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Katy Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson on October 25, 1984 in Santa Barbara, California to Mary Christine Hudson (née Perry) & Maurice Keith Hudson. She has a big sister named Angela & a little brother named David, and has English, Portuguese, German, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Her mother's half-brother was director Frank Perry.
Raised in a deeply religious family, Perry's first experience of performing was singing in church. A passion for music grew and at the age of 15, Perry began visiting Nashville, gaining experience of song writing and recording demos.
She signed to a Christian record label, Red Hill, and recorded an album, under her birth name of Katy Hudson. The album was not a success. At age 17 she moved to Los Angeles and collaborated with producer Glen Ballard, but was not able to secure a lasting record deal. Perry did sign to Columbia Records in 2004, but again this did not prove a success, and she was dropped.
An executive at Columbia recommended Perry to the chairman of Virgin Records, Jason Flom, which resulted in her signing for Capitol Music Group. She recorded her second album, "One of the Boys" and in the Spring of 2008 released the lead single, the controversial "I Kissed a Girl". The song proved a smash, hitting the number one slot in several countries. Other hit singles followed and the album was a commercial success.
Perry was now established as a pop superstar and cemented her position with the release of her next album "Teenage Dreams", which spawned more huge hits including "California Gurls" and "Firework". Many awards and music industry records followed. In 2012 Perry made the move into movies, releasing the documentary feature film Part of Me (2012).
Katy has started her own record label called "Metamorphosis Music" and has signed her very first artist Ferras, who was signed to Capitol Records back in 2007 with Katy Perry. He had released an EP the same day that the record label news was released to the public. There is also a duet with Katy on his new EP; they are expected to be on tour together in North America June 22 in Raleigh, North Carolina-October 11 in Houston, Texas.- Music Artist
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Ke$ha was born on March 1, 1987, in Los Angeles, California. Her big break came from cameo on rapper Flo Rida's 2009 No. 1 hit "Flo Rida Feat. Ke$ha: Right Round (2009)." Soon after, she landed a record contact with RCA and released her first single, Ke$ha: TiK ToK (2009). The party anthem developed quite a following. Her debut album, Animal, reached the top of the charts after its release in January 2010. Her second album, Warrior, was released in 2012. Ke$ha was exposed to music at an early age through her mother Pebe Sebert, a songwriter.The first few years of Ke$ha's life were a struggle for her family. Her mother had difficulty earning enough to support Ke$ha and her older brother. "We were on welfare and food stamps," the artist explained on her website. "One of my first memories is my mom telling me, 'If you want something, just take it.'" When she was 4, Ke$ha moved to Nashville with her family, where her mother had landed a songwriting contract. Sometimes tagging along with her mother, Ke$ha spent a lot of time in recording studios during her early adolescence. Her mother encouraged her interest in singing, allowing Ke$ha to work on some of her song demos. Ke$ha also went to a music school, where she learned about songwriting. Deep in the heart of the country music scene, she was inspired by the likes of Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. At 17, Ke$ha left high school to pursue a music career. She changed her name to Ke$ha and moved to Los Angeles to work with producer Dr. Luke, who had worked on hit singles for Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson among others. Ke$ha was determined to break into the business. According to one story, she paid off a gardener to get inside music legend Prince's house to leave one of her demos for him. She landed a few gigs as a back-up vocalist as well, performing on songs by Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. Soon after her work with Flo Rida, Ke$ha landed a record contact with RCA. She released her first single, "Ke$ha: TiK ToK (2009)" later that year. The party anthem developed quite a following, soon becoming one of the most downloaded songs in America, and then reaching the top of the Billboard pop charts in January 2010. Her debut album, Animal, reached the top of the charts after its release in January 2010. In addition to [ink=tt6942460], Ke$ha scored two more Top 10 hits: "Ke$ha: Blah Blah Blah (Feat. 3Oh!3) (2010)" and "Ke$ha: Your Love Is My Drug (2010)". Accompany this work was the extended play release Cannibal. She followed up her initial success with 2012's Warrior, which featured the single "Ke$ha: Die Young (2012)." A companion extended work, Deconstructed, was released in 2013.- Music Artist
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Taylor Alison Swift is a multi-Grammy award-winning American singer/songwriter who, in 2010 at the age of 20, became the youngest artist in history to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2011 Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year. She also has been named the American Music Awards Artist of the Year, as well as the Entertainer of the Year for both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, among many other accolades. As of this writing, she is also the top-selling digital artist in music history.
Taylor Alison Swift was born on December 13, 1989, in Reading, Pennsylvania, to Andrea (Finlay), a one-time marketing executive, and Scott Kingsley Swift, a financial adviser. Her ancestry includes German and English, as well as some Scottish, Irish, Welsh and 1/16th Italian. She was named after James Taylor, and her mother believed that if she had a gender neutral name it would help her forge a business career. Taylor spent most of her childhood on an 11-acre Christmas tree farm in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. When she was nine years old the family moved to Wyomissing, PA, where she attended West Reading Elementary Center and Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. Taylor spent her summers at her parents' vacation home at the Jersey shore. Her first hobby was English horse riding. Her mother put her in a saddle when she was nine months old and Swift later competed in horse shows. At the age of nine she turned her attention to musical theatre and performed in Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions of "Grease", "Annie", "Bye Bye Birdie" and "The Sound of Music". She traveled regularly to New York City for vocal and acting lessons. However, after a few years of auditioning in New York and not getting anything, she became interested in country music. At age 11, after many attempts, Taylor won a local talent competition by singing a rendition of LeAnn Rimes' "Big Deal", and was given the opportunity to appear as the opening act for Charlie Daniels at a Strausstown amphitheater. This interest in country music isolated Swift from her middle school peers.
At age 12 she was shown by a computer repairman how to play three chords on a guitar, inspiring her to write her first song, "Lucky You". She had previously won a national poetry contest with a poem entitled "Monster in My Closet", but now began to focus on songwriting. She moved to Nashville at age 14, having secured an artist development deal with RCA Records. She left RCA Records when she was 15--the label wanted her to record the work of other songwriters and wait until she was 18 to release an album, but she felt ready to launch her career with her own material. At an industry showcase at Nashville's The Bluebird Café in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a Dreamworks Records executive who was preparing to form his own independent record label, Big Machine Records. Taylor was one of the new label's first signings.
Taylor released her debut album, "Taylor Swift", in October of 2006 and received generally positive reviews from music critics. The New York Times described it as "a small masterpiece of pop-minded country, both wide-eyed and cynical, held together by Ms. Swift's firm, pleading voice". Her single "Our Song" made her the youngest solo writer and singer of a #1 country song. The album sold 39,000 copies during its first week. In 2008 she released her second studio album, "Fearless". The lead single from the album, "Love Story", was released in September 2008 and became the second best-selling country single of all time, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Four more singles were released throughout 2008 and 2009: "White Horse", "You Belong with Me", "Fifteen" and "Fearless". "You Belong with Me" was the album's highest-charting single, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. It was the top-selling album of 2009 and brought Swift much crossover success.
In September 2009 she became the first country music artist to win an MTV Video Music Award when "You Belong with Me" was named Best Female Video. Her acceptance speech was interrupted by rapper Ye, who had been involved in a number of other award show incidents. West declared Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated in the same category, to be "one of the best videos of all time". When Beyoncé later won the award for Video of the Year, she invited Taylor onstage to finish her speech. In November 2009 Taylor Swift became the youngest ever artist, and one of only six women, to be named Entertainer of the Year by the Country Music Association.
She released her third studio album in October 2010, "Speak Now", and wrote all the songs herself. She originally intended to call the album "Enchanted" but Scott Borchetta, her record label's CEO, felt the title did not reflect the album's more adult themes. Swift toured throughout 2011 and early 2012 in support of "Speak Now". As part of the 13-month, 111-date world tour, Swift played seven shows in Asia, 12 in Europe, 80 in North America and 12 in Australasia (three dates on the US tour were rescheduled after she fell ill with bronchitis). The stage show was inspired by Broadway musical theatre, with choreographed routines, elaborate set-pieces, pyrotechnics and numerous costume changes. Swift invited many musicians to join her for one-off duets during the North American tour. Appearances were made by James Taylor, Jason Mraz, Shawn Colvin, Johnny Rzeznik, Andy Grammer, Tal Bachman, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Nicki Minaj, Nelly, B.o.B., Usher, Flo Rida, Tip 'T.I.' Harris, Jon Foreman, Jim Adkins, Hayley Williams, Hot Chelle Rae, Ronnie Dunn, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney. In May 2012 Taylor featured in B.o.B's song "Both of Us".
Swift's fourth studio album, "Red", was released on October 22, 2012. She wrote nine of the album's 16 songs alone; the remaining seven were co-written with Max Martin, Liz Rose, Dan Wilson, Ed Sheeran and Gary Lightbody. Nathan Chapman served as the album's lead producer but Jeff Bhasker, Butch Walker, Jacknife Lee, Dann Huff and Shellback (aka Shellback) also produced individual tracks. Chapman has said he encouraged Swift "to branch out and to test herself in other situations". She has described the collaborative process as "an apprenticeship" that taught her to "paint with different colors". "Red" examines Swift's attraction to drama-filled relationships; she believes that, since writing the record, such relationships no longer appeal to her. Musically, while there is some experimentation with "slick, electronic beats", the pop sheen is limited to a handful of tracks sprinkled among more recognizably Swiftian fare. "Rolling Stone" enjoyed "watching Swift find her pony-footing on Great Songwriter Mountain. She often succeeds in joining the Joni/Carole King tradition of stark-relief emotional mapping . . . Her self-discovery project is one of the best stories in pop." The Guardian described Swift as a "Brünnhilde of a rock star" and characterized "Red" as "another chapter in one of the finest fantasies pop music has ever constructed". "USA Today" felt that the "engaging" record saw Swift "write ever-more convincingly--and wittily and painfully--about the messy emotions of a young twenty something nearing the end of her transition from girl to woman". The "Los Angeles Times" noted the exploration of "more nuanced relationship issues" on "an unapologetically big pop record that opens new sonic vistas for her".
As part of the "Red" promotional campaign, representatives from 72 worldwide radio stations were flown to Nashville during release week for individual interviews with Swift. She made television appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show (2003), Good Morning America (1975), The View (1997), Late Show with David Letterman (1993), ABC News Nightline (1980) and All Access Nashville with Katie Couric (2012). She performed at Los Angeles' MTV VMAs and London's Teen Awards, and will also perform at Nashville's CMA Awards, Frankfurt's MTV Europe Music Awards, Los Angeles' AMA Awards and Sydney's ARIA Music Awards. Swift offered exclusive album promotions through Target, Papa John's and Walgreens. She became a spokesmodel for Keds sneakers, released her sophomore Elizabeth Arden fragrance and continued her partnerships with Cover Girl, Sony Electronics and American Greetings, as well as her unofficial brand tie-ins with Ralph Lauren and Shellys. The album's lead single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", was released in August 2012. The song became Swift's first #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, recording the highest ever one-week sales figures for a female artist. Two further singles have since been released: "Begin Again" (country radio) and "I Knew You Were Trouble" (pop and international radio).In her career, as of May 2012, Swift has sold over 23 million albums and 54.5 million digital tracks worldwide.
Taylor Swift is only beginning to emerge as an acting talent, having voiced the role of Audrey in the animated feature The Lorax (2012). She also made appearances in the theatrical release Valentine's Day (2010) and in an episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000). She contributed two original songs to The Hunger Games (2012) soundtrack: "Safe & Sound featuring The Civil Wars" and "Eyes Open". Taylor released her fifth album, titled "1989", on October 27, 2014. This album is when she finally made the complete transition from country to pop. She says that she will not be going to any Country Music Award shows. The album is named after the year she was born, and is a sort of '80s-sounding album, in the sense that it's more electronic.
In March 2015 she began dating Scottish Disc Jockey Calvin Harris after having met at the Brit Awards in February. They were together for thirteen months.- Actress
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Taylor Michel Momsen is an American actress, singer and director from St. Louis, Missouri. She is known for playing Cindy Lou Who from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Alexandra Anami in Spy Kids 2 and Jenny Humphrey from Gossip Girl. She is the leader of a punk rock band called The Pretty Reckless. Her band released four albums.- Music Artist
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Carrie Underwood was born on 10 March 1983 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Soul Surfer (2011), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) and How I Met Your Mother (2005). She has been married to Mike Fisher since 10 July 2010. They have two children.- Music Artist
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Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas. Her mom, Tina Knowles designs their glittering costumes & her dad, Mathew Knowles manages Destiny's Child. Solange, her sister (they're 4 years apart) has released her debut album. She dances with her big sister during DC-3 concerts. Beyoncé's of Louisiana Creole & African descent.
She and her group were discovered by Whitney Houston. One of her favorite songs is "Lovefool" by The Cardigans. Her favorite item of clothing is a pair of path work metallic boots. She writes & produces many of the group's songs, including smash hits "Jumpin Jumpin", "Bootylicious", "Nasty Girl", "Independent Women", "Happy Face" and "Apple Pie a la mode".- Music Artist
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Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is an American songwriter, singer, actress, philanthropist, dancer and fashion designer.
Gaga was born on March 28, 1986 in Manhattan, New York City, to Cynthia Louise (Bissett), a philanthropist and business executive, and Joseph Anthony Germanotta, Jr., an internet entrepreneur. Her father is of Italian descent; and her mother, who is from West Virginia, is of half Italian and half French, English, German, and Scottish ancestry. Gaga was able to sing and play the piano from a young age. She attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart from age 11 where was bullied for her appearance (she was small and plumper than other girls with large front teeth) and eccentric habits.
By the age of 14, Gaga was performing at open mike nights in clubs and bars. By age 17, she had gained early admission to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to sharpening her songwriting skills, she composed essays and analytical papers on art, religion, social issues and politics. At the age of 19 Gaga withdrew from her studies and moved out of her parents' home in order to pursue a musical career. During this time she started a band which began to gain local attention.
After a brief partnership with talent scout Rob Fusari, which resulted in the creation of her stage name, Gaga was signed to Def Jam Records in 2006; however she was dropped from the label after just three months. Devastated, Gaga returned home, and became increasingly experimental: fascinating herself with emerging neo-burlesque shows, go-go dancing at bars dressed in little more than a bikini in addition to experimenting with drugs.
Gaga met performance artist Lady Starlight during this time; after a performance at Lollapalooza Festival in 2007 Gaga was signed by Vince Herbert to Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. Having served as an apprentice songwriter under an internship at Famous Music Publishing, which was later acquired by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Gaga subsequently struck a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV. As a result, she was hired to write songs for Britney Spears and labelmates New Kids on the Block, Fergie, and the Pussycat Dolls. At Interscope, singer-songwriter Akon recognized her vocal abilities when she sang a reference vocal for one of his tracks in studio; Akon then convinced Interscope-Geffen-A&M Chairman and CEO Jimmy Iovine to form a joint deal by having her also sign with his own label Kon Live, making her his "franchise player."
In 2008 Gaga released her first album 'The Fame' to lukewarm radio play; Gaga toured around Europe and in gay clubs in the US to promote the album - however it was not until her first hit 'Just Dance' came to mainstream attention in 2009 that Gaga exploded onto the music scene.
Since then Gaga has gained numerous awards and nominations for a string of hits; her first album spawned several more smash hits 'Paparazzi', 'Loveame' and 'Poker Face'); while touring the album Gaga wrote 'The Fame Monster', an EP examining the darker side to her new-found fame. The Fame Monster was released in 2009 and won multiple awards, spawning her most iconic single 'Bad Romance' as well as 'Telephone' and 'Alejandro'. During this time Gaga came under increased public and critical scrutiny for her eccentric and often bizarre style choices. Gaga embarked on her second tour, The Monster Ball; upon finishing in May 2011, the critically acclaimed and commercially accomplished tour ran for over one and a half years and grossed $227.4 million, making it one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time and the highest-grossing for a debut headlining artist. Concerts performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City were filmed for an HBO television special. The special accrued one of its five Emmy Award nominations and has since been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
In 2011 Gaga released her second full-length album 'Born this Way'; the album was received vastly more critically than her previous two for touching on themes of politics, sexuality, and religion. Despite this, the album's songs were praised critically, and Born This Way sold 1.108 million copies in its first week in the US, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and topping the charts in more than 20 other countries. In addition to exceeding 8 million copies in worldwide sales, Born This Way received 3 Grammy Award nominations, including her third consecutive for Album of the Year. In March 2012, Gaga was ranked fourth on Billboard's list of top moneymakers of 2011, grossing $25,353,039 dollars, which included sales from Born This Way and her Monster Ball Tour.
At the end of April 2012, Gaga's Born This Way kicked off in Korea - the tour would last 2 years and take the singer to every continent of the globe. However in February 2012 the tour was abruptly canceled; Gaga had a labral tear in her right hip which she had been nursing secretly for several weeks in the hopes that she would be able to continue the tour. After a performance in Toronto left her unable to walk and in considerable pain, she was taken to hospital for surgery and the tour was canceled. Through to Jan. 17, the tour had grossed $168.2 million and moved 1.6 million tickets to 85 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore, with the Asian, European, and South American legs already completed in 2012. The North American leg, which was to wrap the tour and was almost completely sold out, would have likely put the tour at more than $200 million gross, easily in the top 20 tours of all time and probably in the top 15, according to Billboard. As it stands, Gaga finished sixth among all touring artists in 2012, with a gross of $125 million and attendance of more than 1.1 million, according to Boxscore.
