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CD REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: Kelis' "Flesh Tone"

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, R&B songstress Kelis was pregnant, involved in a nasty public divorce with Nas and without a record label. It would have been no surprise if the singer had left the industry altogether.

Fast forward one year. Kelis delivers a fabulous electronic fifth studio album Flesh Tone. Kelis made her mark in R&B with the hypnotizing and ubiqutous call of "Milkshake" but the new album is strictly electronica. Flesh Tone collaborates with super-producers such as France's David Guetta and Italian electro-house synthesizers Benny and Alle Benassi to ramp up Euro-house disco aesthetic. The tracks are all up-tempo, from the hard-driving and techno "Emancipate" to the Kylie-inspired "Brave." And of course "4th of July (Fireworks)" is a club banger and the new music video is luxe and magical. The sound on Flesh Tone is a great new niche for Kelis and she literally lights up the dance floor with fireworks.

FlyLife and Interscope are giving away up to limited copies of Flesh Tone to Rod 2.0 readers. There are two ways to win: (1) Enter by leaving a comment in this post and make sure to leave the correct email address. (2) Sign up to become a new follower of Rod 2.0 on Twitter. Send us a message and say that you'd like to enter the CD contest. The entries close midnight Sunday. It's our way or saying "Thank You" for reading R20.

Watch Kelis on Today AFTER THE JUMP ...

Kelly Rowland: Elle, Singapore, FIFA, "Everywhere You Go" Video

Outtakes from the July 2010 Kelly Rowland editorial in ELLE. The "Commander' diva is photographed at New York's W Hotel by Kelly Stuart in Fendi, Hervé Léger, and Jean Paul Gaultier. "I like to see what I have first, see what everyone else is doing, and then I put my own shake on stuff so it’s my own,” she explains.

More images AFTER THE JUMP ...

Rowland and Diana Ross are in Singapore today and  headline the grand opening of the Marina Bay Sands.

The "Commander" video dropped yesterday to rave reviews. The David Guettta-produced anthem officially debuts next week and is expected to hit the #1 position on the U.S club charts. Popwrap at the NY Post: "In addition to 'Commander,' two other songs will be simultaneously assaulting radio next week -- the urban radio track 'Grown Woman' and the pop/mainstream hopeful hit 'Rose Colored Glasses.' A trifecta of tracks that are bound to resonate in the radio ozone for a long time."

Cover art for the new singles HERE. 

How did Kelly Rowland meet French super-producer Guetta? "'He was DJing in the place I was performing,'" Rowland explains in an extensive new interview with The Scotsman. "'He played the instrumental of When Love Takes Over and I heard it and lost my mind so much I cried. I had to sing on that track.' ... After working on the track with writers [and] rehearsing in a studio, she caught the attention of Sylvia Rhone, president of Universal Motown Records, who was next door working with Nelly. 'God puts us in the right place at the right time. That's definitely what he did that day.' When Rhone discovered she didn't have a label she signed her on the spot. 'And we've made a fantastic record.'"

The official music video for Kelly Rowland's FIFA World Cup theme song "Everywhere You Go" debuts. The track features artists from across the continent—such as Samini, Chameleone and Krotal and—who sing with Rowland and also appear in the Andrew Wessels-directed video. Unfortunately: The track is not included in the Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album compilation available on iTunes.

More images and watch the video AFTER THE JUMP ...

WATCH: Full Version of Kelly Rowland's "Commander" Video

Here is the much anticipated and official version of the brand new music video for Kelly Rowland's "Commander." The official video is longer and a different edit than the version that leaked overnight. The ferosh David Guetta-produced dancefloor anthem is from Rowland's upcoming self-titled album and is expected to hit the #1 position on the U.S club charts this week.

There are two fabulous sequences in the Masashi Muto-directed and Fatima Robinson-choreographed video that pay tribute to black gay club kids: The runway vogue battle and the duckwalk. Love it. Watch it AFTER THE JUMP ...

PHOTOS, VIDEO: Kelly Rowland Performance at Wango Tango

Kelly Rowland was a surprise guest at KIIS-FM's Wango Tango concert in Los Angeles over the weekend. Kelly performed the hit "When Love Takes Over" and her new dancefloor anthem "Commander", both produced by David Guetta. "We're almost done with the 'Commander' music video," Rowland said in an interview after the show. "It's in post production now and looks great."

More images and a short clip of the performance—as well as the interview and behind-the-scenes "Commander" video—WHEN YOU JUMP ...

FIRST LOOK: Kelly Rowland's "Commander" Album Art

Big hair and a nod to Donna Summer for Kelly Rowland on the cover art for her ridiculously hot new single "Commander."  The David Guetta-produced track is a clubbanger getting rave reviews. It's from her upcoming untitled album expected to drop later this year. Download the track free HERE.

Watch video of Rowland performing "Commander" at the Winter Music Conference and photos from her recent gig at SupaFest in Sydney—Kelly is causing it—ON THE FLIP SIDE ...

Estelle: The Rod 2.0 Interview

Estelle has become the template for transatlantic music success. In 2004, the West London-born singer-songwriter burst onto the British R&B scene with "1980" and "Free" from her debut album The 18th Day. After winning the MOBO for "Best Newcomer" and a number of other awards, Estelle gradually managed to slightly repackage her distinctive sound for American audiences. Signed to John Legend's HomeSchool, produced by Will.i.am and featuring a guest vocal by Kanye West, Estelle's 2008 US breakthrough hit "American Boy" earned her a Grammy Award. Quite impressive.

