Charlotte Martin gives a few wayward songs a home + a chance to win tickets to her upcoming shows!

Photo: Peter Dawson

I admit it: I watch American Idol. Or more precisely, I DVR it and then fast-forward willy-nilly until I hit a good part. I'm not so much in it for the cringe-inducing auditions (there's nothing all that fascinating about seeing a tragically delusional, heart-breakingly socially inept person get trussed and BBQ-ed over the open flame of the hardly-likable judges' snickering), but rather the chance for someone who has come from "nothing" (a la Kelly Clarkson's Aw-shucks-I'm-just-a-sweet-lil-waitress-from-Texas-with-a-dream schtick) to be crowned queen for a night.

But, to be perfectly honest, I get tired of it all pretty quickly. I like my singers to actually have some heft to them and -- gasp -- something to say (rather than repeating what Chaka Khan or Aerosmith has already sang). Which is why I'm as close to being obsessed with Charlotte Martin as a homo can get without being served with a restraining order. Classically trained as an opera singer, Martin has been compared to all the other "girl with a piano" characters roaming the world's concert halls, but has managed to carve out a corner of the industry to call her own and collected a devout following willing to travel hundreds of miles to see her perform. (Full disclosure: I've probably seen her over 30 times and even fuller disclosure -- I'd wouldn't hesitate to see her another 300.)

Martin recently released a new EP (she's known for being incredibly prolific -- even the birth of her first child, Ronen, last spring couldn't keep her out of the studio) entitled Orphans, a collection of songs that, for one reason or another, never made it onto her other albums along with a few brand new tracks. There are classic Char Mar moments like "The Stalker Song," a rompy little ditty about going to great lengths for love -- or at least lust; there are sweeping ballads awash with Bjork-like blippity bloops ("Is This Called Desire"); there's fan-favorite "Snowflakes," Martin's very own Christmas song of sorts that kind of sounds like the holidays might sound if you just lost your job, your boyfriend, your cat and your car keys all at the same time but were determined not to let it kill you. The perfect snack size offering to keep us satiated until her next full length album, Orphans promises continued greatness -- and experimentation -- from Martin while proving she's dedicated to honoring the singer-songwriter tradition from which she began.

Find out how you can win a Charlotte Martin prize pack featuring the Orphans CD and tickets to her upcoming shows after the jump...

Quickies: Grace Jones is back, Posh warned to watch her back, and Gossip guys hit 100% denial

Photo: Getty Images

> Grace Jones has re-entered the building. The singer-model-actress began prepping for her massive comeback later this summer by performing at the opening of the Mission Beach Elandra resort in Cairns, Australia, over the weekend. Jones was paid $200,000 for playing the event, but refused to stay at the brand new resort because it's only rated four and a half stars. Instead she stayed in a private villa called Altitude One 40, which features its own helipad and normally costs $15,000 a week to rent. The 60-year-old star is apparently showing no signs of wear and tear as a party goer claims she "had the body of a 19-year-old." Before leaving the stage Jones addressed the audience by saying "Thank you all! Fuck you all!" And after hearing that we're sure the audience vaporized and the brand new resort crumbled in the wake of such fabulously brutal kick-ass-ness.

> Watch your back, Posh! It seems the transsexuals of America have a bone to pick -- or several to snap -- with you. According to a spokesperson for the California-based Transsexual Alliance, Victoria Beckham's support of Project Runway winner Christian Siriano has "outraged transsexuals across the country." Siriano angered transsexuals and trans supporters by referring to people, places, and things he found displeasure with as "tranny messes." Last May he remarked in an interview, "If you think of heterosexuals, they have white trash women and trailer parks and we have drag queens and trannies." (Then he took it back and apologized up and down.) Posh has been a huge fan of the designer since meeting him on the finale of Project Runway. Dawn, a transsexual escort from LA, says, "She might not have to worry about physical attack but boy is she going to be embarrassed when 50 of us turn up at her next public function and tell the world what we think..." We hate to say this, Dawn -- because we think you have a legitimate gripe -- but don't forget Posh traveled around the world with four other women dressed in outfits that looked like they were fashioned from shower curtains, a pack of turkey bologna, and a hot glue gun and singing songs with lyrics like "a zigazig ha!" Embarrassing her is going to be no easy feat.

> In yet another chapter in the Ed Westwick and Chace Crawford are/aren't gay saga, Crawford's rep issued a statement to Us Weekly saying, "These endless rumors are absolutely untrue." TMZ caught up with the Gossip Girl star himself and after being asked about the rumors he replied, "The rumor is there's no rumors." Ooh! We like that, Chace. Maybe we'll steal it for our own self-serving, capitalistic needs and start selling t-shirts and crushed velvet sweat pants and little plastic snow globes with tiny pink plastic penis confetti floating in them that are logo-ed with "Popnography: The Rumor is There's No Rumors!"

-- NOAH MICHELSON

Hip to be square-cut suits

In non-marriage news -- unless we're talking How to Marry a Millionaire-style set-up -- today's Hot List is all about some seriously sexy swimsuits. Luckily our fashion advisers are also standing by and ready to tell you how to pick the best suit for your body.

Plus! N2N Bodywear is so excited about summer being just around the corner that they're offering up five free square-cut trunk suits for Popnographers to splash around in. E-mail me your size and address and the first five guys who ask get to add one more item to their summer wardrobe!

Get it while it's hot! Cry-Baby kicks off our list of summer lovin'

Photo: M. Sharkey

What's summer without a little lovin' and a lot of sweaty, sexy subjects and objects of our affection? The boys of Out have collected in one easy location all the hottest things to do and lust after as the weather (finally) kicks into high gear. I highly recommend picking up the actual issue -- a hefty, but worthwhile lug to the beach or wherever your holidays may take you -- but for those still chained to our desks, we'll also be offering a daily dose of all the who, what, where you’ll be glad you knew first.

Get off on the right foot with Broadway's latest John Waters adaptation star, Cry-Baby's James Snyder (that's him in the yellow, above, with co-stars Marty Lawson, Spencer Liff and Charlie Sutton, left to right). And as he told Out's Bruce Shenitz, it's obviously the part he was born to play:

"One of my early memories was of a local video store, where there was a Cry-Baby poster, and I was, like, 'Johnny Depp cries!'" says James Snyder in his dressing room at the Marquis Theater. "It was around fifth grade, and I had cried on the bus for something...I remember thinking, All these women think it's sexy that he cries, so I guess I'm allowed to do that."

Not just the women, honey, but you go on ahead and wipe your eyes all pretty-like!

Your date with the Hot List starts here.