Showing posts with label Introduction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Introduction. Show all posts
Pussy Cat Dolls: A Brief Introduction
Also known as: PCD; The Dolls
Origin: Los Angeles, California, United States
Years active: 2003-2010
Associated acts: Robin Antin
Website: pcdworld.co.uk
Kristen Bell: A Brief Introduction
Born: Kristen Anne Bell
July 18, 1980 (age 33)
Huntington Woods, Michigan, United States
Occupation: Actress, Singer
Years active: 1992–present
Spouse(s): Dax Shepard (m. 2013)
Children: 1
Go To Lyrics >>
Brief Introduction:
During her time on Veronica Mars, Bell appeared as Mary Lane in the film Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical, a reprise of the role she had played in the New York theatrical production of the musical upon which the film was based. She also portrayed the lead role in the 2006 film Pulse, the remake of a J-Horror film. In 2007, Bell joined the cast of the sci-fitelevision series Heroes, playing the character Elle Bishop, and the drama series Gossip Girl, as the off-screen titular narrator. In 2008, she played Sarah Marshall in the comedy film Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She has since appeared in a various number of comedy films, such as Fanboys, Couples Retreat, You Again, and When in Rome. Bell also voices Lucy Stillman in the Assassin's Creed video game series and Princess Anna in the 2013 Disney animated film Frozen.
Bell has been the recipient of a Satellite Award and a Saturn Award, and has been previously nominated several times for Television Critics Association Awards and Teen Choice Awards, amongst other accolades.
For more information click here.
***
Miley Cyrus: A Brief Introduction
Born: Destiny Hope Cyrus
November 23, 1992 (age 21)
Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation: Actress, singer
Years active: 2001–present
Television: Hannah Montana
Parents: Billy Ray Cyrus, Tish Cyrus
Relatives: Ron Cyrus (grandfather)
Trace Cyrus (half-brother)
Noah Cyrus (sister)
Musical career
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active: 2006–present
Associated acts: Billy Ray Cyrus, Jonas Brothers
Website: mileycyrus.com
Brief Information
Cyrus developed a maturing image with her extended play The Time of Our Lives (2009), which featured the successful track "Party in the U.S.A.". The transition continued with her third album Can't Be Tamed (2010); however, it made little commercial impact and became the lowest-selling record of her career. Later that year, Cyrus starred in thecoming-of-age film The Last Song. During its production, she was involved in an on-again, off-again relationship with her co-star Liam Hemsworth; the couple ultimately separated after ending their year-long engagement in 2013. Cyrus focused on her acting career with several television and film appearances throughout 2011 and 2012. Cyrus later signed a recording contract with RCA Records, and generated controversy by cultivating a sexually explicit public image while promoting her fourth studio album Bangerz (2013). Its singles "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball" were promoted with provocative music videos; the latter became her first number-one hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
Cyrus is recognized as among the most successful artists to originate from The Walt Disney Company. She has five non-consecutive number-one albums on the U.S. Billboard200, two of which are soundtracks credited to her titular character Hannah Montana, and has earned numerous awards and nominations. In 2010, Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' Celebrity 100, and was named the "Most Charted Teenager" in the 2011Guinness World Records with twenty-nine Billboard Hot 100 entries as of November 2009. In 2013, she was recognized as the "Artist of the Year" by MTV.
For more information click here.
***
Beyonce: A Brief Introduction
Born: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
September 4, 1981 (age 32)
Residence: New York City, U.S.
Other names: Sasha Fierce
Occupation: Recording artist; actress
Years active: 1997–present
Net worth: US $350 million
(estimate as of May 2013)
Spouse(s): Jay-Z (m. 2008)
Children: 1
Musical career
Instruments: Vocals
Associated acts
Website: beyonce.com
Go to Lyrics >>
Brief Information
Following the disbandment of Destiny's Child in 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 inDreamgirls (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, includingSong 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; 4 (2011) was subsequently mellower in tone, exploring 1970s funk, 1980s pop, and 1990s soul. Her fifth studio album, Beyoncé(2013), was critically acclaimed and was distinguished from previous releases by its experimental production and exploration of darker themes.
