Beyonce serenades Etta James and Live Fashion Rocks 2008. Wire Image, Kevin Mazur

After battling various ailments — dementia, kidney problems, and leukemia — for the last several years, legendary blues singer Etta James died at 73 Friday.

James's fans conveyed their regards in online posts and Beyoncé was among them. "This is a huge loss," the singer said in a statement posted on her website. "Etta James was one of the greatest vocalists of our time. I am so fortunate to have met such a queen. Her musical contributions will last a lifetime."

Etta James obituary

Beyoncé had a special connection to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, having performed a number of tributes to the "At Last" singer over the years.

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Rihanna, WireImage, Carlos R. Alvarez

Rihanna's New Year just got better. The "We Found Love" pop star was named this week as the top ranking artist on Nielsen SoundScan's Top Ten Selling Digital Artists list.

WATCH Rihanna's music videos "You Are The One," "We Found More" and more

On the chart that tracks digital sales from July 4, 2004 to January 1, 2012, Rihanna is credited with selling 47.5 million units. A part of Rihanna's success can be attributed to her volume of works. She has released six albums, beginning with 2005's "Music of the Sun," over the course of the tracking period.

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Kiss member Gene Simmons and War founder Howard E. Scott unleashed verbal assaults this week on other acts.

Gene SimmonsSimmons, the bassist and vocalist for the legendary band, said Madonna is not appropriate to perform at Super Bowl XLVI. When asked for his opinion on the matter, Simmons had a sarcastic response. "I love all karaoke singers," he told TMZ. "I like all the girl singers who get up and sing with tapes. Shame on you."

Simmons, whose band performed at the Super Bowl in 1999, said artists who lip-sync misrepresent themselves to their audience. He suggested that entertainers who sing over vocal tracks inform their audience beforehand.

Beyonce, Katie Couric, ABC

Beyoncé has been criticized for making her "baby on the way" announcement on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, been accused of wearing a prosthetic to make her bump look bigger, and even having crazy cravings. The "Run The World (Girls)" singer responded to the rumors during an interview with Katie Couric that aired on "20/20" Friday night.

Eva Mendes in "Holly Motors." FilmMagic, Paul HubbleActress Eva Mendes made music news this week when a photo of the "2 Fast 2 Furious" co-star resembling the late Amy Winehouse surfaced online. The image was taken in Paris on the set of the Leos Carax film "Holly Motors" that also features Denis Lavant and Kylie Minogue.

Donning Winehouse's trademark beehive, heavy eye makeup, and a low-cut, form-fitting dress, Mendes plays opposite Lavant's character, a man who travels between parallel lives.

Over the course of 24 hours, Lavant's character experiences life as a murderer, beggar, CEO, monstrous creature and father. Mendes' plays a woman from Lavant's past.

Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez performing on American Idol in May. Getty Images, Kevin Winter

Nicki Minaj, Drake, Katy Perry, Chris Brown, Kelly Clarkson, Justin Bieber, and Mary J. Blige are among the performers scheduled to hit the stage at the American Music Awards Sunday, but arguably, the most anticipated appearances will come from the recently split power couple Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, who will be delivering separate sets.

Heavy D, Getty Images Entertainment, Chris McKay

Family, friends, and fans of hip-hop star Heavy D are still in shock over his untimely death Tuesday in front of his Beverly Hills home. As a private funeral and public memorial are being planned in New York next week, more details about his struggles with his weight are coming to light.

While the cause of death has not yet been determined, it is believed to be related to a respiratory issue.

According to TMZ, Heavy D, who was 44-years-old and weighed 344 pounds at the time of death had recently resumed a workout regimen. He was also an established actor, appearing on "Law & Order: SVU," "Boston Public," and the new comedy blockbuster "Tower Heist."

One of Heavy's trainers discussed a fitness program with him three months ago at the Ultra Body Fitness gym in West Hollywood, TMZ reports. In 2008, this same trainer, named Tony, helped Heavy D lose 150 pounds.

Heavy D was reportedly frequenting a number of local gyms, and doing a variety of exercises including running, hiking, and

Kanye WestThe internet has been giving Kanye West a hard time since last week when a photo of the "Power" rapper wearing a kilt hit the web. Blogs and commenters have called the item a dress and questioned his masculinity for his controversial fashion statement.

But Ariel Kaiser, Yahoo! Shine wardrobe stylist and lifestyle blogger, doesn't think Kanye's style choice is a big deal."I don't think he looks like a woman," Kasier said. "He wasn't wearing a pink … He wasn't wearing a dress with heels. He was wearing something reminiscent of ancient warrior clothing."

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Kanye's thigh-length, black leather skirt is from the Paris designer Givenchy's Spring Summer 2012 men's collection.

Kaiser, who describes Kanye's kilt as cool, said the United States is bit more conservative when it comes to this particular men's item. "There are men all over the world who wear skirts. It's very big in eastern culture. It's not like a western thing obviously, but it happens."