Gaga wrote her third album, ARTPOP, released in 2013. Gaga made her acting debut in Robert Rodriguez's Machete Kills (2013), the sequel to his 2010 film Machete, and also appeared in Rodriguez's sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). In 2018, she starred with Bradley Cooper, who also directed, in A Star Is Born (2018). Gaga received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for the role.- Music Artist
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Rihanna was born Robyn Rihanna Fenty on February 20, 1988 in Bridgetown, St. Michael, Barbados to Monica Braithwaite, an accountant & Ronald Fenty, a warehouse supervisor. Her mother is Afro-Guyanese and her father is of Afro-Barbadian and British Isles ancestry. Rihanna lived the life of a normal island girl going to Combermere, a top sixth form school. Rihanna won numerous beauty pageants and performed Mariah Carey's single, Hero in a school talent show. Her life changed forever when one of her friends introduced her to Evan Rodgers, a producer from New York who was in Barbados for a vacation with his wife, who is a native. Rodgers arranged for her to go to New York to meet Jay-Z, CEO of Def Jam Records. He heard her sing and knew she was going to be incredibly successful. She was age 16 when she was signed to Def Jam. Since then, she's amassed phenomenal success.- Actress
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Kat Graham is an actress, singer, dancer and producer. Working across a variety of genres in film, television and music, she is one of most accomplished and versatile young talents working today.
Graham was recently seen in the 70s period crime thriller "The Poison Rose" opposite Morgan Freeman and John Travolta. Graham plays Freeman's daughter, a club owner and singer suspected of murder, while Travolta plays a hard-drinking L.A. private eye who takes the case. Previously she starred in Netflix's "How It Ends" as Samantha. The film, follows a man (Theo James) and his estranged father-in-law's (Forest Whitaker) desperate race to save his pregnant wife, Samantha, after a mysterious apocalypse. Graham made history lending her voice to Nickelodeon's animated television show, "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" as the first African-American April O'Neil.
Graham can be seen as the female lead in RZA's "Cut Throat City" starring Ethan Hawke, Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard, and Eiza Gonzalez scheduled for release summer 2020. The film tells the story of a heist set in New Orleans' lower ninth ward after Hurricane Katrina. Graham who stars in Mark Amin's period drama "Emperor" with Dayo Okeniyi, Bruce Dern and James Cromwell following the true tale of Shields Green, a runaway slave who helped spark the civil war, is scheduled for release August 2020. Graham also stars in Netflix's "Operation: Christmas Drop" with Alexander Ludwig. The film, scheduled for release November 2020, follows a congressional aid played by Graham, on a mission to shut down the Christmas Drop mission. Operation Christmas Drop is a real life air force mission that started in 1952 that serves as training for the U.S. Air Force. It has since become the longest-running U.S. Department of Defense mission in full operation, and the longest-running humanitarian airlift in the world. In addition to the "Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" series and accompanying Netflix 2021 film, Graham's 2020 animation releases will also include Dreamwork's and Hulu's "Trolls", as well as "Robot Chicken".
Graham starred as Jada Pinkett in the highly anticipated Tupac Shakur biopic "All Eyez on Me," released by Lionsgate. She has also starred in Lionsgate's "Where's the Money?" a comedy about a guy who must pledge a fraternity to recover a stash of stolen money, both released in 2017. Graham can also be seen as the lead in Netflix's holiday hit film "The Holiday Calendar" with Quincy Brown. Graham made her television debut in 2002 on Disney Channel's popular teen comedy "Lizzie McGuire." She starred as Bonnie Bennett, considered to be her breakout role, in the CW's "The Vampire Diaries." The show premiered in 2009 and her award winning performances throughout the series received praise from fans and critics alike. The supernatural drama ran for eight seasons. She also appeared on a number of hit television shows for Disney, Fox, CBS and ABC. Other notable film credits include "17 Again", "The Roommate," "Addicted", and the starring role in "Honey 2."
Graham has also produced and sold multiple film and television projects including the series "Breaking the Record" with Disney's Maker Studios. She is set to star in and produce a biopic about iconic Motown singer Tammi Terrell produced with Brad Krevoy. She is currently producing "The Consciousness Collective", a doc series and podcast presented by Deepak Chopra, slated for 2020.
A talented singer and music producer, Graham released her second album, "Love Music, Funk Magic," in 2017 which she worked on with Babyface and Prince. She released her debut EP "Against the Wall" in May 2012 after signing with A&M/Octone/Interscope records, and her first single, "Put Your Graffiti On Me", reached over 7 million views on VEVO and hit #5 on the Billboard Dance Chart. She has had multiple Billboard/Chart top fives including "Sometimes", and the Prince penned "If Eye Could Get UR Attention". Her debut album "Roxbury Drive," which included her single "Secrets" featuring Babyface, was released in 2015. Graham, who has a degree in recording engineering, produced the 90s-inspired album with Jean-Yves "Jeeve" Ducornet and co-wrote the entire album with Babyface.
A trained dancer, Graham has appeared in music videos for a myriad of artists including Grammy winners Pharrell, Missy Elliot, John Legend, Nelly, Diddy and Usher. She has also performed on tracks with Snoop Dogg and Will.I.Am, and toured with the Black Eyed Peas on their 2007 world tour as Will.I.Am's artist.
Graham has served as the face of many campaigns and endorsements for brands such as Wet 'N Wild, Degree, Samsung, Avon, Bing, Ford, Aquafina, Abercrombie, Nivea, Armani Exchange and Fanta. Graham is currently a L'Oreal Ambassador, the face of Foster Grant and the new Dior campaign.
Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Graham is a strong advocate for human rights. Her PSA short film for Black Lives Matter landed her an Emmy nomination for best PSA short. Graham is particularly passionate about the plight of refugees worldwide. As such, Graham became a High Profile Supporter of the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner of Refugees) in 2013. In 2019, she also became a Goodwill Ambassador for Rotary International, another organization providing key support and services on the global stage. In addition to her work with refugees, Graham is a council member for GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), Governor for the Recording Academy's Atlanta Chapter, as well as co-founder of the Modern Nirvana Wellness Group.- Music Artist
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Miranda Lambert was born on 10 November 1983 in Longview, Texas, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for The Ice Road (2021), Burlesque (2010) and Hot Pursuit (2015). She has been married to Brendan McLoughlin since 26 January 2019. She was previously married to Blake Shelton.- Music Artist
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Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a musical family on 9 August 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of gospel star Cissy Houston (née Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr., and cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick.
She began singing in the choir at her church, The New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, as a young child and by the age of 15 was singing backing vocals professionally with her mother on Chaka Khan's 1978 hit, 'I'm Every Woman'. She went on to provide backing vocals for Lou Rawls, Jermaine Jackson and her own mother and worked briefly as a model, appearing on the cover of 'Seventeen' magazine in 1981.
She began working as a featured vocalist for the New York-based funk band Material and it was the quality of her vocal work with them that attracted the attention of the major record labels, including Arista with whom she signed in 1983 and where she stayed for the rest of her career.
Her debut album, 'Whitney Houston', was released in 1985 and became the biggest-selling album by a debut artist. Several hit singles, including 'Saving All My Love For You', 'How Will I Know', 'You Give Good Love', and 'The Greatest Love of All', were released from the album, setting her up for a Beatles-beating seven consecutive US number ones. The album itself sold 3 million copies in its first year in the US and went on to sell 25 million worldwide, winning her the first of her six Grammies.
The 1987 follow-up album, 'Whitney', which included the hits 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', built on her success but it was the 1992 film The Bodyguard (1992) that sealed her place as one of the best-selling artists of all time. While the movie itself and her performance in it were not highly praised, the soundtrack album and her cover of the Dolly Parton song 'I Will Always Love You' topped the singles and albums charts for months and sold 44 million copies around the world.
That same year she married ex-New Edition singer Bobby Brown with whom she had her only child, their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in March 1993. It was about this time that her much documented drug use began and by 1996 she was a daily user.
Her 1998 album, 'My Love Is Your Love' was well reviewed but the drug abuse began to affect her reputation and press reports at the time said that she was becoming difficult to work with, if she turned up at all. She was dropped from a performance at The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) because she was "out of it" at rehearsals. Her weight fluctuated wildly - she was so thin at a 'Michael Jackson' tribute in 2001 that rumors circulated the next day that she had died - and her voice began to fail her. She was twice admitted to rehab and declared herself drug-free in 2010 but returned to rehab in May 2011.
Her 2009 comeback album 'I Look To You' was positively received and sold well, but promotional performances were still marred by her weakened voice. Her final acting performance was in Sparkle (2012) (a remake of the 1976 movie, Sparkle (1976)), released after her death.
She was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room on 11 February 2012.- Music Artist
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Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in The Bronx, New York City, New York to teacher Lupe López and computer specialist David López. The two Puerto Ricans were brought to the continental United States during their childhoods and eventually met while living in New York City. Their daughters would have a stable, middle-class upbringing.
Jennifer always dreamed of being a multi-tasking superstar. As a child, she enjoyed a variety of musical genres, mainly Afro-Caribbean rhythms like salsa, merengue, and bachata, and mainstream music like pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Although she loved music, the film industry also intrigued her. Her biggest influence was the Rita Moreno musical, West Side Story (1961). At 5, Jennifer began taking singing and dancing lessons. Aside from being a budding entertainer, Jennifer was also a Catholic schoolgirl, attending eight years at a Catholic elementary school named Holy Family, located in The Bronx, before graduating from all-girls prep school Preston High School after a four-year stay. At school, Jennifer was an amazing athlete and participated in track and field and tennis. She spent most of her upbringing in a two-story house in the Castle Hill neighborhood.
At 18, Jennifer moved out of her parents' home. After high school, she briefly worked in a law office and took dance classes at night. During this time, she continued dance classes at night. Her big break came when she was offered a job as a fly girl on Fox's hit comedy In Living Color (1990). After a two-year stay at In Living Color (1990) where actress Rosie Perez served as choreographer, Lopez then went on to dance for famed singer-actress Janet Jackson. Her first major film was Gregory Nava's My Family/Mi familia (1995), and her career went into overdrive when she portrayed late Tejana singer Selena in Selena (1997).- Music Artist
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Jennifer Kate Hudson was born on September 12, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois to Darnell Donerson (née Hudson) & Samuel Simpson. She is an Academy Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and best-selling author. This bright, beautiful and booming-voiced talent is a perfect example of how NOT winning the title of American Idol (2002) can still be a superstar boon to your career and not the disappointment of a life time.
She earned minor attention as one of the twelve finalists on the third season of the FOX TV series in 2004, but finished an underwhelming sixth runner-up. Hudson grew up singing in gospel choirs, acting in community theater productions, singing on cruise ships and touring for in Disney's "Hercules: The Musical." With no formal musical training, her raw vocal power initially pleased the panel of Idol judges and she, Fantasia Barrino and La Toya London were initially promoted as the show's very own "Dreamgirls" and were expected to be the final three standing at the end of the competition. Surprisingly, all three were midway placed in the bottom group at one point, and Jennifer was cut from the pack. Fantasia eventually won the competition and, seemingly, all the glory and the fame.
Hudson appeared with the "American Idol" summer tour and performed on the road in concerts over the next two years. When it was time to audition for the coveted role of "Effie Melody White" in the long-awaited film version of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls (2006), among Jennifer's competition would be Fantasia herself. This time Jennifer was the winner and earned the right to play the coveted role. Immediately ordered to gain weight for the role, the film was loosely based on the real-life pursuits of The Supremes, with the character of Effie taking on the tragic form of the group's ill-fated co-founder Florence Ballard (1943-1976), but with a far less tragic ending.
Jennifer's performance became the most triumphant musical film debut since Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl (1968). Making the role her own, she delivered the same heart-breaking, gut-wrenching one-two punch that made Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role on stage, the toast of the Broadway scene in 1981. It was no easy task to outshine both Beyoncé and Eddie Murphy in one movie, but Jennifer was the movie's heart and soul and easily won over the critics. She went on to win not only the Oscar, Golden Globe, British Film, New York Film Critics and National Board of Review awards for "Best Supporting Actress," she picked up nearly every film critic's award there was to be had!
Hudson's meteoric rise made quite an impact in the world of music with the successful release of both her Sony/Arista Records albums. Her 2008 debut, self-titled record debuted at #2 on the "Billboard Hot 100" and won a Grammy Award for "Best R & B Album, and her sophomore album, "I Remember Me," also debuted at #2 and went on to win three awards at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards including "Best Album." Her third album, 2014's "JHUD," released by RCA, was a highly successful throwback to 70's inspired R&B.
Continuing to distinguish herself on the large screen, Jennifer began things off featured in the film version of Sex and the City (2008) with Sarah Jessica Parker. She then played the concerned daughter of compulsive gambler Forest Whitaker in the drama Winged Creatures (2008); earned a NAACP Image Award nomination for her moving effort in the tender drama The Secret Life of Bees (2008); portrayed Winnie Mandela opposite Terrence Howard's Nelson in the biopic Winnie Mandela (2011); co-starred with Whitaker again and Angela Bassett in the family Christmas drama Black Nativity (2013); co-starred as an amateur singer taken in by talent agent Adam Sandler in the romantic comedy Sandy Wexler (2017); appeared as Grizabella in the film version of the hit musical Cats (2019); and was given the opportunity to play the "Queen of Soul" herself, Aretha Franklin, in the biopic Respect (2021). Back in 2013, she was honored, at such a young stage, with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On TV, Jennifer has played the recurring roles of Veronica Moore in the musical series Smash (2012) and Michelle White in the dramatic series Empire (2015). She also was given the distinction of playing and singing the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the live TV movie Hairspray Live! (2016).
As for other special live performances over the years, Jennifer was invited to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl XLVIII in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009. It would be her first live performance since the October 24, 2008 family tragedy of losing mother Darnell and older brother Jason in a domestic shooting incident. In January of 2013, she was asked to perform at the Obama Presidential Inaugural Ball and in 2019, was invited to sing the nominated song "I'll Fight" from the movie RBG (2018), a documentary chronicling the life and career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Honored at VH1's Do Something Awards for her charitable work and also the recipient of the Samsung Galaxy Impact Award at Variety's Power of Women luncheon with the Samsung Galaxy Impact Award, Jennifer, along with her sister Julia Hudson, founded The Julian D. King Gift Foundation in 2009, as a catalyst for change in children's health, education and welfare. The Foundation exists to provide stability, support and positive experiences for children of all backgrounds so that they will become productive, confident and happy adults.
Expanding her talents in the arts, Hudson added author to her list of accomplishments in January 2012 with the release her New York Times best-selling memoir, "I Got This: How I Changed My Ways, Found Myself and Lost Everything that Weighed Me Down."- Music Artist
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Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born May 5, 1988) is a British singer-songwriter who has sold millions of albums worldwide and won a total of 15 Grammys as well as an Oscar. Adele's first two albums, 19 and 21, earned her critical praise and a level of commercial success unsurpassed among her peers. After becoming a mom in 2012, Adele returned to the charts with the ballad "Hello" in 2015, the lead single from what was dubbed her comeback album 25. In 2017 she won five Grammys for her work on 25, including album, record and song of the year.Early on, Adele developed a passion for music. She gravitated toward the songs of Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Destiny's Child. But her true, eye-opening moment came when she was 15 and she happened upon a collection of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald records at a local shop. "There was no musical heritage in our family," Adele told The Telegraph in a 2008 interview. "Chart music was all I ever knew. So when I listened to the Etta James and the Ella Fitzgerald, it sounds so cheesy, but it was like an awakening. I was like, oh, right, some people have proper longevity and are legends. I was so inspired that as a 15-year-old I was listening to music that had been made in the '40s."While clearly bright, Adele wasn't oriented towards traditional classroom settings. Instead, her mother enrolled her in the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology, which counts Amy Winehouse as an alum.While at school, Adele cut a three-track demo for a class project that was eventually posted on her MySpace page. When executives at XL Recordings heard the tracks, they contacted the singer and, in November 2006, just four months after Adele had graduated school, signed her to a record deal.
Adele has recorded a total of three studio albums since the beginning of her career in 2008: 19, 21 and 25.
'19' (2008) Adele's debut album, 19, which is named for the singer's age when she began recording the project, went on sale in early 2008. Led by two popular lead singles, "Adele: Hometown Glory (2009)" and "Adele: Chasing Pavements (2008)" the record rocketed Adele to fame. Released in the United States through Columbia Records, 19 resonated with American audiences, much as it had with British music fans. Adele cemented her commercial success with an appearance in October 2008 on Saturday Night Live (2016). At the taping of the show, the album was ranked No. 40 on iTunes. Less than 24 hours later, it was No. 1.
'21' (2011) Adele's much anticipated follow-up album, 21, again named for her age at the time of recording, did not disappoint upon its release in early 2011. Tapping even deeper into Adele's appreciation for classic American R&B and jazz, the record was a monster hit, selling 352,000 copies within its first week. Anchored by hits like "Adele: Rolling in the Deep (2010)" and "Adele: Someone Like You (2011)" 21 placed Adele in rarified air. In February 2011, she found herself with two Top 5 singles and a pair of Top 5 albums in the same week, becoming the only artist besides The Beatles and 50 Cent to achieve that milestone. And with 21 staying at No. 1 for 11 weeks, Adele also broke the solo female artist record previously held by Madonna's Immaculate Collection for consecutive weeks atop the album charts. 21 went on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide.
