Creed

It's not easy to find a success story as genuine as Creed’s in popular culture these days, with all the carefully scripted rises to glory and the falls that inevitably follow careers built on hype. If any late-'90s band can claim to have ascended strictly on its own merits, it's Creed, a Florida-bred foursome that went from zero to sixty (or, more accurately, zero to nearly 4x Platinum) by virtue of a combination of finger-on-the-pulse songs and powerful live performances, rather than a raft of hype.

"With My Own Prison, I knew we had the talent to get a record deal and I knew we had songs good enough to get played on the radio, but I never had any expectations of reaching this many people," says Creed's dynamic frontman, Scott Stapp. "But when I think back, I can remember that Mark Tremonti definitely did. The very first time we went into a meeting at Wind-up, he said he'd be totally disappointed if the album didn't go triple platinum." Tremonti didn't have to suffer any pangs of regret. Creed was the first band in history to have four Number One Rock Radio singles from a debut album -- a feat even more impressive in these days of love-'em-and-leave-'em, one-hit wonders.

On the strength of their singles, including the crushing title track and the more pensive "What's This Life For," Creed topped countless year-end charts and was recognized as the Rock Artist of the Year at Billboard’s 1998 Music Awards. Their debut album was also the #1-selling Hard Music album for 1998 on SoundScan’s Hard Music chart. Now, with the release of their second album, Human Clay, Creed is poised to up the ante yet again. "We're the type of band that functions really well under pressure, and there was definitely a pressure to try to top ourselves this time," says Stapp. "Not so much what we sell, because we don't really care about that. We wanted to make a really great record.

The band’s goal has always been to make records that are solid from start to finish; records that take you through an entire range of emotions." Those sentiments come across loud and clear during stretches of Human Clay. On "What If," Stapp's baritone turns fierce when addressing those he feels have judged him unfairly over the years -- a pitch that's matched by the searing guitar lines that Tremonti turns out. The intensity comes through in more subtle ways as well, as in the plaintive tone of the album’s first single, "Higher," which finds Stapp seeking refuge from the rigors of the outside world, as his bandmates erect a majestic wall of riffs to ring his discourse. Throughout Human Clay, the entire band sounds to be on a quest to explore different sonic territories, ranging from the Led Zeppelin-styled eastern modalities of the album’s first track "Are You Ready?" to the lush balladry of "Wash Away Those Years." While Stapp grants that the band's increased resources had some impact on the structure

of Human Clay - the first album was recorded for a mere $6,000 -- it's clear that Creed's evolution is far more than just a matter of dollars and cents.

For Human Clay, Creed once again turned to longtime friend and producer John Kurzweg to ensure that they captured the anthemic guitars, dramatic vocals and bold lyrics that made Creed's brawny-yet-intimate sound a radio staple for two solid years. Together with Kurzweg, the band recorded the new album in a studio they constructed in a house just outside of Tallahassee. On Human Clay, Stapp contemplates how responsibilities, choices and actions impact people. The album’s songs explore fears of growing up and letting go of youth ("Never Die") conscience ("Faceless Man") and betrayal ("Beautiful") among other topics. Creed challenges their listeners to think without preaching or pretending to have all the answers. Balancing Human Clay’s hard rock sensibilities is "With Arms Wide Open," a deeply personal song that Stapp wrote when he learned he was going to become a father. "I think my songwriting is very direct and understandable," says Stapp. "People can relate to that, so that's something I didn't want to

move away from.

At the same time, we're a little bit older and more mature now and we’ve been through a lot in the past two years, so we were looking to put things across in a way that reflected that." In many ways, Creed has been evolving gradually since the band played its first dates together four years ago. After high school, teenage acquaintances Stapp and fellow songwriter Tremonti took different routes, but both ended up in Tallahassee, where they recruited bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips to form Creed. Within a few months, they had meshed their wide-ranging influences to create the band’s rich musical texture. Creed’s reputation for dynamic, passionate live performances has led to consistently sold-out shows. During the past two years the band has played to more than two million fans worldwide, not including the huge crowd who witnessed their awesome performance at Woodstock ’99.

Creed gave fans something special to remember the festival by when they invited Robby Krieger, guitarist for The Doors, to join them during their performance on the main stage. When Stapp introduced Krieger, the crowd of approximately 200,000 erupted in cheers and shouted along to Doors favorites "Roadhouse Blues" and "Riders On The Storm." Krieger also stayed on to play slide guitar on Creed's "What's This Life For." "We were out on tour for a long time, and wherever we went, there were people telling me how much certain songs meant to them and how they felt so close to them," says Stapp. "That means more to me than any other kind of attention. It’s important to feel as if you're doing something worthwhile, and in this band, I feel like I am." It will only take a few listens to Human Clay to see that they are. DISCOGRAPHY Albums My Own Prison -- August 1997 Human Clay -- September 1999 Singles "My Own Prison" - August 1997 "Torn" - January 1998 "What’s This Life For" - May 1998 "One" - December 1998 "Hi

gher" - August 1999 Soundtracks "Bound & Tied" (from the Dead Man On Campus soundtrack) - August 1998 "I’m Eighteen" (from The Faculty soundtrack) - December 1998 - "Is this the End" (from the Scream 3 soundtrack) -January 2000

Just for the record Creed no longer has 4 band members, they don't have a bass gutair player, the members still there are: Scott Stapp(lead vocals), Mark Tremonti(gutarist), Scott Phillips(drummer)!!!!

Thanks to Robbie Kerby(golfer990@hotmail.com) for submitting the biography.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/SingerUnid/DD940E7BAE39E8E9482568B1002CEBA4

Crazy Frog

Originally known as "the Annoying Thing," the helium-voiced, bluish-gray, anatomically correct CGI lump Crazy Frog became a pop culture epidemic in Europe and especially the U.K., with ringtones, TV commercials, pop songs, and other forms of (over)exposure. Though Crazy Frog mania began its momentum in 2004, the character's creation took several years. In the late '90s, Swedish teen Daniel Malmedahl began recording his impressions of internal combustion motors; after he performed on a television show, the impressions were posted on the Internet and became a fad among file-sharers. Fellow Swede Erik Wernquist, a computer animator, heard Malmedahl's noises in 2000 and was inspired by his impression of a moped motor to create the Annoying Thing, and posted the animation on his website, where it also became a popular Net attraction. Though Wernquist initially credited the Annoying Thing's voice as "Anonymous," Malmedahl eventually contacted him and Wernquist gave credit where it was due. The Annoying Thing made its debut as a marketing tool in 2001, when it appeared in Belgian ringtone commercials. By 2004, the character -- rechristened Crazy Frog -- was licensed as a sound and video ringtone for cellular phones and was accompanied by a massive advertising push that included a deluge of TV commercials. Crazy Frog's popularity peaked in the spring and summer of 2005, when the full-length single of the "Axel F" ringtone, which was created by members of the German production team Bass Bumpers and based on Harold Faltermeyer's instrumental theme for Beverly Hills Cop, topped the U.K. singles charts for several weeks. It was so popular that it kept Coldplay's comeback single, Speed of Sound, from debuting at number one. Later that summer, the ringtone and full-length album Crazy Frog Presents Crazy Hits marked the Frog's arrival in the States. In 2006, the Crazy Frog phenomenon was still healthy in Europe, with toys and gadgets available and a potential TV series in the works; that summer, the Frog dropped another album, aptly named More Crazy Hits. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

source : http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/bio/index.jsp?pid=680801

Craig David

A hot new signing to Wildstar, Craig David is setting an exciting new standard for UK talent and the world. Imagine the results of the combined influences of a youth spent listening to Hip Hop and R'n'B while being witness to the emergence of the UK's vibrant new garage scene. At only 19 years of age multi-talented Craig is the cream of a new breed of artist emerging.

Hailing from Southampton Craig spent most of his younger days with his notebook and pen in hand, scribbling his lyrics while laying down melodies on his dictaphone. He often slipped the protective eye of his mum, venturing out to indulge in his favorite past time: music. At 14 years of age Craig was MC-ing on his local pirate station, PCRS 106.5FM as well as at the biggest clubs in his area eventually moving onto the decks himself. His set was R'n'B but he soon found himself pulled to the energy of the garage room by the heavy reggae baselines and +8 accelerated tempo's. It was here that he teamed up with Mark Hill (one half of the Artful Dodger crew) his music began to evolve.

Craig's material had already made it onto the shelves after his mother had pushed him into entering a national writing competition, which he won. Given only the music, Craig put the finishing touches to 'I'm Ready' the B-side of Damages No:3 chart hit 'Wonderful Tonight'. He had began working in the studio travelling up to London every weekend it was here that he recorded his first record, 'Human' his R'n'B infused version of the Human League hit.

However it was his new partnership with Mark Hill that spurned his first hit 'What Ya Gonna Do' which eventually became 'Rewind'. Signed by Public Demand this tune fast became an anthem on the underground and they were performing at top clubs around the country. The word was spreading and Craig's vocal and writing talents were in much demand. It wasn't long before his deal with Wildstar was signed.

While growing up, Craig's tastes were acquired from a diet of Terence Trent D'arby, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder courtesy of his mother. He now names R Kelly, Usher, Donell Jones, Faith Evans, Cannibus, Nas, Redman and Britney Spears, as respected all round artists. He has a vast record collection that would make any veteran DJ proud, however being only 19 his house is starting to get a little crowded Mark and Craig have their own successful garage show on Capital Radio that goes out between 11pm and 12pm on Saturday night. A-list at Radio 1, Capital and Kiss FM and no.2 in the national charts for eight weeks, 'Rewind' was the first of many chart entries for Craig David. However make no mistake, Craig David is most certainly an R'n'B artist first, whose influences mirror the mood of the youth of today.

