Divas on deck

After a string of unsuccessful albums, R&B princess Monica releases “Still Standing” on March 23 with a hot list of producers like Ne-Yo, Missy Elliot and Jermaine Dupri. Let’s hope she can bring it back to her “The Boys Is Mine” heyday.

Coming April 6 is the highly anticipated release of Madonna’s “Sticky & Sweet Tour,” which was the most successful tour of all time by a solo artist. The footage used for this release was filmed over four days from her shows in Buenos Aires. It will be available in a CD/DVD and Blu-Ray format.

Lesbian rocker and breast cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge is out with her tenth studio album “Fearless Love” on April 27. Etheridge has said this will be even more rock oriented than her past efforts. The radio-friendly lead single, which is the title track, shows potential of becoming a well deserved hit.

On April 20 comes the long-awaited release of “Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli: Live at the Palladium.” Recorded live on Nov. 8, 1964, before a standing room only house at London’s Palladium Theater and boasting 25 tracks, this is sure to be a must-have for fans of this iconic mother-daughter pair.

After a five-year absence, Toni Braxton makes a return to the music scene on May 4 with “Pulse.” Braxton chose to collaborate with an impressive list of producers and songwriters, including Frank E (Madonna, Flo Rida), Steve Mac (Leona Lewis), Lucas Secon (Britney Spears, The Pussycat Dolls), Dapo Torimiro (David Archuletta, Brandy), and David Foster (Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion). It certainly sounds like she is pulling out all the stops.

Be on the lookout for other notable upcoming 2010 releases by these artists, which currently have no set release dates: Christina Aguilera, Blondie, Janet Jackson, Kelis and Katy Perry. Jackson’s new single, “Nothing,” from the soundtrack of Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married, Too?” is expected to be released within days.