Drake Bell

Drake Bell stars on Nickelodeon's "The Drake and Josh SHow" which debuted January 11th, 2004. He and his TV namesake both play a mean guitar, sing up a storm and elicit squeals of delight from teenage girls. Drake, a Beatles buff who segued into his own series from an ensemble spot on Nickelodeon's sketch comedy series "The Amanda Show", composes all of the music his character performs, including the Drake & Josh theme song. In fact, his band performed on "All That," a comedy show compared to "SNL," with special music performances such as Justin Timberlake and Brittany SPears. The Drake Bell Band is the only band in history to perform on this show without a record deal. The crowd went crazy and the reviews were outrageous.

The son of world champion billiards player Robin Dodson, he grew up in Orange County, California and relished the spotlight early on.

"I love to perform and I get a kick out of being recognized," says the 17-year-old who landed his first commercial at age five. Since then, he has amassed an extraordinary array of movies and TV credits. As a preteen, he appeared in the feature films The Neon Bible, Drifting School, and Fresh Pain. Moreover, he had a memorable turn in Jerry Maguire as Jesse Remo, the kid who tells Tom Cruise exactly where to go.

And at 12, he won a co-starring role-and private music lessons-with the Who's Roger Daltrey in the fild Changing Destiny. Having evolded into a musician-composer of rock, pop and ballads, the teenage Bell prizes his extensive collection of vinyle Beatles albums and affirms, "Nother today compares with that music."

Drake appeared opposite John Cusack in HBO's The Jack Bull (as Cusack's character's son) and in the feature High Fidelity playing Cusack's character as a young boy. His TV guest-starring credits invlude such shows asSeinfeld, The Drew Carey SHow, The Pretender, and Home Improvement. He also has appeared several times with Jay Leno on The Tonight Show.

Drake Bell currently resides in Los Angeles


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Drake-Bell-Biography/A52DA635C27B4119482570990008832D

Dido

Born: December 25,1971
Hometown: London, England

Dido was five when she stole her first recorder. This didn't lead to prison, but rather to her entrance one year later to the Guildhall School of Music in London. A bit of a child prodigy, by the time she was 10 she played piano, violin, and the aforementioned recorder.

Her teenage years were an interesting mixture of stealing her brother's record collection (from The Clash to Gregory Isaac's to Duran Duran) and touring the UK with her classical music ensemble and then, at 16, she finally fell in love... with Ella Fitzgerald.

So began a passion that eventually led Dido from listener to participator. She started singing with various bands in and around London, and despite the fact that her brother, Rollo, told her not to give up her day job, she eventually appeared on the debut album of a band that Rollo formed in 1995.

This band was faithless, and they went on to sell in excess of five million records. Over the next two years, Dido toured with faithless (a very different experience from her classical days) and, whenever she was back in London, also recorded demos of her own songs.

On Faithless's current release, Sunday 8pm, Dido appears on two songs, one of which incorporates her own "My Lover's Gone." Arista records heard these demos at the beginning of 1997, and Dido was invited to the Dorchester hotel in London to meet Clive Davis. the meeting was successful (Clive even helped out with some of the backing vocals as Dido sung to him).

Thanks to bizzarre charairbel@hotmail.com for submitting the biography.


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Dido-Biography/0D7BD7808E70FC3848256965000B7BC7

Diana King

One of 15 children, King was born in Spanish Town, in St. Catherine's Parish, not far from Kingston. She grew up singing hymns in the St. Phillipo Baptist Church and at the same time was drawn to the music of Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan. However, her devoutly relig-ious family disapproved of pop music. "In Jamaica we don't sing gospel like they sing it in the U.S.," she says. "It was just plain. So when I got the chance to sing a solo in church, I wanted to do it like Aretha, and it was like, 'No, you can't do that here. You have to sing it straight.'"

She was just 13 when she got a job singing weekends at Mingles, one of the premier clubs in Kingston. When her parents objected, Diana ran away from home. "I didn't even know where I was going," she says. "I took a bus, and I ended up in Ocho Rios. And I saw somebody I knew there. He was in a band at a hotel, and he said, 'You know, they've been looking for a female singer .' And that night I went there and sang, and they just loved it. And that's how I got started on the north coast. I was lucky, because a lot of things could happen to a person my age, not knowing where I'm going to sleep. But they didn't know I was so young, because I looked mature.

"I stayed there for a year and a half, and then I got this other job with a one-man band, and every night was a different hotelOcho Rios, Montego Bay, Negril. I sang R&B, pop, house, everything. But, because they were for tourists, some of the hotels wouldn't let you do reg-gae. So I left the hotels and started singing with the City Heat band, touring Jamaica." She quit that band a couple years later when producer Handel Tucker suggested that she record some original material. However, her single, "Change Of Heart," failed to take off, so she accepted an offer to tour Europe and the U.S. with Shabba Ranks. "I would sing the songs he recorded with female singers, so I d idn't get to sing by myself," she says. "But the whole experience was a lot of fun."

King had previously recorded some demo tracks, which by chance came to the atten-tion of Columbia Record's Maxine Stowe. "I left Shabba, not knowing what I was going to do," says King, "and out of the blue, Maxine called me. She said, 'We're interested in doing something with you.' That's how I ended up doing 'Stir It Up.' And two days later she called me and she said, 'Guess what? We accepted it for this movie.' So that's how it got on Cool Runnings. Again I was lucky, and so I ended up doing the album. Everything went so quickly."