A self-described "modern-day feminist", Beyoncé's songs are often characterized by themes of love, relationships, and monogamy, as well as female sexuality and empowerment. On stage, her dynamic, highly-choreographed performances have led to critics hailing her as one of the best entertainers in contemporary popular music. Throughout a career spanning 16 years, she has won 17 Grammy Awards and sold over 118 million records as a solo artist and 60 million with Destiny's Child, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Recording Industry Association of America recognized Beyoncé as the Top Certified Artist in America during the 2000s decade. In 2009, Billboard named her the Top Radio Songs Artist of the Decade, the Top Female Artist of the 2000s and their Artist of the Millennium in 2011. In 2013, she was also included in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
For more information click here.
***
Will.I.Am: A Brief Introduction
Birth name William James Adams
Also known as will.i.am, Zuper Blahq, Will 1X
Born March 15, 1975 (age 39),
Los Angeles, California, United States
Occupations Singer–songwriter, composer, record producer, disk jockey, voice actor, entrepreneur, businessman, rapper, philanthropist
Instruments Vocals, keyboards, bass,clavinet, Fender Rhodes, drums, piano, moog bass
Years active 1997–present
Associated acts The Black Eyed Peas
Website will.i.am
Brief Information
Will.i.am has also released four solo albums. The first, Lost Change, was released in 2001on Atlantic Records. The album itself is the original soundtrack to the movie of the same name. A music video was made for the song "I Am", but no singles were released from the album. The second solo album, Must B 21, was released on September 23, 2003. Track seventeen on the release, "Go!", was regularly used as the theme for the NBA Live 2005 and Madden NFL 2005 seasons. A video for the track was also recorded for use within the sports, however, no singles were released from the album. The third album, Songs About Girls, was released on September 25, 2007. The first single released from the album was a club track titled "I Got It from My Mama" which peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 at #31 on 17 August 2007. The album also featured the singles "Heartbreaker" and "One More Chance". He released his fourth studio album, #willpower, in 2013.
Will.i.am is also a music producer. He has produced with other artists including Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber, Eazy-E, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, David Guetta, U2, Rihanna,Lady Gaga, Usher, Justin Timberlake, Earth, Wind & Fire, Nicki Minaj, Cheryl Cole, 2NE1,SMAP, The Game, Nas, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Daddy Yankee, Wolfgang Gartner, andJuanes. He is a coach on The Voice UK. In collaborations and with the Black Eyed Peas, he has a total of 34 Top 40 entries on the UK Singles Chart since 1998, and has sold 9.4 million singles in the UK.
For more information click here.
***
Enrique Iglesias: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler
Born: May 8, 1975 (age 38)
Madrid, Spain
Origin: Madrid, Spain
Fonovisa (1994–1998); Interscope (1999–2010); Universal Music Latino (1999–present); Universal Republic (2010–present)
Brief Introduction
Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler (English /ɛnˈriːkeɪ ɪˈɡlɛsiəs/; Spanish pronunciation: [enˈrike iˈɣlesjas], born May 8, 1975), simply known as Enrique Iglesias, is a Spanish-American singer-songwriter, actor, and record producer. Iglesias started his career in the mid-1990s on an American Spanish Language record label Fonovisa which helped turn him into one of the biggest stars in Latin America and the Hispanic Market in the United States becoming the biggest seller of Spanish-language albums of that decade. By the turn of the millennium he made a successful crossover into the mainstream market and signed a multi-album deal with Universal Music Group for an unprecedented US $48,000,000 with Universal Music Latino to release his Spanish albums and Interscope to release English albums. In 2010, he parted with Interscope and signed with another Universal Music Group label, Universal Republic.
Iglesias has sold over 100 million units worldwide, making him one of the best selling Spanish language artists of all time. He has had five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two number-ones, and holds the record for producing 24 number-one Spanish-language singles on the Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks. He has also had 13 number-one songs on Billboard's Dance charts, more than any other single male artist. Altogether, Iglesias has amassed more than 70 number-one rankings on the various Billboard charts. Billboard has called him The King of Latin Pop and The King of Dance.