'25' (2015) On October 22, 2015, Adele announced that she would release her third album, 25, in November. She posted 25's cover on Instagram, and said of her first full-length studio project in several years: "My last record was a break-up record, and if I had to label this one, I would call it a make-up record. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did. 25 is about getting to know who I've become without realizing. And I'm sorry it took so long but, you know, life happened." 25, released in November 2015, is a collection of emotional, sometimes plaintive songs looking at the ins and outs of relationships, owing much of its sound to traditional pop craft. The album went on to become an international smash hit, reaching No. 1 on iTunes in 110 countries. In the U.S., 25 sold 3.38 million copies in seven days, beating the 'NSync record of 2.42 million album copies sold in a week. Among other feats, 25 is also the only album to reach a million copies sold in the U.K. in 10 days.- Music Artist
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Singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen was born in Mission, British Columbia, Canada, on November 21, 1985. After graduating from the Heritage Park Secondary School, Jepsen began performing in the nearby city of Vancouver. A few years later, in 2007, she starred as a contestant on the reality television show Canadian Idol (2003), becoming one of the season's final three contestants. Jepsen's musical inspirations include pop singer Natalie Imbruglia, whose acclaimed 1997 song Natalie Imbruglia: Torn (1997) was covered by Jepsen on Canadian Idol (2003).
Jepsen formally debuted on the music industries in 2008 with Tug of War, a pop album that includes the singles "Bucket" and the title track, as well as a rendition of John Denver's "Sunshine on My Shoulder." In February 2012, she released the EP Curiosity. The album features the single, Carly Rae Jepsen: Call Me Maybe (2011) which rapidly became a pop-culture sensation, topping the charts in more than a dozen countries. Jepsen performed Carly Rae Jepsen: Call Me Maybe (2011) on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (2009) in June 2012. Following the show, she recorded a video performance of the song-along with Jimmy Fallon and his house band, The Roots which was viewed by millions of fans on YouTube, to add to the hundreds of millions of views for the track's official music video. Curiosity also includes Jepsen's rendition of the Joni Mitchell song "Both Sides Now." According to Jepsen, her musical style is folk-pop, calling herself the "flower child of pop." Jepsen was eventually signed to Interscope-affiliated record label School Boy Records, which was founded by Scooter Braun in 2007, and is run in part by pop superstar Justin Bieber. She released the full-length album Kiss in September 2012, which featured her massive hit, as well as the single "Tonight I'm Getting Over You."- Music Artist
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Ariana Grande was born Ariana Grande-Butera on June 26, 1993 in Boca Raton, Florida to Joan Grande, a chief executive officer for Hose-McCann Communications & Edward Butera, a graphic designer, photographer, artist and Ibi Designs Inc. owner/founder. She starred in the 2008 musical, 13 before becoming a household name through her roles on Nickelodeon. She appeared as Cat Valentine in the network's sitcoms Victorious (2010) and Sam & Cat (2013), lent her voice to the character Diaspro in Nickelodeon's revival of Winx Club (2004), and was part of the main cast for the Nick TV movie "Swindle". She has since appeared in other theatre and television roles.
Ariana's music career began in 2011 with the soundtrack album "Music from Victorious". In 2013, she released her first studio album Yours Truly, which entered atop the US Billboard 200. The album's lead single, The Way, opened in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, with critics comparing her wide vocal range to that of Mariah Carey.
Ariana's second studio album, My Everything (2014), entered at number one in the US and charted in the top 10 in 24 other countries. With the lead single, Problem and several other singles, she was continuously in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 for 34 weeks and had the most top 10 singles of any artist in 2014. The next year, she gave her first world tour, The Honeymoon Tour, to promote My Everything. In 2016, she released her third studio album Dangerous Woman, which charted at number two on the Billboard 200. The title track debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first person in the history of that chart to have the lead singles from each of their first three albums debut within the top 10 in the US. In 2017, Ariana gave her international Dangerous Woman Tour.
As of June 2017, Ariana's music videos had been viewed a total of more than nine billion times online. Her accolades include three American Music Awards, three MTV Europe Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award and four Grammy Award nominations. All three of her albums have been certified platinum by the RIAA. She has supported a range of charities and has a large following on social media. In 2016, Time named Ariana one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual list.- Actress
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Multi Grammy Award-winning singer/comedienne/author Bette Midler has also proven herself to be a very capable actress in a string of both dramatic and comedic roles. Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 1, 1945. She is the daughter of Ruth (Schindel), a seamstress, and Fred Midler, a painter. Her parents, originally from New Jersey, were both from Jewish families (from Russia, Poland, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire).
Midler studied drama at the University of Hawaii and got her musical career started by performing in gay bathhouses with piano accompaniment from Barry Manilow. Her first album was "The Divine Miss M" released in November 1972, followed by the self-titled "Bette Midler" released in November 1973, both of which took off up the music charts, and Bette's popularity swiftly escalated from there.
After minor roles in several film/TV productions, she surprised all with her knockout performance of a hard-living rock-and-roll singer (loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin) in The Rose (1979), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. In 1986, director Paul Mazursky cast Midler opposite Nick Nolte and Richard Dreyfuss in the hilarious Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), and so began a string of very funny comedic film roles. She played an obnoxious wife who was the victim of a kidnap plot by her scoundrel husband, played by Danny DeVito, in Ruthless People (1986), was pursued by CIA and KGB spies in Outrageous Fortune (1987), played mismatched twins with Lily Tomlin in Big Business (1988) and shone in the tear-jerker Beaches (1988).
Bette matched feisty James Caan in the WWII drama For the Boys (1991), made a dynamic trio with Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton in The First Wives Club (1996), was back on screen with DeVito for the tepid comedy Drowning Mona (2000) and turned up in the glossy remake of The Stepford Wives (2004). Apart from her four Grammy awards, Bette Midler has also won four Golden Globes, one Tony Award, and three Emmy Awards, plus she has sold in excess of 15 million albums worldwide. Most recently, she toured with her sassy "Kiss My Brass" show, and is promoting her album "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook".- Actress
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Tinashe was born on 6 February 1993 in Lexington, Kentucky, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Masked and Anonymous (2003), Out of Jimmy's Head (2007) and Two and a Half Men (2003).- Actress
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Victoria Justice is an American actress and singer. She was born on February 19, 1993 in Hollywood, Florida, USA. She is the daughter of Serene Reed and Zack Justice. Her mother has Puerto Rican ancestry, while her father is of English, German, and Irish descent. She has a younger half-sister, Madison Reed.
She rose to fame on Nickelodeon, starring as Lola Martinez in the television series, Zoey 101 (2005), and Tori Vega in the sitcom, Victorious (2010).
She starred in the films, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010), The First Time (2012) and Fun Size (2012).
She released her debut single "Gold" on June 18, 2013.
She starred in the film, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List (2015) in the MTV television series, Eye Candy (2015).- Actress
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Emma Lee Bunton was born on the 21st January 1976 in Finchley, North London to parents Pauline, a karate instructor, and Trevor, a milkman. They split up when Emma was 11, and she stayed with her mum. She also has a younger brother, P.J. (Paul) who she is very close to. Emma's career began at an early age when she started doing modeling work for such things as Mothercare, Mentadent P toothpaste and Polly Pocket. She attended the famous Sylvia Young Drama School in London, during which time she auditioned for several TV parts including that of "Bianca" in EastEnders (1985), but none of them really panned out. She can be seen briefly in both EastEnders (1985) and The Bill (1984), but only in minor parts. It wasn't long after she left Sylvia Young's that she joined the Spice Girls (after the original 5th Spice Girl, Michelle Stephenson, left). 2 albums, 8 No. 1 singles and a film later and the Spice Girls are still going strong. Emma is due to appear in the BBC musical drama Sleeping Beauty (1987), which is filming at the moment and will be out by the end of the year. The Spice Girls' 3rd album, "Forever", was released in November 2000 and reached the #2 spot on the UK charts. It also features the Spice Girls' 9th #1 single, "Holler/Let Love Lead The Way". Since then, the Spice Girls haven't worked together again. In April 2001, Emma released her first solo album, "A Girl Like Me", which featured her 1999 cover of Edie Brickell's "What I Am" and Emma's own #1 hit "What Took You So Long". In 2003, Emma released her second solo album, "Free Me", which includes her four hits "Free Me", "Maybe", "I'll Be There" and "Crickets Sing For Anamaria". Her promo tour lead her to the US in early 2005, where a remix of "Free Me" was a popular club track.- Actress
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Born on May 29, 1975 in Leeds, England, Melanie Brown became a member of Spice Girls in 1994. Their three albums sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and they had nine singles at number 1 in the UK.
"Hot" was her first solo album, released on 9th October 2000. It entered the UK charts at #28. Despite producing 2 Top 5 singles (3, if you include the hit "I Want You Back"), the album only ever re-entered the chart once after dropping out of the Top 100 - peaking at #95 when "Feels So Good" was being promoted in February 2001. To date, the album has sold about 50,000 copies in the UK. The album sold 8,000 copies in its first week.
After she parted with Virgin Records, she started a new successful career as TV presenter and actress. In 2001, her own show This Is My Moment (2000) was a great success and, after the second series, she made a documentary about Africans voodoos.
In 2002, she was one of the protagonists of the BBC3's sit-com Burn It (2003) and made her theater debut with "The Vagina Monologues" in London.
She has a lead role in two upcoming movies: the horror LD 50 Lethal Dose (2003) and the comedy The Seat Filler (2004) (with Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child).
From April to September 2004, she played the role of "Mimi" in the famous musical "Rent" on Broadway.
In 2005, Melanie released her second solo album, "L.A. State Of Mind", featuring the single "Today". Both the single and the album flopped...- Actress
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Victoria Beckham was born Victoria Caroline Adams on 17 April 1974 in Harlow, Essex, England, to Jacqueline Doreen (Cannon), an insurance clerk and hairdresser, and Anthony William Adams, an electronics engineer. She does not like being called Vicky. Instead, call her Posh, which stands for the best of everything (an old luxury liner term, P.O.S.H. stood for "Port Out, Starboard Home"-- the best rooms). Growing up, she didn't like being driven to school in her father's Rolls Royce (they were very wealthy; later, as Posh, she would have an image of someone who revels in wealth). Victoria began as a dancer before eventually landing a spot as a member of Spice Girls. While in college, Victoria was briefly in another band. After completing the 3-year course at Lanie Arts, she answered an ad in "The Stage" magazine, which was looking for 5 girls who could sing and dance. Victoria was picked, history was about to be made. (Victoria had met: Emma who had been in a play with her when they were kids; Geri while auditioning for a role in Tank Girl (1995); Mel C. attended a rival school when they were 15; and Mel B. at the audition for the forming of the band.) The Spice Girls became fantastically successful, achieving international fame. The wildly popular Spice Girls performed at sold-out concerts, did tours, and of course the Spice World (1997) movie. Victoria married soccer player David Beckham. The couple has four children.- Actress
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Geraldine Estelle Horner (née Halliwell; born 6 August 1972) is an English singer, songwriter, author and actress. She rose to prominence in the 1990s as Ginger Spice, a member of the girl group the Spice Girls. With over 100 million records sold worldwide, the Spice Girls are the best-selling female group of all time. Their slogan "girl power" was most closely associated with Halliwell,and her Union Jack dress from the 1997 Brit Awards also became an enduring symbol.Halliwell left the Spice Girls in 1998, citing exhaustion and creative differences, but rejoined when they reunited in 2007.- Actress
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Born on the 12th January 1974 in Merseyside, England, Melanie Chisholm became a member of Spice Girls in 1994. Their three albums sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and they had nine singles at number 1 in the UK.
"Northern Star" was her first solo album. On the back of the first single "Goin' Down", the album initially went to #10 in the UK charts after being released on 18th October 1999, before going down the chart rapidly. In the US, it peaked at a disappointing #208 after being released on 2nd November 1999. After 5 singles - two of which were UK #1s, three tours, and 18 months of constant promotion, the album went triple platinum in the UK, peaking at #4 on its re-release in August 2000. Sales for the album currently stand at around 3 million copies worldwide (around 900,000 in the UK). The album continues to sell well, and in 2004, re-entered the UK Top 100 for yet another time, as a result of being low-priced in some stores. "Northern Star" has a remarkable Top 75 chart run, which demonstrates its sheer success as Melanie C established herself slowly as a solo artist. "Reason" was her second album, which took 18 months to complete. Released on 10th March 2003, it reached #5 in the UK chart - selling 30,500 copies in its first week. Although it didn't perform as well as "Northern Star", "Reason" has a Gold certification in the UK, with 80,000 copies sold. January 2004 saw the album reduced to £2.99 in all major record shops, but even then, "Northern Star" at the same price outsold it greatly. After the failure of "Melt/Yeh Yeh Yeh", the album is now truly a closed chapter. Although sales stalled after "On The Horizon", it managed to sell 500,000 copies worldwide.
The release of Melanie C's last album, "Reason" in March 2003 meant many changes for her career later in the year. Following the disaster of "Melt/Yeh Yeh Yeh", she parted from her record label, Virgin Records, and decided to go it alone, releasing her third solo album, "Beautiful Intentions", on her own label, Red Girl Records. Following the release of the single "Next Best Superstar" (#10 in the UK singles chart), Melanie will release "Better Alone" in July.- Actress
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Natina Reed was born on 28 October 1980 in New York City, New York, USA. She was an actress and composer, known for Bring It On (2000), Honey (2003) and V.I.P. (1998). She died on 26 October 2012 in Duluth, Georgia, USA.- Actress
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Shamari a.k.a. Shamari Fears was born in Detroit, MI. Shamari began cultivating her soulful voice at the tender age of three. When her family relocated to Atlanta, GA in the mid 1980's, Shamari poured herself into her music. During Middle and High School, Shamari began performing publicly. Shamari entered into her school's Talent Show and won 2nd place for her soulful rendition of Mariah Carey's "Hero". Shamari's Talent Show success led to the formation of her group Buutz (a country-urban female group). Ever enthusiastic and sure of success, Shamari proclaimed that she had a "deal". Soon after, Buutz disbanded and Shamari formed the urban female group Intrigue. During that time, Shamari met Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes of TLC, which resulted in the 1996 joining of Brandi D. Williams and Natina Reed, which together formed the sensational, multi-platinum R&B-Pop female group Blaque. As the collective protégé's of Lisa Lopes, Blaque soon began to flourish as the fresh new faces of R&B-Pop, resulting in an invitation for a cameo appearance in Lil' Kim's "Ladies Night" video. In 1997, Lisa Lopes flew with the group to NYC to meet with the Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment Corporation, Thomas D. "Tommy" Mattola. Blaque gave an impromptu performance showcasing their sultry, soulful and innovative style resulting in an immediate contract with Columbia Records. For almost two years, Blaque worked meticulously on their self-titled debut album, releasing their first single "808" on March 23, 1999. "808" was an immediate success, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and quickly was certified Platinum. With much public anticipation, on June 1, 1999 their self-titled debut album was released, which achieved domestic sales exceeding 1.5 million units, resulting in the outstanding accomplishment of being certified Platinum as well. Blaque also released their Billboard Hot 100 Chart topping single "Bring It All To Me" (featuring J.C. Chavez on N'Sync), which achieved it's peak position of #4 on the chart. The tremendous success of the LP led to two incredible domestic tours, first with N'Sync and then with TLC, followed by numerous Award Show Nominations and Winnings. In 2000, entranced by the girls' talent and energy, the production team of Bring It On cast them in supporting character roles in the Major Motion Picture, also starring Gabrielle Union and Kirsten Dunst. Shamari starred as "Lava", a cheerleader from the Clover's squad. Bring It On, the first feature film Shamari starred in as an actress, enjoyed huge worldwide box office success, earning more than $68 Million in United States alone. The ladies were also requested to record the first single "As If" from the Bring It On Motion Picture Soundtrack. In November of the same year, Shamari and her Blaque counterparts were offered the prestigious honor, which they accepted, to appear in a cameo role on Pamela Anderson's worldwide hit TV show V.I.P., granting them the prestige of being one of only two musical guests ever requested to appear. In 2001, Blaque recorded their much anticipated Sophomore Album BlaqueOut. Additionally, Shamari was pursued by the world renowned R&B group Bell Biv DeVoe (BBD) to record as a feature vocalist on their Universal Records Album. Additionally, Shamari also completed her amazing year by recording, along with Blaque group member Brandi D. Williams, the track "Can't Trust Myself" for the Major Motion Picture On The Line starring Lance Bass and Joey Fatone on N'Sync. Much to the dismay of eager fans worldwide, Columbia Records agreed to release the ladies from further recording commitment rather than releasing Blaque's Sophomore Album. In 2003, Elektra Records quickly seized the opportunity to sign Blaque to their roster of Multi-Platinum Recording Artists. Enthralled by their vocal performance, Blaque was successfully pursued to record their hit single "I'm Good" for the Honey Motion Picture Soundtrack starring Jessica Alba. Hot on the tails of the successful Honey soundtrack single "I'm Good", Blaque members Shamari and Brandi D. Williams embarked overseas on a European Tour. Soon after, prior to the release of Blaque's third album Torch, the ladies elected to take a hiatus in order to pursue impending Solo Projects after the departure of Natina Reed as a Blaque group member due to the impending birth of her first born child. In 2004, Shamari signed a Solo Artist Recording Deal with Dark Child / Universal Records. Shamari is currently immersed in the creative process of recording her Solo Rock-Urban-Pop Debut Album, which is anticipated for worldwide release in 2006!- Actress
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Brandi Williams was born on 5 October 1982 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress, known for Bring It On (2000), Honey (2003) and V.I.P. (1998). She has been married to Jay Harris since 23 May 2009. She was previously married to Tony Hightower .- Music Artist
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Audrey Faith McGraw known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer, actress and record producer. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill's first two albums, Take Me as I Am (1993) and It Matters to Me (1995), were major successes and placed a combined three number ones on Billboard's country charts. She then achieved mainstream and crossover success with her next two albums, Faith (1998) and Breathe (1999). Faith spawned her first international success in early 1998, "This Kiss", while Breathe became one of the best-selling country albums of all time, led by the huge crossover success of the songs "Breathe" and "The Way You Love Me". It had massive sales worldwide and earned Hill three Grammy Awards.- Music Artist
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Nicki Minaj was born Onika Tanya Maraj on December 8, 1982 in St. James, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago and raised in Queens, New York City, New York. She grew up in a troubled family with a father that was a drug addict who later changed after he checked into rehab and started going to church. Minaj went to LaGaurdia High School and studied singing and acting.