After the release of her original version of "Stir It Up" on the Cool Runnings soundtrack, Diana King hit the road as part of the Stir It Up/Cool Runnings tour, appearing onstage with Carla Marshal, Worl-A-Girl, and Jimmy Cliff. Her stunning stage presence and soul-shaking vocals were a highlight at the NCAA Half-time Reggae performance, broadcast on ABC television. She was recently a featured performer at the 11th Annual Princess Grace Foundation Award Dinner, held at the Plaza Hotel in New York.

TOUGHER THAN LOVE was recorded and/or mixed at Sony Studios, the Quad Studios, and Battery Studios, and the Loft in New York. ("Ain't Nobody" was recorded and mixed at Tuff Gong and Mainstreet in Jamaica.) The resulting grooves obliterate distinctions between reggae and R&B, harking back to the bluesy rock-steady sound of the '60s while honing the cutting edge of today's hip-hop-oriented soul. What's more, the album showcases one of the most gifted female vocalists to emerge from Jamaica in memory. Diana King has the potential to penetrate inter-national barriers with a voice that cuts straight to the heart, crooning, rapping and belting her passionate message in the universal language of love.


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Diana-King-Biography/6D618346DB364B53482569580032F902

Destiny's Child

Destiny's Child were formed in Houston, Texas, in 1990, when original members Beyonc? Knowles and LaTavia Roberson were just nine years old; the two met at an audition and became friends, and Knowles' father Matthew set about developing an act based on their singing and rapping, under the name GirlTyme. Later Tina Knowles, Beyonce's mother took their name from a passage in the Book of Isaiah. Kelendria "Kelly" Rowland joined the group in 1992, and shortly thereafter they landed an appearance on Star Search, where they performed a rap song. The quartet's lineup was finalized (for the time being) when LeToya Luckett joined in 1993, and they spent the next few years working their way up from the Houston club scene, eventually opening for popular R&B artists like SWV, Dru Hill, and Immature. In 1997, Destiny's Child was offered a recording contract by Columbia Records.

The group made their recording debut with "Killing Time," which appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 blockbuster, Men In Black. Destiny's Child released their self-titled debut album to mixed reviews on February 17, 1998. The album's first single, "No, No, No" featured two completely different versions of the same song. "No, No, No Pt.1" and "No, No, No Pt.2" were both released simultaneously, however, Part II was considered a "remix" version of Part I. "No, No, No Pt.2" featuring The Fugees member Wyclef Jean, quickly climbed to No.1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No.3 Pop. The blockbuster single sold over 1 million copies, turning the group into an instant R&B music sensation. However, follow-up singles "With Me Pt.1" (which also had two different versions) and "Get On The Bus" failed to reproduce the blockbuster success of "No, No, No." Destiny's Child eventually went Platinum after later success. Expectations weren't high for the group's second album, as most industry critics considered them to be another disposable R&B girl-group with one-hit wonder status.

Destiny's Child re-entered the studio quickly, bringing in an impressive lineup of talented producers, including Kevin "She'kspere" Briggs, Rodney Jerkins, Dwayne Wiggins, Chad Elliot, Daryl Simmons, and Missy Elliott. Critics were generally positive about the album. Music critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote "The Writing's On The Wall... an assured step forward for the girl group. Not only are they maturing as vocalists, they are fortunate to work with such skilled, talented producers... who all give the quartet rich, varied music upon which to work their charm." Lead single "Bills, Bills, Bills" became the group's first No.1 pop hit (and second R&B No.1) in the summer of 1999, and paced by its success, the accompanying album, The Writing's on the Wall, entered the charts at No.6 upon its release on July 27, 1999. The second single, "Bug-a-Boo" hit the Top 40 pop charts, while its music video received heavy rotation on MTV and BET.

Buoyed by the group's breakout success, two of its original members, Letoya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, attempted to split with manager Matthew Knowles, charging that he kept a disproportionate share of the band's profits, attempted to exert too much control, and unfairly favored his daughter and niece. While they never intended to leave the group, relations naturally grew strained, and when the video for "Say My Name" premiered in February 2000, many fans (not to mention Roberson and Luckett) were surprised to find two new members — Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin — joining Knowles and Rowland. Infuriated, Roberson and Luckett took legal action in March, suing both Knowles and their former bandmates for breach of partnership and fiduciary duties. A war of words followed in the press; meanwhile, Destiny's Child became a pop-cultural phenomenon. "Say My Name" was the group's most irresistible and biggest single to date, becoming the group's third No.1 single. The abrupt membership changes within the group seemed to only heighten the group's visibility, finally separating them from the endless pack of teen R&B starlets.

In June 2000, the album's fourth single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'" became a Top 5 hit, however, another departure came from the ever-evolving girl-group. Farrah Franklin, who had replaced an original member just five months prior, left the group for various personal reasons. This split was less controversial, while The Writing's On The Wall would eventually sell a massive 9 million copies by the end of summer. In the meantime, toward the end of 2000, Roberson and Luckett dropped the portion of their lawsuit aimed at Rowland and Knowles in exchange for a settlement, though they continued to pursue action against Knowles' father; as part of the agreement, both sides were prohibited from attacking each other publicly.

Misfortune struck the group, in late July 1999. A stalker by the name of LaToya Langford, a fan from San Diego, California began writing death threats to the group, more specifically aimed at Beyonc? if Knowles did not lick Lanford's vagina. The group cancelled their tour through San Diego and filed a restraining order against Langford. Langford continued the harrasment until her arrest on August 23, 1999 in her home in San Diego, California.

