because of her race, but because of her personality. Don’t lie—you probably got a hint of Oprah’s famous “Harrison Ford is HERE!” voice in Tyra’s outbursts on her own show. She was, in a way, prepping to take over. It was a position of power that, apparently, Tyra didn’t want. Best of luck with your future endeavors, girl. Where’s my Tivo? Time for some ANTM reruns.

The Robsten Photoshoot

I found some pics of Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart goth-ing it up in Harper’s Bazaar magazine just now. I’m not one to give into vampire hype too much (yeah, right), but I can confidently say that this photoshoot looks like quite the success.

Both Twi-stars look dashing as Gothic lovers. The second one in the gallery my favorite. Classic. Chic. Sexy.

Fashion Week With Miranda

September 10 marks the beginning of Fashion Week a.k.a. a time to showcase clothing that no one would ever be caught dead (or alive) wearing.

I had a dream a while back that I went to fashion week and I was a high-class model. I ended up wearing a lamp shade and high heels. That to me is honest-to-goodness sophistication. If I could just walk outside today and get rock-stares from wearing a lamp shade, then I’d classify myself as a fashion deity.

Sadly, it was only a dream. I guess what fueled my desire to write this was a video I just saw. If you don’t know Miranda, she is the Internet alter-ego of a decent singer. Miranda, however, is a purposefully terrible singer who covers showtunes and popular music.

It’s genius, I tell you.

Anyways, Miranda offered some useful and relevant modeling tips on YouTube. Timely and priceless. Partake.