Lady Gaga

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (/ˈstɛfəniː dʒɜrməˈnɒtə/ STEF-ə-nee jur-mə-NOT-ə; born March 28, 1986), better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She initially performed in theater, appearing in high school plays, and studied at CAP21 through New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue a musical career. After leaving a rock band, participating in the Lower East Side's avant garde performance art circuit, and being dropped from a contract with Def Jam Recordings, Gaga worked as a songwriter for Sony/ATV Music Publishing. There, recording artist Akon noticed her vocal abilities and helped her to sign a joint deal with Interscope Records and his own KonLive Distribution.

Gaga rose to prominence with her debut album The Fame (2008), a critical and commercial success which produced global chart-topping singles such as "Just Dance" and "Poker Face". A follow-up EP, The Fame Monster (2009), was met with a similar reception and released the successful singles "Bad Romance", "Telephone", and "Alejandro".

Read Full Story...

Shakira

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (pronounced: [ʃaˈkiɾa isaˈβel meβaˈɾak riˈpol]; born February 2, 1977),^[2] (English /ʃəˈkɪərə/)^[3] is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer, and model. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin, Arabic, and rock and roll influences and belly dancing abilities. Shakira released her first studio albums, Magia and Peligro, in the early 1990s, failing to attain commercial success; however, she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut, Pies Descalzos (1996), and her fourth album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998).

Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service. Its lead single, "Whenever, Wherever", became the best-selling single of 2002. Her success was solidified with her sixth and seventh albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), the latter of which spawned the best-selling song of the 21st century, "Hips Don't Lie". Shakira's eighth and ninth albums, She Wolf (2009) and Sale el Sol (2010), received critical praise but suffered from limited promotion due to her strained relationship with label Epic Records. Her official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. With over 813 million views, its music video is the ninth most-watched video on YouTube. Since 2013, Shakira has served as a coach on the American version of The Voice, having appeared in two of its seven seasons—fourth and sixth. Her tenth album, Shakira (2014), is preceded by its lead single, "Can't Remember to Forget You".

Read Full Story...

Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), known professionally as Rihanna (/riˈænə/ ree-AN-ə),^[4][5] is a Barbadian singer, actress, and fashion designer. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, her career began upon meeting record producer Evan Rogers in late 2003 through mutual friends; she recorded demo tapes with his guidance. Her tape was sent to several record labels, and she subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its then-president, hip-hop producer and rapper Jay-Z. Both her debut album, Music of the Sun (2005) and its follow-up A Girl Like Me (2006) peaked in the top ten on the US Billboard 200; the former featured the commercially successful song "Pon de Replay" while the latter produced her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "SOS".

She rose to widespread prominence and became a household name with the release of her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), and its chart-topping lead single "Umbrella." The album and its 2008 Reloaded re-release were nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella". From 2009 to 2012, following a highly publicized altercation with then-boyfriend, entertainer Chris Brown, she annually released four Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) platinum certified albums: Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and her first Billboard 200 number one album Unapologetic (2012). The same year, she appeared in her first theatrical feature film, Battleship.

Read Full Story...

Beyoncé

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter (/bɨˈjɒnseɪ/ bee-YON-say;^[4] born September 4, 1981)^[5][6] is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child, and rose to fame in the late 1990s as lead singer of R&B girl-group Destiny's Child. Managed by her father Mathew Knowles, the group became one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hiatus saw the release of Beyoncé's debut album, Dangerously in Love (2003), which established her as a solo artist worldwide; it sold 11 million copies, earned five Grammy Awards and featured the Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy".