She was first spotted by the CEO of Young Money, and was later recruited for The Carter Edition of Young Money's own "The Come Up" DVD series. Her rapping skills caught the eyes of Lil Wayne who later worked with her for many collaborations with his mixtapes.
In April 2007, Minaj released her first mixtape "Playtime Is Over". One year later she made another mixtape "Sucka Free" which made her Female Artist of the Year at the Underground Music Awards. In 2009 she made her third mixtape "Beam Me Up Scotty" which got positive reviews from BET and MTV.
To date, Nicki has released 3 platinum selling studio albums, Pink Friday, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, and the most recent The Pinkprint- Actress
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Hilary Erhard Duff was born on September 28, 1987 in Houston, Texas, to Susan Duff (née Cobb) and Robert Erhard Duff, a partner in convenience store chain. When Hilary was six, she had been traveling in the Cechetti Ballet with her sister Haylie Duff but decided she wanted to fulfill her dream of acting. Her first starring role was when she played the young witch "Wendy" in Casper Meets Wendy (1998).
Duff became a teen idol when she starred in the #1 hit Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire (2001).
She has also starred in the movies The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), Agent Cody Banks (2003), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), A Cinderella Story (2004), Raise Your Voice (2004), The Perfect Man (2005) and Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005).
Additionally, Duff stormed the music charts, with singles "So Yesterday" and "Come Clean" settling nicely into the top 40. Hilary's first album, "Metamorphosis", debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200, and eventually ascended to #1 in the following weeks.
She starred in Material Girls (2006) with her sister Haylie Duff and released her fourth studio album, Dignity (2007), with Hollywood Records.
In 2015, she released her fifth studio album, Breathe In. Breathe Out. She stars as Kelsey Peters in Younger (2015).- Actress
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Lucy Hale has captured the attention of millions through her dynamic on-screen performances in some of the most buzzed about projects in film and television. Hale recently starred as the lead, DC Lake Edmunds, in the new series, Ragdoll, which is streaming on AMC and Alibi. Last year, she finished production on The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, an adaptation of the New York Times best-selling novel by Gabrielle Zevin. Hale is also set to executive produce and star in the upcoming feature film Which Brings Me to You. Hale starred as the titular character in the HBO MAX series "Katy Keene," a "Riverdale" spin-off based off of the Archie Comics characters. "Katy Keene" was highly anticipated and premiered on The CW before moving to the streaming platform. Time Magazine referred to the show as "a Delightful Fairy Tale for a New Decade" and Variety called it "a winning series." In 2021, she starred in the romantic comedy THE HATING GAME based off the best-selling book, the rom-com A NICE GIRL LIKE YOU, BIG GOLD BRICK opposite Andy Garcia, Megan Fox and Oscar Issac, SON OF THE SOUTH from Executive Producer Spike Lee, and the thriller BORREGO which Hale is also an Executive Producer on. In 2020, Hale starred alongside Michael Peña and Maggie Q in Blumhouse Productions' thriller FANTASY ISLAND, directed by Jeff Wadlow. Hale also starred in The CW's drama series "Life Sentence" and in the thriller TRUTH OR DARE from Blumhouse Productions and alongside Tyler Posey. TRUTH OR DARE is one of Blumhouse's most profitable features to date. That same spring Hale was seen in the indie film THE UNICORN, which had its world premiere at SXSW in March 2018, and leading an ensemble cast in the Netflix film DUDE, alongside Kathryn Prescott and Alexandra Shipp. In 2010, Freeform's smash-hit series "Pretty Little Liars" premiered, launching Hale in stardom. For her portrayal of Aria Montgomery, Hale won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Actress in 2014; she was nominated for the same award the following three years. She has also won seven Teen Choice Awards for Choice TV Actress/Star, and she was presented with the 2013 Gracie Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Rising Star. The seventh and final season of the show aired on June 27, 2017.- Music Artist
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Reba Nell McEntire was born on Monday, March 28th, 1955, in McAlester, Oklahoma. The reigning queen of country music has pursued a musical career since she was 5. In Junior High school, she performed with her musical siblings, aka the Singing McEntires. A fine athlete, Reba McEntire followed in the footsteps of her rodeo champion father in competitive barrel racing. Her performance of the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1974 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City caught the attention of songwriter Red Steagall, who suggested she consider a career in country music. She has since earned 7 gold and 5 platinum albums and 2 Grammy Awards. She has also explored other avenues of entertainment, serving as a guest-host on Good Morning America (1975) & earning generally favorable reviews for her acting in the movie titled "Tremors" & TV mini-series, Buffalo Girls (1995). In 1988, she formed Starstruck Entertainment to oversee the very numerous aspects of her musical & acting careers.
She is extremely fortunate, that she was not along with her eight band members (seven band members & her touring manager), when tragedy the airplane they were in, on Saturday, March 16th, 1991. There were eight lives lost that tragic Saturday.- Music Artist
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Britney Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981 in McComb, Mississippi & raised in Kentwood, Louisiana. As a child, Britney attended dance classes, and she was great at gymnastics, winning many competitions and the like. But, most of all, Britney loved to sing. At age 8, Britney tried out for The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989), but was turned down due to her young age. This directed her to an off-Broadway show, "Ruthless", for a 2-year run as the title character. At age 11, she again tried for The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989) and, this time, made it as a mouseketeer alongside many stars of today (Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez of *NSYNC and Ryan Gosling). Her big break, however, came when she was signed as a Jive Recording Artist in the late 90s. With the release of her debut album, "...Baby One More Time" in early 1999, Britney became an international success, selling 13 million copies of "Baby" and 9 million (as of July 2001) of her sophomore album, "Oops!...I Did It Again", released in May of 2000.- Music Artist
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Alicia Keys was born in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, to Terria Joseph (née Teresa M. Augello), a paralegal who was also an occasional actress, and Craig Cook, a flight attendant. Her father is African-American and her mother, who is Caucasian, is of Italian and English/Irish/Scottish ancestry. Alicia began taking piano lessons at age 7 at her mother's insistence. She proved to be such a prodigy that she was later accepted into the prestigious Professional Performance Arts School of Manhattan, where she majored in choir. Not only her musical talent but also her grades proved to be so exceptional that she was allowed to graduate, as valedictorian, at age 16. In 1998, she signed with Arista Records, and wrote, produced, and recorded her own albums. In 1999, she left Arista to join J Records, headed by legendary music impresario Clive Davis, and her success has been meteoric. Her 2001 debut album, "Songs in A Minor," sold 6 million copies and garnered five Grammys. Her album "Diary" won her four more Grammys in 2005.- Music Artist
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Actress and singer Selena Gomez was born on July 22, 1992 in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is the daughter of Mandy Teefey and Ricardo Gomez. Her mother is of part Italian ancestry, and her father is of Mexican descent. She was named after Tejano singer Selena, who died in 1995.
Her first acting role was as "Gianna" in the popular '90s children's television show Barney & Friends (1992), alongside Demi Lovato from 2002-2004. Gomez also had roles in Spy Kids 3: Game Over (2003), Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005), and House Broken (2006).
Gomez moved to Los Angeles, California when she booked the lead role of "Alex Russo" and rose to fame in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007). She then starred in Another Cinderella Story (2008) on ABC Family, had her first voice-role in the animated film Horton Hears a Who! (2008), and co-starred with childhood friend, Demi Lovato, in Princess Protection Program (2009).
In 2009, Gomez released her first album with her band called "Selena Gomez & the Scene," which ranked #9 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Gomez later released two other albums with her band and starred in Monte Carlo (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Hotel Transylvania (2012).
In 2013, she released her first solo album "Stars Dance" and the lead single "Come & Get It" from the album, became Gomez's first top ten entry on the Billboard Hot 100 list. She starred in Getaway (2013), Rudderless (2014), and Behaving Badly (2014).
In 2015, she released her second solo album "Revival," which debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 list, and starred in Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), The Fundamentals of Caring (2016), In Dubious Battle (2016), and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016). She made her third solo album "Rare" in 2020.- Music Artist
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Demi Lovato is a GRAMMY-nominated and award-winning musician, actor, advocate and New York Times best-selling author. She was first known for her onscreen talents, and soon after became a musical phenomenon for her remarkable vocal ability. With an audience of over 266 million on social media, Demi has established herself as a global sensation.
With nearly 49 billion streams earned worldwide, Demi has captivated audiences with her renowned powerhouse vocals and illustrious songwriting. From the resilient ballad "Skyscraper," to the unapologetic earworm "Sorry Not Sorry" and her enduring queer anthem "Cool for the Summer," Demi's discography showcases her musicality knows no bounds, with a genre-blending approach that has infused pop, R&B, rock, soul and more. Through several sold-out tours, Demi has brought her undeniable stage presence to venues across the globe, while live performances such as her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl LIV and the powerful debut of her single "Anyone" at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards have garnered universal acclaim.
Demi has released eight studio albums, all of which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and four which boast over one billion streams on Spotify. Her most recent album, HOLY FVCK, is a sonic journey grounded in Demi's rock and pop-punk roots that illustrates an earnest yet tongue-in-cheek retrospective of her life experiences and opened to widespread acclaim from both critics and fans. The album was hailed as "the best we've heard from Lovato to date" (Variety) and was described as "fiery album filled with passion, thoughtful reflection, and a dash of good ol' fashioned rage" (Vogue), with Demi receiving praise as a vocal "powerhouse" (Pitchfork). HOLY FVCK debuted at #1 on several Billboard charts including the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart, the Top Rock Albums chart, and the Top Alternative Albums chart. The album also marked Demi's eighth consecutive Top 10 album on the Billboard 200 and landed in the Top 5 of the Top Album Sales chart. The single "29" resonated with listeners worldwide and was deemed "the best song on the album" (TIME), with critics commending Demi's emotional delivery that reflects a "new, clear-eyed perspective" (Recording Academy).
Most recently, Demi released her album REVAMPED featuring rock versions of her hit songs on September 15, 2023, which hit the top 10 of Billboard's Top New Albums Chart in line with Demi's previous releases. With all new vocals and production, the 10-track album REVAMPED sees Demi reimagine her career-defining songs with a fresh perspective that reflects her current artistic vision. The re-recorded music serves as another showcase of Demi's artistic growth and versatility, as she seamlessly evolves her songs from pop to rock while maintaining her signature powerhouse vocals.
Demi has been lauded by fans and peers alike for her authenticity and vulnerability, demonstrating her transformative growth across two celebrated documentaries, 2017's Simply Complicated and 2021's Dancing with the Devil. As an advocate, Demi serves as Global Citizen's official ambassador for mental health, with a special focus on vulnerable communities around the world.
Lovato has been honored with numerous awards and accolades over her career, including an MTV Video Music Award, 14 Teen Choice Awards, five People's Choice Awards, an ALMA Award, two Latin American Music Award and a GLAAD Vanguard Award for her services to LGBTQ+ activism. She has also received two GRAMMY Award nominations, four Billboard Music Awards nominations and three Brit Award nominations for her work.
A native of Dallas, Demi resides in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Sara Evans was born on 5 February 1971 in New Franklin, Missouri, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Where the Heart Is (2000), Sara Evans: Born to Fly (2009) and To Appomattox (2015). She has been married to Jay Barker since 14 June 2008. She was previously married to Craig Schelske.- Music Artist
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Mary J. Blige was born on 11 January 1971 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Mudbound (2017), Rock of Ages (2012) and The Help (2011). She was previously married to Kendu Isaacs.- Music Artist
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The Band Perry is known for If I Die Young (2010), The Band Perry: Better Dig Two (2012) and CMT Hot 20 Countdown (2001).- Music Artist
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Shania Twain was born as Eilleen Regina Edwards in 1965 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, one of three daughters of Clarence and Sharon (Morrison) Edwards (sister Jill is two years older and Carrie-Ann three years younger). When she was age six, her mother remarried Jerry Twain, a full-blooded Ojibwa native from Timmins, Ontario, who adopted her as his own. She started out singing in bars as a child after hours, and, at thirteen, appeared on The Tommy Hunter Show (1965). When she was 22, her parents were killed in an accident, and she became the legal guardian of her half-brothers (Mark, then 13, and Darryl, then 14) and sister, putting her musical career on hold to raise her family. In 1991 she changed her name to Shania (meaning "I'm on my way" in Ojibwa, it was the name of a co-worker), and signed a contract with Mercury Nashville that same year. Her first album went by without notice, but her second album (produced with Mutt Lange, who she wed in 1993) broke world records with its sales!- Music Artist
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Trisha Yearwood was born on 19 September 1964 in Monticello, Georgia, USA. She is a music artist and producer, known for Con Air (1997), For Love of the Game (1999) and Hope Floats (1998). She has been married to Garth Brooks since 10 December 2005. She was previously married to Robert Reynolds and Christopher Latham.- Actress
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Christina Milian was born Christine Flores on September 26, 1981 in Jersey City, New Jersey & raised in Waldorf, Maryland. At the age of 19, Milian signed a contract with Def Jam. In 2001, Milian released her self-titled debut album, which featured the singles "AM to PM" and "When You Look at Me"; "AM to PM" charted within the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and both peaked in the top three on the UK Singles Chart. In 2004, Milian released her second studio album It's About Time, which provided her first major U.S. hit, "Dip It Low", which reached number five on the U.S. Billboard chart. "Whatever U Want" was released as the album's second single. Both singles charted within the Top 10 of the UK chart.- Music Artist
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Fergie was born Stacy Ann Ferguson on March 27, 1975 in Hacienda Heights, California, to Theresa Ann "Terri" (Gore) and John Patrick Ferguson, both schoolteachers. Her ancestry includes German, English, Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Luxembourgish. When she was a teenager, her parents divorced, which was a big challenge for a girl who wanted to be a star. As a child actress, she appeared on the television program Kids Incorporated (1984) for several years with Renee Sandstrom. Later, Ferguson was a member of the female trio Wild Orchid, which she fronted with fellow Kids Incorporated (1984) star Renee Sandstrom and Stefanie Ridel. Wild Orchid released two albums, but after completing a third album, their record label declined to release it. This prompted an emotional crisis, and Ferguson sought therapy. She left the group shortly thereafter. In 2003, she was invited for a part in The Black Eyed Peas' song "Hey Mama." The members of the group were so impressed by her performance that she became the fourth member of the band. Since then, she's mostly known as "Fergie." In September 2004, Fergie met an American actor, Josh Duhamel, who she married in 2009. She took part in a Hollywood blockbuster, Poseidon (2006). Fergie is a favorite singer of Quentin Tarantino, who invited her to co-star in his movie Grindhouse (2007).- Actress
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Amethyst Amelia Kelly (born 7 June 1990), known professionally as Iggy Azalea is an Australian rapper, singer, songwriter, model and television personality. Azalea moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a career in music, and has since resided in Los Angeles. Her stage name, from the masculine Egnatius, comes from the name of her dog and the street she lived on. She earned public recognition after releasing music videos for her songs "Pu$$y" and "Two Times" on YouTube. In 2012 Azalea signed a recording contract with Grand Hustle Records, which is owned by American rapper T.I., after gaining attention from her first full-length project, a mix tape titled Ignorant Art.
Azalea's debut studio album, The New Classic (2014), peaked among the top five of several charts worldwide and received generally mixed reviews. It topped the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums making Azalea the first non-American female rapper to reach the top of the chart. The album was preceded by her debut single "Work", and generated the US Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping single "Fancy". Azalea was featured on Ariana Grande's single "Problem", which peaked at No. 2 while "Fancy" was No. 1. Azalea joined The Beatles as the only acts to rank at numbers one and two simultaneously with their first two Hot 100 entries. She achieved three top-ten hits simultaneously on the Hot 100 with the aforementioned songs along with the album's fifth single, "Black Widow", later that year. Following a slew of moderately successful singles, Azalea released the EP Survive the Summer (2018).
