The Barbie Sphere: Barbie Salutes the Ladies of Music

The 53rd Grammy Music Awards will air live on February 13 from Staples Center in Los Angeles. Barbie is ready to honor the ladies of pop, rock, and country.

At the opening of our festitivies, here are three ladies from the Diva Collection taking center stage: All That Glitters Barbie (2003) flanked by the Gone Platinum Barbies (2002).

Vogue 2980 can evoke the fashion diva in you.

Reviving the upbeat1980's is Barbie of Barbie and the Rockers.

These three ladies give rock music a sharper edge

So In Style sisters, Kara and Kianne expressing their musical talents.

Drum roll please...
Barbie and Friends now present the talented ladies of music!

Best Mod or New-Wave Performer
Musical group La Roux, along with Elly Jackson's "Bulletproof" shock of red hair a la Jimmy Neutron, is nominated for two awards at this year's 53rd Annual Grammy Awards: Best Electronic/Dance Album and Best Dance Recording. Her music is a throwback to the upbeat and fun music of the 80's.

Her "Bulletproof" video has flashes of what I call geometric pop art with the occasional bathroom tiled sequences.

From 2003, the "A Nod for Mod" and "Mod Redux" Barbies, exclusively from BarbieCollector.com

Maybe I am seeing flashbacks of the late 1980's-early 1990's with the ruffled and puff bottom (McCall's 6283)?

Best Vocal and Instrumental Performers

Hard Rock Barbie 2006

You can look like a rock/pop star in McCall's 6170's aymmetrical jackets.

This Hard Rock Barbie with her curly locks reminds me of jazz vocalist and bassist, Esmeralda Spalding who is one of the nominees for"Best New Artist" alongside Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & The Machine, and Mumford & Sons. It makes me wonder why the very talented do not receive the attention and recognition that they deserve. But then, I could not picture Esmeralda performing next to Britney or Beyonce. She is in a class all by herself or with the select few.

A little biography of Esmeralda Spalding

Pat Benatar still reigns as the "Queen of Rock". Thirty years later, and she still looks fabulous! From 1980-83, she won 4 Grammys for "Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female" for the Top Five album "Crimes of Passion" (1980) and the hit singles "Fire and Ice" ('1981), "Shadows of the Night" ('1982) and "Love Is A Battlefield" ('1983).In 1980, she won a Grammy for "Best New Artist".

Crimes of Passion, 1980

She brought stripes, tight leather pants, and attitude to the limelight

Posing with one of her Grammys

Pat is still rocking 30 years later!

Hard Rock Barbie 2005

Joan Jett surprisingly only received one Grammy nomination for Best Rock Group or Duo performance in "I Hate Myself For Loving You" in 1989. Really for the lady who promoted the iconic rock anthem, "I Love Rock N' Roll"?

Watch out for those young diva's channeling their inner rock star via Simplicity 2294!

Best Vocalists from the Motion Pictures

Barbra Streisand is nominated this year for the category "Best Traditional Pop Album", "Love is the Answer". She has won eight Grammy Awards, one of them was for Best Song, "Evergreen", from a "Star is Born" in 1976.

Barbra, singing "He Touched Me" in the summer of 1967 in Central Park.

Vogue 8633 gives a 1960's vibe.

James Brolin and Barbra

Olivia Newton-John is a four-time Grammy Award winner. She is unforgettable as Sandy from "Grease" in 1978. She won the awards for "Let Me Be There" (1973's Best Country Vocal Performance), "I Honestly Love You" (1974's Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Performance), and "Physical" (1981's Video of the Year). She also received Best Pop Vocal Performance nominations for "Have You Never Been Mellow", "Hopelessly Devoted to You", "Magic", and "Physical".

Burda 9890 from 1981. The carefree hair, the feminine dresses, easy-going style is SEW Olivia in the 1970's-early 1980's.

Olivia and Johnny in 2010 at Australia Week 2010

Best Goo Goo Ga Ga Performer

"Telephoning" her way to mega stardom is the avant-garde Lady Ga Ga. Here is the "tamer" or bare-bones side of the artist without "the meat". She has 6 Grammy nominations this year for Best Album of the Year ("The Fame Monster"), Best Pop Vocal Album (also for "The Fame Monster"), Best Female Pop Vocal Performance ("Bad Romance"), Best Dance Recording ("Dance in the Dark"), Best Pop Collaboration withVocals ("Telephone" with Beyonce), and Best Short Form Music Video ("Telephone").

I am not fond of her non-vegan dress. Totally taste-less!!!

She seems to be channeling Madonna here!

Top Model Barbie from 2007. She is ready for the "paparazzi" with her straight platinum long hair, fishnet stockings, and dramatic eye makeup (more apparent in person).

Let Vogue 1148 bring out the Lady G.A.(Getting Attention) in you!

