Show name	Star Search
Caption	Logo from 2002-2003
Genre	Interactive reality game show
Creator	Alfred Masini
Writer	Sam RiddleAl MasiniPhil KellardTom ShatzJerrod CardwellScott C. Voss
Director	Tony CharmoliTim Kiley Greg V. Fera
Presenter	Ed McMahon (1983-1995)Arsenio Hall (2003-2004)
Narrated	Sam Riddle (1983-1995)
Country	United States
Language	English
Exec producer	Bob BannerTodd Wagner
Co exec	Mark Cuban (2002-2004)Dan FunkAndrew J. Golder
Producer	Sam Riddle
Runtime	60 minutes
Company	Bob Banner Associates (1983-1988)Metromedia Television (1983-1986)Television Program Enterprises (1986-1993)Rysher Entertainment (1993-1995)2929 Productions (2002-2004)A.Gold.er Productions (2003-2004)CBS Productions (2003-2004)
Distributor	Television Program Enterprises (1983-1993)Rysher Entertainment (1993-1995)
Channel	Syndication (1983-1995)CBS (2003-2004)
Picture format	Color
Audio format	Stereo
First aired	- (first run)
Last aired	(second run)
Website	http://www.cbs.com/primetime/star_search/

Star Search is a television show that was produced from 1983 to 1995, hosted by Ed McMahon, and created by Alfred Masini. A relaunch was produced in 2002 - 2004. The show was originally filmed at the old Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood and later at the Disney Hollywood Studios in Orlando, Florida.

Rules of original Star Search

On both the T.P.E./Rysher Entertainment and 2929 Productions versions of the show, contestants competed in several genres of entertainment. While categories varied slightly from season to season, the ten basic categories were:

Male Vocalist

Female Vocalist

Junior Vocalist (Second half of the season)

Teen Vocalist (First half of the season)

Junior Dance (First half of the season)

Teen Dance (Second half of the season)

Vocal Group

Spokesmodel

Comedy

Dance

Eight categories are contested per show. Potential contestants audition to be on the show. If selected, they will compete. In each category, two people compete, a champion and a challenger. Usually the challenger performs first, while the champion performs second. In later seasons, the champion performs first. This is always done like this.

All acts are judged by a panel of four judges, each judge can award an act from one to four stars (later changed to five stars). Once both acts are complete, Ed reveals the scores, best average wins. If there is a tie, a studio audience vote breaks the tie in which the results are revealed at the end of the show.

Any performer must win at least several shows in a row, dependent on the number of shows left in the season, to earn an entry into the next round of the competition; usually this was three or four wins in a row. In later seasons, three match winners were automatically retired. In this case, two new performers compete in that category the following week.

The rules for the Quarter and Semi Final shows are the same as above, only random draw (or alphabetical order) determines who will perform first. Note that scores are never revealed in the Quarter or Semi Finals, and only the winners are announced.

The judges are removed for the Championship show, and the studio audience votes for the winners. Winners of Male Vocalist, Female Vocalist, Vocal Group, Comedy, and Dance are awarded $100,000 but unlike American Idol, no record contract was guaranteed. Many Star Search winners from the early seasons secured recording contracts within a few weeks of the end of the competition - first season vocal group winner Sawyer Brown, first season male vocalist champion Sam Harris and second season male vocalist champion Durell Coleman were the first three, and were later followed by second season vocal group winner Limited Warranty, third season female vocalist champion Linda Eder, second season junior male vocalist champion Jimmy Salvemini, whose album was produced by Luther Vandross, fourth season male vocalist champion David Slater, and first season junior female vocalist runner-up Tiffany, who despite not winning her competition (she lost to Melissa Moultree) was the first Star Search alumnus to land a number one hit, I Think We're Alone Now, in 1988 - on Star Search she performed as Tiffany Renee. The winner of the Spokesmodel category is awarded $100,000 and a contract with a well-known modeling agency. The first Spokesmodel winner was Tracey Ross, who later became a leading actress on the soap opera Passions. Winners of Junior Vocalist, Junior Dance, Teen Vocalist, and Teen Dance win $10,000. The youngest person to ever win that category was 5 yr. old Kata Hay, then Kata Huddleston.

In early seasons, before the three match limit rule was adopted, the grand champions were determined by how long a champion held their title. While it is believed that Sam Harris holds the record for longest championship, at 14 weeks in Season 1, Harris was actually defeated by singer Beau Williams on Harris' 14th attempt. This record is actually held by Singer Durell Coleman (1985) who won the $100,000 on Season 2 with 15 wins and no defeats.

Remake

In the wake of American Idol's success, Arsenio Hall hosted a new version of Star Search, which ran for two years: 2003 and 2004 on CBS, before ending up in reruns on cable channel GSN for one year from 2004 to 2005. This new version was judged by several people, including Ben Stein, Naomi Judd, and McMahon himself. Among the winners were singer Tiffany Evans, comedian John Roy and singer Mark Mejia.

The revival consisted of four series. For the first series, the categories were Adult and Junior Singer, Comedy, and Modeling. In series two and three, Modeling was replaced with Dance. In the final series, the Comedy category was scrapped altogether and only the singing and dancing categories remained.

For the first three series, two new competitors faced off. The three house judges, along with the one celebrity judge, gave each contestant a score on a scale from 1 to 5 stars, making a maximum studio score 20 stars. During each commercial break, the home audience went to www.cbs.com/star to rate the competitors who just performed. Each performer could earn up to another 20 stars from the home audience. In the climactic moment before the score from the home audience was revealed, Hall would often say, "Hit me with the digits!".

When the scores were tallied, the higher scoring performer won. If the score was tied, then Hall would read off each performer's score rounded to the nearest hundredth (the at home score was initially rounded down to the nearest star, unless there was a tie). That performer would then go on to the next round of competition. The only real exception to this format during the first three series was that three people competed in the semi-final rounds, not two. After the first two series, a special, "Battle of the Best" show took place, where the two Adult Singer, Junior Singer, and Comedian Grand Champions (Modeling was only the first season, and Dance had only been around for one season) were brought back to face off for an additional $100,000.

For the fourth and final series, three contestants in Adult Singer, Junior Singer, and Dance were brought back to initially compete (Comedy was dropped, jokingly because Naomi gave many comics only one star). The three brought back in each category were not necessarily the Grand Champions of their series. The show scrapped the celebrity judge and had three house judges for the entire series: Naomi Judd, MC Lyte, and Matti Leshem (who tried to berate contestants as if he were Simon Cowell).

As in past series, two new contestants competed. With only three judges, 15 stars was possible, and ties were broken by a majority vote between the three. This is where the former contestants came in. Initially, in each category, these three performers made up the "Winner's Circle". The winning challenger then had the chance to challenge one of the three performers in his or her respective winner's circle. The winner's circle performer then had to beat or tie the bar set by the challenger- ties were automatically given to the Winner's Circle performer. If they couldn't beat the score, they were out of the competition, and the challenger took his or her place in the Winner's Circle.

Halfway through the series, the three performers in each Winner's Circle competed against each other in a special show. The winner in each category not only received a trip home, but a free pass to the final show. From then on, there were only two people who could be challenged in each Winner's Circle. In the final show, the three people in each Winner's Circle competed against each other for $100,000. This, along with the Free Pass show, were the only two shows which re-adopted the at-home voting concept.