As of 5 December 2018, Azalea's official YouTube channel has accumulated 2.6 billion views, while she has had 13 music videos receive over 100 million views on Vevo.
When she first arrived in the United States in 2006, she stayed in Miami, Florida, and afterwards lived briefly in Houston, Texas. Azalea settled for a few years in Atlanta, Georgia, working with a member of the Dungeon Family named Backbone. During that period, she met future collaborators FKi and Natalie Sims. She took her stage name from the name of her childhood dog, Iggy, and the street she grew up on, Azalea Street, where her family lives to this day. She said people would laugh at her because "they thought my raps sucked." But having grown up getting laughed at, she was able to shrug it off. Meanwhile, she'd met someone from Interscope Records who encouraged her to move to Los Angeles, and so in the summer of 2010, she decided to do so. She was briefly managed by Interscope.
On 27 September 2011, Azalea released her first full-length project, a mix tape titled Ignorant Art, saying she made it "with the intent to make people question and redefine old ideals". Her song "Pu$$y" was included on the mix tape, alongside guest appearances from YG, Joe Moses, Chevy Jones, and Problem. In November 2011, she released a music video for her song "My World", directed by Alex/2tone. The video features a cameo appearance from character actor and former wrestler Tiny Lister, which earned her more attention due to its rising popularity online. "It's supposed to have like, all the ridiculousness of a big-budget '90s video, but then chopped and screwed," said Azalea, of the video. In December 2011, Azalea revealed she would release her debut studio album, entitled The New Classic, as soon as she signed a major record label deal: "Once that's sorted out and I establish an overall sound and direction for the album, I will be able to know what artists would make for a dynamic collaboration". On 11 January 2012, Azalea released the music video for "The Last Song", her third video from Ignorant Art. In an interview with Billboard, released on 27 January, Azalea hinted at an Interscope Records signing, while also revealing hopes of releasing The New Classic in June, and for her debut single to precede it in March.
In April 2012, via her Twitter feed, Azalea announced plans to release an extended play (EP) entitled Glory, later in May: "I'm just onto something right now, the last two weeks and it's glory. Azaleans need something new." Also in April, Azalea starred alongside Grammy-nominated producer Diplo and FKi in the world's first fully interactive 'shoppable' music video for Canadian fashion retailer, Ssense. In May 2012, it was confirmed by T.I., on MTV's HipHopPov, that Azalea had not yet secured distribution for her deal with Grand Hustle Records, and was described by T.I. as a "free agent". It was later revealed in the interview that she was in negotiation with labels other than Interscope, possibly Def Jam Recordings (wherein Bu Thiam, whom of which originally placed a bid to sign her is VP of A&R). Azalea was also featured on Steve Aoki and Angger Dimas' collaborative electronic track "Beat Down", which was released on 31 May 2012.
On 5 December 2013, an unfinished song by Azalea titled "Leave It" and the tag produced by DJ Mustard, was leaked. Azalea later revealed the song was in fact produced by The Invisible Men and The Arcade, whom she collaborated with on the entire album. In February 2014, Azalea announced that she would be releasing a new single titled "Fancy", featuring English singer-songwriter Charli XCX. The song was premiered on BBC Radio 1 Xtra at 7 pm GMT on 6 February 2014. After the song's premiere, it was revealed "Fancy" was the song that had leaked titled "Leave It". On 17 February 2014, the song was serviced to urban contemporary radio in the United Kingdom as the album's fourth single and became her highest charting song at the time. The music video for "Fancy", inspired by the 1995 American comedy film Clueless was released on 4 March. "Fancy" went on to become Azalea's most successful single to date, becoming her first single to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also reached number-one on Billboard's Hot Rap Songs chart, as well as number-one the US Dance Club Play chart.
In October 2015, Azalea revealed the initial title of her second album to be Digital Distortion. A buzz track off the album, "Azillion", was made available for free streaming on SoundCloud on 9 January 2016. The project's lead single "Team" was released on 18 March 2016 along with a dance video. An accompanying music video premiered on 31 March.[84] In March 2016, Azalea revealed she had started a production company, having "bought the rights to a couple of books that I really like, and also some television shows from Australia that I really believed in and was a fan of when I was a kid, and I had some ideas to rework." In July 2016, she announced that her company, Azalea Street Productions, had signed a deal to create original content for NBCUniversal.
On 8 June, the rapper revealed that Survive the Summer is an EP. She also stated that the reason behind the postponed release date -originally for 2 June, then 30 June release- was the changing president of her record label, Island Records. On 5 July, Azalea released two tracks from the EP: "Tokyo Snow Trip" and "Kream", the latter featuring Tyga. Survive the Summer was released on 3 August 2018, and it debuted at number 144 on the Billboard 200.
On 3 November, Azalea left her record label, Island Records, according to her tweet, which she was signed to in 2017. Two weeks later, she announced she had signed a $2.7 million dollar distribution deal with an unidentified company. She created her own label "New Classic Records", where she would be signing upcoming hip hop artists. She would also be an independent artist and own all her masters, with exceptions to her music licensed under Universal. On 20 November, it was announced that she has signed a partnership deal with Empire Distribution.- Music Artist
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Born in Cambridge as Charlotte Emma Aitchison, Charli XCX is a singer, songwriter, model and actress. Daughter of a Scottish father and Indian mother, she studied at UCL's Slade School of Fine Art in London. Charlotte kept her MSN Messenger alias for her stage name and started writing songs at 14 years old. Her talent was spotted in 2008 after she shared on MySpace songs and demos from her first album that was recorded thanks to the financial help of her parents. She took a break from music in 2010. Aitchison contributed vocals and co-writing for numerous hit singles before debuting her studio album True Romance in 2013. International success followed quickly with a second studio album and several collaboration with other artists such as Iggy Azalea. In 2017, before releasing a new mixtape, she directed the music video of the lead single from her upcoming third studio album.- Music Artist
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Rita Ora is a British singer-songwriter. She was born Rita Sahatçiu Ora in 1990 in Pristina, Kosovo, to Vera (Bajraktari) and Besnik Sahatçiu. She is a granddaughter of director Besim Sahatçiu. At age one, her family decided to move to the United Kingdom. She grew up in West London and attended St Cuthbert with St Matthias CE Primary School in Earls Court, following which she graduated from Sylvia Young Theatre School and then St Charles Catholic Sixth Form College. She began singing from a young age.
In 2004, she appeared in the British film Spivs. She auditioned for Eurovision: Your Country Needs You on BBC One to be the British contestant for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest but later withdrew from the competition after a few episodes as she did not feel ready.
In 2007, Ora had her first music release when she appeared on Craig David's track entitled "Awkward" and then again in 2008 on "Where's Your Love" featuring Tinchy Stryder, for which she also appears in the music video. Ora began singing in bars in and around London, and in 2009 a A&R told Roc Nation about Ora, a few days after Ora flew out to New York and met Jay-Z. In 2009, Ora made a cameo on Jay-Z's video for "Young Forever" and "Over" by Drake. Ora caught the attention of Jay-Z and he quietly signed her to Roc Nation, in which she was featured in a commercial for Roc Nation + Skullcandy Aviator Headphones.- Music Artist
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Gwen Renée Stefani was born on October 3, 1969 in Fullerton, California & raised in Anaheim, California. She was one of four children born to Dennis Stefani and Patti Flynn. Her siblings are Eric Stefani, Jill and Todd Stefani. Her father is of Italian descent and her mother's ancestry is English, Irish, Scottish, German, and Norwegian. She and her brother Eric began the band No Doubt when Gwen was a teenager and she moved from backing vocals to lead singer when their original lead, John Spence, committed suicide. She dated band-mate Tony Kanal for seven years, before marrying English rocker Gavin Rossdale on 14 September 2002 in London. They had three children together before divorcing in 2016.- Actress
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Jo Dee Messina was born on 25 August 1970 in Holliston, Massachusetts, USA. She is an actress, known for Driven (2001), View from the Top (2003) and Evan Almighty (2007). She has been married to Chris Deffenbaugh since 21 October 2007. They have two children.- Music Artist
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Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an African-American R&B singer and actress from Glen Cove, New York. She acted in films and shows such as The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, Resident Evil: Extinction, Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die, Bride and Prejudice, Malcolm X and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She has released six albums.- Music Artist
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Avril Lavigne was born on September 27, 1984 in Belleville, Ontario, Canada, to Judith-Rosanne (Loshaw) and Jean-Claude Joseph Lavigne. Her ancestry is French-Canadian, Polish, English, Irish, and Scottish. At sixteen, she moved to Manhattan and began work on her debut album. She dropped out of high school after the 11th grade when she secured a record deal. When Avril was almost 18, she released "Complicated" from her debut album titled: "Let Go," which went 6x platinum. As a petite skater girl from a small town, Avril has shown she is independent, full of confidence and determination, providing a good combination to make "Complicated" and Avril a musical breakthrough. "Complicated" went to number #1 on Billboards Top 100 while also earning her 5 Grammy nominations, MTV music awards, MTV European music awards and many more.- Music Artist
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Rebbeca Marie Gomez, better known by her stage name Becky G, is an American singer and actress. Gomez first gained recognition in 2011 when she began posting videos of herself covering popular songs online. One of her videos caught the attention of producer Dr. Luke, who subsequently offered her a joint record deal with Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. While working on her debut effort, Gomez collaborated with artists will.i.am, Cody Simpson and Cher Lloyd. Her official debut single, "Becky from the Block" (2013), received a positive reception upon its release. She released her debut extended play, Play It Again (2013), later that same year. Her second single, "Can't Get Enough" (2014), featured guest vocals from Pitbull and went on to top the Latin Rhythm Airplay chart in the United States.
Gomez achieved mainstream success with the release of "Shower" (2014), which went on to enter the top twenty of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The single would go on to receive a multi platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), denoting two million units sold in the country. Following the success of "Shower", Gomez released "Can't Stop Dancin'" (2014) and "Break a Sweat" (2015) as singles from her forthcoming album; neither matched the commercial performance of their predecessor. She embarked on a co-headlining tour with J Balvin throughout September and October 2015, spanning throughout the United States. She portrayed Valentina Galindo in two episodes of the musical television series Empire, contributing two new songs to the soundtrack of the series. Gomez was featured on the song "Superstar" (2016) with Pitbull. She released her first Spanish song, "Sola" as the lead single from her Spanish debut studio album.
Gomez portrayed the Yellow Ranger, Trini, in the 2017 film Power Rangers. Her performance was received positively and made universal headlines, being the first queer superhero in a blockbuster film.
Rebbeca Marie Gomez was born and raised in Inglewood, California. She is the daughter of Alejandra and Francisco "Frank" Gomez. All four of her grandparents are from Jalisco, Mexico, while her parents and most of her family were born in the US. Gomez has two brothers, and a younger sister. In December 2017, she revealed she has a half-sister who is eighteen years old. Gomez grew up in poverty in Moreno Valley, and at the age of nine her family lost their home and moved into the converted garage of her grandparents' house due to financial problems. Gomez began working part-time jobs to help support her family, doing commercials and voice over work. She had what she described as a "mid-life crisis" when she was nine years old, and decided she wanted to pursue a music career. She initially attended public school, though had to undergo home schooling due to issues with bullying. She claimed that at one point she was jumped by multiple girls while in the restroom, and was a frequent target due to her jobs in the entertainment industry.
Gomez appeared in the short film El Tux (2008) as Claudia Gómez and as Nina in the Discovery Channel television film La estación de la Calle Olvera (2008).[better source needed] She became a member of a girl group named G.L.A.M. in 2009, and later joined B.C.G., another girl group. She filmed a music video as part of G.L.A.M. for a song titled "JellyBean" in 2009. During this time, Gomez also began recording herself singing and rapping songs using Garageband, and created a YouTube account to post covers of popular songs online. She also began writing her own songs, and by the age of thirteen had taught herself how to play guitar. Gomez befriended production duo The Jam when she was thirteen, who liked Gomez's written work. The trio began working on material together, resulting in the covers of the songs "Otis" (2011), "Lighters" (2011), "Novacane" (2011) "Take Care" (2011), "Boyfriend" (2011), and an original song "Turn the Music Up". These songs were meant to be part of a mixtape, titled @itsbeckygomez, though this project never came to fruition. Her cover of "Otis" caught the attention of renowned producer Dr. Luke, who had worked with artists including Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus, among others. Luke scheduled a meeting with Gomez, and asked her to play guitar for him; he later signed her to his Kemosabe Records record label, through RCA Records. In reference to her video clip for "Otis", Luke claimed "I would have signed her off that video alone. I was 100 percent in. She has so much personality and her voice just pops out of the speakers. Then I met her and discovered she could also sing and play the guitar and I thought, 'This is even better.' Then I found out she could write and it was like, 'What else are you going to tell me, that you're also Van Gogh?' Her potential is limitless." Shortly after signing with the label, Gomez began work on her debut album.- Music Artist
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Elena Jane "Ellie" Goulding is an English singer-songwriter and record producer who conquered the UK music field at the age of 23 and went on to win over fans all over the world within a year. A determined child, at the age of eight, she told her mother that she would become famous one day. She learned to play musical instruments and began writing songs when she was still a teenager. She won a singing competition while in college, and went on to win the 'Brit Awards' with her signature brand of "folktronica" music following the release of her debut EP 'An Introduction to Ellie Goulding'. She immediately made an impact with her unique soprano voice. She has so far released three studio albums, 'Lights', 'Halcyon' and 'Delirium'. As a music and fashion icon, she has been featured on magazines, such as 'Elle' and 'Glamour' among others, and as a fitness enthusiast, she has appeared on the covers of magazines like 'Shape' and 'Women's Health'. A social activist and philanthropist, she has participated in many charity events, especially to support underprivileged children and homeless people.
Her father, Arthur Goulding, belonged to a family of undertakers while her mother, Tracey Goulding-Summers, worked at a supermarket.She is the second child of her parents and has an elder sister named Isabel, a brother named Alex and another sister named Jordan. Her brother, Alex, is a bass player and is part of a band in Hereford. Her father left the family when she was only five years old. Her mother later married a lorry driver, but they eventually separated. Ellie is so furious with her stepfather that she mentioned in an interview that she would punch him in the face if she meets him again. Her mother encouraged her to pursue music as a child. She learned to play the clarinet at the age of nine and started writing her own songs when she was 14. However, she took songwriting seriously only during her college days. While studying at the Lady Hawkins' High School in Kington, she played the role of the Scarecrow in a school production of 'The Wizard of Oz'. She would later pursue courses in drama, politics, and English at the University of Kent.
While studying at the University of Kent, Ellie Goulding became interested in electronic music. She contacted record producer Frankmusik via MySpace and with his help developed her own brand of "folktronica" music through the track 'Wish I Stayed'. During this time, she was discovered at a university talent contest by scout Jamie Lillywhite who started as her manager and later became the A&R. He introduced her to his superior, Sarah Stennett, who advised her to leave university and offered her a house in West London. Jamie soon introduced her to Starsmith, a record producer, who helped release her debut single 'Under the Sheets' on November 15, 2009 and later produced her album 'Lights'. She was already signed to Polydor Records in July, but they decided to release the song from independent label Neon Gold Records to reduce pressure on her. Soon after the release of her debut EP 'An Introduction to Ellie Goulding' on December 20, 2009, she was nominated for the 'Critics' Choice Award' at the 2010 'Brit Awards'. She won the award, as well as the 'BBC Sound of 2010' poll. During this time, she co-wrote three songs for Diana Vickers and one song for Gabriella Cilmi. On February 26, 2010, she released her first full-length album 'Lights', which debuted at number one on the 'UK Albums Chart'. It was followed by her second EP, 'Run into the Light', which contained remix of songs from 'Lights' and was released in August that year. She re-released her album 'Lights' in November 2010 as 'Bright Lights', which contained six new tracks. The album featured a cover version of Elton John: Your Song (1970) which reached number two on the 'UK Singles Chart'.On April 7, 2011, she appeared on American television for the first time on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003)' and performed Ellie Goulding: Starry Eyed, UK Version (2010). One month later, she appeared on Tina Fey/Ellie Goulding (2011) hosted by Tina Fey.On April 29, 2011, she performed at the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, both of whom were her fans. On December 1, 2011, she performed at the White House during the National Christmas Tree lighting.October 5, 2012, Ellie Goulding released her second studio album 'Halcyon', which debuted at No.2 on the 'UK Albums Chart' and topped the chart in January 2014. She released an expanded version of the album, titled 'Halcyon Days', containing ten new tracks.- Actress
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Cassadee Pope was born on 28 August 1989 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Cassadee Pope: Summer (2016), Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001) and What Now (2015).- Cassie is known for Lark Rise to Candleford (2008).
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The beat goes on ... and on ... and as strong as ever for this superstar entertainer who has well surpassed the half-century mark while improbably transforming herself from an artificial, glossy "flashionplate" singer into a serious, Oscar-worthy, dramatic actress ... and back again! With more ups and downs than the 2008 Dow Jones Industrial Average, Cher managed to rise like a phoenix from the ashes each time she was down, somehow re-inventing herself with every decade and finding herself on top all over again. As a singer Cher is the only performer to have earned "top 10" hit singles in four consecutive decades; as an actress, she and Barbra Streisand are the only two Best Actress Oscar winners to have a #1 hit song on the Billboard charts. At age 77, Cher has yet to decide to get completely off her fabulous roller coaster ride, although she has threatened to on occasion.