Following the disbandment of Destiny's Child in June 2005, she released her second solo album, B'Day (2006), which contained hits "Déjà Vu", "Irreplaceable", and "Beautiful Liar". Beyoncé also ventured into acting, with a Golden Globe-nominated performance in Dreamgirls (2006), and starring roles in The Pink Panther (2006) and Obsessed (2009). Her marriage to rapper Jay Z and portrayal of Etta James in Cadillac Records (2008) influenced her third album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008), which saw the birth of her alter-ego Sasha Fierce and earned a record-setting six Grammy Awards in 2010, including Song of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". Beyoncé took a hiatus from music in 2010 and took over management of her career; her fourth album 4 (2011) was subsequently mellower in tone, exploring 1970s funk, 1980s pop, and 1990s soul.^[7] Her critically acclaimed fifth studio album, Beyoncé (2013), was distinguished from previous releases by its experimental production and exploration of darker themes.

Read Full Story...

Amy Winehouse

Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter known for her deep vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul^[1] (sometimes labelled as blue-eyed soul),^[2] rhythm and blues,^[3] jazz^[4][5] and reggae.^[6] Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was a critical success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, led to five 2008 Grammy Awards, tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made her the first British female to win five Grammys,^[7][8] including three of the general field "Big Four" awards: Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.

Winehouse won three Ivor Novello Awards: in 2004, Best Contemporary Song for "Stronger Than Me"; in 2007, Best Contemporary Song again, this time for "Rehab"; and in 2008, Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game". She won the 2007 Brit Award for Best British Female artist, having also been nominated for Best British Album, with Back to Black.

Read Full Story...

Kelly Clarkson

Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982)^[1] is an American singer, songwriter and actress. In 2002, she rose to fame after winning the first season of American Idol, and has since been established as "The Original American Idol."^[2][3][4] Her debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and broke the record for the biggest jump to number one in the chart's history; it became the best-selling single of the year in the country. She became the runner-up of World Idol the following year.

Clarkson's debut studio album, Thankful (2003), has been certified 2× platinum and sold over 4.5 million copies internationally. Its lead single, "Miss Independent," became an international hit, earning Clarkson her first Grammy nomination. She developed a rock-oriented sound with the release of her second album, Breakaway (2004). It has been certified 6× platinum and sold over 15 million copies worldwide,^[5] earning Clarkson two Grammy Awards, including one for the hit single "Since U Been Gone." She later took full creative direction of her third album, My December (2007), which has been certified platinum. Its lead single, "Never Again," became a top ten hit. Clarkson's fourth album, All I Ever Wanted (2009), debuted at number one, and became a critical and commercial success. Its worldwide hit single, "My Life Would Suck Without You", surpassed "A Moment Like This" for the biggest leap to number one on a single week in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart from number 97, a record it still holds today. Her fifth album, Stronger (2011), generated international chart-topping singles, "Mr. Know It All" and "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)." The latter is the best-selling single by an American Idol alumni to date; it has sold over five million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.^[6][7][8] The album won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, making Clarkson the first and only artist to win the award twice.^[9][10]

Read Full Story...

Alicia Keys

Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known by the pseudonym Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records. Keys' debut album, Songs in A Minor, was a commercial success, selling over 12 million copies worldwide.^[1] She became the best-selling new artist and best-selling R&B artist of 2001.^[2] The album earned Keys five Grammy Awards in 2002, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year for "Fallin'" becoming the second American recording artist to win five Grammys in one night.^[3] Her second studio album, The Diary of Alicia Keys, was released in 2003 and was also another success worldwide, selling eight million copies.^[4] The album garnered her an additional four Grammy Awards in 2005.^[5] Later that year, she released her first live album, Unplugged, which debuted at number one in the United States.^[6] She became the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album to debut at number one and the highest since Nirvana in 1994.^[2]

Read Full Story...

Janet Jackson

Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television roles, and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years. The youngest child of the Jackson family, she began her career with the variety television series The Jacksons in 1976 and went on to appear in other television shows throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, including Good Times and Fame.

After signing a recording contract with A&M in 1982, she became a pop icon following the release of her third studio album Control (1986). Her collaborations with record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis incorporated elements of rhythm and blues, funk, disco, rap, and industrial beats, which led to crossover appeal in popular music. In addition to receiving recognition for the innovation in her records, choreography, music videos, and prominence on radio airplay and MTV, she was acknowledged as a role model for her socially conscious lyrics.