The Adult Singer group was the only group to record a complete shutout. The three performers in the beginning were there in the end as well.

The free pass was equally important in the other two groups as well. In both the Dance and Junior Singer categories, not only did the free pass save the winner from being challenged in an ever-changing Winner's Circle, but they ended up winning their group finals (Junior Singer Mark Mejia and Dancer Jon Cruz).

Adult Singer and Series 1 champion Jake Simpson was challenged a record four times during his tenure in the Winner's Circle. He not only went a perfect 4-0, but he also won his group final. The only match he lost that entire season was the Winner's Circle Square-Off Special.

This remake lasted two years before its cancellation in April 2004.

At the same time, a spin-off called Star Search – Das Duell der Stars von Morgen was produced and aired in Germany, but with less success than the more popular show Deutschland sucht den Superstar, the German version of the Idol series.

Notable competitors on Star Search

Aaliyah, 1988 (Singer, Actress)

Adam Sandler (Comedian)

Alanis Morissette, 1988 (Singer)

Alisan Porter, 1987 (Junior Vocalist)

Anna Maria Perez de Tagle

Ashley Argota, 2003

Beth Hart, 1993 (Female Vocalist winner)

Beyoncé (Female Singer)

Bianca Ryan, 2004 (Singer)

Bill Engvall (Comedian)

Bill Kaulitz, 2003 (lead singer of Tokio Hotel; appeared on the German version of Star Search)

Billy Dean

Bobbie Brown, 1987 (Spokesmodel, 13-time winner)

Brad Garrett 1984 (Comedian)

Britney Spears, 1992 (Singer)

Carlos Mencia, 1991 (Comedian)

Charles Divins (Male Spokesmodel winner)

Cherie Wimberly, 1993 (Spokesmodel)

Christina Aguilera, 1990 (Singer)

Coors Light Twins (Diane Klimaszewski & Elaine Klimaszewski), 1987 (Teen Dance category)

Countess Vaughn, 1988 (Junior Vocalist Champion)

Cynthia Gouw, 1988 (Spokesmodel Winner, 3 time Emmy award winning TV anchor/reporter)

Dana Gould, 1987 (Comedian)

Dave Chappelle (Comedian)

David Archuleta, 2003 (Junior Vocal Champion)

David Raleigh, 1990 (Singer, songwriter, piano player)

David Slater, 1987 (Male Vocalist Champion)

Dennis Miller (Comedian)

Destiny's Child, 1991 (Singers as Girls Tyme)

Diana DeGarmo (Singer)

Drew Carey (Comedian)

Elisa Fiorillo, 1983 (Female Vocalist winner)

Garcelle Beauvais (Spokesmodel)

Greg Mowry (Singer)

Ingo Oschmann, 2003 (Comedy champion)

J. D. Roth

Jackie Martling (Comedian)

James Bonamy

Janel Parrish, 2003 (Singer)

Jenny Jones (Comedian)

Jessica Sierra (Singer)

Jessica Simpson (Singer)

Joey Pearson (Singer)

Jordis Unga, 2004 (Singer)

Joseph Williams (Toto lead singer from 1986 - 1988)

Josephine 'Banig' Roberto, 1989 (Singer)

Josh Strickland, 2004 (Singer)

Julie McCullough, 1987 (Spokesmodel)

Justin Timberlake, 1991 (Singer, as Justin Randall)

Karina Pasian

Ken Ober

Kent James, 1993 (as a part of the music group Kent & the Kommotion)

Kevin James (Comedian)

Kimberly Caldwell (5-time Junior Vocalist winner)

LeAnn Rimes

Lisa Tucker, 2003 (Singer)

Lizette Santana (a.k.a Lizé), 1994 (Singer)

Machel Montano, 1987 (International performing and recording artist)

Marc Summers

Marne Patterson, 1989 (Junior Vocalist)

Martin Lawrence (Comedian)

Nadia Turner (Singer)

Natalie Horler, 2004 (lead singer of Cascada; appeared on the German version of Star Search)

Nick Lazzarini, 2003 (as a part of the dance group Hot Under the Collar)

Norm Macdonald (Comedian)

Pat McCurdy (Singer)

Phil Vassar, 1987 (Singer)

Q'Orianka Kilcher, 2002 (Singer)

Rashaan Patterson (Singer)

Ray Romano (Comedian)

Reva Rice (Singer)

Rissi Palmer (Singer)

Rosie O'Donnell, 1984 (Comedian)

Ruben Gomez, 1986 (Junior Male Vocalist), lead singer for Menudo 1987-1990

Sawyer Brown, 1983 (Vocal Group Champion)

Shanice Wilson (Singer)

Sharon Stone, 1984 (Spokesmodel)

Shayna Steele, 1992 (teen vocalist)

Sinbad (Comedian)

Sophie Tamiko Oda (Singer)

Spensha Baker 2004 (Junior Singer Finalist)

Steve Oedekerk (Comedian)

Jon "Do-Knock" Cruz (Member of Super Cr3w, champions of America's Best Dance Crew Season 2)

Sutton Foster, 1990 (Singer)

Tim Christofore (1995 Winner)

Támar, 2004 (Singer)

Tatyana Ali (Singer; actress on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

Terri Lynn Doss (Spokesmodel)

The Boys, 1986 (Vocal Group)

The Kingpins, 1987 (Vocal Group Champion)

Tiffany, 1985 (Singer, second place finalist)

Timiney Figueroa 1990 (singer, semi-finalist)

Todd Berry, 1991 (Singer)

Tommy Gardner, 1991 (Junior Vocalist Grand Champion)

Tori Kelly (Singer)

Tracey Ross, 1984 (Spokesmodel winner)

Tracie Spencer, 1987 (Female Vocalist Champion)

Ty Herndon

Tyce Diorio (So You Think You Can Dance choreographer)

Usher (Singer)

Vic Mignogna, 1993 (Singer)

Vickie Natale, 2003 (Female Vocalist winner)

The Chavan, 2003 (Male Modeling winner)

References

External links

Star Search at the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia

Category:1980s American television series Category:1990s American television series Category:2000s American television series Category:CBS network shows Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Category:Singing competitions Category:Music competitions Category:Metromedia Category:Television series by CBS Paramount Television Category:American reality television series Category:1983 television series debuts Category:2003 American television series debuts Category:1995 television series endings Category:2004 American television series endings

Name	David Archuleta
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	David James Archuleta
Born	December 28, 1990 When he was twelve years old, Archuleta became the Junior Vocal Champion on Star Search 2. In May 2008 he finished as the runner-up, receiving 44 percent of over 97 million votes.
Name	Archuleta, David
Short description	American pop singer
Date of birth	December 28, 1990
Place of birth	Miami, Florida

Category:1990 births Category:American child singers Category:American Idol participants Category:American Latter Day Saints Category:American male singers Category:American pop keyboardists Category:American pop pianists Category:American pop singers Category:American tenors Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:American people of Honduran descent Category:Hispanic and Latino American people Category:Idol series runners-up Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Utah Category:Jive Records artists Category:People associated with the Boy Scouts of America Category:Musicians from Miami, Florida Category:People from Murray, Utah

Name	Beyoncé Knowles
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Beyoncé Giselle Knowles
Born	September 04, 1981Beyoncé's autograph

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles (born September 4, 1981), commonly known simply by the mononym Beyoncé ( ), is an American Pop/R&B; singer, songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child. Knowles rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B; girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time.