The daughter of Arkansas-born Georgia Holt (the former Jackie Jean Crouch) and truck driver John Sarkisian, Cher was born in El Centro, California, on May 20, 1946. She has a half-sister, Georganne LaPiere. Cher is of Armenian heritage on her father's side, and of English and German, with more distant Irish, Dutch, and French, heritage on her mother's side. Cher's parents divorced when she was an infant and her mother went on to marry six more times. Her mother, who aspired to be an actress and model, paid for Cher's acting classes. Cher had undiagnosed dyslexia, which acutely affected her studies; frustrated, she quit high school at 16 to pursue her dream. At that time, she had a brief relationship with actor Warren Beatty.
Meeting the quite older (by 11 years) Sonny Bono in November 1962 changed the 16-year-old's life forever. Bono was working for record producer Phil Spectorat Gold Star Studios in Hollywood at the time and managed to persuade Spector to hire Cher as a session singer. As such, she went on to record backup on such Spector classics as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and "Be My Baby". The couple's relationship eventually shifted from soulmates to lovers and she and Sonny married on October 27, 1964.
At first Cher sang solo with Sonny behind the scenes writing, arranging and producing her songs. When the records went nowhere, Sonny decided they needed to perform as a team so they put out two songs in 1964 under the recording names of Caesar and Cleo ("The Letter" and "Baby Don't Go"). Again, no success. The changing of their names, however, made a difference and in 1965, they officially took on the music world as Sonny & Cher and earned instant rewards.
The now 19-year-old Cher and 30-year-old Sonny became huge hits following the release of their first album, "Look at Us" (summer, 1965), which contained the hit single "I Got You Babe". With the song catapulting to #1, they decided to re-release their earlier single "Baby Don't Go", and it also raced up the charts to #8. An assembly line of mild hits dotted the airwaves over the next year or two, culminating in the huge smash hit "The Beat Goes On" (#6, 1967). Between 1965 and 1972 Sonny & Cher charted a total of six "Top 10" hits.
The kooky couple became icons of the mid-'60s "flower power" scene, wearing garish garb and outlandish hairdos and makeup. However, they found a way to make it trendy and were embraced around the world. TV musical variety and teen pop showcases relished their contrasting styles -- the short, excitable, mustachioed, nasal-toned simpleton and the taller, exotic, unflappable fashion maven. They found a successful formula with their repartee, which became a central factor in their live concert shows, even more than their singing. With all this going on, Sonny still endeavored to promote Cher as a solo success. Other than such hits with "All I Really Want to Do" (#16) and "Bang, Bang" (#2), she struggled to find a separate identity. Sonny even arranged film projects for her but Good Times (1967), an offbeat fantasy starring the couple and directed by future powerhouse William Friedkin, and Cher's serious solo effort Chastity (1969) both flickered out and died a quick death.
By the end of the 1960s, Sonny & Cher's career had stumbled as they witnessed the American pop culture experience a drastic evolutionary change. The couple maintained their stage act and all the while Sonny continued to polish it up in a shrewd gamble for TV acceptance. While Sonny on stage played the ineffectual object of Cher's stinging barbs on stage, he was actually the highly motivated mastermind off stage and, amazingly enough, his foresight and chutzpah really paid off. Although the couple had lost favor with the new 70s generation, Sonny encouraged TV talent scouts to catch their live act.
The network powers-that-be saw potential in the duo as they made a number of guest TV appearances in specials and on variety and talk shows and in what was essentially "auditioning" for their own TV vehicle. The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour (1971) was given the green light as a summer replacement series and was an instant sensation when it earned its own time spot that fall season. The show received numerous Emmy Award nominations during its run and the couple became stars all over again. Their lively, off-the-wall comedy sketch routines, her outré Bob Mackie fashions and their harmless, edgy banter were the highlights of the hour-long program. Audiences took strongly to the couple who appeared to have a deep-down sturdy relationship. Their daughter Chaz Bono occasionally added to the couple's loving glow on the show. Cher's TV success also generated renewed interest in her as a solo recording artist and she came up with three #1 hits during this time ("Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves," "Half-Breed" and "Dark Lady").
Behind the scenes, though, it was a different story. A now-confident Cher yearned to be free of husband Sonny's Svengali-like control over her life and career. The marriage split at the seams in 1974 and they publicly announced their separation. The show, which had earned Cher a Golden Globe Award, took a fast tumble as the separation and divorce grew more acrimonious. Eventually they both tried to launch their own solo variety shows, but both failed to even come close to their success as a duo. Audiences weren't interested in Cher without Sonny, and vice versa.
In late June of 1975, only four days after the couple's divorce, Cher married rock musician Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band. That marriage imploded rather quickly amid reports of out-of-control drug use on his part. They were divorced by 1979 with only one bright outcome -- son Elijah Allman.
In 1976 Sonny and Cher attempted to "make up" again, this time to the tune of a second The Sonny and Cher Show (1976). Audiences, however, did not accept the "friendly" divorced couple after so much tabloid nastiness. After the initial curiosity factor wore off, the show was canceled amid poor ratings. Moreover, the musical variety show format was on its way out as well. Once again, another decade was looking to end badly for Cher.
Cher found a mild success with the "top 10" disco hit "Take Me Home" in 1979, but not much else. Not one to be counted out, however, the ever resourceful singer decided to lay back and focus on acting instead. At age 36, Cher made her Broadway debut in 1982 in what was essentially her first live acting role with "Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean". Centering around a reunion of girlfriends from an old James Dean fan club, her performance was critically lauded. This earned her the right to transfer her stage triumph to film alongside Karen Black and Sandy Dennis. Cher earned critical raves for Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982), her first film role since 1969.
With film #2 came a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe win for her portrayal of a lesbian toiling in a nuclear parts factory in Silkwood (1983), starring Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell. This in turn was followed by her star turn in Mask (1985) as the blunt, footloose mother of a son afflicted with a rare disease (played beautifully by Eric Stoltz). Once again Cher received high praise and copped a win from the Cannes Film Festival for her poignant performance.
Fully accepted by this time as an actress of high-caliber, she integrated well into the Hollywood community. Proving that she could hold up a film outright, she was handed three hit vehicles to star in: The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Suspect (1987), and Moonstruck (1987), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Along with all this newfound Hollywood celebrity came interest in her as a singer and recording artist again. "If I Could Turn Back Time (#3) and the Peter Cetera duet "After All" (#6) placed her back on the Billboard charts.
During the 1990s Cher continued to veer back and forth among films, TV specials and expensively mounted concerts. In January of 1998, tragedy struck when Cher's ex-husband Sonny Bono, who had forsaken an entertainment career for California politics and became a popular Republican congressman in the process, was killed in a freak skiing accident. That same year the duo received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their contribution to television. In the meantime an astounding career adrenaline rush came in the form of a monstrous, disco-flavored hit single ("Believe"). The song became a #1 hit and the same-titled album the biggest hit of her career. "Believe" reached #1 in 23 different countries.
Having little to prove anymore to anyone, Cher decided to embark on a "Farewell Tour" in the early part of the millennium and, after much stretching, her show finally closed in 2005 in Los Angeles. It didn't take long, however, for Cher to return from this self-imposed exile. In 2008, she finalized a deal with Las Vegas' Caesars Palace for the next three years to play the Colosseum, and has since returned live on numerous "farewell" tour extravaganzas. Never say never. Cher returned films with her co-starring role opposite Christina Aguilera in Burlesque (2010), but has since only provided a glitzy cameo in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). After keeping a low romantic profile for some time, she nearly out-cougared Madonna by embarking on a romance with four-decades-younger Def Jam executive Alexander "A.E." Edwards, father of rapper Amber Rose's second son. The couple celebrated their one-year anniversary in 2023, right before the release of Cher's first holiday album, simply titled Christmas.
In other facets of her life, Cher has been involved with many humanitarian groups and charity efforts over the years, particularly her work as National Chairperson and Honorary Spokesperson of the Children's Craniofacial Association, which was inspired by her work in Mask (1985).- Actress
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Cher Lloyd (born on 28 July 1993) is an English singer, songwriter, and rapper who rose to international prominence with the success of her debut studio album 'Sticks and Stones.' The lead single of the album, 'Swagger Jagger,' not only debuted at number one on the UK Singles Chart, but also became highly popular in other parts of the world, thus heralding the entry of the young singer into the international music scene. Born in Malvern, Worcestershire, England, United Kingdom. As a little girl she travelled around Wales with her parents in a caravan.into a family with a deep love for music, it did not take Cher long to realize which field to follow. Even as a little girl she displayed an innate talent for performing in front of others and actively participated in school and neighbourhood functions. As a student she studied performance arts and also attended the theatre arts school Stagecoach. Taking forward her passion, she auditioned for the reality completion show The X Factor UK (2004) many times before finally clearing the auditions in 2010. Her stint in the show brought her to limelight. Even though she was eventually eliminated from the competition, she was successful in gaining a contract with Syco Music which helped her launch her singing career. In addition to her musical skills, the young singer is also known for sporting a variety of tattoos on different parts of her body.
She was born with an innate love for music and displayed a strong love for performing in front of others even as a child. She studied performing arts at Dyson Perrins High School and also attended the theatre arts school Stagecoach.Though she regularly performed at school functions and parties, she wanted to take it forward and perform in front of bigger audiences. Thus she decided to audition for the reality television music competition The X Factor UK (2004). She was rejected many times before finally clearing the audition in 2010 with a rendition of the Keri Hilson version of 'Turn My Swag On'.She performed brilliantly in the competition during the initial few weeks but was eventually eliminated in fourth place. However, by this time she had become very popular among the audience and also the judges, and managed to attract the attention of executives at Syco Music who signed her to a contract.
Cher Lloyd released her debut single, 'Swagger Jagger' in July 2011. The single peaked at number one on the UK Singles Chart and number two in Ireland. It also debuted at number 79 on the Mega Top 100 in the Netherlands. Her second single, 'With Ur Love' and third single 'Want U Back' also performed exceedingly well.In November 2011, she released her debut album 'Sticks and Stones' which included all her previously released hit singles. The album entered the UK Albums Chart at number four and peaked at number seven in Ireland. It was ranked at number nine on the Billboard 200 in the United States. The album sold millions of copies worldwide within a few months of its release, thus establishing Cher as a rising musical star. Spurred by the resounding success of her debut album, she immediately started working on her next album. However, the release of her second album was considerably delayed due to certain unforeseen reasons. The album, aptly title 'Sorry I'm Late,' was released on 23 May 2014.While the album peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and at number 21 on the UK Albums Chart, it could not match the charting success of its predecessor. However, it still went on to become a massive commercial success and even outsold its predecessor! In July 2016, Cher Lloyd released her single 'Activated,' which will also be featured on her upcoming third studio album. As of May 2017, she was busy working on her new album.- Music Artist
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Christina Maria Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980 in Staten Island, New York City, New York to musician Shelly Loraine Fidler Kearns and U.S. Army sergeant Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera Monge. Her father is Ecuadorian and her mother, who is American-born, has Welsh, Dutch and German ancestry. Her parents divorced when she was young and she lived with her mother, although they moved around a lot. Her goal almost since birth was to be a singer, and at age 12 she was invited to audition for The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989). She won the part and stayed until the show ended. In 1999 she had her breakthrough hit, "Genie in a Bottle." Since then she's made millions of fans, sold millions of records, and won many awards, including a Grammy for Best New Female Artist. She has even made a Latin album and released a Christmas album.
Aguilera is a bilingual singer. She has received many honors including Grammy Nominations and a win for Best New Artist. 2 MTV Video Music Awards, a Radio Music Awards, 2 VH1 Awards, and a Teen Choice Award with 'Lil' Kim', Mya and Pink and the smash hit "Lady Maramalade". She was on The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989) with *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, and Keri Russell. Her musical influences include Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson.- Music Artist
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Christina Perri was born on 19 August 1986 in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 (2011), The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 (2012) and Trouble with the Curve (2012). She has been married to Paul Costabile since 12 December 2017. They have one child.- Music Artist
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Colbie Caillat was born on 28 May 1985 in Newbury Park, California, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Safe Haven (2013), The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) and One for the Money (2012).- Danielle Bradbery was born on 23 July 1996 in League City, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for Hart of Dixie (2011), Nashville (2012) and Danielle Bradbery: The Heart of Dixie (2013).
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Evanescence is an American rock band founded in 1994 in Little Rock, Arkansas by singer and pianist Amy Lee and guitarist Ben Moody. The duo worked on music, recorded independent EPs, and performed in coffee shops in the Little Rock area. After experimenting with names such as Childish Intentions and Stricken, the two decided on Evanescence. Evanescence released their debut studio album, Fallen, on Wind-up Records in 2003. Fallen has sold more than 17 million copies worldwide and helped the band win two Grammy Awards out of seven nominations. A year later, Evanescence released their first live album and video concert, Anywhere but Home, which sold more than one million copies worldwide.
In 2006, the band released their second studio album, The Open Door, composed by Lee and guitarist Terry Balsamo, which sold more than five million copies. The band reconvened in June 2009 with Lee, Balsamo, guitarist Troy McLawhorn, bassist Tim McCord and drummer Will Hunt working on their next studio album, Evanescence, released in 2011. The self-titled album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart with 127,000 copies in sales. It also debuted at number one on four other different Billboard charts; the Rock Albums, Digital Albums, Alternative Albums, and the Hard Rock Albums charts. Following the end of the album's tour cycle in 2012, the band entered a hiatus.
Evanescence left their record label in 2014 and became an independent band. In 2015, the band emerged from hiatus and announced they would resume touring. They announced the release of a vinyl box set titled The Ultimate Collection that includes all of their albums (including their demo CD Origin) and new recordings and rarities. Lee said in 2016 that the band was working on the album Synthesis, an orchestral and electronica project released in 2017, comprised of reworked songs from their catalogue and new music. The band toured with an orchestra for the first time during the Synthesis Live tour. In 2019, Evanescence began working on their fifth album, The Bitter Truth, released in 2021.- Music Artist
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Pink was born Alecia Beth Moore in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, and was later raised in Philadelphia. Her parents, Judith Moore (née Kugel), a nurse, and Jim Moore, a Vietnam veteran, divorced when she was very young. Her mother is from an Ashkenazi Jewish family, while her father has Irish, German, and English ancestry. As a child, all Pink wanted was to become a singer, and she was driven by the music of Madonna, Mary J. Blige, 4 Non Blondes, Janis Joplin, Billy Joel and Whitney Houston. She was a very unique teenager, and went through phases as a skateboarder, hip-hopper and gymnast.
Pink spent several years as part of the club scene in Philadelphia, singing guest spots and performing for talent shows. At the age of 13, she was asked by a local DJ to sing back-up for his rap group, Schools of Thought. A short time later, she was discovered by a record executive and joined a female R&B group, Choice. When that didn't work out, she signed with LaFace Records and began her solo career. In spring 2000, she released her debut, "Can't Take Me Home". She co-wrote many songs and watched it go multi-platinum by the year's end. Her debut included the Top 10 hit, "There You Go", which was certified a gold single.
Pink is now considered an icon in the world of pop music. For example, in 2019 she won the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music, becoming the first non-British artist to have won the award since the Brit Awards began in 1977 (originally known as the BPI Awards). This was especially impressive as she was chosen ahead of the likes of Phil Collins, a British musician who has sold more records and had a longer career but never won the award.- Music Artist
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Fifth Harmony is an American girl group formed on the second season of The X Factor (2011). The group consists of members Ally Brooke Hernandez, Normani Hamilton, Dinah Jane Hansen, Camila Cabello, and Lauren Jauregui. They signed a joint deal with Syco Music, owned by Simon Cowell, and Epic Records, L.A. Reid's record label, after finishing in third place behind Tate Stevens and Carly Rose Sonenclar on the show. Approximately one month following the X Factor season 2 finale, on January 14, 2013, Fifth Harmony was voted the "Next Pop Superstar of 2013" by Popdust Magazine.Three of these covers received public praise from the original artists, namely Ed Sheeran, Ariana Grande and Mikky Ekko. Fifth Harmony was also featured on Boyce Avenue's 2013 EP "Cover Collaborations, Volume 2", singing covers of "Mirrors" by Justin Timberlake and "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars.
On September 9, 2013, the group announced the title of their debut EP, Better Together, which was released on October 22, 2013.The EP debuted #6 on the Billboard 200 and #2 on iTunes album charts.The lead single from Fifth Harmony's debut EP Better Together is Miss Movin' On.The single debuted at #85 on the Billboard Hot 100 during its first week of release, making Fifth Harmony the first X Factor USA alumnae to chart on the Hot 100. The group performed the single for the first time on television on July 18, 2013, on the Today Show in New York City.Within three days of the single's music video being uploaded on Fifth Harmony's official Vevo account, over one million views were amassed. Miss Movin' On was certified Gold by the RIAA in June 2014.
The promotional single "Me & My Girls" was released exclusively to Radio Disney on July 13, 2013.Fifth Harmony also performed the song on the Today Show on July 18, 2013.On July 15, 2013, Radio Disney announced that Fifth Harmony would be the first artists featured on a reformatted version of The Next Big Thing, a program that chronicles an artist's journey from being discovered to becoming music's "next big thing"; with each segment appearing on Disney Channel, Radio Disney, Disney.com, and on social media, as well as live Radio Disney events in local markets.