With Langford in jail, the group safely came out of hiding and now reduced to a trio, Destiny's Child was tapped to record the theme song for the film version of Charlie's Angels; released as a single in October, "Independent Women, Pt. 1" raced up the charts and spent an astounding 11 consecutive weeks at number one. Destiny's Child were now indisputable superstars, among the biggest female pop groups, and they quickly began work on a new album to capitalize on their success. In the meantime, Destiny's Child won 2 Grammy awards for "Say My Name," including Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and Best R&B Song. While speaking with MTV.com, Rowland had this to say about the upcoming album: "I know everybody can relate to this album — it's very diverse and inspiring. The year 2000 was very challenging, and I know that gave Beyonc? a lot of inspiration to write songs for the album. We cannot wait for everybody to hear it. It's so empowering for a lot of people who have already heard a little bit of it."

Beyonc? had long since emerged as the group's focal point, and on the third Destiny's Child album, she assumed more control than ever before, taking a greater hand in writing the material and even producing and co-writing the entire album. "We're excited about the album," Knowles told MTV News shortly before the album's release. She adds,"...I got a chance to co-write and produce all of the songs." "And she did an incredible job," the group's Kelly Rowland added. "But everybody is a part of the music," Knowles said. "Everybody is singing lead on every song, and it's so great — because now Destiny's Child is at the point vocally and mentally that it should be at. It's just great to be a part of this group." Survivor — whose title was reportedly inspired by a DJ's crack about Destiny's Child members voting one another off the island, much like the popular CBS reality series Survivor — hit stores in the spring of 2001, and entered the charts at number one, selling over 663,000 copies in its first week sales (the highest ever for a girl-group.) The first two singles, "Survivor" and "Bootylicious", were predictably huge hits, with the latter becoming the group's fourth No.1 pop single. A cover of Andy Gibb's "Emotion" was also successful, becoming a Top 10 pop hit. Survivor sold well — over twelve million copies — more than its predecessor. Toward the end of the year, the group released a holiday album, 8 Days of Christmas, and announced plans for a series of side projects, including solo albums from all three members (to be staggered over the next year and a half, so as to avoid competition). In early 2002, a remix compilation titled This Is the Remix was released to tide fans over.

After three years apart, achieving individual success in movies, on Broadway, endorsements and with solo albums, the three women of Destiny's Child have reunited with a brand new album, Destiny Fulfilled. An upcoming world tour, sponsored by McDonald's, "Destiny Fulfilled and I'm Lovin' It", will hit 16 countries and over 75 cities worldwide, kicking off in Hiroshima, Japan on April 9th; stops will include Australia, throughout Europe, and concluding in the U.S. and Canada later this summer. Their latest CD, Destiny Fulfilled was executive produced and co-written by all three members. "Lose My Breath," the album's first single, produced by Rodney Jerkins, became the group's ninth Top 10 pop hit. The album was released in November 2004. The second single, "Soldier" featuring rappers T.I. and Lil Wayne quickly entered the Top 10, peaking at No.3 in February 2005 becoming the groups 10th top 10 pop hit. Despite receiving worldwide mixed reviews, Destiny Fulfilled was certified 3x Platinum in early 2005. The album's third US single is "Cater 2 U," while the international release is "Girl". Destiny's Child are now immortalized as Barbie Dolls, Toymakers Mattel created the latest Barbies as part of their Famous Friends range. The Barbies will go on sale in June 2005.

Thanks to lost_boy85 for submitting the biography.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Destiny's-Child-Biography/3EE8266B2FB4E28C4825689D002D6EB7

Depeche Mode

FORMED: 1980, Basildon, England

Composition of Sound was formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex, by guitarist/vocalists Andy Fletcher and Martin Gore and keyboardist Vince Clarke. After recruiting David Gahan, the group abandoned their guitars for synthesizers, changed the band's name, and became an all-electronic band entitled Depeche Mode. For this unusual approach, Depeche Mode earned a loyal London following, and within a year of their formation, were signed to Mute Records. Depeche Mode's first single "Dreaming of Me" was a minor U.K. hit. It was followed by "New Life", which climbed to No.11, and by "Just Can't Get Enough", which cracked the British Top Ten. Speak & Spell, Depeche Mode's debut album, was released in November of 1981.

Signed to Sire Records in the U.S., Depeche Mode found initial exposure for their music with club audiences. "Just Can't Get Enough" became a major dance hit, receiving airplay on American alternative radio stations. After a tour of England and Europe, Vince Clark left Depeche Mode to form Yazoo. Alan Wilder then joined the band as the group released its fourth single "The Meaning of Love". A second hit album titled "A Broken Frame" was then released in 1982. In 1983, Depeche Mode released "Construction Time Again", which contained the dance favorite "Everything Counts".

With the release of "People Are People" in 1984, American audiences discovered what their European counterparts had known since 1981. "People Are People" was Depeche Mode's first North American success, which Depeche Mode built on with their fourth release "Some Great Reward". "Catching Up With Depeche Mode" and "Black Celebration" followed in the next two years. It became evident with the "Black Celebration" album that Depeche Mode were starting to, as Martin put it, "make harder sounding records". But "Black Celebration" was not an easy album to make; Martin had a very fixed idea of how he wanted it to sound. The songs on this album reflect on how painful it was for Depeche to record this album. As Dave put it, "If there was ever a time that Depeche Mode would break up, it would have happened during the making of Black Celebration". Depeche also showed a distaste for corporate manipulation; when Sire flipped the "Stripped" single - which Depeche had spend three weeks perfecting - to take advantage of it's B
-side, "But Not Tonight", (a throwaway song that was recorded in one day), the band's displeasure was evident. Following the Black Celebration Tour, their most successful American tour to that date, the band followed it up with "Music for the Masses".