During the hiatus of Destiny's Child, Knowles released her debut solo album Dangerously in Love (2003), which spawned the number one hits "Crazy in Love" and "Baby Boy" and became one of the most successful albums of that year, earning her a then record-tying five Grammy Awards. Following the group's disbandment in 2005, Knowles released B'Day in 2006. It debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and included the hits "Déjà Vu", "Irreplaceable" and "Beautiful Liar". Her third solo album I Am... Sasha Fierce, released in November 2008, included the anthemic "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)". The album and five of its singles, as well as the song "At Last", earned her six Grammy Awards, breaking the record for most Grammy Awards won by a female artist in one night. She is the elder sister of Solange, a singer-songwriter and actress.

Knowles was schooled at St. Mary's Elementary School in Texas, where she enrolled in dance classes, including ballet and jazz. Her talent in singing was discovered when her dance instructor began humming a song and she finished it, hitting the high-pitched notes. She also attended the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston She only lasted in the choir for two years. West coast R&B; producer Arne Frager flew into Houston to see them. He eventually brought them to his studio, The Plant Recording Studios, in Northern California, with Knowles' vocals being featured. As part of efforts to sign Girl's Tyme to a major label record deal, Frager's strategy was to début them in Star Search, the biggest talent show on national TV that time. Girl's Tyme participated in the competition but lost it because the song they performed was not good, Knowles herself admitted. To manage the group, Knowles' father (who was at that time a medical-equipment salesman) resigned in 1995 from his job. Not long after the inclusion of Rowland, Mathew cut the original lineup to four, with LeToya Luckett joining in 1993. Rehearsing in Tina's Headliners Salon and their backyards, the group continued performing as an opening act for other established R&B; girl groups of the time; Tina contributed to the cause by designing their costumes, which she continued to do throughout the Destiny's Child era. With the continued support of Mathew, they auditioned before record labels and were finally signed to Elektra Records. They moved to Atlanta to work on their first recording, only to be cut by the record company in 1995. They would return home to start over again. This would put a strain on the Knowles, and Beyoncé's parents separated briefly when she was 14. In 1996, the family reunited, and to coincide with that, the girls got a contract with Columbia Records. Together, they performed in local events and, after four years on the road, the group was signed to Columbia Records in late 1997. That same year, Destiny's Child recorded its major label début song, "Killing Time", for the soundtrack to the 1997 film, Men in Black. The following year, the group released its self-titled debut album, scoring their first major hit "No, No, No". That album established the group as a viable act in the music industry, amassing moderate sales and winning the group three Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards for "Best R&B;/Soul Single" for "No, No, No", "Best R&B;/Soul Album of the Year" and "Best R&B;/Soul or Rap New Artist". The group released their multi-platinum second album The Writing's on the Wall in 1999. The record features some of the group's most widely known songs such as "Bills, Bills, Bills", the group's first number-one single, "Jumpin' Jumpin'", and "Say My Name", which became their most-successful song at the time, and would remain one of their signature songs. "Say My Name" won the Best R&B; Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals and the Best R&B; Song at the 2001 Grammy Awards. The Writing's on the Wall sold more than eight million copies.

Luckett and Roberson filed a lawsuit against the group for breach of contract. Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin appeared on the video of "Say My Name", implying that Luckett and Roberson had already been replaced. Eventually, Luckett and Roberson left the group. Franklin would eventually fade from the group after five months, as evidenced by her absences during promotional appearances and concerts. She attributed her departure to negative vibes in the group resulting from the strife.

After settling on their final lineup, the trio recorded "Independent Women Part I", which appeared on the soundtrack to the 2000 film, Charlie's Angels. It became their best-charting single, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven consecutive weeks. Later that year, Luckett and Roberson withdrew their case against their now-former band mates, while maintaining the suit against Mathew, which ended in both sides agreeing to stop public disparaging. Luckett and Roberson refiled their lawsuit after Destiny's Child's third album, Survivor was released in May 2001, claiming that the songs were aimed at them. The album débuted at number one on U.S. Billboard 200 with 663,000 units sold.

2000-2004: Solo career development and Dangerously in Love

While Knowles was with Destiny's Child, she also made solo appearances. Knowles recorded a duet with Marc Nelson on the song "After All Is Said and Done" for the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Best Man. In early 2001, while Destiny's Child was completing Survivor, Knowles landed a major role in the MTV made-for-television film, , starring alongside American actor Mekhi Phifer. Set in Philadelphia, the film is a modern interpretation of the 19th century opera Carmen by French composer Georges Bizet. Featuring many musical collaborators, the album contained a combination of uptempo and slow jam songs. Dangerously in Love debuted on the Billboard 200 at number one, and certified platinum four times by the Recording Industry Association of America. The album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200, and reached the top-ten in eight charts worldwide. Knowles recorded the song, "Check on It" featuring Slim Thug, for the film's soundtrack. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Knowles her third number one on the chart as a solo artist.

Much of the theme and musical style of Knowles' second album were inspired by her role in Dreamgirls.