For more information click here.
***
Justin Bieber: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Justin Drew Bieber
Born: March 1, 1994 (age 20)
Origin: Stratford, Ontario, Canada
Occupations: Singer-songwriter, musician, actor, dancer
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, piano, drums
Years active: 2008–present
Brief Introduction
Justin Drew Bieber (/ˈbiːbər/; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian pop musician, dancer, actor, and singer-songwriter. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by American talent manager Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Braun arranged for him to meet with entertainer Usher Raymond in Atlanta, Georgia. Bieber was signed to Raymond Braun Media Group(RBMG), and then to an Island Records recording contract offered by record executive L.A. Reid.
His debut extended play, the seven-track My World, was released in November 2009, and was certified platinum in the United States. He became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut record to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Bieber's first full-length studio album, My World 2.0, was released in March 2010. It debuted at or near number-one in several countries and was certified platinum in the United States. It was preceded by the single "Baby". He followed up the release of his debut album with his first headlining tour, the My World Tour, the remix albums My Worlds Acoustic and Never Say Never – The Remixes, and the 3D biopic-concert film Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. Bieber released his second studio album Under the Mistletoe in November 2011, when it debuted at number-one on the Billboard 200. Bieber released his third studio album Believe on June 19, 2012, and it became his fourth chart topper in the United States, debuting at number-one on the Billboard 200.
Bieber has received numerous awards, including both Artist of the Year Awards, at the 2010 American Music Awards, and the 2012 American Music Awards, and was nominated for Best New Artist and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 53rd Grammy Awards. With a global fan base, termed as "Beliebers", and over 40 million followers on Twitter, he was named by Forbes magazine in 2012 as the third-most powerful celebrity in the world. He had earned an estimated US$55 million in the previous 12 months. As of May 2012, Bieber had sold 15 million albums.
For more information click here.
***
Ricky Martin: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Enrique Martín Morales
Born: December 24, 1971 (age 42)
Occupations: Singer, songwriter, musician, actor, author
Years active: 1984–present
Associated acts: Menudo, Christina Aguilera,Draco Rosa, Ednita Nazario,Luciano Pavarotti, Nina Moric
Website: rickymartinmusic.com
Brief Introduction
Enrique "Ricky" Martín Morales (born December 24, 1971), is a Puerto Rican pop musician, actor and author. Martin began his career at age twelve with the all-boy pop group Menudo; after five years with the group, he released several Spanish-language solo albums throughout the 1990s. He also acted on stage and on TV in Mexico, becoming a modest star in the country. In 1994 he starred on the American TV soap opera General Hospital, playing a Puerto Rican singer.
In late 1999, after releasing several albums in Spanish, Martin performed "The Cup of Life" at the 41st Grammy Awards show, which became a catalyst in bringing Latin pop to the forefront of the U.S. music scene. Following its success, Martin released "Livin' la Vida Loca" which helped him obtain enormous success worldwide and is generally seen as the song that began the Latin pop explosion of 1999 and made the transition of other Spanish-speaking artists into the English-speaking market easier. The song has sold over 8 million copies, making it one of the best selling singles of all time. His first English-language album (also titled Ricky Martin), has sold 22 million copies and is one of the best selling albumsof all time. His other studio albums include: Me Amarás (1993), A Medio Vivir (1995), Vuelve (1998),Sound Loaded (2000), Almas del Silencio (2003), Life (2005), and Música + Alma + Sexo (2011).
He has sold over 70 million albums, and has had 95 platinum records, 6 #1 Billboard albums, 11 Number 1 hit songs, 2 American Music Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 8 World Music Awards, 10 Billboard Music Awards, 8 MTV Music Video Awards, with concerts in more than 60 countries across the globe.
For more information click here.