'Fill Me In' the follow up to the 'Rewind' collaboration stormed the national charts, going straight in at No.1 making Craig the youngest British male solo artist to have a number one.
This was Craig's debut solo effort, providing the perfect introduction to his R'n'B material which overflows with rich textured arrangements, chord changes, contagious melodies, vocal acrobatics and lyrics that we can all relate to however old. '7 Days' is the second single from the album scheduled for released on 24th July.

Having scrapped his notebook for a laptop, Craig continues to write material for his debut album, 'Born To Do It' set for release on 14th August. His immense talent coupled with his charm and youthful enthusiasm will leave you in no doubt that we have a new voice, a new sound and the epitome of an artist for the millennium, a true poet for a new time.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Craig-David-Biography/B5F08791A7A1FCA748256A3A00267C6A

Corinne Bailey Rae

IT BECOMES SELF-EVIDENT THE MOMENT you hear her sing the very first note of her very first EP. It's called 'Like A Star', and it's a slice of sublime Billie Holiday blues delivered with a voice that pins you, in the softest but most persuasive of ways, to the wall; a voice that floats up effortlessly, full of caress, subtlety and the very purest quality. It is wonderful, this voice, and surely a discovery to treasure, but it belongs to a young woman not from somewhere musically exotic - say, Mississippi or even Manhattan - but just east of the M1: Leeds. Her name is Corinne Bailey Rae, and she was born to do this.

"I started off singing in church, I suppose, but people think it must have been a gospel church because of the whole, you know, black assumption," she says in reference to her mixed-race background. "But it wasn't gospel at all, it was just your regular brethren church, very middle-class, where we would sing these harmonies every Sunday. It was always my favourite part of the service, the singing."
A move to a down-at-heel Baptist church followed, where the choir alternated between traditional hymns and the slightly less orthodox Primal Scream wig-outs. "We changed the words though," explains Corinne. "We didn't want to offend the regular churchgoers, now did we?" Singing in this way every week led to a broadening of Corinne's tastes and when her youth leader offered to buy her an electric guitar she grabbed the opportunity, quite literally, with both hands. So began her love affair with making music, and she soon developed a healthy appetite for one of the most innovative bands that rock and roll had to offer, namely, Led Zeppelin.
"I loved that band during my teens," she says. "I wanted, somehow, to follow in their footsteps, and to create music of my own."
This she has duly done. Via a faltering indie band, an English literature degree and a determination that simply would not wane, she has now arrived fully-formed, and with a musical poise that sets her head and shoulders above pretty much anybody you could call her peer. Her forthcoming debut album is sublime, full of tiptoeing delicacy and wraparound warmth, and one that merges the spirit of the aforementioned Billie Holiday with the statuesque soul of Erykah Badu. Even a cursory listen will tell you that its creator is something rather special.
Corinne Bailey Rae was born and raised in Leeds, the oldest of three daughters to a West Indian father and a Yorkshire mother. At school, she studied classical violin to a high standard, but any ambitions to take this to a higher level were quickly scotched when the afore-mentioned Zeppelin adoration took hold. By the time she turned 15, Corinne was also obsessing over female-led, indie noiseniks like Veruca Salt and L7, and wanted to start her own band. And so she did. Its name was Helen.
Helen? "I know, I know," she says in defence. "What can I say? We were 15 years old, and thought that Helen was a cheeky, indie kind of thing to do. It seemed clever at the time." She smiles. "Admittedly, it seems less so now."
Uninspiring name notwithstanding, Helen began attracting considerable local attention. Good enough to elicit an offer of a deal from the home to all manner of guitar abusers, Roadrunner Records, all was going well until the bassist fell pregnant, and the band fragmented.
"Disappointed? I was gutted," Corinne says now. "I had no idea what to do next."
And so she went off to Leeds University where she studied English literature and spent evenings working as a modern-day hatcheck girl in a local jazz club. Every now and then she was allowed to sing with the band, and from those evenings new ideas began to form. By now, Corinne was writing songs that she wanted to perform solo, and was moving away from all things indie into more soulful territory. By the time EMI signed her in the spring of last year, she had 10 years of experience tucked neatly under her belt, knew exactly what she wanted and just how to get it.
"I am a fan of jazz, but not the muso kind," she says. "I hate all the noodling, which is why I love classic songs: because they are so pure and succinct. That's what I tried to do with my own songs. They are short and sweet, to the point. I like the idea of leaving people wanting more, not less, you know?"
And so, inspired as much by Bj?and Massive Attack as, say, Jill Scott, she went into the studio and came up with her debut album. It is in Corinne's own words, "a little bit of everything: it's chilled out, acoustic, kooky, atmospheric and soulful. I'd also be tempted to say it comes from a very organic place, but that would sound pretentious, so I won't."
And if she writes about the staple of all great soul songs - love - then she does so with less emphasis on its pink fluffiness than its unwritten complexities and multiple challenges. "I'm interested in the things that no one ever tells you about in relationships, about how love works in terms of expectation versus reality."
Because of this, songs like 'Till It Happens To You', 'Like A Star' and 'Choux Pastry Heart' are unusually intimate, each sparkling with a storytelling honestly that her peers can only dream of.
"The response so far has been amazing," she says, "and that has been very satisfying, because all this feels so right to me. Writing songs - playing music - is, I know, precisely what I should be doing with my life."
Her name is Corinne Bailey Rae. She is 26 years old, talented and, by the by, very cute as well. She also has a firm handshake, and that's always a good sign, isn't it?
'Like A Star' is released on November 7th on EMI Records / Good Groove.
Corinne Bailey Rae's debut album will be released in early 2006.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Corinne-Bailey-Rae-Biography/025A1F2766B893B74825710E0008AA7F

Coldplay

Just months after Coldplay released their #1 debut album, Parachutes, in England, they were hailed as Band of the Year 2000 in the music press. How did these four college friends become the poster children for a nation's emotions? It may have happened at the speed of light, but it wasn't as easy as it seems.

Coldplay secured a permanent position in Britain's music elite by writing beautiful, simple songs that gently pulled at the heartstrings of a nation. Somewhere in between the confident, vulnerable guitar playing of Jonny Buckland, the melodic bassline of Guy Berryman, thoughtful drumming of Will Champion, and lead Chris Martin's stark, tenor vocals are answers for the soul. Although melancholy stands behind every Coldplay song, each one is also steeped in an unusual and sincere optimism rarely found in English bands. Songs face an inevitable sadness and yearning - a little thing called being real - to get to a better place where the truth held firm in pure emotion is pivotal. Songs like the remorseful "Trouble," with its memorable piano-line, the lonely "Spies" and mega-hit single "Yellow" reveal a hybrid of lyrics that can only be described as joy and remorse, all wrapped into one. "We just want the songs to reflect reality," says Chris.
In doing so, Coldplay may well be the most profound British act to emerge out of the millennium thus far. No one is more surprised by their popularity than the band. Who knew such an austere and tactile musical existence would lead to such greatness? Yet it has.
It all began when the members of Coldplay met in 1996 - their first week of college (University College London). Two and a half years later, they had their first official band session - a rehearsal in Jonny's bedroom in January of 1998. Jonny and Chris had been working on songs since they met, but the other two members hadn't really been around much until Guy joined the band to play bass just before dropping out of engineering school. The other two stuck with their studies, while also pursuing music.
Will, also still in school, loved playing guitar but was persuaded to become Coldplay's drummer so the band could play their first gig (at a Cuban Caf?at a festival for unsigned bands called "In The City" in Manchester) in late 1998. They had just six songs written including "Don't Panic" and "High Speed" - now found on Parachutes. They soon released 500 copies of an EP called Safety (financed by their now manager, Phil) and released the single "Brothers And Sisters" on a small English label called Fierce Panda, after which the UK label Parlophone signed them in 1999 just before final exam time. As they say, the rest is history, or in the stars, or whatever. In any case, another EP on Parlophone, The Blue Room, followed, as did the single "Shiver."
Before the band, lead singer/guitarist/pianist Chris Martin grew up in a close family from Devon, England. In fact, he still lives at home as the eldest of five kids raised by a teacher mum and accountant dad, where he started bashing out tunes on the family piano at an early age. Typical of the first-born, he is an over-achiever and self-proclaimed worrier. Although anything to do with "injustice" will rile him up, no one can accuse him of being the typical tortured and drunken English musician since he rarely drinks, never smokes and admits life can be pretty damn good. He's a shy product of boarding school where he soon graduated to the guitar and has been in bands since the age of 15. He considers the big three in music to be: Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Waits. Oh, and the Flaming Lips aren't bad either.
Lead guitarist Jonny Buckland doesn't think he's a very good guitar player, but the rest of the world begs to differ. He was born 22 odd years ago in London, then his family relocated to Mold, North Wales when he was just four. Jonny first picked up a guitar at the tender age of 11, encouraged by his older brother who was a huge My Bloody Valentine fan. Both boys grew up in a house filled with Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix from their dad's record collection. Yet it wasn't until Jonny discovered The Stone Roses that he started taking the guitar seriously. People describe him as shy and nonchalant, but he argues he's just happy to be quiet.
Bassist Guy Berryman was born in Scotland, although his family later moved to Kent, England where he started to collect rare groove and funk records when all the other kids were into indie rock. He started playing bass at age 13 and is still inspired by a love of those early records. Words like "calm," "reliable" and "enthusiastic" are used to describe drummer Will Champion. He was born in Southampton, England to teacher parents who encouraged him to spend his formative years learning to play a variety of instruments including guitar, bass, piano and the tin whistle. He had never played drums before joining Coldplay but was so musically inclined that he quickly caught on. "He's very quiet and very wise," says Chris about Will. "As a musician, he's got the most amazing sense of melody. He can play just about anything ... and he can do little impressions. He's good at entertaining people."
When the band went into the studio early last year with co-producer and engineer Ken Nelson to record Parachutes, they agreed that nothing would go on the album that they all four didn't agreed on. This led to a fierce and gut wrenching recording session that the guys thought might be their last. Songs ended up veering from fragile to forceful, from understated to epic, all-the-while carried by Chris' gorgeous vocal range and endearingly bashful lyrics. On a bittersweet morning in May, the album was finished.
No one predicted that just a short time later, Parachutes would debut at #1 and continue to hover in the Top Ten Charts for the remainder of the year. The band was also nominated for an esteemed Mercury Music Prize, received the Q Award for Best Album, signed to an American label (Nettwerk America/Capitol) and were exhausted by year's end from endless promotional duties and touring. Having been tirelessly in the spotlight for months now, the members of Coldplay are reticent to talk about themselves - subscribing to the school of thought that "those who say less tend to be wiser." Yet what they have to say can be heard in the music, which speaks louder than any words spoken ever will.
Chris admits that the last track on the album, "Everything's Not Lost," is the message of Coldplay's entire work up until now. The song says that when things happen to you in life, your first inclination is to think everything's terrible, what's the point? Then you realize the point is simply that - that it's not that bad and you have to keep going. Finally, you come to realize that life is good. Look for Coldplay to embark on their first-ever American tour in the beginning of 2001.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Coldplay-Biography/E15B7A4742D6A00348256A08000DDBC9

Coco Lee

Born in Hong Kong and having immigrated to the US at the tender age of 10, CoCo Lee had no idea she would become an international singing superstar. After winning second place in a singing contest (equilavent to Star Search) in Hong Kong, her life would be forever changed.