2008–2010: I Am... Sasha Fierce and Grammy Award record

" on her I Am... Tour]] Knowles released her third studio album, I Am… Sasha Fierce on November 18, 2008. During this time, Knowles was interviewed by USA Today and announced plans to take a break from music in 2010. She stated, "It's definitely time to take a break, to recharge my batteries. ... I'd like to take about six months and not go into the studio. I need to just live life, to be inspired by things again." On May 4, 2010, producer Jim Jonsin told Rap-Up TV that he sent Knowles a track he worked on for the album. While on the set of filming a television commercial for Vizio, Knowles was interviewed by Entertainment Tonight and confirmed reports that she had begun working on the album. "I'm actually in the studio now writing songs and producing ... I have a lot of live instruments that I'm putting into the tracks to try to change the sound and make my own genre of music. So, I'll be shooting videos and everybody will be watching them on their Vizio televisions soon." In January 2011, it was revealed Knowles had been in the studio with producer S1, who broke the news via his twitter account. She received co-writing credits for most of the songs recorded by the group, as well as her solo efforts. Known for writing personally driven and female-empowerment themed compositions, Knowles has stated that having Jay-Z in her life has changed a few of her thoughts about how men and women relate to one another, which helped her transition from writing songs such as "Independent Women" and "Survivor" to man-tending anthems such as, "Cater 2 U" in which she sings about bringing him slippers and drawing his bath. Knowles received three songwriting credits in a single year for co-writing "Irreplaceable", "Grillz" ("Soldier" was sampled on the song) and "Check on It", the only woman to achieve since Carole King in 1971 and Mariah Carey in 1991. In terms of credits, she is tied with Diane Warren at third with nine number-one singles. The band has supported Knowles in live performances, on her 2007 The Beyoncé Experience world concert tour, and her 2009 I Am... Tour. Renee Michelle Harris of the South Florida Times writes, Knowles "owns the stage with her trademark swagger and intensity... showcasing her powerful vocals without missing a note, often while engaged in vigorous, perfectly executed dance moves...no one, not Britney, not Ciara and not Rihanna can offer what she does—a complete package of voice, moves and presence." Knowles described Sasha as being "too aggressive, too strong, too sassy [and] too sexy", stating "I'm not like her in real life at all ... I'm not flirtatious and super-confident and fearless like her. What I feel onstage I don't feel anywhere else. It's an out-of-body experience. I created my stage persona to protect myself so that when I go home I don't have to think about what it is I do. Sasha isn't me. The people around me know who I really am." Although Sasha was born during the making of her 2003 hit single, "Crazy in Love", Knowles introduced her alter ego with the release of her third album, I Am... Sasha Fierce in 2008. In February 2010, Knowles announced in an interview with Allure magazine that "Sasha Fierce is done. I killed her". She then went on saying that she is comfortable enough with herself to be all of those things without an alias, stating "I don't need Sasha Fierce anymore, because I've grown and now I'm able to merge the two." Some media even claimed that Jay-Z fashioned her to be a replica of Knowles. Mary J. Blige In an interview with MTV News, Kelly Rowland revealed she was inspired by Knowles' voice while recording her second album, Ms. Kelly. This prompted a legion of imitations and parodies from men and women all around the world posting videos of themselves onto YouTube attempting to perform the choreography. and Joe Jonas, US President Barack Obama and actor Tom Hanks. American Idol winner Jordin Sparks described her debut single, "Tattoo" as being very "Beyonce-ish." However, in 2010 Knowles surpassed all others by receiving a record breaking six awards out of ten nominations. In 2007, she became the first female artist to be awarded the International Artist Award at the American Music Awards. In February 2010, the RIAA listed her as the top certified artist of the decade, with a total of 64 certifications, including albums, digital songs, master ringtones and music videos. BET recognized Knowles as the second most influential artist of the decade In August 2010, VH1 listed Knowles at number 52 on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In November 2010, Billboard ranked her at 15th place on its list of the top 25 R&B;/Hip-Hop artist of the past 25 years (1985-2010). In 2006, The animal rights organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had criticized Knowles for wearing fur coats and using fur in her clothing line. In July 2009, Knowles and her mother, Tina launched a new junior apparel label, Sasha Fierce for Deréon, for back-to-school selling. The collection, which is inspired by Knowles' stage presence, consists of sportswear, outerwear, handbags, footwear, eyewear, lingerie and jewelry. In May 2010, Knowles teamed up with clothing store C&A; to release her Deréon clothing line labeled, Deréon by Beyoncé for C&A.; The collection was only made available in Brazilian C&A; stores. Knowles and Destiny's Child band mate, Kelly Rowland, along with the former's family, founded the Survivor Foundation, a charitable entity set up to provide transitional housing for 2005 Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees in the Houston, Texas area. The Survivor Foundation extended the philanthropic mission of the Knowles-Rowland Center for Youth, a multi-purpose community outreach facility in downtown Houston. Knowles donated $100,000 to the Gulf Coast Ike Relief Fund, which benefits victims of Hurricane Ike in the Houston area. She is organizing a fund raising benefit for Hurricane Ike relief through the Survivor Foundation. Knowles conducted food drives during stops on The Beyoncé Experience tour in Houston on July 14, Atlanta on July 20, Washington, D.C. on August 9, Toronto on August 15, Chicago on August 18, and Los Angeles on September 2, 2006. She remembers her mother, Tina Knowles, for finally saying to help her out of her depression, "Why do you think a person wouldn't love you? Don't you know how smart and sweet and beautiful you are?"

Relationship with Jay-Z

performing "Crazy in Love" on November 15, 2009.]] Since 2002, Knowles has been in a relationship with rapper Jay-Z, with whom she has collaborated several times. Rumors began to circulate about their relationship after Knowles was featured on his song, "'03 Bonnie & Clyde". In spite of persistent rumors about their relationship, they remained discreet about it. When asked again about the subject in September 2007, Jay-Z replied, "One day soon—let's leave it at that."

Discography

2003: Dangerously in Love

2006: B'Day

2008: I Am... Sasha Fierce

See also

Destiny's Child discography

Beyoncé Knowles videography

List of Beyoncé Knowles songs

List of Beyoncé Knowles concert tours

List of best-selling music artists

List of awards and nominations received by Beyoncé Knowles

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

Filmography

References

External links

Official American website

Category:1981 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Actors from Texas Category:African American actors Category:African American female singer-songwriters Category:African American musicians Category:African American songwriters Category:African American models Category:American child singers Category:American dancers Category:American fashion designers Category:American female models Category:American film actors Category:American Christians Category:American Methodists Category:American music video directors Category:American pop singers Category:American record producers Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:American people of Native American descent Category:Beyoncé Knowles Category:BRIT Award winners Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Destiny's Child members Category:English-language singers Category:American people of French descent Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Ivor Novello Award winners Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Houston, Texas Category:Sony/ATV Music Publishing artists Category:Spanish-language singers Category:United Methodists Category:Native American singers Category:World Music Awards winners Category:African-American fashion designers Category:Louisiana Creole people

Name	Wade Robson
Birth name	Wade Jeremy William Robson
Birth place	Brisbane, Australia
Birth date	September 17, 1982
Occupation	Dancer, choreographer, music video director, songwriter
Spouse	Amanda Rodriguez (2005-present)
Name	Robson, Wade
Short description	choreographer, creative director, and songwriter
Date of birth	September 17, 1982
Place of birth	Brisbane, Australia

Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:Australian dancers Category:Australian choreographers Category:Cirque du Soleil Category:People from Brisbane Category:So You Think You Can Dance choreographers Category:Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch"

Name	Tracey Ross
Birth name	Linda Tracey Ross
Birth date	February 27, 1959
Birth place	Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1981—present
Naacpimageawards	Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series2007 Passions

: For the Girlfriends actress, see Tracee Ellis Ross. Linda Tracey Ross (born February 27, 1959; Brooklyn, New York, U.S.), best known as Tracey Ross, is an NAACP Image Award winning actress, best known for roles on the soap operas Ryan's Hope (1985-1987) and Passions (1999-2008). In 1984, she became the first winner in the Spokesmodel category on the television series Star Search.

Ross was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series for nine consecutive years, for her performance as Dr. Eve Russell on Passions. Ross won the award on March 2, 2007.

Ross has also had a number of television series guest appearances, on shows such as The Cosby Show, Roc, Baywatch Nights, and Providence. Ross also appeared on the popular dating show Blind Date. Much like many dates on the show however, Ross' dating experience was unsuccessful as she did not appear to show interest in her date (unlike her date who was very interested in her).

She is currently in a relationship with her Passions co-star, Ben Masters.

Tracey has a son, Bryce, born in 1988.

On several occasions, Ross has stated that she identifies most with Ayn Rand's Objectivism, and that Atlas Shrugged is her favorite book.

She is not related to either Tracee Ellis Ross or fellow soap actress Rhonda Ross Kendrick, who both have Diana Ross as their mother.

External links

IMDb profile

Category:American soap opera actors Category:African American actors Category:1959 births Category:Living people

Birthname	Sophie Tamiko Oda
Birth date	October 23, 1991
Birth place	San Francisco, California
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2003 — present

Sophie Tamiko Oda (born October 23, 1991) is an American actress.