Read Full Story...

Michelle Branch

Michelle Jacquet DeSevren Branch (born July 2, 1983) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. During the early 2000s, she released two top-selling albums, The Spirit Room and Hotel Paper. She won a Grammy with Santana for "The Game of Love".

In 2005, she formed the country music duo The Wreckers with friend and fellow musician Jessica Harp, and produced the Grammy-nominated single "Leave the Pieces". The Wreckers disbanded in 2007 to pursue their respective solo careers. Since then, she released extended plays in 2010 and 2011, and is reportedly working on another studio album.^[2]

1983–2000: Early life and Broken Bracelet

Branch was born on July 2, 1983, in Sedona, Arizona,^[1][3][4] to David and Peggy Branch, six months after they were married.^[5] Her father is Irish, and her mother is of Dutch-Indonesian ("Indo") and French descent.^[5][6] Her siblings include an older half-brother named David and a younger sister named Nicole.

Read Full Story...

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lynn Lopez^[2][3] (born July 24, 1969), also known as J. Lo, is an American actress, author, fashion designer, dancer, producer, and singer. She became interested in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry following a minor role in the 1986 film My Little Girl, to the dismay of her Puerto Rican parents, who believed that it was an unrealistic career route for a Hispanic. Lopez gained her first regular high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on In Living Color in 1991, where she remained a regular until she decided to pursue an acting career in 1993. She received her first leading role in the Selena biopic of the same name in 1997. Lopez became the first Latina actress to earn over $1 million for a role the following year, with the film Out of Sight. She ventured into the music industry in 1999 with her debut studio album, On the 6.
 

With the simultaneous release of her second studio album J.Lo and her film The Wedding Planner in 2001, Lopez became the first person to have a number one album and film in the same week. Her 2002 remix album, J to tha L–O! The Remixes, became the first in history to debut at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200, while her fifth studio album, Como Ama una Mujer (2007), received the highest first-week sales for a Spanish album in the United States. With past record sales of over 60 million and a cumulative film gross of over $2 billion, Lopez is regarded as the most influential Hispanic performer in the United States, as well as its highest paid Latin entertainer.^[4][5] Along with Pitbull and Claudia Leitte, she recorded "We Are One (Ole Ola)", which served as the official song of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.^[6]

Read Full Story...

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE (/ˈkaɪliː mɨˈnoʊɡ/; born 28 May 1968), often known simply as Kylie, is an Australian singer, songwriter, and actress. She achieved recognition by starring in the Australia TV soap opera Neighbours, where she played tomboy mechanic Charlene Robinson. Appearing in the series for two years, Minogue's character married Scott Robinson, played by Jason Donovan in an episode viewed by nearly 20 million people in the United Kingdom and become one of the most watched Australian TV episodes ever worldwide.^[4] Since then, Minogue has been a recording artist and has achieved massive commercial success and critical acclaim in the entertainment industry.

Born in Melbourne in Australia, Minogue has for many years worked and lived in London, United Kingdom. She signed to PWL in 1987 and released her first studio album Kylie the next year. In 1992, Minogue left PWL and signed with Deconstruction Records to broaden her musical and lyrical aspects and become inspired by several different musicians; these ideas created her self-titled studio album and Impossible Princess, two albums that have yield positive commentary from contemporary critics. Returning to more mainstream dance-oriented music, Minogue signed to Parlophone and released "Spinning Around", which was heralded as a welcome return to prominence.^[5] Her 2001 single "Can't Get You Out of My Head" became one of the most successful singles during the 2000s period, selling over six million units, recognized as her "signature song" and was voted as the most catchiest song ever.^[6][7] Her album Fever (2001) was a hit in many countries, including the US, a market in which Minogue had previously received little recognition. Throughout her career, Minogue has released many successful singles, including "The Loco-Motion", "Especially for You", "Better the Devil You Know", "Confide in Me", "Spinning Around", "Slow", "2 Hearts", "All The Lovers" and "Timebomb". Her most recent effort, Kiss Me Once, was released in March 2014.