Today, CoCo is the first Asian singer to actually break into the Pop (mainstream music) market of the USA. A spectacular feat within itself for any singer. Her American debut album "Just No Other Way" (pictured at the left), under the Sony Music label, features the work of some already successful music wonders such as Kelly Price and Walter A. (who just so happens to be one of the music producers for some of the biggest names in the business like Mariah Carey and Kenny G).
The album contains a nice blend of commercialized tunes. "Do You Want My Love" is her first single and it's a catchy, faster paced song with a sexy video to match. The slower ballad "Before I Fall In Love," is the theme song to the 1999 Hollywood hit, Runaway Bride.
CoCo Lee Sings Her Way Back Into America
CoCo is no stranger to the music business. Having already recorded 14 albums in Chinese, she has close to 9 million sales under her belt. Not only do mass sales account for this young diva's overseas success, but she introduced a style that was new to Asian music. She brought a taste of R&B into her Chinese songs. This "new style" of music caught on quickly and listeners started buying. Her huge success also attracted the attention of megastar, Julio Iglesias, which
Even with all of these accomplishments, she is still considered a neophyte to the audience of America. "Who is CoCo Lee?" In response to this, Sony had started promotion in 2000 by placing CoCo in such popular TV shows as ABC's The View and The Queen Latifah Show as well as Access Hollywood. (Check out the video clips!) She was also featured on many magazines from A. Magazine to Mademoiselle to Forbes. Click2Asia lended a "helping hand" by placing a billboard of CoCo in the middle of Times Square! (above)
The effort paid off as Just No Other Way surpassed one million sales worldwide in 2000! In addition, CoCo sang with popstar Ricky Martin on his "Livin' La Vida Loca" tour in Asia. The two sang "Private Emotion" in concert together that sparked joy in CoCo and Ricky fans, alike.
led to a recorded duet between the two. The song "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" is featured on Iglesias' album My Life.
In 2001, the extremely successful Ang Lee film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, gave CoCo Lee the chance to really expose her singing talent to a mass audience in the US. Along with famed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, CoCo is the only featured vocal singer on the film's soundtrack (much like Celine Dion and the Titanic). The song "A Love Before Time" was nominated for "Best Original Song" by the 73rd Academy Awards.
CoCo Lee is now heard to be planning her second American

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Coco-Lee-Biography/94D7481EFF674BDC48256C6E002A400C

Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken(Clayton Holmes Aiken, November 30, 1978)Bachelor's Degree in Special Education, UNC Charlotte

Who can explain why a singer becomes a pop star? Sure, talent and ambition contribute to the rise of many singing sensations, but skill and drive alone do not guarantee a berth at the top of the charts. Ultimately, it is an almost inexplicable reaction between a singer and his or her audience that creates a superstar career, sparking the kind of fanatic devotion that propels a performer into the pop stratosphere.
Such was the explosive reaction when Clay Aiken burst onto the music scene. An unlikely pop star, Aiken has remained steadfast in his desire to remain true to the simple values he learned as a child in Raleigh, North Carolina. “I still live in the town where I grew up,” he says. “I like surrounding myself with people I know and love.” It is this authenticity that his millions of fans have responded to, an almost supernatural earnestness that feels unconventional in the cynical world of today.
No slave to fickle trends or fashion fads, the singer has once again listened to his heart and has come up with an album that extols the value of love in all of its myriad forms. The singer’s third CD, A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS, offers fans 10 cover versions of love songs spanning the last three decades, as well as four brand-new songs that are destined to become Aiken classics in their own right.“This album is very different than my first, MEASURE OF A MAN, in that I had a lot more say in how I wanted things to be,” says the singer. “For the first album, they just gave us the songs, and I sang them. This time, Clive Davis, Jaymes Foster [the album’s executive producer] and I came up with the songs together. I also felt more confident in the studio while we were recording. Before, it was all just a bunch of knobs and controls. Now, I’m comfortable offering my opinion on how the arrangements and mixes should sound.”
Though his fans have come to expect him to knock each song into the heavens with his transcendently powerful voice—which he does here quite masterfully, particularly on Harry Nillson’s “Without You,” the Bad English hit “When I See You Smile” (written by Diane Warren), and the Foreigner classic “I Want to Know What Love Is”—the new album also shows off a more mature Aiken, one who is able to add beautiful vocal nuances to such unexpected choices as Bryan Adams’s “Everything I Do (I Do It For You),” Paul Young’s “Everytime You Go Away” (written by Daryl Hall), and Dolly Parton’s “Here You Come Again” (written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil).
“Fans like to hear big songs,” says Aiken, “That’s what people have come to expect from us. I like big songs as well, but on this album, we also wanted to choose songs that expressed different parts of my voice.”
To be sure, Parton’s peppy” Here You Come Again,” done on A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS as a ballad, shows off a softer, more vulnerable Aiken. “I have always liked that song,” he says, “but I had never sung it before.” Foster promised to come up with an arrangement that would suit Aiken’s voice—and she did. “It’s truly my favorite song on the album,” says the singer.
With classics like Celine Dion’s “Because You Love Me,” Elton John’s “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word,” and Richard Marx’s “Right Here Waiting” also rounding out the list of covers, one has to wonder if Aiken felt at all intimidated by competing with the original versions.
“’I did feel a bit anxious about 'Because You Loved Me,'" the singer offers, "not only because of Celine, but also because the original was produced by David Foster, one of the greatest producers of all time.David has heard our version, and so has Diane Warren, who wrote the song. They both approve of what we’ve done, and that makes me happy.” (Aiken’s version of “Because You Loved Me” was produced by Eman. Other producers on the album include John Fields, Andreas Carlsson & Samuel Waermo, Adam Anders, and Russ Irwin & Charles Pettus.)


If any song made Aiken nervous, it was Adams’s “Everything I Do (I Do It For You).” “That gravelly voice is so well-known,” says Aiken about Adams’s iconic rasp, “I didn’t know if I could do the song justice.” With a lovely, restrained vocal—and an arrangement with a lilting Celtic feel—Aiken’s version is an undeniable highpoint of the new disc; it’s one of the most romantic songs the singer has ever sung.
The new songs also give Aiken the opportunity to show off his emotional growth, with each track highlighting a different facet of his personality. “Everything I Have” (written by Jeremy Bose) brings to mind the poignancy of an Art Garfunkel performance. The song’s subtle piano and string arrangement allows Aiken’s naked voice to express the delicious ache of love. “Every woman I have played that for absolutely loves it,” says the singer. “I have people telling me they want to play it at their wedding.” “A Thousand Days” (written by Christian Leuzzi, Aldo Nova & Emanual Olsson) and “These Open Arms” (written by Jon Bon Jovi & Desmond Childs) are both classic Aiken, with big dramatic vocals and rousing, take-no-prisoners choruses. The fourth new track “Lonely No More” has a lighter, more playful pop sensibility—and the song also represents Aiken’s first songwriting credit (along with writers Andreas Carlson, Samuel Waermo, and Mimmi Waermo.)
Perhaps the most astonishing artistic departure for Aiken was the decision to cover the Mr. Mister hit “Broken Wings” as an “ethereal, New Age-like track.” With an otherworldly spoken word vocal by poet Erin Taylor, the song is a spectacular tour-de-force. “We didn’t know if it would work. We took a chance, and I’m so happy with how it came out.”
Covering such a varied emotional spectrum, but always staying true to the essence of who Clay Aiken is, A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS is bound to please the millions of fans who loved 2003’s MEASURE OF MAN (triple platinum and counting) and 2004’s platinum MERRY CHRISTMAS WITH LOVE, the best-selling holiday album of that year. (2004 also saw the release of his inspirational biography, LEARNING TO SING: HEARING THE MUSIC IN YOUR LIFE, which reached #2 on The New York Times Bestsellers List.)
While the accolades that followed his stunningly close second-place finish on the second season of American Idol have validated him in ways that he never could have dreamed of when he was a teacher working with autistic children back in his home state of North Carolina, it is the charitable work that his musical career has enabled him to do that means more to him than anything else these days.
The singer created the Bubel/Aiken Foundation in 2003, an organization that promotes and funds educational and recreational programs for children with special needs. “I worked with Mike Bubel, who has autism, when I was going to school at UNCC,” says Aiken. “His mother was very instrumental in encouraging me to get into this business.” The Foundation remains close to the singer’s heart at all times. “My music career has allowed me to do the same thing I was doing before—work with kids with disabilities,” he says. “It has given me a big stage to talk about the same things I always cared about. I don’t get to be as hands-on with the kids anymore, but I do get to work toward enacting change on a much larger scale.”
Also important to Aiken’s life as a humanitarian is his work as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. Since 2005, the singer has been passionately committed to supporting the organization’s education programs. Not only has Aiken testified before Congress urging the government to allocate more funds for UNICEF’s global work for children, he has also traveled to Indonesia and Uganda to see the devastating conditions affecting millions of the world’s children first-hand—disease, malnutrition, kidnapping, and war, chief among them. “You just cannot believe how some of these kids are forced to live,” says Aiken. “It’s truly heartbreaking, yet many people don’t even know these conditions exist. I am hoping to shed light on some of these problems and so that more resources can be allocated to help make things better.”
Aiken meant for the title A THOUSAND DIFFERENT WAYS to express the many different kinds of love in the world. Surely, his charitable work expresses a deep and abiding love for his fellow man, particularly the littlest ones among us. Where did such a driving need to help others come from, one can’t help but ask? Typical for Aiken, his answer is devoid of any egotism. “Where did the desire to help come from? The need for help!” he answers matter-of-factly. “You know, my mother has always been someone who urged me to help people in need. Maybe that’s it. I don’t think it’s something you can learn. It’s just something y

Ciara

Take the best songwriters and the best singers, add the most exciting performers and the best all around personalities, throw in the hottest looks and the sexiest smiles --- mix them all together and the finished product would probably look and sound a lot like Ciara.