Personal life

Oda, a Japanese American, was born in San Francisco, California. She is also a professional singer and performs frequently in concerts and benefits. Some of her performances include the Japanese American Hall of Fame, TheatreWorks 35th Anniversary, Asian Americans on Broadway, Multi-Media Musicals, East West Players Anniversary, MADD, Bay Area Kid Fest. She is a featured singer on the CD, Kabaret for Kids.

Oda has been performing in professional theatre since the age of six. Shows include The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, the World Premiere of A Little Princess, the West Coast Premiere of Jane Eyre,the Musical, The Sound of Music, Pacific Overtures, Annie, The Joy Luck Club, A Midsummer Night's Dream, South Pacific, The King and I, and more.

Oda has completed high school and is now in college.

Career

Oda had a recurring role in The Suite Life of Zack and Cody as Barbara Brownstein appearing in Benchwarmers, A Tale of Two Houses, Romancing The Phone, Orchestra, Rock Star in the House, Neither a Borrower Nor a Speller Bee, Ask Zack, Club Twin, Graduation and Miniature Golf. She appeared in two movies: Bee Season and Kung Phooey. Sophie has been a singer on Star Search. She has been a guest star in the latest sitcom, The Suite Life On Deck, with her recurring role as Barbara. Sophie is starring in a comedy web series called Spaz Fu. Her Suite Life character Barbara Brownstein has been in a relationship with other Suite Life recurring star Bob as revealed in Suite Life on Deck episode Flowers and Chocolate, even though in the original series she was girlfriend to main star Cody Martin. In Flowers and Chocolate it is revealed that Barbara and Bob started dating in The Suite Life Sets Sail, the first episode of the spin-off and the day Zack and Cody left.

Filmography

References

External links

Category:1991 births Category:American child actors Category:American people of Japanese descent Category:American television actors Category:Living people Category:People from San Francisco, California Category:American actors of Japanese descent

Name	Norm MacDonald
Caption	Norm MacDonald, September 2009
Birth date	October 17, 1963
Birth place	Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
Birth name	Norman Gene MacDonald
Medium	Stand-up, television, film
Nationality	Canadian
Active	1991 – present
Genre	Satire/Political satire/News Satire, Observational comedy
Subject	American politics, current events, American culture, pop culture, mass media/news media/media criticism
Spouse	Connie MacDonald (?-?) (divorced) 1 child
Notable work	Weekend Update anchor on Saturday Night LiveNorm Henderson on The Norm ShowLucky in Dr. DolittleNorm the Genie in The Fairly Oddparents

Norman Gene "Norm" MacDonald (born October 17, 1963) is a Canadian actor, writer and stand-up comedian. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years. He has performed his stand-up comedy in clubs across Canada, the United States, and Australia. Early in his career, he wrote for the popular sitcom Roseanne and made memorable appearances on shows including The Drew Carey Show and NewsRadio. He also starred in The Norm Show from 1999-2001. Comedy Central named him #83 on the five part miniseries 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time. He is also noted as one of Conan O'Brien's favorite and most frequent guests on his various talk shows.

Early life

In the early 1970s, Macdonald attended grade school where his parents taught at Alexander Wolff School, on Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, outside Quebec City. Macdonald has said that he was a student in his father's class, and that he had to call him "Mr. Macdonald" while in class. His father, often described as very strict man, was his homeroom teacher for two years (grades 6 and 7). After completing 7th grade, Macdonald attended Quebec High School in Quebec City. Canadian journalist Neil Macdonald is his brother.

Saturday Night Live

MacDonald joined the cast of NBC's Saturday Night Live (SNL) television program in 1993, where he performed impressions of Larry King, Burt Reynolds, David Letterman, Charles Kuralt, and Bob Dole, among others. Following Kevin Nealon's departure from SNL, MacDonald anchored the segment Weekend Update. Chevy Chase, the first anchor of Weekend Update, has opined that MacDonald is the only anchor since his own tenure to have "done it right".

On February 28, 1998, one of his last appearances on SNL occurred as host of a fictitious TV show called Who's More Grizzled?, who asked questions of "mountain men" played by that night's host Garth Brooks and special guest Robert Duvall. In the sketch, Brooks' character said to MacDonald's character, "I don't much care for you," to which MacDonald replied, "A lot of people don't."

In a Late Show with David Letterman interview, MacDonald said that after being fired, he could not "do anything else on any competing show."

Norm went on the Celebrity Jeopardy! sketch on the 34th season finale of SNL when Will Ferrell hosted. MacDonald reprised his impression of Burt Reynolds, as he did when he was a regular cast member.

Recurring characters on SNL

Stan Hooper, a cynical man who exploits other people. (The short-lived FOX sitcom A Minute With Stan Hooper featured a version of this character).

Celebrity impersonations

Al Michaels

Andy Rooney

Alan Driscoll

Allen Funt (as his character Todd Deal)

Barry Scheck

Bill Cosby

Bob Dole

Bob Uecker

Burt Reynolds(Turd Ferguson)

Charles Kuralt

Clint Eastwood

Craig Reid from The Proclaimers

David Letterman

Dr. Jack Kevorkian

Flea

George Burns

John Gray

Juan Peron

Slim Pickens

Larry King

Lou Gehrig

Marv Albert

Michael Richards

Quentin Tarantino

Rod Serling

Rowan Atkinson (as his character Mr. Bean)

Burton Gilliam, though erroneously referred to as Slim Pickens

Tommy Lee

Post-SNL Career

Soon after leaving Saturday Night Live, MacDonald co-wrote and starred in the "revenge comedy" Dirty Work (1998), with Jack Warden, Don Rickles, Chevy Chase, Chris Farley, Artie Lange and Adam Sandler. Later that year, MacDonald voiced the character of Lucky the dog in the Eddie Murphy remake of Doctor Dolittle. He reprised the role in both Doctor Dolittle 2 (2001) and Doctor Dolittle 3 (2006). MacDonald voiced the character of Death on an episode of Family Guy. Due to a conflict with his stand-up comedy schedule, he was unavailable to voice the character for his next appearance; Death has since been played by Adam Carolla. In 1999, MacDonald starred in the sitcom The Norm Show (later renamed Norm), co-starring Laurie Metcalf, Artie Lange and Ian Gomez. It ran for three seasons on ABC. MacDonald voiced Hardee's restaurant's (Carl's Jr. on the US West Coast) costumed mascot, the Hardee's star in advertisements. MacDonald also appeared on several Miller Lite commercials that year. He appeared on the September 1999 Saturday Night Live primetime special celebrating the program's 25th year on the air. MacDonald was one of only three former Weekend Update anchors to introduce a retrospective on the segment (the others being Chevy Chase and Dennis Miller).

MacDonald returned to Saturday Night Live to host the October 23, 1999 show. In his opening monologue, he expressed resentment at having been fired, then concluded that the only reason he was asked to host was because "the show has gotten really bad" since he left. The next episode, airing November 6, 1999 and hosted by Dylan McDermott, featured a sketch where Chris Kattan, as the androgynous character Mango, is opening letters from celebrity admirers and, after opening the last one, says "[the letter is from] Norm MacDonald, who is that?" Also in 1999, MacDonald made a cameo appearance in the Andy Kaufman biopic Man on the Moon. When Michael Richards refused to portray himself in the scene reenacting the famous Fridays incident where Kaufman throws water in his face, MacDonald stepped in to play Richards, although he is never referred to by name.