***
Cheryl Cole: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Cheryl Ann Tweedy
Born: 30 June 1983 (age 30)
Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England
Occupations: Singer, songwriter, dancer, television personality
Instruments: Vocals
Years active: 1990–present
Associated acts: Girls Aloud, will.i.am
Brief Introduction
Cheryl Ann Cole (née Tweedy; born 30 June 1983) is an English recording artist, songwriter, dancer and television personality. She rose to fame in late 2002 when she auditioned for the reality television show Popstars: The Rivals on ITV. The programme announced that Cole had won a place as a member of the girl group, Girls Aloud. The group's line-up remained the same throughout their history and during that time the group achieved a string of twenty consecutive top ten singles in the United Kingdom (including four number one singles) and six platinum albums (two of which went to number one) and earned five BRIT Award nominations from 2005 to 2010. In 2009, Girls Aloud won "Best Single" with their song "The Promise". In early 2013, Girls Aloud announced that they had split up.
Cole embarked on a solo career and released her first solo studio album 3 Words (2009) through Polydorrecords. 3 Words saw the release of three successful singles and the lead single from the album, "Fight for This Love," debuted at number one on the UK charts, becoming the best selling single of the year. "3 Words" and "Parachute" both peaked within the top five of the UK charts. 2010 saw the release of Cole's second studio album Messy Little Raindrops, which produced two singles, the first being "Promise This" which went straight to number one. Cole released her third solo album A Million Lights on 18 June 2012, with lead single "Call My Name" being released on 11 June 2012, the single became Cole's third number one single. During her solo career, Cole has earned three BRIT Award nominations.
Cole has become a recognised and photographed style icon; referred to as a fashionista by the press. She has been photographed for the covers of British Vogue, Elle and Harper's Bazaar, while becoming the new face of cosmetic company L'Oréal. Cole was married to England footballer Ashley Cole from July 2006 until September 2010, when she divorced him following the announcement of their separation earlier that year. Cole became a judge on The X Factor in 2008, becoming the winning judge twice out of the three series she judged.
In 2011, Cole left the UK version of The X Factor to judge the American version. However, Cole was sacked from the show. Cole's net worth was estimated at £15 million in April 2012. On 10 March 2014, it was announced that Cole would return as a judge on the U.K. version of The X Factor for its eleventh series, signing a £1.5 million contract.
For more information click here.
***
Avril Lavigne: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Avril Ramona Lavigne
Born: 27 September 1984 (age 29)
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Occupations: Singer-songwriter, musician, entrepreneur
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, piano, drums
Years active: 1999–present
Website: avrillavigne.com
Notable instruments
Brief Introduction
Avril Ramona Lavigne (/ˈævrɨl ləˈviːn/; av-ril lə-veen; born 27 September 1984) is a Canadian and French singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, and spent most of her youth in the town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more than $2 million. In 2002, when she was 17 years old, Lavigne broke onto the music scene with her debut album Let Go. Since her professional debut she has sold more than 30 million albums and over 50 million singles worldwide.
Let Go made Lavigne the youngest female soloist to reach number 1 in the UK. As of 2013, it has sold nearly 7 million copies in the United States and over 17 million copies worldwide. Her breakthrough single, "Complicated", peaked at number 1 in many countries around the world, as did the album Let Go. Her second album, Under My Skin, was released in May 2004 and was her first album to peak at number 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200, eventually selling more than 10 million copies worldwide. The Best Damn Thing, Lavigne’s third album, was released in 2007, becoming her third number 1 album in the UK Albums Chartand featuring her first U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number 1 single, "Girlfriend". Lavigne has scored six number-one singles worldwide, including "Complicated", "Sk8er Boi", "I'm with You", "My Happy Ending", "Nobody's Home", and "Girlfriend". Lavigne is one of the top-selling artists releasing albums in the U.S., with over 11 million copies certified by the RIAA. Her fourth studio album, Goodbye Lullaby, was released in March 2011. Goodbye Lullaby gave Lavigne her fourth top 10 album on the U.S. Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart and her third number 1 album in both Japan and Australia. Three months after the release of Goodbye Lullaby, Lavigne began work on her eponymous titled fifth studio album, which was released by Epic Records on 1 November 2013 following her departure from RCA Records.