The 18-year-old beauty from Atlanta is the latest multi-talented scene-stealer to nudge her way to center stage with attention-grabbing vocals, irresistible songwriting and killer dance moves.

The Austin, Texas native – a ‘military brat’ has lived in Germany, New York, California, Arizona and Nevada – moved to Atlanta as a child and, since that time, has found herself in the mix with some of the city’s biggest and brightest producers, among them Jazze Pha -- who signed Ciara to his Sho’ Nuff label after working with her for a mere five days -- and his royal crunkness Lil’ Jon, who produced the singer’s lead single, the “Crunk & B” cautionary wrist-slapper “Goodies.”

Dubbed as the First Lady of “Crunk & B”, Ciara is only the second artist (the first was Usher with his hit single “Yeah”) to release a Crunk & B song. Says Lil’ Jon of the newly-formed genre, “Crunk & B songs are R&B songs that get you crunk. They make you wanna wild out. [‘Goodies’] is a female empowerment record. The female has the power. The female is in control on this song. This is one of those records for the ladies.”

“I’m so happy I wrote ‘Goodies’,” Ciara enthuses. “I pray everybody gets it the way they’re supposed to.” In the hook, Ciara warns, “If you’re looking for the goodies keep on looking ‘cause they stay in the jar.” “I think we all run across this problem,” she explains. “A guy thinks you’re gonna be with him because he’s got the iced out chain, he’s popular and all that. But that ain’t it. That ain’t gonna make me give you my number and that’s definitely not gonna make me go home with you. It’s the truth.”

Jon says he was impressed by Ciara’s approach to the song, which she co-wrote with “Yeah” songwriter Sean Garrett. “She did an excellent job on it,” says Jon. “With this record, it’s the way she rides over the track, the way she freaks the beat and the stuff that she says to connect her with other women. She’s saying stuff that women can relate to. Guys are always trying to get some from a girl and she’s like you can’t have it. That’s what makes her stand out and this is one of those records with that undeniable energy where as soon as the beat comes on it catches you and makes you move. You can’t sit still when that song comes on. Crunk music, you can’t fake because it’s all about the energy. It’s gotta be real.”

And Ciara is as real as they come. Her self-titled Sho’ Nuff/LaFace/Zomba Label Group debut is a heaping dose of real life issues conveyed through everyday language and extraordinary production and vocal delivery. The album is a complete work of art and a masterful mixture of messages for the young and not so young.

On “Thugstyle,” a song she wrote with songwriter Johnta Austin (Toni Braxton, Aaliyah) Ciara displays her true ‘round the way girl’ nature. “It’s kinda how a guy would talk to a female, always spittin’ game,” she explains. “To me, it’s a little slick. It’s just a fun record. Everyone loves to sing along with it.”

“Looking at You” and “Pick up the Phone” with their groove-heavy tracks and sassy vocals, are signature Ciara, who says the latter, written and produced by Austin and Jazze Pha, talks about something that “everybody goes through.” “I love this record because it’s so real. I say, ‘You know it would be nice if you could call somebody and let somebody know that you’re alright….I know you see me on the caller I.D. so pick up the p-h-o-n-e.’”

The slow and sweet “And I,” which Ciara did with producer Adonis, is about “loving someone for who they are and not what they have.” And “Ooh Baby,” written by Sean Garrett and Keri Hilson (Reuben Studdard, 3LW) is about good old-fashioned infatuation. “I’m just really into this guy,” Ciara explains, in character. “I consider myself a ‘round-the-way girl, down to earth and basically the kind of guy I like is like this guy who pulls up in the F-150 pickup with the crazy banging system. He’s a ‘round-the-way dude, kinda ‘hood. But I’m like really into him.”

With its easy-to-relate-to subject matter, the album is listener-friendly and accessible to anyone who knows even the slightest bit about ‘keeping it real.’ “The songs are very catchy,” says Ciara. “They’re for all demographics, all age ranges….They’re not as personal as I want to be. I’d rather be more personal on the second album, once I grow a little more.”

Considering the short time that she’s been in the music business – about three years – Ciara has grown plenty. She admits that she’s a bit more mature than the average teenager. “Throughout life I’ve experienced a lot more than the typical 18 year old has. And being in this industry makes you develop more quickly than a typical child would. You mature faster.” But much of Ciara’s growth and maturity come from her determination to pursue her dreams. “I remember watching Destiny’s Child perform on TV one day. That’s when I made up my mind: ‘Hey I wanna do this.’ I watched my peers around me and they were worried about who’s wearing what, going to school, trying to talk to somebody and I was like ‘I’m trying to be somebody. What can I do to get there as soon as possible?’”

Ciara set her sights on her dream and went after it. “I wrote down on paper that I had a goal to be a professional singer and I wanna be there soon….I had to sacrifice a lotta things and I think that was the key thing to get me there. I cut out going to the movies, I cut out hanging with my friends, I actually told some of my friends ‘This month we’re not gonna hang out or talk on the phone.’ I don’t have too many friends anyway – less is better for me. I cut out the boyfriend – actually I had my heart broken so I was really like, ‘I’m ‘bout to do this. I’m ‘bout to be on top.’”

From there, things moved swiftly: She joined a girl group, left the group to go solo, nabbed a publishing deal and eventually hooked up with Jazze Pha, whom she refers to as her “music soul mate.” “God really put him in my life for a reason,” she says. “Our vibe is incredible.”

And now Ciara is ready to share her vibe with the rest of the world, but “It’s not just about penning clever lyrics and singing and dancing to a banging track,” she says. “My goal is to deliver a positive message and let people know they’re not the only one going through things….I’ve been blessed to be able to counsel my peers. I’m here to deliver a message and I think the impression that you make is very important. I don’t wanna write records just to write. I wanna have a message to everything that I write. That gives you longevity.”


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Ciara-Biography/B6925AFFEA13C00748256F240010184F

Christina Aguilera

In the two years from the day that she burst onto the world musical landscape, Christina Aguilera has scored four #1 smash hit singles, watched sales of her chart-topping RCA debut album surpass the 12 million mark worldwide (23 million CDs and singles total sold to date), headlined the Super Bowl Half-Time Show, performed for the President, and to top it all off, took home two Grammys including one for Best New Artist, headlined a mammoth 2000 international tour, released a Spanish language album, and a holiday album of seasonal favorites. Christina Aguilera continues to provide evidence that she is the premier musical voice of her generation.

Christina first began performing at age six in school talent shows and became known as the 'little girl with a big voice.' At age eight, she appeared on the nationally syndicated 'Star Search,' using her runner-up winnings to buy a portable sound system so she could sing in the park. By the time she was 10, Christina was singing the National Anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins. And then, at twelve, she joined the ensemble cast of 'The New Mickey Mouse Club,' appearing on the Orlando-based show along with future stars Britney Spears, J.C. and Justin of 'N Sync, and Keri Russell of 'Felicity.' After two years, the show ended and Christina got the opportunity to travel overseas to further hone her musical skills. In 1997, Christina performed in places as far flung as Tokyo, Japan (where she released a single with Keizo Nakanishi called 'All I Wanna Do') and Brasov, Romania, but always with her eye on the same goal. 'I always wanted to have my own album recorded and released before I graduated high sc


hool,' says Christina. She certainly took quick strides toward that goal.

In early 1998, after finishing some demos and shopping for a record deal, Christina auditioned to sing 'Reflection' for Disney's animated film 'Mulan.' The filmmakers needed someone 'who could hit a high E above middle C,' according to Christina, who then cut a one-take demo in her living room singing to a karaoke tape of Whitney Houston's 'I Wanna Run To You.' The demo was rushed to Disney, and within a day, Christina was in a Los Angeles studio recording 'Reflection.' That same week, RCA Records signed her to a record contract. 'Mulan' premiered in June 1998, and 'Reflection' turned into a Top 15 A/C single, with Christina performing it live on 'CBS This Morning' and the 'Donnie & Marie Show.' 'Working on the 'Mulan' project was so unbelievable,' Christina said in June 1998. 'I seriously thought I wouldn't get the job because the song was so difficult. It's so cool to hear your voice in a theater.' The single went on to garner a Golden Globe Nomination for Best Original Song in a Motion Picture and Christin


a the attention of some of the best writers and producers in the industry.