Released in 1987, Depeche Mode went with David Bascombe as their new producer, wanting a fresh start after almost aborting the "Black Celebration" sessions. "Strangelove", the album's first single, had no less than 14 different remixes. "Music for the Masses" itself had struggled to reach the UK Top Ten, and "Little 15", released only in Germany, scraped no higher than number 60, as a foreign release. But still, Depeche Mode continued to have higher concert attendance figures than album sales. After an extensive world tour, Depeche Mode played their 101'st concert at a sold out Pasadena Rose Bowl in front of 70,000 fans. A live album and video, entitled "101" was then released in 1988, warming fans up for Depeche Mode's breakthough album "Violator".

"Personal Jesus", the first single from this album, was a huge success, becoming one of the largest selling CD singles in U.S. history, and gave Depeche Mode their first U.S. gold single. Then followed "Enjoy the Silence", a massive hit, which has become Depeche Mode's trademark song. Depeche even whipped 17,000 fans in L.A. into a near riot at a in-store autograph signing to promote the release of Violator. As fast as the ticket offices opened, the demand for the "World Violation Tour" swamped them. In New York, Depeche sold 40,000 tickets for their Giants Stadium show within 8 hours and 48,000 tickets to the Dodger Stadium show in L.A. were sold within one hour of going on sale. But not all was well, frayed nerves, the wear and tear of touring, and internal battles caused Depeche Mode to part company at the end of the Violator Tour, not knowing if they were ever to work together again.

Dave re-located to L.A. while the other members concentrated on their families. But in 1992, when Dave felt he didn't want to make another "dance" record with Depeche, Martin sent a demo comprised of "electrifying, bluesy" songs for the next album, which Dave described as "a total relief, soaring, majestic, beautiful". Not only did these songs match Dave's dreams, it equalled them. Dave had now felt that Depeche was pushing the limits of their music further, which he had been wanting for a few years now.

In 1993, after a three year period between albums, Depeche Mode released "Songs of Faith and Devotion", a much more rock oriented approach to their music. This would be the first Mode album that would utilize live drums, as well as outside musicians. With "I Feel You" as the first single, and a much anticipated album release, SOFAD debuted at #1 on Billboard's Top 100 and on the British charts as well. It was the first truly "alternative" album to ever achieve this distinguished double. It remained on top for just one week, and by November, it had slipped so swiftly that "Rolling Stone" had spotted the album in the bargain bins. But none the less, Depeche set out on a extensive 14 month world tour, leading the band to such places as South Africa, Australia, Hong Kong, and South America. Even with the quick demise of Songs of Faith and Devotion, Depeche Mode continued to sell out shows in North America and Europe.

The band has somewhat become a permanent attraction, in which album chart positions don't affect their concert attendance figures.

On June 1st/1995, keyboardist/drummer Alan Wilder decided to leave Depeche Mode, stating unsatisfactory internal working conditions as the reason why he left the band. Fletch, Martin, and Dave continued on as Depeche Mode and they completed recording a new album with producer Tim Simenon in London. On February 3/1997, Depeche Mode released their first single in more than three years; "Barrel of a Gun", along with it's b-side track "Painkiller". Depeche Mode released their new album, "Ultra", on April 14/1997, debuting at Number 5 of the US Billboard Record Charts.

The album gained platinum status in Spain, Sweden, Germany, France, and the UK, along with gold status in Italy, Hong Kong, and Canada. Deciding not to tour in support of 'Ultra', Depeche Mode spent from November of 1996 to July 1997 promoting the album, giving over 250 interviews, along with playing live on various television shows in Europe and the US. Other promotional appearances included playing live on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' on May 15/97, as well as answering questions on a live Internet broadcast from the House of Blues. Along with this, Depeche Mode unveiled their own website, www.depechemode.com. The band conducted two album launch parties, one at Adrenaline Village in Battersea on April 10/97, and the other at the Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles on May 16/97. The band played the same song set for both shows, consisting of four tracks from Ultra (Barrel of a Gun, It's No Good, Useless, and Home), along with Never Let Me Down Again.

In September of 1998, Depeche Mode returned to the studio to work on a few new tracks, which were to be included on the 2 disc singles compilation "The Singles 86>98". Containing the new track "Only When I Lose Myself", the compilation also included 20 other tracks, consisting of all the bands releases from Black Celebration to 1997's Ultra. Deciding not to pass up another opportunity to tour, and the fact that all band members were now ready to take up touring again, Depeche Mode embarked on an extensive 4 month tour of Europe and North America, their first in five years. This tour marked the first time that the band have ever played live to audiences in Latvia, Estonia, and Russia, ending their 18 year wait for the band to play a concert in their countries.

The setlist heavily consisted of the band's singles from 1986 to 1998, but also included a few old surprises, like Somebody and Just Can't Get Enough. The tour marked a few firsts for the band, not only did they played for the first time in Russia, but the band also performed at the "1998 KROQ Almost Acoustic X-mas" in Los Angeles, and on the "Late Night With David Letterman Show" in November. After ending their tour in Anaheim on December 22, 1998, Depeche Mode are currently working on a new album with producer Mark Bell, and we should be expecting a release sometime in the Spring of 2001. Stay tuned!!!

