After 19 years together, my favourite band, The Beautiful South, have split up today. While this is a shame and I will miss them releasing their occasional bizarre albums, I think their best years have been and gone. They will be remembered by me at least as a great British band, who were - at their finest - regardless of genre or style, one of the most political bands of the 1990s.

I look forward to seeing what Paul Heaton and co will produce in the future (after all, the Beautiful South first formed from the Housemartins split).

Trying to think of a witty or otherwise non-pretentious lyric I can quote here is going to be very difficult. So I wont bother. If you haven’t listend to the South yet though, buy Carry On Up The Charts. 1/7 households have ;)!

Congratulations to Jennifer Hudson for winning the ‘Best Supporting Actress’ award at the Golden Globes. She won the award in her debut film performance playing Effie White in the movie version of the hit musical ‘Dream Girls‘ which also stars Beyoncé Knowles.

I am really pleased for her, as she was my favourite on the American Idol season 3. I loved Fantasia too, but Jennifer Hudson was my favourite.

I remember when she sung ‘Heatwave’ it really showed her vocal capabilities. She was kind of an underdog on the show as well, having only been given a chance to get through to the finals of the show because of Randy Jackson selecting her as a wild card. Simon Cowell never seemed to particularly like her; though his view of her seemed to become more approving shortly before she was thrown off the programme when the ‘three divas’ made up the bottom three.

Anyway, I am yet to see Dream Girls, but I am sure I shall love it. Congratulations once again, Jennifer!

Leona Lewis, of whom I am a fan (though was not sad enough to vote for on The X-Factor) is to appear on the premiere showing of the huge American TV show American Idol in the coming week.

How we rejoiced. Now she will be big and successful in America. I guess that’s ok, she’s a very good singer and should be fun to watch become famous.

“American Idol has produced winners such as Kelly Clarkson and Fantasia, and so Leona’s appearing on the premiere of the show on Wednesday is a very significant acheivement.”

Leona Lewis

And some more information on Leona’s performance:

“X Factor winner Leona Lewis is hoping to kickstart her US career by making a guest appearance on American Idol.

Having conquered the UK and topped the Number One spot since Christmas, judge Simon Cowell is reportedly hoping to showcase his latest prodigy in the States.

The singer is hoping to put an appearance in on the show when it kicks off in the US next week with a special two-part premiere.

The new series will feature 170 singers which will eventually be whittled down to the final 24.

Leona held on to the top spot in the revamped official UK chart for the second week in a row with A Moment Like This.

The X Factor winner’s debut single, which is a cover of previous American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, became the fastest-selling download of 2006.”

ITV News

More soon, loyal readers!