On her self-titled debut album for RCA, those writers and producers helped Christina showcase her special talents. 'I was thrilled to work with so many great writers and producers on my album," says Christina. 'What A Girl Wants' was produced by Guy Roche (Brandy, Cher, Dru Hill, Aaliyah, K-Ci & Jo Jo), 'Genie In A Bottle' was produced by ex-System member David Frank and Steve Kipner, and 'Blessed' was penned and produced by Travon Potts (co-writer of Monica's chart topping 'Angel of Mine'). Meanwhile, Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers ('N Sync, Boyzone, Brand New Heavies) contributed a pair of tracks, the soul-flavored 'Love For All Seasons' and the rousing 'Love Will Find A Way.' Christina is particularly proud of the album's ballads, such as the Matthew Wilder-produced 'Reflection,' and 'Obvious' written by newcomer Heather Holly, and of course, master tunesmith Diane Warren's smash 'I Turn To You.'

Christina Aguilera's breakthrough year in '99 began with her first #1 single 'Genie In A Bottle,' which stayed atop the charts for five consecutive weeks and rocketed the album to #1 upon its release in August 1999. The follow-up single 'What A Girl Wants' reached the coveted first Billboard Hot 100 #1 slot of 2000 (the first #1 hit of the new millenium) and helped to push the album into platinum territory many times over ('Come On Over Baby' became the third #1 from the album later in 2000).

Among other honors, along with stars like Jodie Foster and Aretha Franklin, Christina was named one of the most fascinating women of 1999 on the 'Ladies Home Journal' CBS-TV special earlier this year. Christina also won 1999's Best New Artist at this year's ALMA Awards, the annual event honoring the best in entertainment from the Hispanic-American community. She graced the covers of many national magazines, including Entertainment Weekly, Teen People and Latina and performed as a musical guest on 'Saturday Night Live,' 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,' 'The Rosie O'Donnell Show,' and was the only female guest performer on VHI's 'Men Strike Back.' She also performed on other TV specials such as 'The Essence Awards,' 'Disney Summer Jams,' and 'People Magazines's 25 Hottest Stars Under 25.'

Other highlights for Christina over 1999 included a duet with blues legend BB King and a solo performance of 'The Christmas Song' for President Clinton on TNT's 'Christmas at the White House' TV special. This led to the President asking Christina to sing the first song on his televised Millenium special from Washington. Christina had to decline due to a prior commitment to perform from Times Square in New York on MTV's New Year's Eve broadcast.Christina's amazing new year of 2000 began with a great duet performance with Enrique Iglesias at the Super Bowl Half Time Show which also featured Phil Collins and Toni Braxton.

What made all her commercial success so much sweeter, were Christina's two Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal performance. In February 2000, Christina's incredible ride to the top reached new heights as Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge and Sara McLaughlan announced that the Grammy for Best New Artist goes to - Christina Aguilera! 'It was an incredible shock for me,' Christina recalls of that amazing night. 'I was completely unprepared. My album had been out the least amount of time compared to everyone else, so I thought there was no way I'd win. But I was overwhelmed, shocked and overjoyed all at the same time.'

As for her national summer 2000 tour, co-sponsored by Sears and Levi's, Christina was equally enthusiastic. 'It was exciting to take my full band and my dancers out on the road,' she says, 'and giving the show an edgy, theatrical vibe. I was in on all the creative aspects of planning the show, of covering new ground, doing more blues, soul, and some spectacular choreography.'

Christina recorded a Spanish language album 'Mi Reflejo' released in fall 2000 and a seasonal album ready in time for the holidays. Said Christina, 'I've always been proud of my Ecuadoran heritage. Recording a Spanish album and working with a great producer like Rudy Perez, gave me a chance to explore my Latin side.' As for the Christmas album, Christina was excited about performing with a 70-piece orchestra and the opportunity to record both new and traditional holiday tracks. 'I did a duet with Dr. John on 'Merry Christmas Baby,' she notes, 'and several new pop Christmas songs with a real R&B edge.'

In March 2001, Christina collaborated with Ricky Martin on 'Nobody Wants To Be Lonely' that peaked at number 11 on Billboard charts, and became a worldwide international hit.

Christina also proved that she can work with other divas, as she did in the remake of 'Lady Marmalade,' from the 'Moulin Rouge' soundtrack which spent five weeks at #1. Teamed with Pink, Mya and Lil' Kim, their video took home the 2001 MTV Video Award for 'Best Video of the Year' (among many awards the record received). She also appeared on the All-Star Tribute remake of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On?,' with a star-studded cast including Bono and Nelly Furtado. She capped off an amazing 2001 by winning her second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Album for 'Mi Reflejo.'

Billboard Magazine recently wrote about her great prospects for a long future:

'Christina Aguilera's much anticipated sophomore album is likely to be a hit with the critics and crowds alike. Boasting an edgier sound and self-written lyrics, this CD should end comparisons between Aguilera and bubblegum queen Britney Spears.

It's been two years since the release of Aguilera's self-titled debut disc - which was home to #1 hits like 'Genie In A Bottle,' 'What A Girl Wants' and 'Come On Over Baby.' This former Mousketeer has risen to a Grammy-winning, multi-platinum pop powerhouse.

In the time since her entrance into the music world, Aguilera has proven successful in both the English and Latin fields. Aguilera has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry including BB King, Brian McKnight, Sting, Ricky Martin and most recently Pink, Mya and Lil Kim on their #1 smash 'Lady Marmalade.' Not bad for a 20-year old.

The outlook is very good for her newest record. She has expanded her horizons musically and gained new and excited fans. There's nowhere for this young and talented beauty to go except up.'

With fans ranging beyond the teen market, Christina has shown that this 'Genie in a Bottle' has been released - and is soaring.

'This (new) record is extremely personal,' Christina recently told Time magazine. 'It's so personal that I feel like people from my past will say 'Oh my God, she's singing this to me.' I have a lot of things to say and a lot of things to let out of me. I feel like I was very confined in that first record to be very pop-driven. I want to be a poet and have a chance to explore that and let people know what's really on my mind.'

Over all, Christina Aguilera is as overwhelmed as she is thrilled by her enormous success, but she remains reflective and grateful. 'It's been quite a roller-coaster ride,' she laughs, 'But I think I've grown and learned a lot about myself. In this business, it's often all about hype, record sales, and a crazy schedule of traveling, performances, and it can be easy to get lost in all that. But for me, the greatest thing is being able to interact with fans and touch peoples' lives. I know that's a greater accomplishment than selling records. For that I give thanks. I simply love the job I'm doing.'

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Christina-Aguilera-Biography/30A2CB1B87B22F2B482568660008B07E

Christian Wunderlich

1995 - 1999 Christian as Frank Levinsky in the German ARD Soap Opera "Verbotene Liebe". He also stood in front of the camera for the RTL-production "Felix,ein Freund f?r´s Leben" and the ARD series "SOKO".

1998 Shortfilm "3 Tage tot'. He played a kidnapped young man aho is kept hostage in a hole in the woods (based on a true story).

Spring 1999 Christian leaves "Verbotene Liebe".

July and August 1999 Christian played in the RTL Movie "Der Kuß meiner Schwester', which was on screen in 2000. Alexandra Schalaudek was not just Christians partner in "Verbotene Liebe" but she also played a role in the movie as well as in Christians video "So in love".

August 1999 Christian was working in Cologne where he played the leading part in the ZDF series "Nesthocker".

May 2000 Christian spend most of his time in the recording studio- working on his album "reflections". The album appeared in December 2000.

Spring 2001 Christian is promoting his new album in Germany- Currently he is preparing his Asian tour as the support act of the group "Westlife" which will involve gigs in around 7 countries. Christian will perform and promote a especially compiled album for the Asian market. It will be a mixture of his first and second albums which were released in Europe.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Christian-Wunderlich-Biography/6CB54640F6972AD248256B510028AC4E

Christian Bautista

Christian Bautista is a Filipino singer, actor and Bench model. He was a finalist of the Philippine reality show Star in a Million shown on ABS-CBN.

Christian Bautista, Asia’s Pop Idol
Christian Bautista is a multi-awarded recording artist and singing sensation in the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

First thrust in the spotlight as ABS-CBN’s Star In A Million’s most popular non-winner, his future was sealed soon after with a recording contract with hit-making label Warner Music Philippines


The partnership produced the phenomenal hit “The Way You Look At Me,” and life was never the same again for the 25-year old Landscape Architecture graduate from the University of the Philippines. Christian’s self-titled album, which carried his first hit song reached Multi-Platinum status in the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Christian’s international success began with “The Way You Look at Me,” getting frequent airplay in Indonesian radio stations. The song became an instant hit among the country’s young music lovers, even if they had yet to see the artist behind the ballad.

The song, penned by American composers Andrew Fromm and Keith Follese, became so popular that record label Warner Indonesia decided to bring Christian there to the great delight of the fans whose support for the Filipino singer has been steadily growing and even spreading to neighboring countries.

“Completely,” Christian Bautista’s much awaited second album, received a Platinum Record Award on its first week of release in the Philippines. The album spawned hit songs “Everything You Do,” “Invincible,” and “She Could Be.” The album has also reached Platinum status in Indonesia.

A special edition of the album “Completely,” which combines Christian’s English songs from his debut and second albums, was recently launched in Singapore. His signature monster-hit single “The Way You Look Me” also hit the no. 1 spot in popular radio stations in the Lion City.

In the first quarter of 2006, Indonesia’s largest TV station, RCTI, aired “Completely: Christian Bautista,” the young balladeer’s first-ever Indonesian TV special. Christian performed with the biggest names in the Indonesian music scene—the famous 40-piece Magenta Orchestra, the young musical genius Andi Rianto, and the country’s two female divas, Krisdayanti and Titi DJ.

Banking on his massive following among young fans in Indonesia, Christian has been tapped by San Miguel Corporation to endorse its new line of soft beverage products in the Asian region, starting with Indonesia. Christian also endorses a new mobile content provider based in Jakarta called Star SMS, and soon for Oishi food products in the Philippines, and Indonesia.

Locally, he has been the face for Bench clothing and body spray, St. Augustine School of Nursing, Smart telecommunications, Trumpets Musicademy, Bed Head products, Skechers, and Swatch watches.