Now based in America, Estelle is getting her freak on with the David Guetta-produced "Freak"—the video is fierce and Estelle gives a special shout-out to Rod 2.0—the first single from her forthcoming album All of Me. "We're looking at a late August or early September release," Estelle tells Rod 2.0. "And another single or two as well."

So the same wholesome London girl who sweetly sung about American boys is now singing ...  "Kiss him, slap him, pull his hair"? We discussed this, as well as Estelle's new video, ballroom voguing and "the kids" over an extended phone call last Friday. At times it was a little difficult to follow because of her accent—which is very lovely—but she was a doll.

ROD 2.0: Love, love, love "Freak. " But why do you want to slap the man? Was this Tiger Woods you were singing about?

ESTELLE:  No, no. (LAUGHS) This was just a different part of me. I want to do an album that is a little schizophrenic ... sweet, sad, upbeat, freaky. All the different parts of me. I wanted to do an album with my different personalities, all 20 of them. I think everybody has it in them or at least the potential. People are either surprised by it, they love it or they don't get it.

R20: The video is high concept—the space suit, voguing and runway. How many wardrobe changes did you have?

ESTELLE: Wow .. at least four or five. My back was in pain from all the outfits and the bubble suit ... it was sooo heavy. And the director had me leaning against that guy for so long. I was standing there so long, I was about to freak him. (LAUGHS)

R20: You should have, he was hot. (LAUGHS) That necklace you were wearing is hot. Is it Paloma Picaso?

ESTELLE: You noticed? Wow, thanks. The necklace is actually a collaboration of mine with designer Rachel Roy, we have a new jewelry line.

R20: Good luck with that. The jewelry, outfits and Naomi Campbell walk was fierce.  You were giving us the Latex Ball in New York Part 2.

ESTELLE: Ohmygod, I never had so much fun. I've been here for three years and always wanted to attend the balls. So many of my friends are gay and hang at the balls and I finally went. So much fun. Those kids are so talented and creative—they taught me to walk. Absolutely! I never had so much fun. Some of those kids were dipping and dropping so hard, pure fun. I love the balls.

Estelle talks her new CD, gay audiences stateside vs London plus watch the new "Freak" video AFTER THE JUMP ....

WATCH: R&B Sensation Estelle Shouts Out Rod 2.0 in "Freak"

Fab British R&b sensation Estelle gives a shout-out to Rod 2.0 at the top of her new video for "Freak." The video for the house inspired, David Guetta-produced track is all kinds of hawt: Spaced out voguers channel Malcolm McLaren's "Deep in Vogue". A sample from Soul II Soul's "Back to Life". Canadian rapper Kardinall Offishall. And a fierce Naomi Campbell walk that the her fans in the ballroom would live for.

In related news: The Independent reports the Grammy Awards-winning Estelle has become one of the coveted few British RnB artists to gain that most "coveted" prize: Success in the States. "Without turning into a wholly US-sounding diva, she has managed to repackage her sound for a transatlantic audience, with help from soul star John Legend."

Watch it WHEN YOU JUMP ....

WATCH: Kelly Rowland Performs at Sydney Mardi Gras

Kelly Rowland appeared yesterday in Sydney, Australia at Mardi Gras and let the boys HAVE it. The singer performed her club anthem "When Loves Takes Over" with super DJ and producer David Guetta. The look, the vocals and the stage design were all amazing.

Can't wait for Rowland’s new album to drop later this year. A few more pictures and the video AFTER THE JUMP ..

News: Jesus Luz, Kelly Rowland, Nevada, Michael Lucas

· Zac Efron and Adam Lambert?

· NYS Assembly votes 97-38 to ban discrimination based on gender identity and expression.

· What do you get when you cross Kelly Rowland, reigning king of French house David Guetta and Coldplay? "When Loves Takes Over", a major buzz track from Winter Music Conference 2009. Free download at Concrete Loop.

· Nevada Senate approves bill that allows "same-sex couples to register as domestic partners and receive many of same rights as married couples. The measure still needs approval by the Assembly. But, even if it passes, Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) has threatened to veto it. The Senate’s 12 - 9 vote falls short of the 14 votes needed to override a veto."

· Made in Brazil scores never-before-seen photos of former Madonna boytoy Jesus Luz.

· Queerty reports Michael Lucas' latest outrage: Surviving the horror of Canadian customs agents! ("It was just like Gitmo, minus the waterboarding, sleep deprevation, and walling!") "Lastly, in this torture chamber assembly line, I was to have all my bags emptied and rummaged through. Of course I had my movies on me, a stack of nude pictures to sign and lube. The essentials. Homophobia was running rampant with these captors and they were highly offended by said essentials. They questioned why I had so many images that depict me nude– I told them it was for my friends who enjoy my movies. They wanted to make sure I was not planning on selling my devil films to their innocent public. I assured them that the despicably sinful merchandise was only for my friend, lest they captors would pistol whip me. Finally after two hours of incessant questioning trying to dig up anything so that they could banish a gay porn star back across the border, I was granted my freedom."