Throughout the months of July and August 2013, Fifth Harmony performed at shopping malls across the United States in a tour titled "Harmonize America" .The pop-up concerts throughout the city included performances at the iHeartRadio Theater and Madison Square Park.The group was one of the opening acts for Cher Lloyd during her I Wish Tour which started on September 6, 2013.On September 11, 2013 the girl group revealed that they would be headlining their first concert hall tour "Fifth Harmony 2013", playing concert halls in Canada and the US.Their opening act is indie pop band AJR.
Fifth Harmony appeared at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards alongside Demi Lovato to present the Acuvue Inspire Award to Nick Jonas.On October 10, 2013, it was announced that Fifth Harmony will be performing on the red carpet at the 2013 American Music Awards on November 24.They performed an acoustic version of the single "Better Together."
The acoustic Spanish version artwork was also revealed. Both EPs were released on November 11, 2013."Juntos" and "Juntos Acoustic" debuted at 2 and 12 respectively on the Billboard Top Latin Albums chart. The English acoustic and remix EPs of "Better Together" were released on November 19 and November 25, 2013,respectively.
On January 23, 2014, Fifth Harmony headlined the MTV Artists To Watch concert, an annual concert which showcases breakout artists that will be promoted by MTV during the year. The 2014 concert also featured performances by Tori Kelly, Rixton, Echosmith and Jake Miller.
Demi Lovato revealed on On Air with Ryan Seacrest on September 30, 2013 that Fifth Harmony is one of two opening acts for her 2014 Neon Lights Tour playing 27 arenas across North America.
In early 2014, the girl group continued the recording process for their debut album that started in 2013. Fifth Harmony revealed in an interview with Billboard that following the end of the North American leg of the Neon Lights Tour, they will return to the studio to complete their album, which is expected to be released in mid-to-late 2014. Of the new songs already recorded, members of the group have stated that their music is taking on a "more mature sound" and is "more rhythmic... laidback... less pop". Fifth Harmony's fourth headlining tour was revealed at the end of March 2014, titled "Fifth Times a Charm Tour", with dates in Puerto Rico and the US.
On April 26, 2014, Fifth Harmony performed "Miss Movin On" at the 2014 Radio Disney Music Awards at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. That night, they were announced as the winners in both of the categories they were nominated in, Breakout Artist and Best Song to Rock Out To With Your BFF for "Me & My Girls".
The single, "BO$$", from the group's upcoming debut album was officially announced on 30 May, 2014, when Fifth Harmony played a teaser snippet of the track towards the end of their performance at the Kiss 108 FM Concert in Boston.The official music video for "BO$$" was released on July, 8, 2014.The music video was directed and choreographed by Fatima Robinson.- Actress
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Gretchen Wilson was born on 26 June 1973 in Pocahontas, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for Footloose (2011), Did You Hear About the Morgans? (2009) and Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016).- Music Artist
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Halestorm is known for The Detour (2016), NXT TakeOver: Dallas (2016) and Halestorm: Familiar Taste of Poison (2010).- Actress
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Jana Kramer was born on 2 December 1983 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for One Tree Hill (2003), Friday Night Lights (2006) and Entourage (2004). She was previously married to Mike Caussin, Johnathon Schaech and Michael Gambino.- Music Artist
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Jessie J (Jessica Ellen Cornish) was born in Redbridge, London on March 27, 1988. She went to Colins Performing Arts School as a child and when she was 11 she was cast in Andrew Lloyd Weber's musica "Whistle Down the Wind". When she was 17 she joined a girl group and soon after was signed as a solo artist to Gut Records. The record company went bankrupt before she released an album but the talented Jessie J didn't give up! When Jessie's first record deal didn't work out, she turned to songwriting and got herself a contract with Sony ATV where she started writing hit songs for Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Alicia Keys. Her biggest songwriting hit was Miley Cyrus: Party in the USA (2009). Her debut single Jessie J: Do It Like a Dude (2010) was written for Rihanna, but she decided to keep it for herself which went to number 2 on the charts, and her number 1 hit single Jessie J Feat. B.O.B: Price Tag (2011) with B.o.B. came out in the UK on February 28, 2011- Actress
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Jessie James Decker was born on April 12, 1988 in Vicenza, Italy as Jessica Rose James. She is an actress known for her country music career with songs, "I Look So Good" and "Boys In The Summer". She has been married to Eric Decker since June 22, 2013. They have two children.- Actress
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Alexa Ellesse PenaVega was born Alexa Ellesse Vega on August 27, 1988 in Ocala, Florida and raised in Los Angeles, California to Gina Denise Rue, a former model & Baruch Jairo Vega, a photographer. She is known for her role as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids series and Shilo Wallace in the film Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008). In 2009, she starred as the title character Ruby Gallagher in the ABC Family series Ruby & The Rockits.- Music Artist
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Kacey Musgraves was born on 21 August 1988 in Golden, Texas, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Live by Night (2016), The Longest Ride (2015) and The Best of Me (2014). She has been married to Ruston Kelly since 14 October 2017.- Actress
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Kelis was born on 21 August 1979 in Harlem, New York, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for xXx (2002), Ocean's Eight (2018) and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005). She was previously married to Mike Mora and Nas.- Music Artist
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Kelly Brianne Clarkson was born on April 24, 1982 in Fort Worth, Texas and raised in Burleson, Texas to Jeanne Ann Taylor (née Rose), an English teacher & Stephen Michael Clarkson, an engineer. She was the first winner of the series American Idol in 2002. Kelly is also a strong believer in God.- Music Artist
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Willow Smith was born on 31 October 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for I Am Legend (2007), Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) and Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008).- Actress
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Miranda Taylor Cosgrove was born May 14, 1993 in Los Angeles, California, to Christina (Casey) and Tom Cosgrove, who owns a dry-cleaning business. She was discovered at a young age singing and dancing around a table in a restaurant, where an agent saw her talent and quickly signed her. Miranda's career started with commercials for Burger King, McDonalds and more as she auditioned for many roles and finally won her first role as the band's manager in the movie, School of Rock (2003).
While filming School of Rock (2003) in New York, she was informed that her pilot Drake & Josh (2004) had been picked up. She co-starred as Drake and Josh's little sister, while making brief appearances on other Nickelodeon shows, before landing in her own show for the network, iCarly (2007). Her iCarly (2007) popularity helped her launch a singing career, and she was named an MTV Pop Rookie for 2009. Her debut album, "Sparks Fly", was released in 2010 and reached #8 on the Billboard 200 chart, along with two EPs: "About You Now" in 2009, and "High Maintenance" in 2011.
While continuing her singing career, Miranda has expanded upon her voice-over work for the children's movies, including Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie (2005), and the Despicable Me (2010) films and related shorts, as well as expanding her film work with Yours, Mine & Ours (2005), Keeping Up with the Steins (2006) and The Wild Stallion (2009). Her TV reach has extended beyond Nickelodeon, with an appearance on the CBS legal drama The Good Wife (2009) during the show's second season. She has served as a spokesperson for Neutrogena skin care products since 2010.
She lives in Los Angeles with her family.- Music Artist
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Vocalist Lana Del Rey makes atmospheric, orchestral, retro-'60s-sounding pop that showcases her torchy image and sensuously husky singing style.
Del Rey was born Elizabeth Woolridge Grant in New York City, to Patricia Ann (Hill), an account executive, and Robert England Grant, Jr., a copywriter turned entrepreneur. She has English and Scottish ancestry. Del Rey was raised in Lake Placid, New York. Del Rey released the single, "Kill Kill", under her given name, Lizzy Grant, in 2009, before remaking herself into the pop femme fatale character, Lana Del Rey. A video for the single, "Video Games", appeared online in August of 2011 and drew considerable buzz, as did a secret show she performed at Brooklyn's Grasslands Gallery that September. Del Rey's EP, featuring the songs "Video Games" and "Blue Jeans", was released in fall 2011. Amidst a heavy dose of hype, her debut album, "Born to Die", was announced by Interscope for release early the following year. Del Rey cemented the anticipation around the album with an appearance on Saturday Night Live (1975), becoming the first artist since Natalie Imbruglia, in 1998, to perform on the show before the release of her debut album.- Composer
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Liz Phair was born on 17 April 1967 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA. She is a composer and actress, known for High Fidelity (2000), Thirteen (2003) and She's All That (1999). She was previously married to Jim Staskauskas.- Actress
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Maddie Marlow is known for Nashville (2012), Front and Center (2008) and Maddie & Tae: Die from A Broken Heart (2019). She has been married to Jonah Font since 22 November 2019. They have one child.- Music Artist
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Mariah Carey was born in Long Island, New York on March 27, 1969. Her parents are Patricia Hickey (Irish-American) and Alfred Roy Carey (African-American/Venezuelan). Mariah attended Greenlawn's Harborfields High School. In June 1990, Mariah made her debut with her self-titled album, Mariah Carey which entered at #73, but on August 4, 1990 it reached #1. Her 1990 self-titled debut album went multi-platinum and spawned an extraordinary four consecutive #1 singles: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday" and "I Don't Wanna Cry," and led to Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist. Her 1993 album titled Music Box went ten-times platinum. On September 30, 1995, she made music history. Her single "Fantasy" from her 1995 Daydream album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first female artist to accomplish a number one debut in the U.S. Her other Daydream's single "One Sweet Day" remained for 16 weeks at the top of the charts. She is the only artist since The Beatles to have so many #1 singles and albums. With "Heartbreaker", the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow and also her 14 #1 single, she became the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s, and with "Heartbreaker" at its 60th week atop the Billboard's charts, she pushed ahead of The Beatles's 59-week record as the only artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.
Following "Heartbreaker," her second single "Thank God I Found You" also from her Rainbow album became her 15th #1. "We Belong Together" from her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi became her 16th #1 single and was also her first #1 without any guest artists since her song "My All" (also a #1 single) captured the top spot in May 1998. The single "Don't Forget About Us" also from her 2005 album Emancipation of Mimi became her 17th #1 single, tying her with Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. Three more Grammy Awards were gained from The Emancipation of Mimi album. She is the most successful selling female artist in music history and is the only female artist to have the most #1 singles and albums and also holds the record for straight #1 singles and albums each year. Along with numerous awards and incredible vocal range, she also composes all of her own material, with the exception of song covers.
In April 2008, the single "Touch My Body" became her 18th #1 single, pushing her ahead of Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. Now she is the only artist since The Beatles to have as many number one singles and the only singer alive likely to succeed them.- Music Artist
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Martina McBride was born on 29 July 1966 in Sharon, Kansas, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Runaway Bride (1999), Where the Heart Is (2000) and Four Christmases (2008). She has been married to John McBride since 15 May 1988. They have three children.- Music Artist
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Meghan Trainor is a Grammy-winning American pop singer known for such smash hits as "Lips Are Moving" and "All About That Bass." Born on December 22, 1993, Meghan Trainor was raised on Nantucket Island and spent her childhood surrounding herself with music, learning to play various instruments and writing her own songs. When she was 18, after having self-recorded three of her own albums, she was signed to a music publishing deal, which soon led to another with Epic Records. She then co-wrote "Meghan Trainor: All About That Bass (2014)" a song that the young singer soon took to No. 1 around the world. With follow-up songs such as "Meghan Trainor: Lips Are Movin' (2015)" and ""Dear Future Husband" by Meghan Trainor (2015)," Trainor's debut album also took the charts by storm. Her family had musical roots (her dad was a church organist and her uncle, Burton Toney, was a bona fide recording artist), and Trainor took an early interest as well. She tinkered with making music as young as age 7 while she learned the piano. It would only be a few years down the road that she wrote her first song at age 11. The following years would find her penning songs and branching out into playing the guitar, ukulele and percussion instruments. As she got more serious, her parents bought her software that allowed her to record her own songs, and she continued on the musical path right through her time at Nauset High School on Cape Cod. Those four years were spent singing, playing trumpet in the jazz band and honing her guitar skills, while also singing with local band Island Fusion. She was a two-time enrollee (2009 and 2010) in the Berklee College of Music's five-week Performance Program, and she made the finals of the program's songwriting competition. Also during this period, Trainor was named Best Female Artist at the 2009 International Acoustic Music Awards and won the grand prize at the 2010 New Orleans Songwriters Festival. Ever ambitious, by the time Trainor was 18 she had recorded three albums of her own material. Her parents were huge supporters, and they would take her to regional songwriting conventions through her teen years. The conventions were a chance for songwriters to get their material heard, and one such session led to the first big step in Trainor's career. When she was 18, Trainor signed a publishing deal with Nashville's Big Yellow Dog Music. With the deal in place, the first big piece of Trainor's dream fell into place and a realization took hold that she could make a career out of her music. Before long, Big Yellow Dog was sending Trainor-penned songs to the likes of Grammy winner Rascal Flatts, Sabrina Carpenter and a host of others. With that level of success under her belt, Trainor soon signed with Epic Records, where her first single was the massive hit "Meghan Trainor: All About That Bass (2014)," which was released in June 2014. At first, Epic pitched the song to several other singers to perform, but when there were no takers, Trainor herself sang it.- Music Artist
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Miley Ray Cyrus was born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992 in Franklin, Tennessee and raised in Thompson's Station, Tennessee to Tish Cyrus & Billy Ray Cyrus. She has five siblings - two half-brothers, a half-sister, and a younger brother and sister. Her parents named her because they hoped she would achieve greatness. Her childhood nickname, Smiley, due to her cheerful disposition, was eventually shortened to Miley. Her paternal grandfather was Democratic politician Ron Cyrus.
Cyrus was initially educated at Heritage Elementary School in Tennessee. When she turned eight, her family moved to Toronto, Canada, where Cyrus' father Billy Ray took a role in the TV series Doc (2001). It was around this time that Cyrus decided she wanted to act too. Her first role came alongside her father in Doc (2001). She also scored a small role in Tim Burton's Big Fish (2003).
In 2005, Cyrus was cast as the lead in the Disney series Hannah Montana (2006), about a teen leading a double life as a pop star. Again her father acted alongside her. The show was a smash and hit records, sell-out tours and merchandising deals soon followed. Cyrus became a teen superstar.
Following the success of Hannah Montana (2006), Cyrus made the move into other roles - including playing Ronnie Miller in The Last Song (2010) and Lola in LOL (2012) alongside Demi Moore.- Music Artist
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Nelly Kim Furtado was born on December 2, 1978 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada to Maria Manuela Furtado (née Neto), a motel cleaner & António José Furtado, a stonemason. She first gained fame with her trip hop inspired debut album, Whoa, Nelly! (2000), which was a critical and commercial success that spawned two top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, I'm Like a Bird and Turn Off the Light. The first of the two singles won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Furtado's introspective folk-heavy 2003 second album, Folklore, explored her Portuguese roots. Its singles received moderate success in Europe, but the album's underperformance compared to her debut was regarded as a sophomore slump.
Furtado's third album, Loose (2006), was a smash hit and became her best selling album with more than 12 million copies sold worldwide, also making it one of the best selling albums of the 2000s. Considered a radical image reinvention, Furtado continued to explore her Latin heritage while leaning heavier into hip hop. The album spawned four successful number one singles worldwide; Promiscuous, Maneater, Say It Right & All Good Things (Come to an End). Her Timbaland collaboration, Give It to Me (2007) in the same era also topped the charts in the US and overseas. Furtado's critically acclaimed duet with James Morrison, Broken Strings, also topped the charts in Europe in 2008.
She released her first Spanish language album, Mi Plan, in 2009, which won her a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. In 2012, Furtado released her nostalgia inspired fifth album The Spirit Indestructible. Furtado split with her management and went independent thereafter, releasing her indie-pop sixth album, The Ride (2017) under her own label, Nelstar Entertainment.
Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide, making her one of the most successful Canadian artists. She has won several awards throughout her career, including one Grammy Award from seven nominations, one Latin Grammy Award, ten Juno Awards, one BRIT Award, one Billboard Music Award, one MTV Europe Music Award, one World Music Award, and three Much Music Video Awards. Furtado has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame, and was awarded Commander of the Order of Prince Henry on February 28, 2014 in Toronto by Aníbal Cavaco Silva, the then-President of Portugal.- Music Artist
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Paramore is known for Twilight (2008), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019).- Music Artist
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Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia to Nidia del Carmen Mebarak (née Ripoll Torrado) & William Alberto Mebarak Chadid. She is of Lebanese, Spanish & Italian descent. Shakira began her musical career at the age of 12 and quickly captured fans around the world. She won the 2001 Best Latin pop Grammy for her MTV Unplugged album.- Music Artist
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Ester Renay Dean is an American Singer, Actress and Grammy Award Nominated Songwriter.
Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma, and raised in Tulsa, Ester is the youngest of five children and was raised in a single mother, low-income household. At a young age she learned how to channel her pain into music, using creative writing as a kind of self-therapy. When she was 15 her mother moved Ester and her sister Deandria to Omaha, Nebraska, leaving her older siblings in Tulsa. The separation made Ester again dig deeper for a connection, drawing her closer to the music. Singing in every studio, writing for local Omaha rappers and producers, Ester unknowingly grass-rooted herself and learned the ins and outs of music production.