Christian debuts as an actor on the big screen in Regal Entertainment’s 2006 Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Mano Po 5: Gua Ai Di.” In this film directed by Joel Lamangan and written by Abi Lam-Parayno, Dode Cruz and Andrew Paredes, Christian plays Timothy a.k.a. Felix Yan, an Asian pop star, providing support to the bankable love team of Angel Locsin and Richard Gutierrez. His ditty from his second album, “My Heart Has A Mind of Its Own,” is used as the film’s theme song.

More recently, Christian released his third major album “Just A Love Song…Christian Bautista Live! ” also under the Warner Music Philippines label. The album currently occupies higher echelon in retail charts nationwide.

He launched a 4-city tour in Indonesia on Jan. 26-Feb. 2, 2007. The tour included visits in Jakarta, Makasarp, Surabaya, and Bandung.

Apart from appearing in various live concerts all over Asia, the Middle East, and the US, Christian is a regular performer on ABS-CBN’s Sunday noontime show, “ASAP,” as part of the “Champions” group. He is managed by STAGES in the Philippines: (632) 818-1111 loc. 225, stages_pr@i-manila.com.ph.


Personal life
Christian Bautista studied at the University of the Philippines in Diliman and took up Landscape Architecture, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the aforementioned course. He was also a Table Tennis varsity player during college before focusing on singing and going into showbiz.

Christian Bautista admitted on an entertainment show called 'The Buzz' that he is currently dating fellow musician Rachelle Ann Go. He courted her for about two years and finally made their relationship public in 2006.

source : http://www.artistopia.com/christian-bautista/biography

Chris Cornell

Chris Cornell was born Christopher John Boyle in Seattle, Washington on July 20th 1964. Chris is the second youngest of Karen and Ed Boyle's 6 children. His father was a pharmacist and his mother worked as an accountant. His parents divorced when Chris was in his early teens. After his parents marriage ended, Chris and his siblings changed their surnames from Boyle to his mother's maiden name, Cornell. Chris rebelled against his Irish Catholic upbringing and was on the verge of being expelled from the parochial school he attended when his mother pulled him out. As an adolescent, he experimented with drugs and stealing. Among the things he stole were a collection of Beatles records from his neighbour's basement which sparked an interest in songwriting. Though his parents had given him piano lessons from early on, Chris said his mother saved his life when she bought him a snare drum. A week later he bought himself an entire drum kit and thus began his forage into rock n roll.

Cornell dropped out of school at the age of 15 for two reasons: one was because he had problems with authority, the other was that he wanted to work to help his mother support the family. He waited tables and later on became a cook. He honed his skills as a songwriter and musician by playing in bands on the side. He experienced his first bouts of depression during his teens. His condition became so severe he didn't leave his home for almost a year. Fortunately, he was able to check his use of recreational drugs. He later earned his GED.

He formed Soundgaren with Hiro Yamamoto, Kim Thayil and Matt Cameron in the mid-eighties. Yamamoto left the band was replaced by Ben Shepherd. Soundgarden were the first of the Seattle grunge bands to get signed by a major label during the late 80s and would eventually go on to become on of the most successful bands of the 1990s. He also enjoyed success with several side projects, among them Temple Of The Dog with Eddie Vedder. He married his long-time girlfriend, Alice In Chains manager Susan Silver. Silver, at the request of Cornell's band, had also taken on the management duties of Soundgarden. After achieving multi-platinum status and earning 2 Grammy awards, Soundgarden amicably disbanded in 1997.

Cornell decided to go it alone and released 'Euphoria Morning', a solo album that showed his amazing versatility as a vocalist and songwriter. His songs shocked his grunge fanbase by boldly exploring folk, R&B and melding a variety of genres. 'Euphoria Morning' earned Cornell a Grammy nomination in the catagory of Best Male Rock Performance. However Cornell was dissatisfied with the commercial performance of his solo album and severely disillusioned by the deaths of several close friends. Plagued for many years by social phobias and alcohol abuse, it all came to head and he plunged into a deep depression. Once again he began to use drugs.

In June of 2000. Chris and Susan welcomed their first child, a daughter, Lillian Jean. In a turn of fortune, this was also the year producer Rick Rubin suggested Cornell jam with the remaining members of Zach de la Rocha's abandoned band, Rage Against The Machine. The collaboration was so successful, Cornell along with guitar virtuoso Tom Morello, innovative bassist Tim Commerford and powerhouse drummer Brad Wilk formed Audioslave.

Cornell also checked himself into rehab and rebuilt his life. Now drug and alcohol free, he is fronting the first supergroup of the new millenium. Audioslave dominate the rock charts and have rapidly achieved platinum status despite the soft market for rock music. They've built a reputation as a live act that is second to none. Already halfway through recording their second album, the band are set to head back in to the studio after they wrap up the summer 2003 Lollapalooza tour.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Chris-Cornell-Biography/0FA4AA6153D76512482568AF00109CDF

Chris Brown

He’s a lot like the 16-year-old boy living in the house next door to you: one minute he’s five-foot-seven, the next he’s 6’1. One minute he’s a cute little boy trying to dribble a basketball, the next a superstar point guard. One minute he’s ducking under the covers pleading for five more minutes of shut-eye, the next he’s racing through a day full of recording, performances and interviews.

With his easy-going demeanor and schoolboy charm, Chris Brown could easily be somebody that you know. With his incredible voice and a debut cd laced with clever lyrics, hypnotic tracks and impeccable vocals, he’s someone that the world will soon know.

Chris isn’t part of some A-list producer’s camp. Nor does he hail from any of those famous urban music hubs like NYC, Compton or the ATL. Straight from Tappahannock, VA --- population 2000 – Chris Brown proves that real talent, persistence and charisma still have a place in the music industry.

One listen to Chris’ 16-year-old voice and you’re tempted to draw comparisons: Michael Jackson, Tevin Campbell, and Usher. But listen a bit longer and those comparisons begin to dissipate as it becomes clear that, while Chris certainly channels the creativity of those who have come before him, he definitely has a style, a flavor and a place in music that are all his own.

His debut CD Young Love takes us on a journey through the malls, parties and teen hangouts as Chris covers a variety of subjects: A girl that he’s dying to hit the dance floor with. A girl that’s got another man. A girl that has him totally and completely head over heels in love. It’s an album about young boys, young girls -- young love.

The first single, the Scott Storch-produced “Run It,” is an irresistible up-tempo dance joint with an attention-grabbing hook. “It’s basically saying to a girl ‘If you’re at the party by yourself, show me how you get down but if your man’s here, tell me first. So basically it’s talking about runnin’ it. Go ahead, do your thing.”

The slightly braggadocios “Gimme That” finds Chris running down his credentials to a hottie. “It’s just explaining how I’m coming out, the typical bragging about yourself a little bit but not too much and telling the girl who might be older than you ‘You may be three years older , but you hot, Gimme that.’”

The title track, which was produced by The Underdogs and includes an interpolation of Blue Magic’s 70s classic “Side Show,” addresses the age-old issue of puppy love. “This song is going to be the new teenage anthem,” says Chris. “Even when teenagers really are in love with each other a lot of older people are like ‘Love? You’re barely old enough to go outside at night!’ But what they don’t know is that kids our age really do have feelings for each other so this song is basically telling older people that even though we’re young, we still love each other. I think all the teenagers can relate to it.”

Producers Dre and Vidal serve it up on the melodically pleasing “Yo,” a song simply about a boy seeing a beautiful girl that he can’t allow to escape his grasp. “It’s about a girl that you maybe saw at a party or at a mall. You’re telling your boys, ‘I need to holla at her’ but you don’t know her name and you just say ‘Yo!’”

But when Chris Brown says ‘yo’ it’s as if he gives new meaning, new depth and whole new feeling to the word. Chris’ vocals are fresh and inviting, soulful and soaring. He wraps his emotions around each and every lyric and adds the right amount of passion, fun and swagger at just the right time.

From the vocally acrobatic “Your Man Ain’t Me” to the tender, ponderous “Is This Love” (both produced by The Underdogs) to the naughty ‘Poppin’ (a tribute to a young lady’s physical attributes), Chris Brown explores the many colors of life and love as a teenage boy and he does so without being too infantile or too raunchy. “You don’t want to come out too sexual,” he explains. “I’m young. I want to appeal to people my age as well as older people. This gives me time to grow with my audience so I can make that change when I’m about 20. But for right now I don’t wanna be too kiddie but I don’t wanna be too grown.”

In selecting songs for Young Love, Chris said he simply relied on his own sense of what was hot and what was real for him and his peers. “When I hear these songs, I feel something. I know I can relate to them. I take myself out of the artist box and I become an audience member and I critique myself.”

Chris got his musical initiation early on, inspired by what he refers to as the “eclectic” taste of his parents and soaking in the sounds of his favorites: Michael Jackson, Sam Cooke, Stevie Wonder, Donnie Hathaway, Anita Baker, and Aretha Franklin.

But, like most young boys, Chris was soon drawn to rap and was certain that he would be the first emcee to put Tappahannock on the map. “I was rapping,” he recalls. “I didn’t understand that I could sing until I was like 11 or 12. My mom heard me singing around the house and she said, ‘What are you doing? You really can sing!’ So then I started going to school and singing to the girls.”

By the time he was 13, Chris realized that his voice was more than just a chick magnet. And so did his mother as he began to hook his son up with various producers. “When I went in and started working, there were ups and downs but I loved it and I knew I wanted to do it for the rest of my life.”

And the rest of his life is off to a great start. Chris Brown comes to the music industry fully-loaded as not only a talented vocalist, but a versatile songwriter, an amazing dancer and a blossoming young businessman who has learned the many intricacies of the music industry. Still, he enjoys a rousing game of basketball and, despite his demanding career, he says. “I still hate waking up.”