Lavigne branched out from recording music, pursuing careers in feature film acting and designing clothes and perfumes. She voiced a character in the animated film Over the Hedge in 2006. That same year, she made her on-screen feature film debut in Fast Food Nation. In 2008, Lavigne introduced her clothing line,Abbey Dawn, and in 2009, she released her first perfume, Black Star, which was followed by her second perfume, Forbidden Rose, in 2010 and her third perfume, Wild Rose, in 2011. In July 2006, Lavigne married her boyfriend of two years, Deryck Whibley, lead singer and guitarist for Sum 41. The marriage lasted a little over three years, and in October 2009, Lavigne filed for divorce. Whibley and Lavigne continued to work together, with Whibley producing her fourth album, as well as Lavigne's single, "Alice", written for Tim Burton's film Alice in Wonderland. Lavigne married Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, in 2013.
For more information click here.
***
Linkin Park: A Brief Introduction
Also known as: Xero, Hybrid Theory
Origin: Agoura Hills, California, United States
Years active: 1996–present
Associated acts: Jay-Z, Relative Degree
Website: linkinpark.com
Members
Brief Introduction
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. Formed in 1996, the band rose to international fame with their debut album Hybrid Theory, which was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2005 and multi-platinum in several other countries. Their following studio album Meteora, continued the band's success, topping the Billboard 200 album chart in 2003, and was followed by extensive touring and charity work around the world. In 2003, MTV2 named Linkin Park the sixth-greatest band of the music video era and the third-best of the new millennium. Billboard ranked Linkin Park No. 19 on the Best Artists of the Decade chart. The band was recently voted as the greatest artist of '00s in a Bracket Madness poll on VH1.
Having adapted nu metal and rap metal to a radio-friendly yet densely layered style in Hybrid Theoryand Meteora, the band explored other genres in their next studio album, Minutes to Midnight(2007). The album topped the Billboard charts and had the third-best debut week of any album that year. The band continued to explore a wider variation of musical types in their fourth album,A Thousand Suns (2010), layering their music with more electronic sounds and beats. Their most recent work, Living Things (2012), combines musical elements from all of their previous records. They are currently working on their sixth studio album, entitled The Hunting Party, set to be released on June 14, 2014, which the band has stated will feature a heavier rock sound compared to their previous ventures. The band has collaborated with several other artists, most notably with rapper Jay-Z in theirmashup EP Collision Course, and many others on Reanimation and Recharged. Linkin Park has sold over 60 million albums worldwide and has won two Grammy Awards.
For more information click here.
***
Shakira: A Brief Introduction
Born: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
February 2, 1977 (age 37)
Occupation
Singer; songwriter; record producer;
dancer; philanthropist; entrepreneur
Years active: 1990–present
Partner(s): Antonio de la Rúa (2000–10)
Gerard Piqué (2010–present)
Children: 1
Musical career
Instruments: Vocals; guitar; drums; percussion; harmonica
Website: shakira.com
Brief Introduction:
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll (pronounced: [ʃaˈkiɾa isaˈβel meβaˈɾak riˈpol]; born February 2, 1977), known professionally as Shakira (English /ʃəˈkɪərə/, Spanish: [ʃaˈkiɾa]), is a Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer and model. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin, Arabic, androck 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 (2001). 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 labelEpic 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 629 million views, its music video is the eighth 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 six seasons. Her tenth album Shakira (2014) is preceded by its lead single "Can't Remember to Forget You".
Shakira has won many awards including five MTV Video Music Awards, two Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, twenty-eight Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and she is one of the best-selling artists of all time, having sold more than 125 milion records including 70 million albums worldwide Outside of her work in the music industry, Shakira is also involved in philanthropic activities through charity work and benefit concerts, notably her Pies Descalzos Foundation, her performance at the "Clinton Global Initiative" created by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and her invitation to the Oval Office by President Barack Obama in February 2010 to discuss early childhood development. In 2013, Shakira was listed on Forbes as one of the 100 most powerful women in the world.
For more information click here.