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Depeche-Mode-Biography/D5498342353EDA11482568B70033FB07

Delta Goodrem

Mistaken Identity


MUSIC has always been there for the good times in Delta Goodrem’s life.

And it was music that was there yet again during the bad times. Indeed, music was one of the main comforts for Delta during the most testing period of her life.

Songs kept whizzing around in her head: melodies, harmonies, lyrics – many deeper and darker than those that helped her debut, Innocent Eyes, find its way into over a million homes – and hearts – in Australia.

Her second album, Mistaken Identity, is the multi-layered product of that well-documented year.

“It’s a more grown up album,” Delta, notes. “My music changed because my life had changed; the whole world around me had changed. My music had to reflect that.”

The childlike fantasies that fuelled Innocent Eyes were replaced by a new and often harsh reality that provided endless fuel for lyrical inspiration.

‘Extraordinary Day’ (July 8) freeze-frames the day Delta was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (“who would have thought when chance came calling that this would be my defining story”), ‘The Analyst’ captures the hours of self-analysis the singer conducted (“trying to make sense of her life, digging round in the dirt, she’s a slave to the work”), ‘Be Strong’ is a rallying call for confidence while ‘Mistaken Identity’ is Delta stating for the record exactly where her head is at.

“There are a lot of lyrics I wouldn’t have used on the first album,” Delta admits.

“In ‘Mistaken Identity’ I sing `I played the role of the nice girl next door who gets cut like a knife’, I mention `emotional suicide’ in Electrical Storm: there’s some intense lyrics in there. It was an intense year. I mean, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t acknowledge what went on; everyone knows what went on. I feel like I know people personally – even though I don’t, but I feel I had to go into depth; get things out of the way, go through the journey and end with ‘You Are My Rock’, which is a thank you song.”

Every note, every lyric and emotion has been placed on the album precisely that way for a reason: plenty of outsiders have told their side of Delta’s story – this is hers.

“There are dark songs on there like ‘Extraordinary Day’, but if I’d brought out an album that was all happy and had only songs about how great life was people would think `What is she talking about?’ It wouldn’t make any sense.

“But while there are some intense tracks on there it’s still a very listenable record. There are some really relaxed songs on there, some motivational songs and there’s some really heart-wrenching music that still makes me cry when they come on. And there’s songs that make you want to get up and dance around. I think there’s a really nice mix. I’m really proud of the record.”

It was a record whose gestation was completely different to Innocent Eyes.

In those days, Delta would film Neighbours from early morning to late at night, then zoom into a studio from 9pm to 4am to get those songs out of her head and onto a CD.

This time around Delta had nothing but time. Her illness and subsequent recovery cleared out a ridiculously busy schedule. She could concentrate on her first love: music.

“This time around I had time to think `What kind of song do I want to create here?’,” Delta says.

“I really felt the sky was the limit with this record, you could do anything in a song. I didn’t feel limited at all. There were a lot more options, a lot more paths I could go down, more directions I could choose. “

One of the key changes in the songwriting personnel was Delta meeting Guy Chambers; the British songwriter/producer behind most of Robbie Williams’ best songs. He’s also worked with everyone from Jewel to Charlotte Church to Andrea Bocelli.

Chambers had been keeping an eye on Delta’s career – impressed with her songwriting skills and heartfelt vocals. The partnership resulted in several of Mistaken Identity’s key tracks – including the No.1 hit ‘Out Of The Blue’.

“'It's really unusual to work with somebody so talented, young, and brave. Who's not scared to take risks and who has the most emotional voice in pop music,” Chambers says. ”You cannot help but believe every word Delta sings.”

“Guy’s such a classy producer,” Delta says. “He was such an inspiration to work with. I felt we had a really good connection on a musical level; he does a lot of classical music as well. We tried to make sure we found a sound together, to find what we could both bring out of each other to create something unique and special. Once we had ‘Out Of The Blue’ we knew we’d found it and we took it from there and wrote ‘Sanctuary’ and ‘Electric Storm’.”

Other songwriters Delta co-wrote with include Billy Mann on ‘Mistaken Identity’ and ‘Last Night On Earth’, Cathy Dennis (who co-wrote Innocent Eyes’ Throw It Away) on ‘Sanctuary’, Matthew Gerard (who wrote Delta’s second No.1 Lost Without You) on the emotional ‘Be Strong’, Gary Barlow and Elliot Kennedy (who co-wrote Not Me Not I) and Delta’s close friend Vince Pizzinga (co-author of Innocent Eyes) on ‘Extraordinary Day’.

“This album has more different colours and shades, it’s got more colours of me than the first album did,” Delta says.

It also houses her first duet: (Only) ‘Almost Here’, with former Westlife singer Brian McFadden. “I loved singing that,” Delta says. “It’s a break-up song where we’re talking to each other – the girl’s saying when she’s with him he’s almost there and that’s not enough. I just loved that song. I think it’s a really important element to have on the record.”

Overall, Mistaken Identity is the ultimate statement on the highs – and lows – of the last two years of Delta Goodrem’s charmed life.

“There’s a definite story in the tracklisting,” Delta says. “I felt I had to be really honest. Songs that people could still relate to but songs that also confronted issues. This past chapter of my life has been such an intense one and I wanted people to know my thoughts.”

Get ready to listen, learn and fall in love with Delta all over again.


Thanks to littlegoldenprancer@msn.com for submitting the biography.


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Delta-Goodrem-Biography/BCC28928DD94ECDB48256C7D002A483D

Daniel Powter

"I never really know what I'm playing. I just follow what sounds good in my head and keep going." -- Daniel Powter

Different.