Chris may still be a lot like the boy who lives next door to you. But not really. You’ll see.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Chris-Brown-Biography/726D899199E403A7482570C40009A905

Chicago

Perhaps more than any other city in the United States, Chicago, located at the center of the nation, has reflected the cultural diversity that has served as both a nurturer of significant musical talent and a magnet that drew the best from other areas. Jazzman Lionel Hampton arrived in Chicago when he was 11 years old in 1919? bluesman Muddy Waters got there in 1943, when be was 28. But Benny Goodman, the King of Swing, didn't have to travel; he was born in Chicago in 1909.

In 1967, Chicago musicians Robert Lamm, James Pankow, Walter Parazaider, Lee Loughnane, Terry Kath, Peter Cetera, and Danny Seraphine formed a group with one dream, to integrate all the musical diversity from their beloved city and weave a new sound, rock 'n' roll band with horns. Their dream turned into 20 Top Ten singles, 12 Top Ten albums (five of which were #1), and sales of more than 120 million records.

Most pop stars who emerged in the 1960s will tell you that they got their inspiration by seeing Elvis Presley perform on TV in the '50's. But Walter Parazaider born in Chicago on March 14, 1945, had a slightly different experience. I started playing when I was nine years old because I saw Benny Goodman on The Ed Sullivan Show, "he says. I was a clarinetist to start with. Parazaider came by his interest in music naturally. His father was a musician who had turned from full-time to part-time work when he started a family. "I can't think of a time growing up when there wasn't music in the house, " Parazaider says, "whether it was my dad practicing by himself or playing in a band that was rehearsing at the house, or my mother listening to records, and that's from my earliest recollection." As a result, when he began to take an interest in playing music himself, "the support that I had from my mother and father over the years was phenomenal."

Parazaider studied and practiced the clarinet for the next several years, and by his teens had displayed so much proficiency that he became the protege' of the E-flat clarinetist in the Chicago symphony.

But even for a classical music prodigy, the late '50's were a time when other forms of music exerted an influence. "I picked up the saxophone along the way," Parazaider recalls, "and discovered that you could make a buck and get some girls playing a saxophone in a rock 'n roll band. So, I enjoyed a schizoid musical existence, so to speak, from about the age of 13 on, playing in anything from an octet playing all the standard big band tunes, any rock 'n roll from Tequila to any of the Ventures stuff that they'd use a saxophone on, and did that along with pursuing the classical career, because my idea at that time was to take my teachers place in the Chicago symphony."

Pursuant to that goal, Parazaider enrolled at Chicago's DePaul University, where his teacher taught, all the while still playing "Many gigs and smoke-filled rooms and dance halls, and also some orchestra balls." It was at DePaul that he met another young Chicago musician, Jimmy Guercio, who years later would become Chicago's producer. "We started playing in different rock 'n roll bands in the area,"

Parazaider recalls, "played a lot of the beer bashes at Northwestern University and the surrounding colleges in the area, and we became quite friendly." Meanwhile, Parazaider was maintaining his "schizoid musical existence at DePaul, though with increasing difficulty. He recalls, "After about a year and a half of realizing I didn't want to study trigonometry and how to teach health class in school, and also realizing with the help of some of my professors that, because I wasn't a patient person, I wasn't cut out to be a teacher. I changed my major. I prepared for about a year and a half and played a degree recital for the principal members of the Chicago symphony and an audience. I passed with flying colors and received a playing degree in orchestral clarinet. In the meantime, I had taken all my masters credits in English Lit."

But while doing all that academia work, Parazaider had also gotten a non-classical musical idea he thought had promise: a rock 'n roll band with horns. In the trendy world of pop music, horns took a back seat in the mid-'6O's, when bands, imitating the four-piece rhythm section of the Beatles, stayed with the limits of guitars-bass-drums. Even the Saxophone, so much a part of '50's rock 'n roll, was heard less often. Only in R&B, which maintained something of the big band tradition, did people such as James Brown and others continue to use horn sections regularly.

In the summer of l966, the Beatles turned around and brought horns back. Their Revolver album featured songs such as "Got To Get You Into My Life," which included two trumpets and two tenor saxophones.

Parazaider's current band at the time was the Missing Links, which featured a very talented guy named Terry Kath on bass. Kath, born in Chicago on January 31, 1946, had been a friend of Parazaider's and Guercio's since they were teenagers. On drums was Danny Seraphine, born in Chicago on August 28, l948 , who had been raised in Chicago's Little Italy section. Trumpet player Lee Loughnane, another DePaul student, sometimes sat in with the band.

Loughnane, born in Chicago on October 21, 1946, was the son of a former trumpet player. "My dad was a product of the Swing Era," he recalls. "He was a bandleader in the Army Air Force in World War I." In that capacity, Chief Warrant Officer Loughnane worked with some of the top players from the big bands of the era, who had been drafted. But he also came in contact with their lifestyles. "My dad knew that they were only going to be with him for a certain amount of time, and then they were going to get shipped out to the front lines," says Loughnane. "So, he was a little more lax in his discipline than he might have been under other circumstances. Some of the guys would go AWOL on weekends to play gigs in town and then come back drunk or high on something, and my dad would cover for them. As a result, he gained a dislike for drugs and alcohol, and when he left the army, he left the music behind. The only thing he brought home was his trumpet, which was the first one that I used. I had never heard him play."

Loughnane began trying to play that trumpet at the age of 11. When he was 11, in the summer of 1959, between seventh and eighth grades, he met with the band director, Ralph Meltzer. "He wanted me to show him my teeth," Loughnane recalls. "If you have any crooked teeth, you start messing up your lip because of the pressure. My teeth were okay. He gave me some "Mary Had A Little Lamb" books, and I couldn't wait to go home and play the songs. My dad then found me a private teacher by the name of John Nuzzo. He started giving me some lessons, and my playing improved immensely." .......etc.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Chicago-Biography/0D7339050561FA6848256AEE002BF499

Chamillionaire

The Truth King Koopa a.k.a the Chamillinater, started off in Screwston, Tx (houston, tx) in the late 1990s dropping many freestyle albums and mixtapes. The mixtapes were made for the nawf side of H-town and were backed by the Swishahouse and Michael "5000" Watts. The southside had Screw (R.I.P.) and the rest of the S.U.C. During the late 1990s you might have heard Chamillionaire on plenty of tracks with other Houston recording artists Paul Wall, as well as other artist from the old Color Changin Click (including, 50/50 Twin, Lew Hawk, Yung Ro), and such artist from the Swishahouse crew as well (Big Tiger, Slim Thugg, Mista Masta Archie Lee, etc.). Chamillionaire also wrecked with other crew and artist from the southside like Lil FLip, Lil Keke, E.S.G., and some artist from the Wreckshop Records label and the well known Port Arthur rappers UGK. Upon releasing mixtape after mixtape on the underground scene, Chamillionaire teamed up with record label Paid In Full dropping his most known full length album ever entitled 'Get Your Mind Correct' with Paul Wall. This album sold tons and tons of copies over the time after its release and was very succesful with no major label backing it. This album can now be found in stores nation wide and is still selling copies. Chamillionaire promoted this album himself spending his own money to market this album, money he made from other mixtapes before and after the album. Now there is a huge contreversy between Chamillionaire and Paid in Full (paid in partial records) because they have with held money from Chamillionaire from the 'Get Your Mind Correct' album. Money that was guarnteed to Chamill by contract upon pre-release of the album. Chamillionaire went on to continue making mixtapes and even dropping his greates hits album. The mixtapes after that started into his beef with who Mike Jones on the 3 disc 'Mixtape Messiah' underground mixtape compillation. Chamillionaire then went to release 'The Truth' a mixtape with DJ Whookid followed by the album 'Chamilitary'. The albums 'The Truth' and 'Chamilitary' were underground albums were Chaillionaire really shows his rhyming abilities and proves he is the "Truest To Do It" by switching up his major debut, under Universal Records, from 'Contreversy Sells' to "The Sound of Revenge'. He switched the album title due to the contreversy with Paid in Partial records when that label thought they could be sneaky and released a compilation entitled 'Contreversy Sells' featuring Chamillionaire and Paul Wall, but had songs by mostly Chamillionaire. This album released by Paid in Partial records was vocals pasted over beats from Chamillionaire (vocals that you can hear from the 'Mixtape Messiah', and other mixtapes that were released before 'Contreversy Sells' was released). So in other don't be fooled by this company Paid in Full records, 'Contreversy Sells', is not a Chamillionaire production don't buy it. Instead purchase 'Chamilitary' or other lps listed below. Chamillionaire blew up upon his signing of himself along with his label Chamilitary to Universal Records. His Chamilitary record label includes artist such as, 50/50 twin and his brother Rasaq (boy). In fall 2005 the long awaited 'The Sound of Revenge' lp was finally released as another Houston artist hits the rap scene in a major way with the album backed by Universal Records with radio play as well as video play. The video entitled "turn it up", has been and still is on MTV and BET. Go to www.chamillionaire.com to vote for it. 'The Sound of Revenge' screwed and chopped will be released by mister chopped not slopped himself, OG RON C. and is dropping on Feb. 7th. 2k6. Pick that one up too.


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Chamillionaire-Biography/8C700D1BDC55AAE648256EEE000C9956

Celine Dion

From humble beginnings in a rural French Canadian home town, C?line Dion has risen to international superstardom like a shooting star. C?line has been called the premier contemporary pop vocalist of the Nineties. She has earned music industry accolades from around the world: Grammy Awards in the US, Juno and Felix Awards in Canada, and World Music Awards in Europe. The entire world has seen C?line Dion literally transform herself from a gifted pre-adolescent into an international superstar.

Born in Charlemagne (a small town 30 miles east of Montr?al, Qu?bec, Canada), C?line is the youngest of 14 children of a highly musical family. Her parents, both musicians, operated a small club, and on weekends, the entire family performed and entertained the local population. From the tender age of 5, C?line sang with her siblings and quickly acquired the ability to perform live. At the age of twelve, together with her mother and one of her brothers, C?line composed a French song which would forever alter the course of her life.