Billie Joe: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Billie Joe Armstrong
Also known as: Wilhelm Fink; Reverend Strychnine Twitch
Born: February 17, 1972 (age 42)
Origin: Rodeo, California, US
Years active: 1987–present
Associated acts: Green Day, Pinhead Gunpowder, The Network,Foxboro Hot Tubs, The Boo, The Lonely Island, Norah Jones
Notable instruments
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Gibson ES-335
Gibson SG Standard
Gretsch Hollowbody
Guild D55
Taylor 514C
Brief Introduction
Billie Joe Armstrong (born February 17, 1972) is an American musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter and occasional actor. He is best known as the lead vocalist, principal songwriter, and guitarist of the punk rock band Green Day, which Armstrong co-founded with Mike Dirnt. He is also a guitarist and vocalist for the punk rock band Pinhead Gunpowder and provides lead vocals for Green Day's side projects Foxboro Hot Tubs and The Network.
Raised in Rodeo, California, Armstrong developed an interest in music at a young age, and recorded his first song at the age of five. He met Mike Dirnt while attending elementary school, and the two instantly bonded over their mutual interest in music, forming the band Sweet Children when the two were 15 years old. The band changed its name to Green Day, and would later achieve massive commercial success. Armstrong has also pursued musical projects outside of Green Day's work, including numerous collaborations with other musicians.
He also co-owns the record label Adeline Records, with his wife Adrienne and skateboarder Jim Thiebaud, with the collaboration of Green Day's guitarist Jason White and more recently Green Day's manager Pat Magnarella.
For more information click here.
***
Bryan Adams: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Bryan Guy Adams
Born: 5 November 1959 (age 54)
Years active: 1976–present
Brief Introduction
Bryan Guy Adams, OC OBC (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, producer, actor, social activist, and photographer. As one of the world's best-selling music artists and the best-selling Canadian rock artist of all time, Adams has been one of the most successful figures of the world of popular music during last three decades and as a singer, he's known for his strong husky vocals and energetic live performances.
Adams rose to fame in North America with his album Cuts Like a Knife and turned into a global star with his 1984 album Reckless. In 1991, he released his popular Waking Up the Neighbours album which included "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You", one of the best-selling singles of all time.
For his contributions to music, Adams has garnered many awards and nominations, including 20 Juno Awards among 56 nominations, 15 Grammy Award nominations including a win for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television in 1992. He has also won MTV, ASCAP, American Music awards, two Ivor Novello Awards for song composition and has been nominated five times for Golden Globe Awards and three times for Academy Awards for his songwriting for films.
Adams was awarded the Order of Canada and the Order of British Columbia for contributions to popular music and philanthropic work via his own foundation, which helps improve education for people around the world.
Adams was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in March 2011 and Canada's Walk of Fame in 1998, and in April 2006 he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at Canada's Juno Awards. In 2008, Bryan was ranked 38 on the list of All-Time top artists by the Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary Charts. On 13 January 2010, he received the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award for his part in numerous charitable concerts and campaigns during his career, and on 1 May 2010 was given the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for his 30 years of contributions to the arts.
For more information click here.
***
Black Eyed Peas: A Brief Introduction
Origin: Los Angeles, California, United States
Years active: 1995–present
Website: blackeyedpeas.com
Members
Brief Introduction
The Black Eyed Peas are an American hip hop group, consisting of rappers will.i.am,apl.de.ap, Taboo, and singer Fergie. Originally an alternative hip hop group, they subsequently added R&B, pop and EDM/dance influences. Although the group was founded in Los Angelesin 1995, it was not until the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003 that they found widespread acclaim and achieved high record sales. Since that time, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide. According to Nielsen SoundScan, the Black Eyed Peas were the second-best-selling artist/group of all time for downloaded tracks, with over 42 million sales as of the end of 2011.