At 20 yrs old, Ester made a bold move. She packed her bags and left Omaha with only $500 in her pocket and drove 18 hours alone to Atlanta, Georgia determined to break into the music industry. She sang for anyone who would listen. As fate would have it, Ester sat alone backstage at a Charlie Wilson concert, humming a tune to herself. When music producer Tricky Stewart happened by and heard her, he immediately set up a meeting. Caught unawares by Ester's talent, he was blown away when she played him some samples of not only her singing, but also of her excellent songs. He signed her to a small publishing deal that allowed the fledgling artist to grow and connect with other known writers and producers.
Ester broke into the big leagues when she collaborated with Norwegian record producers, Stargate and major label recording artist, Rihanna to write and record Ester's first #1 hit song "Rude Boy". Going on to write "What's My Name", "Where Have You Been" and several other Rihanna hits, Katie Perry's "Firework" and Nicki Minaj's "Superbass", as well many, many other hits by a Who's Who of contemporary popular artists has earned her the well-deserved nickname, "Ester Dean the Song Machine".
Modern popular songs are often a collaborative effort by a songwriting team, with each member responsible for a different aspect of the song, such as the initial beat, chord structure, lyrics, etc. Ester Dean has established a reputation as a master of the top line or "hook" of a song. Her preferred method is to go into the vocal booth and start improvising over top of the beat, knowing she is onto something when she starts to feel "a little chill" go up her arms.
Esters goals and dreams did not stop there. In 2012 Esther set out to conquer the voice-over world, lending her voice to the hugely popular Blue Sky Studios, Ice Age Franchise, in Continental Drift. As well as in the CG animated Fox film, Rio.
In addition voice-over work, Esther has also contributed to movie soundtracks. When she was approached to write the end title song, Let it Grow for the movie The Lorax, Ester somehow managed to write and deliver the song within five hours of receiving the request. Impressing all with her amazing work ethic, Ester was eventually asked to audition for a small role in an upcoming movie about an all-girl a capella group. She jumped at the chance and landed the role of Cynthia Rose in the hit movie Pitch Perfect, going on to co-star in Pitch Perfect 2 and 3.
"Entertaining is what I love to do. From writing fun songs to make you dance. To singing a love song to make you fall in love. Being silly on the TV screen to make you laugh. To delivering a great line of dialog in a drama to make you cry. My life is all about connecting with people. Hoping to make the world feel like we are all one beating heart if only for second".......Ester Dean- Music Artist
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Sia Kate Isobelle Furler (born 18 December 1975) is an Australian singer, songwriter, record producer and music video director. She started her career as a singer in the acid jazz band Crisp in the mid-1990s in Adelaide. In 1997, when Crisp disbanded, she released her debut studio album titled OnlySee in Australia, but it did not sell well. She moved to London, England, and provided lead vocals for the British duo Zero 7.
In 2000, Sia released her second studio album, Healing Is Difficult, the following year but was displeased with the promotion of the record. She released her next studio album, Colour the Small One, in 2004, but it struggled to connect with a mainstream audience. Sia relocated to New York City in 2005 and toured in the United States. Her fourth and fifth studio albums, Some People Have Real Problems and We Are Born, were released in 2008 and 2010, respectively. She took a hiatus from performing, during which she focused on songwriting for other artists, producing successful collaborations "Titanium" (with David Guetta), "Diamonds" (with Rihanna) and "Wild Ones" (with Flo Rida).
In 2014, Sia finally broke through as a solo recording artist when her sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear, debuted at No 1 in the U.S. Billboard 200 and generated the top-ten single "Chandelier" and a trilogy of music videos starring child dancer Maddie Ziegler. In 2016, she released her seventh studio album This Is Acting, which spawned her first Hot 100 number one single, "Cheap Thrills". The same year, Sia gave her Nostalgic for the Present Tour, which incorporated performance art elements. Sia has received accolades, including ARIA Awards and an MTV Video Music Award.
In 2007, Sia released a live album entitled Lady Croissant, which included eight live songs from her April 2006 performance at the Bowery Ballroom in New York and one new studio recording-"Pictures". A year later, she left Zero 7 on friendly terms, replaced by Eska Mtungwazi as the band's frontwoman. Sia released her fourth studio album, Some People Have Real Problems on 8 January 2008. The album peaked at No. 41 in Australia and was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. It charted at No. 26 on the US Billboard 200, becoming Sia's first album to chart in the United States.
In May 2009, Sia released TV Is My Parent on DVD, which includes a live concert at New York's Hiro Ballroom, four music videos and behind-the-scene footage. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2009, Sia won the Best Music DVD category for TV Is My Parent. She also received a nomination for Best Breakthrough Artist Album for Some People Have Real Problems.
In October 2013, Sia released "Elastic Heart" featuring The Weeknd and Diplo for the soundtrack of the American film The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013). Sia executive produced Brooke Candy's debut EP, Opulence, released in May 2014, and co-wrote 3 songs on the EP. In July 2014, Sia released her own sixth studio album, 1000 Forms of Fear. She again collaborated with Greg Kurstin. The album debuted at No. 1 in the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 52,000 copies. By October 2015, it was certified gold by the RIAA denoting 500,000 equivalent-album units sold in the United States. The record peaked at No. 1 in Australia and reached the top ten of charts in numerous European regions. It was certified silver by the British Phonographic Industry and gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association. By early 2016, the album had sold 1 million copies worldwide.
In June 2016, Sia gave a concert at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, featuring Ziegler. From May to August, Sia performed in nearly a dozen festival and other concerts in America and European and Middle Eastern countries, including Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Hungary, Romania, Poland, the United Kingdom, Russia, Lebanon and Israel. In September 2016, she released a single, "The Greatest", with vocals from American hip hop recording artist Kendrick Lamar. A video was released the same day featuring Ziegler - the dancer's fifth video collaboration with Sia and Heffington. The two performed the song with several other dancers, and also performed "Chandelier", live the next day at the Apple annual fall event, drawing media attention. The videos that Sia has posted to her YouTube channel have accumulated a total of more than 6 billion views, and the channel has more than 10 million subscribers.
In 2017, Sia moved from RCA to Atlantic Records. She released a new album, Everyday Is Christmas, on Atlantic and Monkey Puzzle on 17 November 2017. The album features original songs co-written and co-produced with Kurstin. She promoted it by releasing the single "Santa's Coming for Us" and by the track "Snowman", which she performed during the finale of the 13th season of The Voice and on The Ellen DeGeneres Show together with Ziegler. In November 2018, Sia released the deluxe edition of the album, containing three bonus tracks, as a Target exclusive.
In 2018, Sia collaborated with English musician Labrinth and American DJ/record producer Diplo, under the name LSD, to release four songs. In November 2018, these tracks were collectively released as an EP called Mountains on Spotify.
Sia, who is a vegan, participated in an advertisement for PETA Asia-Pacific, with her dog, Pantera, to encourage pet neutering. Sia has also joined other publicly known figures for the "Oscar's Law" campaign, in protest against large-scale pet breeding. Other advocates include singers Jon Stevens, Paul Dempsey, Rachael Leahcar and Missy Higgins. She is also a supporter of the Beagle Freedom Project, performing "I'm in Here" live at the Beagle Freedom Project Gala on 9 September 2013. For her 2016 Nostalgic for the Present Tour, Sia partnered with various rescue organizations to conduct a dog adoption fair at each of her concerts. Sia was nominated for a 2016 Libby Award for "Best Voice for Animals".- Music Artist
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With a presentation of engaging tunes, dynamic vocals, and poetic flair in a passionately charged live setting, Jennifer Nettles and her band were quite successful during the mid- to late '90s. Originally a native of Atlanta, GA, Nettles' successful career began with the release of Story of Your Bones and quickly a following was created. Over the course of her touring, Nettles received rave reviews from many publications including Jezebel, Atlanta City Mag, the Album Network, Southeastern Performer, and the Performing Songwriter. Nettles has been rewarded with gigs at such momentous occasions such as the 1999 Lilith Fair Tour, Big Day Out 2000, and Music Midtown 1999.
Though much of her crafty songwriting and poetic expression merits a listen on their own, Nettles joins the royal company of a gifted and charismatic backing band. Drummer Brad Sikes puts forth the group's ever-changing and diverse rhythms. Scott Nicholson brings to life the magic of the piano's keys with stirring ebony-and-ivory passages. Wesley Lupold lays down the framework of the songs chord structures with bass. And Mike Cebulski presents an eclectic array of sounds and rhythms with his gift of percussion. Nettles has received airplay in major cities such as New York, Cleveland, Memphis, Atlanta, and throughout the Carolinas. Because of her songwriting magic and growing fan base, and those behind the scenes who devote their time toward helping market her music, Jennifer Nettles received the distinguished honor of being presented the Independent Musician of the Year award for 2001.
Nettles was influenced and inspired by a splendid mix of rock, blues, folk, and soul, and those influences reflect clearly in her work. She began her singing career in 1996 while performing with Soul Miner's Daughter in the Atlanta and Decatur music scene. A singer since the age of seven, Nettles certainly is not shy of showing her witty charm, and is not afraid of challenging herself to continually write and sing powerful, honest, soul-charging songs with engaging lyrical content. At times her tunes are filled with amazing richness and personality, while others leave the listener dazed and haunted. Referred to as the Jennifer Nettles Band, the group makes routine trips to such notable venues as the Variety Playhouse (Atlanta), the 40 Watt (Athens), and the Mercury Lounge (New York City). Her songs are full of poetic meaning, and the band plays with a sense of attitude, winning over her audiences each and every time, and making a crop of fresh new listeners happy as well. Her release Gravity: Drag Me Down appeared in February 2002.- Music Artist
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Born on November 7, 1996, Lorde (Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O'Connor) is a singer/songwriter born in the Auckland suburb of Takapuna and raised in neighboring Devonport, New Zealand. She is of Irish and Croatian descent. She became an international crossover hit in 2013 with her debut studio album, Pure Heroine. The album's debut single, "Royals," soared to no. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 100 - making her the youngest pop star to achieve this feat since 1987 - and won two Grammys. In 2017 Lorde released her sophomore album Melodrama to widespread critical acclaim, earning a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. Her poet mother encouraged Lorde to immerse herself in reading in a variety of genres, and it was through her constant consumption of books that the seeds of her lyricism began to grow. In 2009 Lorde and her friend won their school's talent show and from there, they were invited to sing on a local radio show and sing covers. She was eventually signed to a development deal with Universal Music Group in her early teens and began performing her own songs in 2011. That same year she teamed up with producer Joel Little and within a few weeks, they produced her first EP, The Love Club.- Music Artist
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Zendaya (which means "to give thanks" in the language of Shona) is an American actress and singer born in Oakland, California. She began her career appearing as a child model working for Macy's, Mervyns and Old Navy. She was a backup dancer before gaining prominence for her role as Rocky Blue on the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up (2010) which also includes Bella Thorne, Kenton Duty and Roshon Fegan. Zendaya was a contestant on the sixteenth season of the competition series Dancing with the Stars. She went on to produce and star as K.C. Cooper in the Disney Channel sitcom K.C. Undercover (2015) She made her film breakthrough in 2017, starring as Michelle "MJ" Jones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and as Anne Wheeler in the musical drama film The Greatest Showman (2017) alongside actors such as Tom Holland, Hugh Jackman and Zac Efron. Besides acting, singing and dancing she is an ambassador for Convoy of Hope. She has written a book, launched her own clothing line (Daya by Zendaya) and proved herself to be a great role model for young girls all around the world.- Music Artist
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Cyndi Lauper was born on 22 June 1953 in Ozone Park, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1983), Vibes (1988) and Mad About You (1992). She has been married to David Thornton since 24 November 1991. They have one child.- Actress
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Joan Jett rose to fame in the 1970s all-girl rock band The Runaways. Her cover of "I Love Rock and Roll" was a number one hit in 1982; "Crimson and Clover" was another hit for her. Jett has appeared as Columbia in the Broadway production of "The Rocky Horror Show".- Music Artist
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Pat Benatar was born Patricia Andrzejewski in Brooklyn and raised in suburban Lindenhurst, Long Island. Her mother Millie had sacrificed her own career as an opera singer to bring up Pat and son Andrew. Years later, it was Pat who sang classically, honing the powers of her 4.5-octave voice as a member of Lindenhurst High's musical theater department. Having been accepted at Juilliard, Pat shocked friends and family by marrying her high-school sweetheart Dennis T. Benatar, a soldier, and moving off to Virginia where he had been stationed. Before long, the tedium of life as a housewife/bank teller proved too much for Pat, and she joined Coxon's Army, a cabaret band on the Richmond club circuit. Coxon's Army rose to new heights of fame, and Pat was instilled with the confidence to move to New York City and pursue her own dream, which brought her to Manhattan's "Catch A Rising Star".
Having thrilled the audience with her first performance on amateur night, Pat soon found herself with a paying gig, a manager and a recording contract, but her image was still in limbo. Primarily singing torch songs and Judy Garland classics, she longed to perform hard-rocking tunes in the Led Zeppelin vein. Her wishes were fulfilled when her handlers introduced her to Cleveland guitar-man Neil Giraldo, whose aggressive playing unleashed Pat's inner rocker. She had found her muse, and when her audience roared one Halloween night over a sultry costume she wore on stage, she had found her image.- Actor
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Echosmith is known for Endless Love (2014), Operation Christmas Drop (2020) and Selling Sunset (2019).- Actress
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Hayden Lesley Panettiere was born on August 21, 1989 in Palisades, New York, to actress Lesley Vogel and fire department captain Skip Panettiere. Her younger brother was actor Jansen Panettiere (1994-2023). Her parents are both of half Italian descent, along with German and English. Her mother got her started in the business by doing commercials when she was just 11 months old. Then, at only 4 1/2, she was cast on the soap opera One Life to Live (1968), where she remained until 1997. Since then, she has gone on to appear in many feature films and TV movies. But she is probably best known in the United States for her role as "Claire" on the hit TV show, Heroes (2006).
As for movies, Hayden starred in Remember the Titans (2000) with Denzel Washington and Joe Somebody (2001) with Tim Allen. When Hayden isn't working, she enjoys singing, dancing, horseback riding, gymnastics, taking piano lessons, and swimming.
She has been involved with many animated movies, beginning with A Bug's Life (1998) as "Dot", later to follow was Dinosaur (2000), the video game Kingdom Hearts (2002), and The Mark of Kri (2002). Her next movie is Racing Stripes (2005), a partly animated film, but Hayden will star in the human role; other cast members include the voices of Whoopi Goldberg, Dustin Hoffman, Joshua Jackson and Mandy Moore.
In 2003, she joined the likes of Jessica Lange, Tom Wilkinson and Clancy Brown in Jane Anderson's Normal (2003), a film about a Midwestern husband and father who announces his plans to have a sex-change operation. In July of the same year, Hayden appeared in a John Guare play, "Landscape of the Body", for the Williamstown theater festival in Williamstown, Massachusetts.- Actress
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Gladys Knight was born on 28 May 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for Hollywood Homicide (2003), The Butler (2013) and Licence to Kill (1989). She has been married to William McDowell since 12 April 2001. She was previously married to Les Brown, Barry Hankerson and James Newman.- Actress
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Liza Minnelli was born on March 12, 1946, the daughter of Judy Garland and movie director Vincente Minnelli. She was practically raised at MGM studios while her parents worked long hours there and she made her film debut at 14 months of age in the movie In the Good Old Summertime (1949). Her parents divorced in 1951 and, in 1952, her mother married Sidney Luft, with sister Lorna Luft and brother Joey Luft subsequently being born. Her father, Vincente Minnelli, later married Georgette Magnani, mother of her half-sister Christiane Nina "Tina Nina" Minnelli.
At 16, Liza was on her own in New York City, struggling to begin her career in show business. Her first recognition came for the play "Best Foot Forward" which ran for seven months in 1963. The following year, Judy invited Liza to appear at a show with her at the London Palladium. This show sold out immediately and a second night was added to it. Liza's performance in London was a huge turning point in both her career and her relationship with her mother. The audience absolutely loved Liza and Judy realized that Liza was now an adult with her own career. It was at the Palladium where Liza met her first husband, Peter Allen, a friend of Judy's.
Liza won a Tony award at age 19 and was nominated for her first Academy Award at age 23 for the role of Pookie Adams in The Sterile Cuckoo (1969). Other dramatic roles followed and, in 1972, she won an Oscar for her performance as Sally Bowles in the movie Cabaret (1972). The 1970s were a busy time for Liza. She worked steadily in film, stage, and music. She and her good friend Halston were regulars at Studio 54, the trendiest disco club in the world. Marriages to filmmaker Jack Haley Jr. and Mark Gero, a sculptor who earned his living in the theater, followed. Each marriage ended in divorce.
Over the past years, her career has leaned more towards stage performances and she has a long list of musical albums to which she continues to add. She teamed with Frank Sinatra in his "Duets" CD, and Sammy Davis Jr. joined them for a series of concerts and TV shows that were extremely well-received.
She has had to deal with tabloid stories of drug abuse and ill-health and has had a number of high profile stays at drug-rehabilitation clinics. Her hectic schedule may have slowed down in recent years, but she still has a large following of immensely loyal fans who continue to cheer her on.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Writer
Loretta Lynn was born on 14 April 1932 in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky, USA. She was a music artist and actress, known for The New Mutants (2020), High Crimes (2002) and Logan Lucky (2017). She was married to Oliver Lynn. She died on 4 October 2022 in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee, USA.