On MacDonald's first appearance on The Daily Show after Jon Stewart took over, he caused controversy when he said "I'm really glad to see you're hosting the show, man. I hated that other guy." In a previous interview, MacDonald retorted: "I hate that . . . [expletive] 'Daily Show.' I know you critics love it, but it just seems like the most obvious type of comedy." After Jon Stewart got the job he explained his previous comments. "I was joking," he contended. "I love 'The Daily Show.' And I love Jon Stewart. But in print, you can't italicize irony, know what I mean? It's all just words. A guy could say right now: 'I hate David Letterman. I really hate him.' And you could print that. But don't print it."

In 2000, MacDonald starred in his second motion picture, Screwed, which, like Dirty Work, fared poorly at the box office.

On November 12, 2000, MacDonald appeared on the Celebrity Edition of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? winning $500,000.00 for Paul Newman's Charity Camp. MacDonald could have won a million dollars, but admitted he was too nervous to go for it. Had he done so, his initial guess at the million dollar question (The Greenbrier) was correct.

MacDonald continued to make appearances on television shows and in films, including , , and The Animal, all of which starred fellow Saturday Night Live alumnus Rob Schneider and were produced by Adam Sandler.

In 2005, MacDonald signed a deal with Comedy Central to create a new sketch comedy pilot called Back to Norm, which debuted that May. The pilot was never turned into a series. Its infamous cold opening parodied the suicide of Budd Dwyer, a Pennsylvania politician who, facing decades of incarceration, committed suicide on live television in 1987. Rob Schneider appeared in the pilot. Also in 2005, MacDonald performed as a voice actor, portraying a Genie named Norm, on two episodes of the cartoon series The Fairly Odd Parents. But he could not return for the third episode, "Fairy Idol", due to a scheduling conflict. In 2006, MacDonald again performed as a voice actor, this time in a series of commercials for Canadian cellphone services provider Bell Mobility, as the voice of "Frank the Beaver". The campaign had a commercial tie-in with the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and with the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The ads ran heavily on CBC during the Olympics and throughout the National Hockey League's postseason. Due to its success, the campaign was extended throughout 2006, 2007 and into 2008 to promote offerings from other Bell Canada divisions such as Bell Sympatico Internet provider and Bell TV satellite service. In August 2008, the new management at Bell decided that they would go in a different direction with advertising, and would no longer be using the beavers.

In September 2006, MacDonald's sketch comedy album, Ridiculous, was released by Comedy Central Records. It features appearances by Will Ferrell, Jon Lovitz, Tim Meadows, Molly Shannon and Artie Lange. On September 14, 2006, MacDonald appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart to promote Ridiculous. During the appearance, MacDonald made some jokes about the recent death of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. Stewart, holding back laughter, asked Norm to change the subject, but he kept going and Stewart kept trying to hold back the laughter. MacDonald was a guest character on My Name Is Earl in the episode "Two Balls, Two Strikes" as "Lil Chubby", the son of "Chubby" (played by Burt Reynolds), similar to MacDonald's portrayals of Reynolds on SNL.

In the 2007 World Series of Poker, he came in 20th place out of 827 entrants in the $3,000 No Limit Texas Hold 'em event, winning $14,608. He also made it to round two of the $5,000 World Championship of Heads-Up No-Limit Hold'em. On the comedy website, Super Deluxe, he has created an animated series entitled "The Fake News". Norm has filled in during Dennis Miller's weekly O'Reilly Factor "Miller Time" segment on January 2, 2008, and guest-hosted Dennis Miller's radio show on January 3, 2008. Norm had also been a regular contributor on Miller's show every Friday, prior to an unexplained absence that left Miller wondering on-air if the show had somehow miffed Norm. MacDonald returned after many months on May 30, 2008, but not before missing a scheduled appearance the day before. He also hosted Miller's radio show for the second time on July 16, 2008, along with friend Stevie Ray Fromstein.

On June 19, 2008, McDonald was a celebrity panelist on two episodes of a revived version of the popular game show Match Game, which was taped at CBS Television City in Los Angeles. The new version featured the same set used in the early years of the 1970s version and also starred comedienne Sarah Silverman as a fellow celebrity panelist. On August 17, 2008, Norm was a participant in the Comedy Central Roast of Bob Saget, performing intentionally cheesy and G-rated material that contrasted greatly with the raunchy performances of the other roasters. In AT&T; commercials around Christmas 2007 and 2008, MacDonald voiced a gingerbread boy wanting a prepaid mobile phone from his dad, (voiced by Steve Buscemi) who repeatedly rebuilds his house because "people won't stop eating it". The ad was for AT&T;'s GoPhone. Norm is working on a program for the FX network called The Norm MacDonald Reality Show, in which he plays a fictional, down-on-his-luck version of himself. On the May 16, 2009, episode of Saturday Night Live, MacDonald reappeared as Burt Reynolds on Celebrity Jeopardy!. He also appeared in another sketch later on playing the guitar. On May 31, 2009, he appeared on Million Dollar Password.

MacDonald became a frequent guest on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien during its 2009 and 2010 run. MacDonald has also made frequent appearances on the internet talk show Tom Green's House Tonight, and on May 20, 2010, he guest hosted the show.

In September 2010, it was reported that MacDonald is developing a new series for Comedy Central that he describes as a sports version of The Daily Show.

Political humor

Despite referring to himself as apolitical, MacDonald has made controversial references to politically-charged issues. At the end of the last Weekend Update segment before the 1996 presidential election, Norm urged viewers to vote for Bob Dole (of whom MacDonald frequently performed a comic impersonation), though hinting that he had solely said it so that he could continue impersonating him.

In 2003, MacDonald appeared on Barbara Walters' program The View, publicly renouncing his Canadian citizenship as a joke over his home country's decision not to participate in the Iraq War, stated his belief that Ronald Reagan was the greatest president ever and said that he would be becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States. "I just keep renewing my green card", said MacDonald in a telephone interview).

On the November 16, 2000 episode of The View MacDonald said that he thought George W. Bush was "a decent man" and he called Bill Clinton a "murderer" (regarding the Vince Foster case). MacDonald later stated in Maxim magazine that he is completely apolitical, and that he was joking when he said Clinton "killed a guy" (he further explained on the Adam Carolla Show that the comments were simply designed to anger Walters).

On the January 2, 2008 episode of The O'Reilly Factor, MacDonald stated that he is "very pro-life, but against the death penalty." His friend Artie Lange would soon afterwards confirm these opinions as sincere on The Howard Stern Show. during an appearance on September 25 of that year, MacDonald stated his support for Barack Obama, citing Sarah Palin's status as a "Christian fundamentalist" as a concern.