Their first major hit was the 2003 single "Where Is the Love?" from Elephunk, which topped the charts in 13 countries, including the United Kingdom, where it spent seven weeks at number one and went on to become Britain's biggest selling single of 2003. Another European hit single from the album was "Shut Up". Their fourth album, Monkey Business, was an even bigger worldwide success, certified 4× Platinum in the U.S., and spawning four singles, "Don't Phunk with My Heart", "Don't Lie", "My Humps" and "Pump It". In 2009, the group became one of only 11 artists to have simultaneously held the No. 1 and No. 2 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, with their singles "Boom Boom Pow" and "I Gotta Feeling", which topped the chart for an unprecedented 26 consecutive weeks. This album The E.N.D. later produced a third Hot 100 number-one placement with "Imma Be", making the group one of few to ever place three number one singles on the chart from the same album, before being followed with "Rock That Body" and "Meet Me Halfway", which peaked in the Top 10 of the Hot 100. "I Gotta Feeling" became the first single to sell more than one million downloads in the United Kingdom.
The Black Eyed Peas were ranked 12th on Billboard's Decade-End Chart Artist of the Decade, and 7th in the Hot 100 Artists of the Decade. At the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, held in January 2010, they won three awards out of six nominations. In November 2010, they released the album The Beginning. In February 2011, the group performed at the Super Bowl XLVhalftime show. The album's first two singles, "The Time (Dirty Bit)" and "Just Can't Get Enough", became international hits and topped the charts in many countries. The single "Don't Stop the Party" became an international hit too.
For more information click here.
***
Fergie: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Stacy Ann Ferguson
Born: March 27, 1975 (age 38)
Origin: California, United States
Instruments: Vocals
Years active: 1984–present
Associated acts: Wild Orchid The Black Eyed Peas
Brief Introduction
Fergie Duhamel (born Stacy Ann Ferguson; March 27, 1975) is an American singer, songwriter, fashion designer, television host and actress. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop group The Black Eyed Peas, with whom she has achieved chart success worldwide. Her debut solo album, The Dutchess(2006), spawned five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, three of which went to number one.
Ferguson was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated and the girl group Wild Orchid. In 2001, she left the group and in the subsequent year began to team up with The Black Eyed Peas. With The Black Eyed Peas, she enjoyed a series of hits and albums before releasing her solo debut album in September 2006 to success. The Black Eyed Peas enjoyed further success with the release of their third album with Ferguson, The E.N.D. (2009); they attained their first string of Billboard Hot 100 number one songs. She began touring in 2009/2010 with her group and she launched her debut fragrance,Outspoken, under Avon in May 2010 and has since released three more fragrances.
She continued success with The Black Eyed Peas and they released the album The Beginning (2010), which featured three singles, including two number one songs. As Ferguson's five solo singles and six singles with The Black Eyed Peas have reached two million downloads in the United States, Ferguson was the artist with the most two-million sellers by the beginning of 2011.
For more information click here.
***
Madonna: A Brief Introduction
Born: Madonna Louise Ciccone
August 16, 1958 (age 55)
Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
Residence: New York City, U.S.
Other names: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone (Catholic Confirmation name)
Occupation: Singer-songwriter; dancer; author; director; entrepreneur; record producer;
philanthropist; actress
Net worth: 
US $500 million (estimate as of September 2013)
US $500 million (estimate as of September 2013)
Religion: Catholicism
Spouse(s): Sean Penn (m. 1985–89; divorced);
Guy Ritchie (m. 2000–08; divorced)
Partner(s): Carlos Leon (1994–97)
Children: 4
Relatives: Christopher Ciccone (brother)
Musical career
Instruments: Drums; guitar; percussion; synthesizer; vocals
Years active: 1979–present
Associated acts: Breakfast Club; Emmy
Brief Introduction
Madonna Louise Ciccone (/tʃɪˈkoʊneɪ/ chi-koh-nay; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. One of the most prominent cultural icons for over three decades, she has achieved an unprecedented level of power and control for a woman in the entertainment industry. She attained immense popularity by pushing the boundaries of lyrical content in mainstream popular music and imagery in her music videos, which became a fixture on MTV. Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. Music critics have praised her diverse and innovative musical productions which have also been known to induce controversy. Cited as an influence among numerous artists around the world, she is often referred to as the "Queen of Pop".