The demo tape containing the song was brought to the attention of Ren? Ang?lil, a well respected personal manager. In January 1981, Ren? was so taken by the voice of the young C?line, that he became determined to make her an internationally known talent - he even mortgaged his house to finance the recording of C?line's debut album!

C?line began to receive recognition for her talent in 1982, winning the Gold Medal at the Yamaha World Song Festival in Tokyo, along with the coveted Musician's Award for Top Performer. In 1983, she became the first Canadian ever to receive a Gold Record in France.

The streak of recognition had only just begun.

By 1988, C?line had established a strong name for herself in her native province of Qu?bec, where she was enjoying superstar status, receiving numerous Felix Awards and racking up platinum albums. That same year, C?line won the prestigious Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, Ireland, where she performed live before a television audience of 600 million viewers throughout Europe, the USSR, the Middle-East, Japan, and Australia.

In September 1990, C?line released 'Unison' - her first English-language album and her first for Sony Music - and scored a breakthrough US hit with the Top 5 single "Where Does My Heart Beat Now".

C?line's international breakthrough came when she recorded the title track for the soundtrack to the animated Disney hit movie 'Beauty and the Beast'. The song went to number one and garnered an Academy Award and a Grammy Award. "Beauty and the Beast" formed the cornerstone for C?line's second English language album, called simply 'C?line Dion'. That album produced four more hit singles including "Love Can Move Mountains," "Water From The Moon," "If You Asked Me To" and "Did You Give Enough Love." In Canada, the album went six times platinum and set the stage for an incredible streak of Juno Awards.

On December 17, 1994, C?line Dion and Ren? Ang?lil were married at Notre Dame Basilica in Montr?al.

At this time, the C?line juggernaut started rolling at a momentous pace in the UK. British fans took extremely well to "Think Twice," a ballad on 'The Colour Of My Love.' For five consecutive weeks, the song and album stood on top of the respective British charts, an achievement not replicated since 1965 and the heyday of The Beatles. "Think Twice" remained at number one for two more weeks, surpassing the magic million mark to become only the fourth million-selling single ever in the UK by a female artist.

With 'D'eux,' C?line achieved what everyone thought was impossible - introduced French music to the upper reaches of the British charts. The world had truly discovered C?line Dion.

Blessed with one of popular music's great voices, she has crossed all barriers - even that of language - with her electrifying series of international hits. With her breakneck pace of recording, video shoots, touring and appearing on TV shows and awards specials, it seems like C?line has time for little else. Not the case when it comes to an important cause. C?line has used her talents to further the cause of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. In fact, one of C?line's most emotional songs ("Vole," from the 'D'eux' album, later translated into English as the song "Fly," which appears on the 'Falling Into You' album) is a touching memorial to her niece, Karine, who was taken from her by this disease.

Released in March 1996, 'Falling Into You' became the best-selling album released that year; topped the charts in 11 countries, and was voted Album of the Year and Best Pop Album at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony. The album has sold more than 25 million copies worldwide.

'Let's Talk About Love' is the follow-up to C?line's double Grammy Award-winning album. Recorded in London, New York and Los Angeles, 'Let's Talk About Love' features a host of special guests including some of popular music's greatest vocalists, songwriters, and producers.

'Let's Talk About Love' was released on the same day as the soundtrack of the motion picture 'Titanic'. Both albums featured the much-loved Titanic movie's theme song, "My Heart Will Go On," written by James Horner and produced by James Horner and Walter Afanasieff. "My Heart Will Go On" quickly became the wedding song of choice for C?line's fans.

In a stunning back-to-back achievement, 'Let's Talk About Love' went on to match the 27 million worldwide sales of its predecessor; 'Titanic' also sold over 27 million copies worldwide. It is the all-time best-selling orchestral soundtrack in recording history. C?line sang "My Heart Will Go On" on the worldwide telecast of the 70th Annual Academy Awards, live from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song -- the second Oscar for a song sung by C?line Dion, following "Beauty And The Beast".

A new French album, 'S'il suffisait d'aimer,' recorded in February 1998, was officially released worldwide on September 8. The first featured single, "Zola sourit" received rave responses on the radio all over the world. C?line first introduced her fans to the album's title track during her Let's Talk About Love World Tour.

C?line's next album, 'These Are Special Times,' featured sixteen songs for the holiday season, including the Christmas pop classics "Blue Christmas" and "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)"; and such traditional religious favorites as "O Holy Night" and "Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful)". In addition, 'These Are Special Times' produced the No. 1 single "I'm Your Angel," C?line's duet with R. Kelly, who wrote and produced the song; the Diane Warren-penned title track, "These Are Special Times"; and "The Prayer," a duet with Andrea Bocelli.

Also, in 1998, Dundurn Press released the much anticipated biography: C?line...The Authorized Biography. After travelling with C?line and her entourage for over a year and spending hours in one-on-one conversions with the star, Georges-H?bert Germain recounts the story of one of the world's best loved vocal artists. C?line and Georges-H?bert Germain later collaborated once again on C?line Dion...My Story, My Dream. Released in 2000, C?line recounts her story in her own words and straight from her heart. The autobiography is an exquisitely detailed portrait of C?line backstage, on the road, and in the recording studio.

'All The Way...A Decade Of Song' is a collection of C?line's greatest hits, including her chart-topping hit singles "The Power Of Love," "Because You Loved Me," "I'm Your Angel," and the Grammy and Academy Award-winning classic "My Heart Will Go On." Also included are "Beauty And The Beast," "It's All Coming Back to Me Now"; and "If You Asked Me To".

Seven brand-new songs, were recorded specifically for this collection, including the title song "All The Way," a respectful and loving tribute to one of C?line's all-time favourite singers, the late Frank Sinatra.

On New Year's Eve 1999, in Montr?al, C?line Dion gave her last public performance before beginning a temporary hiatus from show business to enjoy her private life... and improve her golf game!

During C?line's hiatus, a compilation album, 'The Collector's Series...Volume One,' was released in October 2000. Among C?line's greatest hits and best-loved recordings, the album also includes "The Power of the Dream" which C?line performed at the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games as well as a Spanish version of "All By Myself".

But the greatest joy for C?line and Ren? came with the birth of their son Ren?-Charles Ang?lil, born January 25, 2001 at 1:00 AM, weighing 6 lbs, 8 oz. He was baptized six months later on July 25, 2001, in Montr?al's grand Notre-Dame Basilica.

A new peak in C?line's spectacular career was reached when she released her new album 'A New Day Has Come' in March 2002, which ended her two-year hiatus. The album entered number one in more than 17 countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Italy, Norway, United Kingdom, and the United States within two weeks of its debut. It features new tracks that range from pure 21st century pop, "A New Day Has Come" to dramatic ballads "Have You Ever Been In Love" and "I Surrender," from breathtaking dance music "Sorry For Love" to a pair of pre-rock classics "At Last;" and "Nature Boy." Other highlights include "I'm Alive," "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)," and "Rain, Tax (It's Inevitable)".

The release of the album was accompanied by a blitz of TV specials, appearances on talk shows and magazine interviews all over the world.

In March 2003, C?line began a three-year commitment to appear five nights a week at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, a 4000-seat arena designed for her show. A 90-minute event, A New Day... introduces a new form of entertainment, a fusion of song, performance art, theatrical innovation and state-of-the-art technology. The show was created by Dragone Productions, a team led by Franco Dragone, the creative spirit behind ten of the critically acclaimed productions by Cirque du Soleil.

On March 25th, to coincide with the opening of A New Day..., C?line released 'One Heart,' a brand new album featuring an upbeat cover of Roy Orbison's classic "I Drove All Night" as its first single. The album also includes songs produced by Ric Wake, Anders Bagge, Kristian Lundin, Peer Astrom, Max Martin, Mark Taylor, Erick Benzi et Humberto Gatica.

On October 14th of the same year, C?line released the much anticipated '1 fille & 4 types,' her first French album in five years. Artistic director Jean-Jacques Goldman, the power behind 'D'eux' (1995) and 'S'il suffisait d'aimer' (1998), had come up with an idea to surround her with three different writer-composers who have made their mark on the French music scene: Jacques Veneruso, Erick Benzi and master guitarist Gildas Arzel.

The voice of one or other of these incomparable artists accompanies C?line's performance throughout the album, produced by Benzi and guided by Goldman from start to finish. '1 fille & 4 types' debuted as the top selling in Canada, France and Switzerland in its first week of release. The first single, "Tout l'or des hommes" also made radio history by establishing the record for becoming the highest charting Francophone single on the National CHR Audience chart in the BDS era in Canada.

On June 14th, 2004, C?line's album 'A New Day...Live In Las Vegas' was released into stores worldwide. The album, which includes a behind-the-scenes DVD, features thirteen songs perfomed live on stage from her Las Vegas show A New Day... and two new studio-recorded tracks: "You and I" and "Ain't Gonna Look The Other Way". The live tracks feature C?line's most recognizable songs such as "My Heart Will Go On" and outstanding renditions including Barbra Streisand's "If I Could", Frank Sinatra's "I've Got The World On A String" and Stevie Wonder's "I Wish".

October 11th, 2004, C?line's latest album 'Miracle' officially hit stores worldwide. This is album is all about the love and bond between a mother and her child, something which is precious and cannot be compared. 'Miracle' includes C?line's newest single which has the same title as the album, and many others including "Bhram's Lullaby".

With each new release, C?line has managed to top her previous successes and, along the way, has become one of the brightest stars in the world of popular music. Who would have imagined that Quebec's best-kept secret could have conquered the world the way she has?

Looking back now, we should have known it all along.

Thanks to Marissa Callahan for submitting the biography.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Celine-Dion-Biography/D9822BB11526225448256864001CF77A