Filmography

References

External links

Norm MacDonald on Myspace

Norm MacDonald on Tom Green Live, 10 February 2007

Norm MacDonald on Tom Green Live, 31 January 2007

Category:1963 births Category:Algonquin College alumni Category:Anglophone Quebec people Category:Canadian comedians Category:Canadian expatriate actors in the United States Category:Canadian film actors Category:Canadian people of Scottish descent Category:Canadian stand-up comedians Category:Canadian television actors Category:Carleton University alumni Category:Living people Category:People from Quebec City Category:Quebec comedians Category:Actors from Quebec

Name	Justin Timberlake
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Justin Randall Timberlake
Birth date	January 31, 1981
Birth place	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, keyboards, guitar, beatboxing
Origin	Shelby Forest, Tennessee, U.S.
Genre	Pop, dance, R&B;
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, businessman
Years active	1993–present
Label	Jive
Associated acts	'N Sync, The Y's,Timbaland,T.I
Url

Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American pop musician and actor. He has won six Grammy Awards as well as two Emmy Awards. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez. Timberlake became famous in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the boy band 'N Sync, whose launch was financed by Lou Pearlman.

In 2002, he released his debut solo album, Justified, which sold more than 7 million copies worldwide. The album was a commercial success, spawning the hits "Cry Me a River" and "Rock Your Body". Timberlake continued his success with his second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006), debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and produced the US number-one hit singles "SexyBack", "My Love", and "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around".

Timberlake's first two albums made him one of the most commercially successful singers in the world, each selling in excess of 7 million copies. Aside from music, he has also begun an acting career, while his other ventures include record label Tennman Records, fashion label William Rast, and the restaurants Destino Following the single, Timberlake released Justified on November 5, 2002. The first role he took during this time was as a journalist in the thriller Edison Force, which was filmed in 2004 and received a direct-to-video release on July 18, 2006. The album, which Timberlake created in 2005, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart, selling 684,000 copies its first week.

The album's lead single, "SexyBack", was performed by Timberlake at the opening of the 2006 MTV Video Music Awards and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, where it remained for seven consecutive weeks. He was the special guest performer at the 2006 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show for being where he sang SexyBack. In January 2007, Timberlake embarked on the FutureSex/LoveShow tour. "Summer Love/Set the Mood Prelude" was the fourth U.S. single off the album, and the next single in the UK was "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows Interlude". The song "Give It to Me", a Timbaland single on which Timberlake guests with Nelly Furtado, reached the Hot 100 number-one spot. Timberlake began dating actress Cameron Diaz soon after they met at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards in April 2003. Regular rumours of break-ups reported in the tabloid press were either ignored or occasionally denied.Nominated–Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best CastNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |- | 2010 | Yogi Bear | Boo-Boo Bear | Voice role |- | 2011 | Bad Teacher | Scott | Post-production |- | 2011 | Now | Will Salas | Filming |- | 2011 | Friends with Benefits | Dylan | Post-production |} {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ Television ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1993–1995 | The Mickey Mouse Club | Himself | |- | 1999 | Touched by an Angel | Street performer | "" |- | 2005–present | Saturday Night Live | Himself/Several roles | Four episodes |}

See also

List of awards and nominations received by Justin Timberlake

References

External links

Category:1981 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Actors from Tennessee Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American businesspeople Category:American Christians Category:American dance musicians Category:American dancers Category:American film actors Category:American male singers Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American voice actors Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Beatboxers Category:Blue-eyed soul singers Category:Hip hop singers Category:BRIT Award winners Category:American people of British descent Category:Emmy Award winners Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Jive Records artists Category:Mouseketeers Category:Musicians from Tennessee Category:'N Sync members

Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Sony BMG artists

Category:World Music Awards winners Category:Blue-eyed soul musicians

Name	Christina Aguilera
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Christina María Aguilera
Alias	Xtina
Born	December 18, 1980Staten Island, New York United States
Origin	Wexford, Pennsylvania United States
Genre	Pop, R&B;, soul, dance-pop, hip hop
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress
Instrument	Vocals, piano
Years active	1993–present
Label	RCA
Url

Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American recording artist and actress. "Reflection" peaked within the top twenty on the Adult Contemporary Singles Chart, and it was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

1999–2001: Christina Aguilera, Mi Reflejo and new management

Under the exclusive representation of Steve Kurtz, Aguilera's self-titled debut album Christina Aguilera was released on August 24, 1999. It reached the top of the Billboard 200 and Canadian album charts, selling eight million copies in the U.S. and over seventeen million copies worldwide. The album peaked at number twenty-seven on the Billboard 200 and went number one on the Billboard Latin charts for a record 20 weeks. In 2001, it won Aguilera a Latin Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Album. The album went Gold in the U.S. She also won the World Music Award as the best selling Latin artist that year. Aguilera also released a Christmas album on October 24, 2000 called My Kind of Christmas. It peaked at number twenty-eight on the Billboard 200, and has been certified Platinum in the U.S. Kurtz countersued later that month for breach of contract, claiming that the singer violated the same agreement she had sued to void. In the lawsuit, he included others close to Aguilera, alleging their intent to sabotage his business relationship with her. He also singled out Azoff for being in violation of the terms of Kurtz's contract. She denied that this change was a matter of publicity, claiming that the image better reflected her true personality than did the image she cultivated back in 1999. While the video for "Dirrty" became very popular on MTV, it disappointed on the U.S. singles chart. However, the single was a hit worldwide, reaching number one in the UK and Ireland. The second single, "Beautiful" received critical praise. The classically influenced ballad reached number one in several countries and peaked at #2 in the US. "Beautiful" earned Aguilera the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. Three more singles ("Fighter", "Can't Hold Us Down" featuring Lil' Kim, "The Voice Within") were released in the following two years and were hits that helped the album stay on the charts for the next two years. Stripped stayed on the U.S. and UK album charts well into 2004, and went on to be certified four-times platinum in the U.S. with over thirteen million copies sold worldwide. Also in 2004, she hosted a Saturday Night Live episode which included a Sex & The City skit where she portrayed Samantha Jones revealing to everyone she was a man the entire time. Dan Martin of the NME wrote, "Perhaps best of all is ‘Monday Morning.' Written with Santigold and The Bravery’s Sam Endicott, it’s a Day-Glo disco jam that sounds like Gwen Stefani doing "Borderline". The album's sales were underwhelming in the US compared to her previous releases selling 110,000 copies in its first week landing at #3.

Describing Aguilera's voice, singing teachers Phyllis Fulford and Michael Mailler said, "The low register is light and tired, the belting register is ample and full, but very scratchy because she screams; and head voice as well as whistle register are light, pure and bright. Her vocal range extends from G below middle C to C one octave above soprano high C (C₃ - C₇). She can belt to F one octave and a third above middle C (F₅). She possesses a good-sized technical arsenal. Her trill is solid, she has a big mastery of melisma, and can sustain very long notes." Fashion has also been a part of Aguilera's music career and image which she has used as a form of expression during performances and music videos. In 2003 she became the muse and inspiration for Donatella Versace's 2003 fall line. Versace also designed pieces her tour the following year. Aguilera is also a fan of Roberto Cavalli, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs, and Alexander McQueen whose designs she has worn throughout her career.