Born in Bay City, Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy in the late 1970s and early 1980s, she signed with Sire Records (an affiliate of Warner Bros. Records) in 1982 and released herself-titled debut album the following year. She followed it with a series of commercially successful albums, including the Grammy Award winners Ray of Light (1998) and Confessions on a Dance Floor(2005). Throughout her career, she has written and produced most of her songs, with many of them having hit number one on the record charts, including "Like a Virgin", "Into the Groove", "Papa Don't Preach", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes".
Madonna's popularity was further enhanced by her critically successful role in film Desperately Seeking Susan (1985). However, most of her film appearances received harsh feedback. She garnered critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for Evita(1996). Her other ventures include: fashion design, writing children's books, and film directing and producing. She has been acclaimed as a businesswoman, most notably after she founded entertainment company Maverick (including the label Maverick Records) in 1992 as a joint venture with Time Warner. In 2007, she signed an unprecedented US $120 million 360 deal with Live Nation.
Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second best-selling female artist in the United States, with 64.5 million certified albums. Billboard ranked her at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of American singles chart. The magazine also declared her as the top-touring female artist of all time. Madonna topped the VH1's list of "100 Greatest Women in Music" and was selected among the "25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century" by Time. She became one of the five founding members of the UK Music Hall of Fame and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility.
For more information click here.
***
Pitbull: A Brief Introduction
Birth name: Armando Christian Pérez
Born: January 15, 1981 (age 33)
Occupations: recording artist; record producer
Instruments: Vocals
Years active: 2001–present
Brief Introduction
For more information click here.
***
Rihanna: A Brief Introduction
Born: Robyn Rihanna Fenty
February 20, 1988 (age 26)
Residence: New York City, U.S.
Occupation: Recording artist, songwriter, actress, fashion designer
Years active: 2004–present
Net worth: US$ 90 million
US$ 90 million
Musical career
Instruments: Vocals
Brief Indroduction
Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), known by her stage name Rihanna (/riˈɑːnə/ ree-ah-nəor /riˈænə/ ree-an-ə), is a Barbadian recording artist, actress, and fashion designer. She was born inSaint Michael, Barbados, and her career began when she met record producer Evan Rogers through mutual friends in late 2003 and recorded demo tapes under Rogers's guidance. Her demo tape was sent to several record labels, and she subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its president, rapper Jay-Z. Her debut album, Music of the Sun (2005) and its follow-up A Girl Like Me(2006) both peaked in the top ten on the Billboard 200 chart. The albums spawned the Billboard Hot 100top two hit single "Pon de Replay" and her first Hot 100 number-one "SOS".
Her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), and its chart-topping lead single "Umbrella" were major breakthroughs in her career that brought her to widespread prominence. The album and its Reloadedversion (2008) produced the worldwide hit singles "Don't Stop the Music", "Take a Bow", and "Disturbia". The record was nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella". Following a highly-publicized altercation with then-boyfriend Chris Brown, she released her fourth studio album, Rated R, in November 2009. It was followed by three more albums: Loud (2010), Talk That Talk(2011), and her first Billboard 200 number one album Unapologetic (2012). That same year, she appeared in her first theatrical feature film, Battleship. Many of her songs rank among the world's best-selling singlesof all time, such as "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "S&M", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds". In addition to her solo work, Rihanna has collaborated with numerous other artists, including being featured on the worldwide hits "Live Your Life" (with T.I.), "Run This Town" (with Jay-Z andKanye West), "Love the Way You Lie" and "The Monster" (both with Eminem).
Rihanna is known for consistently reinventing her style and image, most notably since her third albumGood Girl Gone Bad. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including sevenGrammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 22 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards. She has sold over 30 million albums and 120 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. She has achieved thirteen number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the youngest and fastest solo artist to achieve the feat. Billboard named her the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade and the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade. In 2012, Forbes ranked her the fourth most powerful celebrity of the year, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012. The same year, TIME named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. On November 24, 2013, Rihanna was presented with the first ever American Music "Icon" Award.
For more Information click here.
***
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