That's a good word to begin with as you get into Daniel Powter, the debut release from this singularly unique talent. Sure, it doesn't sound "different" -- i.e., weird, spooky, bizarre -- when you listen casually at first. If anything, it sounds like superbly crafted, edgy pop: The songs are catchy, the rhythms infectious, the chords rock-solid beneath hooks that dig into your brain and don't let go. It's upbeat, though Powter does pound those changes aggressively. ("It's keyboard music on steroids," he explains.)

Ah, but listen again, a little closer. Dark lyrics thread through those happy melodies, some of which he sings with a hint of sarcasm and anger tightening the quiver in his falsetto. He focuses on everyday life, though he doesn't miss the dirt swept under society's rug. It surfaces on "Free Loop," in which a low-life jerk suggests to a girl that they both cheat on their partners. It lurks beneath the elegant flow of "Styrofoam," in a bleak self-portrait that even asks, "Isn't this an ordinary song?" (Answer: No.) It's wrapped in polyester and spun out onto the dance floor on "Hollywood," about as nasty a depiction of showbiz sleaze as you've ever heard.

All of these songs are mercilessly catchy. If you didn't understand English, you'd be left with a grin on your face and a hum-along riff in your head. And if you do, your response will be the same -- except a minute or two later, you'd be thinking, "Wait a minute. Did he just sing what I thought he did?" (Answer: Yes.)

If you break Daniel Powter down to the basics, the key elements are two: brilliant musical skills and wicked candor. Maybe this comes from the contradiction of being raised in the pastoral splendor of the Okanagan Valley (British Columbia), yet coming to believe that as an artist he has nothing to lose. The lesson began sinking in between ages four to thirteen, when he spent a lot of time at home, practicing violin, as his mother accompanied on piano. Daniel never joined a youth hockey team in order to bash into a bunch of other kids. He didn't have to: other kids, spotting him with his violin case, would bash into him instead.

"I had played at this talent show at my school," he remembers, "probably in grade five or six. I was walking across a field with my violin case when a couple of bullies from the school just beat on me. That was my turning point. I went back home with a black eye and announced, 'You know what? I'm not doing this anymore.'"

There were other reasons why the violin lost its appeal. "I was dyslexic," Powter says, "and my teacher focused very much on being able to read. I remember her looking over at me during one lesson and saying, 'You know, your music is upside down.' That's when I realized I had to break off from that structured idea of music and find my own way."

His parents' record collection lured him from the classics. "I used to listen to their Beatles and Fleetwood Mac albums until I'd absorbed them and it started to make sense. I heard a lot of the Motown stuff that my mom played. And Duran Duran was massive for me; even now, I have to turn up the radio when 'Hungry Like The Wolf' comes on. More than that, though, I was into Prince. I even had Dirty Mind as a kid; my parents had no problem with that."

Soon he was spending most of his time at his mother's piano, picking out original tunes. "I'd always messed around on it," he recalls, "but when I made the shift from violin I realized that it was so great to be able to play multiple notes at once in the bass, the midrange, and the high range. Also, girls loved it; they'd never go out with me if I were still playing a violin."

Still, Powter didn't start performing until late in high school, when he got his first band together. It was, he admits, not exactly a triumph: "Gigs petrified me. I was the lead singer but I had to turn my back to the audience; I couldn't even look at them, it was so terrifying."

That didn't take long to change. By their second gig he was beginning to channel the energy of the audience. Before that night was over Powter had committed himself to music. His first record, which he cut while still living in the Okanogan Valley, won airplay in Rocktoria, a radio contest held in Victoria, British Columbia. And as his senior year wound down, he got himself admitted as a music student to Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton.

There, the issues that had derailed his career as a violinist resurfaced. "I got A's all the time in ear training. But in theory I got an F because I didn't read well. After a while I started to hate school -- and I realized it was better for me to create on my own."

Dropping out after two years, Powter moved to Vancouver, where he hooked up with a collaborator named Jeff Dawson. "Jeff and I bunkered down in this apartment with a little studio. I started writing songs, and he and I would come up with these great production ideas. I got so addicted to it that I was working on these songs all day and all night. It was like a door opening. Everything became easy. Before, when I was making a record, one song would take me a week. Now I would have the song written in just a day, and Jeff and I would get all these bass parts down and start making loops. It just encouraged me to keep going."

Over the next year, Powter wrote a body of songs, from which the material on Daniel Powter would be drawn. When he and Jeff started sending out demos, response was strong. Major -- even legendary -- executives flew him to New York to audition. Unfortunately, in polishing his writing and recording, Powter hadn't worked on his stage act -- the idea of performing still made him nervous -- so, at this stage, nobody bit. "I wasn't ready," he shrugs. "I got killed. And once a record company says no, it's difficult to come around again. So I decided to forget about it, get back to Vancouver, and keep writing songs."

Credit an enterprising manager, Gary Stamler, for saving the day. After getting Powter's demo to Tom Whalley, Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Records, he set up a meeting in L.A. It was, as someone once said, the beginning of a beautiful friendship -- or two. Like his search for the right label, Daniel?s choice of Mitchell Froom to produce Daniel Powter owed more to hanging out than to aggressive pitching. "It was tense until I got together with Mitchell," he explains. "After two or three days, just before Christmas a year ago, I knew that he was the guy I wanted. Tom asked us to do three songs together, and when we turned them in he gave us the green light."

