Malaysian singer-songwriter Zee Avi's path to musical stardom began five years ago in her bedroom with a second-hand guitar, a clunky old laptop and a YouTube account.
Her grainy, self-shot black-and-white rendition of her song "Poppy" soon gained a following, and further videos led to her discovery by Patrick Keeler of The Raconteurs and two albums that charted on the American Billboard 200.

Daniel Craig thrilled James Bond fans in London Tuesday when he stepped onto the red carpet with co-stars Judi Dench and Javier Bardem for the world premiere of the 23rd Bond film "Skyfall".
Craig, making his third outing as Bond, said it had been a "real honor" to play the role in the franchise's 50th anniversary year, as he swept past a giant 007 logo and the secret agent's favorite Aston Martin.

Britney Spears' former self-styled manager is set to take the stand in his lawsuit against the superstar's parents as he goes after a share of her millions in earnings.
Sam Lutfi was expected to testify when court resumes Tuesday in his acrimonious defamation suit against her parents.

Hollywood warmed up for its awards season with a love fest that recognized top actors and directors for films that haven't been released yet.
Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, director David O. Russell and writer-director Quentin Tarantino were among the honorees Monday at the 16th annual Hollywood Film Awards, which bills itself as "the official launch of awards season." The event recognizes films that are likely positioned as awards contenders, such as Tarantino's anticipated "Django Unchained."

"Top Gun" director Tony Scott had traces of anti-depressant and sleep-inducing drugs in his body when he killed himself by jumping from a California bridge, coroners said Monday.
Scott did not have any life-threatening conditions including cancer, the Los Angeles County Coroner said.

The BBC's chief faces a grilling from legislators Tuesday, a day after one of his editors -- who had dropped an investigation into sex abuse claims against a top BBC star -- stepped aside.
Director General George Entwhistle will appear before a parliamentary committee to answer questions about the growing scandal surrounding the late Jimmy Savile, once one of the corporation's biggest names.

She dreamed a dream, and it came true. But what happened next for Susan Boyle?
The middle-aged church volunteer from a small town in Scotland became an instant global celebrity in 2009 with her heart-stopping rendition of the "Les Miserables" number "I Dreamed a Dream" on a TV talent show.

Jane Lynch and John Leguizamo are joining a lineup that includes Jimmy Kimmel and Kristin Chenoweth to honor Ellen DeGeneres with the nation's top humor prize in Washington.
The Kennedy Center is awarding DeGeneres the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Monday night. The show will be broadcast Oct. 30 on PBS stations.

Testimony is set to begin in a defamation suit by Britney Spears' ex-manager against her parents.
Lawyers for Sam Lutfi declined to say whether he would be the first witness at Monday's trial in Los Angeles.

On the outside, there's nothing special about the steel lockers that line the corridors of American schools. Inside, it's another matter.
With a helping hand from savvy retailers, junior high school girls eager to stay in step with fashion are personalizing their lockers like never before, embracing them as blank canvases on which to express themselves.
