Entertainment Express: Angelique Kidjo, Tom Sherak, Motley Crue, Brit Awards, Elizabeth Banks

* Hot on the heels of her memoir, Spirit Rising, UNICEF ambassador and Benin’s Grammy-winning singer Angelique Kidjo has released her latest album, Eve. It features collaborations with the Kronos Quartet and Dr John, among others, but one of my favourite tracks is with Nigerian singer Asa.

* Former Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences president Tom Sherak died on Tuesday at the age of 68, after battling prostate cancer. Just a few months ago, he had been appointed by LA mayor Eric Garcetti to help bolster the film industry there, in light of many of the film and TV productions moving to other states.

* “All bad things must come to an end,” so believe Motley Crue. After 3 decades together, the band has announced it’ll be heading out on a final tour. And instead of being like other bands that say they’re retiring only to re-form a few years later, the group members have signed a binding “Cessation of Touring” agreement “to prevent future, unauthorized” touring. The 2-year-long-tour will culminate in a movie based on the band’s biography The Dirt, due to be directed by Bad Grandpa‘s Jeff Tremaine.

* New Zealand’s Grammy-winning 17-year-old starlet Lorde will team up with electro music whizzkids Disclosure for the Brit Awards next month.

* This time she won’t just be acting and producing, but The Hunger Games‘ Elizabeth Banks will be directing herself in Pitch Perfect 2, which will also once again star Rebel Wilson and Anna Kendrick. It’ll be her first time behind the camera. 

** And a Happy 60th Birthday to fellow Aquarian, Oprah!

[Pic: Kidjo.com]