Working with Froom is a special treat if, in addition to being an idiosyncratic artist, you're a keyboard player. Before earning production credits on projects with Elvis Costello, Los Lobos, Crowded House, Paul McCartney, and other giants, Froom made a name for himself through session work and a series of his own albums. This partially explains the textures throughout Daniel Powter -- richly varied yet never, as keyboards can be, gloppy or superfluous. "I got to play all of Mitchell's collection," Powter enthuses, like a kid back from Halloween with a bagful of treats. "That guy has got old Chamberlins, Wurlitzers, B-3s -- it's unreal."

The connection between Powter, Froom, and Jeff Dawson strengthened as the recording sessions began. "Mitchell helped me arrange parts," Powter says. "For instance, there's a part in the middle of 'Lost In The Stoop' that's from the original demo; we changed the progression but the vocals stayed the same. I just fell in love with this kind of attitude. Most people are protective and territorial, but I was comfortable from the start with Mitchell and the way he works."

Froom knows that the key for a producer is to stay out of the way except when he can help the artist bring an idea to life. Daniel Powter, then, is all about Daniel Powter: All the idiosyncrasies, the bursts of brilliance and volatile collisions of innocence and irony, mark this young man from the North Country as an original, whose debut is only the first of what should be many mini-masterpieces to come.

"I'm a realist. All I really want is to connect with an audience that feels the way I feel. Of course, if that happens on a bigger scale and I'm massively successful, that's okay too." -- Daniel Powter

I took this info from this site: http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=16949311&Mytoken=20050804023204

Thanks to Eky for submitting the biography.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Daniel-Powter-Biography/BDE679C21E376E1948257051000A416A

Daniel Bedingfield

There are two types of pop star. The first, sadly, is the one we know all to well, the mindless puppets at the beck and call of their corporate masters, their creativity the slave of supply and demand. The second is the rarer breed. Blessed with a singular vision, the courage of their convictions and the power to grab your soul and then hold it with an electric zeal, they understand that pop is not simply a product but the gateway to a better place.

Daniel Bedingfield is the personification of the latter, and what's more he always has been. 'What made me want to write songs? I can't even remember,' he explains. 'It's like breathing, my world has always been music, it's all about having a creative expression.'

It may have taken the world a bit of time to catch up with this pop pioneer, but as the buzz accompanies Bedingfield's debut single Gotta Get Thru This proves, the delay is over. Straightforward yet irresistible, Bedingfield's pure vocals are reminiscent of Michael Jackson, as Gotta Get Thru This blasts along with an urgency that is compelling and also boasts a deep emotional edge. Played by long-term supporter UK Garage supremo EZ, Gotta Get Thru This effortlessly became the undisputed anthem of Ayia Napa this year, while its place on club and radio station playlists the length and breath of the land is already cemented.

With this overwhelming grassroots' reaction, a record company bidding war was inevitable. 'It basically blew up on the streets and then I found myself called straight in to all the MDs offices,' explains Bedingfield. 'It was really exciting. I've been planning for something like this to happen since birth, so it's nice to finally be almost achieving your goals, I'm on the verge of something really exciting.'

Born in New Zealand 21 years ago - 'That gave me my pioneering spirit. I love the otherness, it adds an extra dimension' - Bedingfield grew up in South East London, educated at home by his parents, taking his first musical steps aged nine with sisters Natasha and Nicola in progressive R&B group The DNA Algorithm before graduating on to garage. 'I took a break from the band and thought I'd mess around with garage,' he explains. Since then Bedingfield has not looked back, an exceptional rise considering his cottage industry ethics.

'It's all done in my bedroom,' reveals Bedingfield. 'I made Gotta Get Thru This with one computer and a mike, that's all I had, but if you've got a good idea you shouldn't swamp it. If you turn it up loud in the club this track really punches you hard.'

However don't be deceived by the humble surroundings. Despite his youthful years Bedingfield is determined and has filled that bedroom with some interesting influences. Sting, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson all crop up, as does that of a great songwriter not usually cited by garage practitioners. 'Lyrically Bob Dylan moves your soul,' explains Bedingfield, 'with a few words he can express extraordinary concepts.' However for Bedingfield an influence is not simply about sonic syndication, rather inspiration is drawn on a philosophical level. 'The Chinese have a saying,' Bedingfield begins, 'rather than emulate the masters you should pursue the same goals they pursue. That's what I'm trying to do, find out what they were going for then go for the same things.'

With work on an album about to start and a live band to be assembled, don't expect Bedingfield to be blown off course by cartoon pop distractions for his aim is true.

'I want to do something totally new that will fit straight in the pop bracket but will make a real musical statement as well,' he explains. 'I just want to produce a classic album that's going to be around for years.' No small order, but at least Bedingfield has the convictions and belief to deliver.

'I create music from any kind of extreme emotion, that's where my creativity is done. The music I make has to have a really powerful conviction, I can't sing anything I don't feel strongly about,' he says. 'Music is often the only way you can get your feelings down, I really enjoy doing that. I feel Gotta Get Thru This says exactly what I wanted it to say with a few words and I'd love to do that again.'

For now however, Gotta Get Thru This trumpets the arrival of a new talent and from club credibility to a million teenage walls the possibilities for Daniel Bedingfield appear unlimited.

'It really seems the world is my oyster at the moment,' he confirms. 'I feel tremendously blessed.'


source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Daniel-Bedingfield-Biography/034677F399A4056348256C1B000A320C

Daddy Yankee

Raymond Ayala (born on February 3, 1976 in R?o Piedras, Puerto Rico), known publicly as Daddy Yankee and sometimes El Cangri (Puerto Rican slang for a handsome, in-charge, and/or strong man), is a reggaeton singer.