Read Full Story...

Colbie Caillat

Colbie Marie Caillat (ⁱ/ˈkoʊlbi kəˈleɪ/; born May 28, 1985) is an American pop singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist from Malibu, California. She debuted in 2007 with Coco, which included hit singles "Bubbly" and "Realize". In 2008, she recorded a duet with Jason Mraz, "Lucky", which won a Grammy. Caillat released her second album, Breakthrough, in August 2009. Breakthrough was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards. She was also part of the group that won Album of the Year at the 2010 Grammys for her background vocals and writing on Taylor Swift's Fearless album.

Caillat has sold over 6 million albums worldwide and over 10 million singles. In 2009, she was named Billboard magazine's 94th-best-selling music artist of the 2000–2009 decade.^[1] In 2011, she released her third studio album, All of You. On October 23, 2012 she released her first Christmas album, Christmas in the Sand.

Read Full Story...

Vanessa Carlton

Vanessa Lee Carlton (born August 16, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter. Upon completion of her education at the School of American Ballet, Carlton chose to pursue singing instead, performing in New York City bars and clubs while attending university. Three months after recording a demo with producer Peter Zizzo, she signed with A&M Records. She began recording her album, which was initially unsuccessful until Ron Fair took over.

Her debut single, "A Thousand Miles", reached the top five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2002. Her debut album, Be Not Nobody, followed and received platinum certification in the United States. Her subsequent albums, Harmonium (2004) and Heroes & Thieves (2007), failed to match the commercial success of the first. She produced a fourth album, Rabbits on the Run (2011), independently before sourcing for a record label to release it. Carlton released a holiday EP titled Hear the Bells in November 2012, and she is preparing to release her fifth studio album, Liberman, in October 2015.

Read Full Story...

Gloria Estefan

Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan (born September 1, 1957), known professionally as Gloria Estefan, is a Cuban American singer, songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Started off her career as the leading vocalist in the group called "Miami Latin Boys" which was eventually known as Miami Sound Machine. Her breakthrough success with Conga in 1985 made her known worldwide. In the summer of 1988 she and the band got their first number one for the song Anything For You .

In March 1990 she had a severe accident in her tour bus. She made her comeback in March 1991 with a new world tour and album called Into The Light . She became a worldwide inspiration after that. Later in 1993 her song Mi Tierra made her own her first Grammy Award for Best Tropical Latin Album and was the first Latin Album to have countless number one according to RIAA. This made her known as the "Queen of Latin Pop.

She is one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time, with an estimated 100 million records sold worldwide, including 31.5 million of those in the United States alone.^[1][2] She has won seven Grammy Awards and is the most successful crossover performer in Latin music to date.

Read Full Story...

Jewel

Jewel Kilcher (born May 23, 1974),^[3] professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress, and author/poet. She has received four Grammy Award nominations and, as of 2008, has sold over 27 million albums worldwide.^[4]

Jewel's debut album, Pieces of You, released on February 28, 1995, became one of the best-selling debut albums of all time, going 15 times platinum. One single from the album, "Who Will Save Your Soul", peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100; two others, "You Were Meant for Me" and "Foolish Games", reached number seven and two respectively on the Hot 100, and were listed on Billboard‍ '​s 1997 year-end singles chart, as well as Billboard‍ '​s 1998 year-end singles chart. She has crossed several genres throughout her career. Perfectly Clear, her first country album, was released on The Valory Music Co. in 2008. It debuted atop Billboard‍ '​s Top Country Albums chart and featured three singles, "Stronger Woman", "I Do", and "Til It Feels Like Cheating". Jewel released her first independent album Lullaby in May 2009.