Best Young Breakthrough Performers

Although Selena Gomez is not up for a Grammy Award this year, let's give her credit for her awards for favorite TV actress in a comedy series for her role as Alex in Disney's "Wizards of Waverly Place" (Teen Choice), Special Achievement Comedy - Television - Actress (Alma Award), and best breakthrough musical artist (People's choice), to name a few.

We'll most likely see more of petite vocalist Charice with the power-house voice who has been working non-stop after appearing on Ellen (first to discover her) and the Oprah Winfrey Show. She has been in concert with Celine Dion and guest starred in the start of the second season of "Glee" (singing alongside Michelle Lea in their rendition of Lady Gaga's "Telephone").

Charice hails from the Philippine Islands. Another notable vocalist from the Philippines is Arnel Pineda, the current lead singer of the American rock group Journey who replaced Steve Perry. Ellen De Generes recognized their superb vocal talents and invited them to appear on her TV talk show, "Ellen".

Barbies from the late 1990's that were only sold in the Phillippines. They are now very rare and are seem to be worth more than triple the price that I paid on ebay nearly a decade ago.

Maria Clara Barbies from 2000 and "Barong Tagalog" Ken from 1998 (The Barong Tagalog is a men's shirt with European and Asian influences).

McCall's 6240 can make any woman feel "young" again!

Best International Performer

Robyn from Sweden is nominated for her song "Dancing on My Own". I remember her from 1999 for her hit "Show Me Love". Sweden has produced such talented artists as ABBA, Roxette, and Robyn is no exception.

Let Vogue 8673 give you international flair.

Here's my daughter holding the 1999 Swedish Barbie. My daughter also is part Swede.

Best Country/Western Performers

Way Out West Barbie from the Pin-Up Girls collection, 2006

Here's American Idol's former champ, Carrie Underwood looking classy and chic at the CMA awards from 4 years ago. From Wikipedia: "On February 8, 2009, Underwood, for the third year in a row, won the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Perfromance for "Last Name", which she performed during the show, for a total of four Grammy awards in three years". So far she has won five Grammy Awards. She is up for her eighth nomination 'Best Female Country Vocal Performance' for "Temporary Home". I have two of her albums, "Carnival Ride" and "Play On".

At the American Music Awards, April 2010.

Carrie, in looking trendy in denim.

Country/pop singer Lee Ann Rimes is no longer blue after she won a Grammy at only 13 years of age for her 1996 hit/remake of "Blue" from her first album that put her on the charts.

Lee Ann Rimes Barbie from 2002

LeAnn and Eddie Cibrian

Being fashionably jean-ius in McCall's 5894.

The Western Chic Barbie from 2000.

I remember when at the same year, Madonna came out with "Music" all decked out in western attire. The music in "Music" was really lots of synthesized pop. Madonna has won nine Grammys out of he 21 nominations.

Best Concert and Variety Show Performer

Ms. Diva Las Vegas is Cher who has nine Grammy nominations and won "Best Dance Recording" for "Believe" in 2000. I was surprised that she was not even nominated for her 1973 hit, "Half-Breed".

You can Cher-tainly channel your Vegas diva in this halter-styled gown. So 70's, yet SEW current.

Best California Girl Performer

Katy Perry receives a Grammy nomination for "California Girls". She can go "hot" and "warm", but never "cold". She is a chameleon with her upbeat and flamboyant styles.

Katy looking glamourous in a Basil Soda gown, Grammy Awards show, 2009.

Only Katy can get away with blue hair.

Blue-haired Charice from Mikelman

I think she was a bit "flashy" at a kids' awards show. She could have toned it down and still look stunning.

Is Katy channeling 50's pin-up Bettie Page with her raven hair in bangs and vixen outfits?

Mikelman's Candi Girl as Bettie Page

Katy on her way to the gym in a money-themed pair of shorts. Even as low key as this, she still gets some "valuable" attention...

Meow-valous in a Hello Kitty themed outfit.

Hello Kitty Barbie from 2007

CALI-Girl Teresa from 2003. I can easily imagine Katy wearing something like this.

Vogue 1174 dress. When I first saw this on the Voguepatterns.com website, "she reminds me of Katy Perry".

Best Latin Cross-Over Artist

Shakira's "Hips Don't Lie" and her MTV Unplugged performance with her edgy rock style (before her "blonde" ambition) gave her Grammys.

I think she was more stunning as a brunette.

Shakira Barbie from 2002, when "Wherever, Whenever" was top of the charts.

Shakira's hips would not lie wearing Vogue 1227, by Rebecca Taylor.

Going "Waka-Waka" at the World Cup conference

Best Supreme Diva Performer

"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for Diana Ross, formerly the lead singer of 60's "The Supremes" ("Baby Love", "Where Did Our Love Go", "I Hear A Symphony", "Stop in the Name of Love", and more) showed that she is Lady "Boss" when she went solo in 1970. She has turned the musical world "Upside Down" after winning 12 Grammys.