Ayala's current fame comes from the hit song "Gasolina", from his 2004 album, "Barrio Fino". The album has sold over 1,000,000 copies in Puerto Rico alone and has also sold well in the United States and Europe. He has appeared on over 50 albums other than his own, including "M?s Flow" and "Blin Blin Vol. 1".

Ayala is famous for recording songs in both English and Spanish, although the latter is more prominently used.

Ayala was first involved in music in the early 1990s alongside Playero DJ, a pioneer of reggaeton music. Ayala has performed with Nicky Jam, Luny Tunes, DJ Blass, DJ Eric, Eliel and with Nas at Madison Square Garden. He has also recorded with DJ Tony Touch and many others.

Ayala started his first American and Latin America reggaeton music tour on August 27th, 2005.

Daddy Yankee also sang on the 2005 MTV Music awards show together with other reggaeton artists from Puerto Rico including Don Omar and Tego Calderon.

Also in 2005, Ayala signed a contract with the American company Paramount Pictures for his first movie, which will be called "Talento de Barrio" (Barrio talent). Ayala says that although the movie is not autobiographical, it does represent the difficult lives of himself and others living on the streets of Latin America. Also, he mentioned that it is a pioneering work since there isn't any other Spanish-language movie that accurately presents life in the barrio. According to Ayala, the movie is going to be "real good". The movie is expected to premi?re in theatres in February of 2006.

Thanks to Sohail Khan for submitting the biography.

source:http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Daddy-Yankee-Biography/A0C4348E55B60C3848256F64000569E4

Da Weasel

Da Weasel is a Portuguese hip-hop band from Almada. They are fronted by MCs Pacman and Virgul. Da Weasel is one of the oldest hip-hop projects in Portugal, having started in 1993. They are notorious for being a full session band, instead of relying on a DJ and samples. Their music uses elements from hard rock, pop and ska.

Da Weasel's first release the EP More Than 30 Motherfuckers, featured only six songs, all in English. The group featured Pacman as the MC, Pedro Quaresma, Jay Jay Neige and Guilherme Silva on live instruments, Yen Sung as backup vocalist and Armando Teixeira as DJ and producer. The following year, in 1994, the band rode the wave of the Rap?blica compilation, which presented Portuguese hip-hop to the mainstream audience, by releasing their first full album, Dou-lhe Com A Alma. This time, the band wrote all the songs in Portuguese, incorporating influences from Cypress Hill and Public Enemy.

Before production of their third release (3? Cap?tulo) in 1997, Yen Sung left the band to start a career as an acid jazz producer, as well as DJing. She was replaced by Virgul, a rapper/singer which introduced a few ragga and afro elements to the band's sound, as was seen in the singles "Todagente" and "Duia", with Virgul imposing his personality without outshining main MC Pacman. Da Weasel also went on tour for the first time.

In 1999, after taking part in Mario Caldato Jr.'s Tejo Beat compilation and the Xutos & Pontap?s tribute album XX Anos - XX Bandas, Da Weasel went back to the studio to record their fourth album, Inicia??o A Uma Vida Banal - O Manual. The critically acclaimed album was the band's first silver record, and helped pull increase their previous release sales enough to grant them a second silver. Da Weasel also served as a warm-up act to Red Hot Chili Peppers' concert at the Atlantic Pavillion in Lisbon.

Armando Teixeira then left the band to pursue a solo career, and experienced pop-rock producer M?rio Barreiros helming the recording of Podes Fugir Mas N?o Te Podes Esconder in 2001. Da Weasel's work now blended influences from hip-hop, heavy metal, reggae and African music to produce a unique melange that was still undeniably Portuguese. Paris-based Cuban hip-hop trio Orishas was featured on the album. Podes Fugir... soon rose up to gold and later platinum record sales.

In 2004, M?rio Barreiros was replaced by Jo?o Martins as producer, and DJ Glue joined the band as live DJ, filling a spot vacant for three years. They helped Da Weasel reinvent themselves on their latest album, Re-Defini??es, a deeply thought-out piece of work which refined the sound heard in the previous album. Music fans responded enthusiastically, with over 80,000 copies sold, making it Da Weasel's best selling album.

In 2005 the band reached its peak with a sold-out concert in the Olympia in Paris, its first ever big international performance.

In 2006 Da Weasel publishes a Track named "Play Up" inspired by the statement of Bob Marley: "Football is Music" which expresses their passion to football.The track is only found on the CD PlayUp – among 15 other football tracks written by various international artist.

On April 2nd, 2007, Da Weasel released their latest album intitled Amor, Esc?rnio e Maldizer. It reached platinum status on the same day, with over 20, 000 copies sold.

The band sang a song called Nigga on Gato Fedorento's last episode of the season Diz Que ? Uma Esp?cie de Magazine. They were before presented with a Gato Fedorento's audio sketch, "Nigga, Tu ?s Nigga, Nigga?" ("Nigga, Are You Nigga, Nigga?"), and they quoted part of the sketch.

Awards
After a nomination for Best Breakthrough Act in the "Blitz Music Awards" (organized by the Blitz music newspaper) with their first album in 1993, Da Weasel won the paper's "Band of the Year" award with Dou-lhe Com A Alma in 1994. From their third album, 3? Cap?tulo, the single "Todagente" yielded a "Best Song" award in 1997.

At the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards Da Weasel got the award for "Best Portuguese Act".

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Da_Weasel