Read Full Story...

Gwen Stefani

Gwen Renée Stefani (/stəˈfɑːni/; born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer, and actress. She is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rock band No Doubt. During the band's hiatus, Stefani embarked on her solo career, releasing her debut album Love. Angel. Music. Baby. in 2004. Inspired by music of the 1980s,^[2] the album was a success with sales of over seven million copies.^[3] It spawned three major hit singles: "What You Waiting For?," "Rich Girl," and "Hollaback Girl," the latter becoming the first US digital download to sell one million copies.^[4] Stefani's second studio album The Sweet Escape was released in 2006. The album produced two successful singles: "Wind It Up" and the album's title track "The Sweet Escape." Including her work with No Doubt, Stefani has sold more than thirty million albums worldwide.^[5]

As a solo artist, Stefani has won several music awards, including one Grammy Award, one World Music Award, one American Music Award, and one Brit Award. In 2003, she debuted her clothing line L.A.M.B. and expanded her collection with the 2005 Harajuku Lovers line, drawing inspiration from Japanese culture and fashion. Stefani performs and makes public appearances with four back-up dancers known as the Harajuku Girls. She married British musician Gavin Rossdale in 2002 and they have three sons. Billboard magazine ranked Stefani the fifty-fourth most successful artist and thirty-seventh most successful Hot 100 artist of the 2000–09 decade.^[6][7] VH1 ranked her thirteenth on their "100 Greatest Women in Music" list in 2012.^[8]

Read Full Story...

Natalie Imbruglia

Natalie Jane Imbruglia (/ɪmˈbruːliə/; born 4 February 1975) is an Australian-British^[1] singer/songwriter, model and actress. In the early 1990s, she played Beth Brennan in the Australian soap opera Neighbours. Three years after leaving the programme, she began a singing career, with the cover and hit "Torn".

Her subsequent album, Left of the Middle (1997), sold 7 million copies worldwide.^[2] Further releases, White Lilies Island (2001) and Counting Down the Days (2005), did not sell as well, although the latter became number one in the UK. In 2007 she made Glorious: The Singles 97–07, a hits compilation featuring the single "Glorious", which peaked at 23 in the UK singles chart.

She co-starred in the 2003 film Johnny English and was leading actress in the 2009 film Closed for Winter.

On 3 December 2014, Imbruglia announced plans to release a newly recorded album of songs originally performed by male artists. The album, her first since 2009's Come To Life, is scheduled for release in July 2015, to be followed by an album of original material.

Read Full Story...

Björk

Björk Guðmundsdóttir (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈpjœr̥k ˈkvʏðmʏntsˌtoʊhtɪr], born 21 November 1965),^[11] known mononymously as Björk (/ˈbjɜrk/),^[12] is an Icelandic singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and occasional actress. She initially became known as the lead singer of the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes, whose 1987 single "Birthday" was a hit on US and UK indie stations^[13] and a favorite among music critics.^[14] Björk began her career as a solo artist in 1993. Her album Debut was rooted in electronic dance music, house, jazz and trip hop, and is widely credited as one of the first albums to introduce electronic dance music into mainstream pop.^[15][16] Now in the third decade of her solo career, Björk has developed an eclectic musical style that incorporates aspects of dance, rock, trip hop, jazz, electronic, classical, experimental and avant-garde music.^[17]

Björk has had 30 singles reach the Top 40 on pop charts around the world, with 22 Top 40 hits in the UK, including the Top 10 hits "It's Oh So Quiet", "Army of Me", and "Hyperballad".^[18] Additionally, "Big Time Sensuality", "Hyperballad", and "I Miss You" were number one Dance Hits in the US. Björk's record label, One Little Indian, reported that she had sold more than 15 million albums by 2003,^[19] Björk's actual sales are claimed to range between 20 and 40 million records sold worldwide.^[20][21]

Read Full Story...