Philanthropy

Throughout her career, Aguilera has been involved with several charities. She signed a letter from PETA to the South Korean government asking that the country stop its alleged killing of dogs for food. Since then she has worked with Lifetime Television's 'End violence against women' campaign. Her work there included a public service announcement which aired on the network and during her 2007 tour.1995 || The Mickey Mouse Club || Herself || 3 episodes |- | 1999 || Beverly Hills, 90210 || Herself || "Let's Eat Cake" |- | 2000–2006 || Saturday Night Live || Herself || Host, musical guest, 4 episodes |- | 2009 || Project Runway || Herself || Guest Judge, "Sequins, Feathers and Fur, Oh My!" |- | 2010 || Entourage || Herself || "Lose Yourself" |}

Discography

Christina Aguilera (1999)

Mi Reflejo (2000)

My Kind of Christmas (2000)

Stripped (2002)

Back to Basics (2006)

Bionic (2010)

See also

List of Christina Aguilera tours

List of best-selling music artists

List of awards and nominations received by Christina Aguilera

Honorific nicknames in popular music

References

External links

ChristinaAguilera.com — Christina Aguilera official website

Category:1980 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American female singers Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American music video directors Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:American people of Ecuadorian descent Category:American people of German descent Category:American pop singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Blue-eyed soul singers Category:BRIT Award winners Category:English-language singers Category:Feminist artists Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Hispanic and Latino American people Category:Ivor Novello Award winners Category:Latin Grammy Award winners Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States Category:Living people Category:Military brats Category:Mouseketeers Category:Musicians from New York City Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Category:People from Staten Island Category:RCA Records artists Category:Sony BMG artists Category:Spanish-language singers Category:World Music Awards winners

Name	Britney Spears
Years active	1992–present
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Britney Jean Spears
Born	December 02, 1981McComb, Mississippi,
Genre	Pop, dance-pop
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, record producer, author, fashion designer, video director
Instrument	Vocals, piano
Label	Jive
Associated acts	The New Mickey Mouse Club
Url

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999. During her first decade within the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Her first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s.

In 2001, she released her third studio album Britney and expanded her brand, playing the starring role in the film Crossroads. She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, In the Zone released in 2003, which yielded chart-topping singles "Me Against the Music", "Toxic" and "Everytime". After the release of two compilation albums, Spears experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus. Her fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in 2007 and despite receiving little promotion, it spawned hits "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me". In 2008, her erratic behaviour and hospitalizations caused her to be placed in a conservatorship. The same year, her sixth studio album Circus was released, with the global chart-topping lead single "Womanizer". After embarking on The Circus Starring Britney Spears, she released greatest hits The Singles Collection, which featured U.S. and Canadian number-one single "3".

Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists in the history of contemporary music. At age eight, Spears and her mother Lynne traveled to Atlanta for an audition in the 1990s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club. Casting director Matt Cassella rejected her for being too young to join the series at the time, but introduced her to Nancy Carson, a New York City talent agent. Carson was impressed with Spears's vocals and suggested enrolling her at the Professional Performing Arts School; shortly after, Lynne and her daughters moved to a sublet apartment in New York. Spears was hired for her first professional role, as the understudy for the lead role of Tina Denmark in the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless!. She also appeared as a contestant on the popular television show Star Search, as well as being cast in a number of commercials. They appointed her to work with producer Eric Foster White for a month, who reportedly shaped her voice from "lower and less poppy" delivery to "distinctively, unmistakably Britney."

1998–2000: ...Baby One More Time and Oops!... I Did It Again

in 1999]] After Spears returned to the United States, Spears embarked on a shopping mall promotional tour to promote her forthcoming album. Her show was a four song set and she was accompanied by two back up dancers. Her first concert tour followed, as an opening act for 'N Sync. The title track was released as the lead single from the album. Originally, Jive Records wanted its music video to be animated; however, Spears rejected it, and suggested the final idea of a Catholic schoolgirl. The single sold 500,000 copies on its first day, and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the chart for two consecutive weeks.

On June 28, 1999, Spears began her first headlining ...Baby One More Time Tour in North America, which was positively received by critics, Oops!... I Did It Again, her second studio album, was released in May 2000. It debuted at number one in the US, selling 1,3 million copies, breaking the SoundScan record for the highest debut sales by any solo artist.

2001–03: Britney, Crossroads, and In the Zone

On February 2001, Spears got a promotional deal for $7–8 million dollars with Pepsi, and released another book co-written with her mother, entitled A Mother’s Gift. Her third studio album, Britney, was released in November 2001. While on tour, she felt inspired by hip hop artists such as Jay-Z and The Neptunes and wanted to create a record with a funkier sound. To support the album, Spears embarked on the Dream Within a Dream Tour. The show was critically praised for its technical innovations, the pièce de résistance being a water screen that pumped two tons of water into the stage. In June 2002, Spears opened her first restaurant, Nyla, in New York City, but terminated her relationship in November, citing mismanagement and "management's failure to keep her fully apprised". Spears released her fourth studio album, In the Zone, in November 2003. She assumed more creative control by writing and co-producing most of the material. Vibe called it "A supremely confident dance record that also illustrates Spears's development as a songwriter." It also debuted at the top of the charts in France and the top ten in Belgium, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.

2004–07: Compilation albums, motherhood, personal struggles and Blackout

On January 3, 2004, Spears married childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander at The Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The marriage was annulled 55 hours later, stating that Spears "lacked understanding of her actions". The initial stages of their relationship were chronicled in Spears's first reality show . They held a wedding ceremony on September 18, 2004, but were not legally married until three weeks later on October 6 due to a delay finalizing the couple's prenuptial agreement. In October 2004, Spears announced she would be taking another career break to start a family. The following month, she guest-starred on the Will & Grace episode "Buy, Buy Baby" as closeted lesbian Amber Louise. Two months later, Spears posed nude for the cover of Harper's Bazaar. The picture was heavily compared to Demi Moore's August 1991 Vanity Fair cover. She gave birth to her second child, Jayden James Federline, on September 12, 2006. In May 2007, she produced a series of promotional concerts at House of Blues venues, titled The M+M's Tour. Spears was released on February 6, 2008. Her parents expressed disappointment and concern at the decision to release her. Circus became one of the fastest-selling albums of the year, In Australia, NSW Fair Trading Minister Virginia Judge has advised disclaimers be printed on any ticket for concerts which contain any prerecorded vocals. She commented: "There could have been some instances where people actually go and purchase a ticket thinking that they're going to have a live performance ... for some people that means that everything is live, it's fresh, it happens instantaneously, it's not something that's been pre-recorded. You want to make sure that they're actually paying for what they think they're getting." However, in examining her level of skill as an artist, it is questioned that "[a]lthough she has been classified among female elites such as Janet Jackson and Madonna, what does Ms. Spears really have in common with these divas of rock?" Citing Jackson's resolve to incorporate personal and social issues into her work and Madonna's ability to constantly redefine the boundaries of socially acceptable material in the industry, Spears's catalog ultimately pales in comparison, because "[w]hile Jackson and Madonna wrote their own music about subjects of importance, [Spears's] music sounds like an upbeat version of either, 'I want to grow up but the media won't let me,' or 'Here kitty, kitty, I'm wearing my underwear outside of my leather pants'-type ballads." In contrast, Guy Blackman argues that although "no one would argue that Spears is some kind of pioneering pop auteur, there’s still a lot to like about her back catalogue. During her world-conquering peak, she was just about as cutting edge as you could get in the world of global pop superstardom. Spears didn’t just work with big names, she gave big names their names, and maintained her high currency in the world’s most fickle industry for years, when most aspiring starlets are lucky to manage months."

Madonna's respect for Spears has also been a subject of observation. Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, authors of Madonna's drowned worlds: new approaches to her cultural transformations, 1983-2003 (2004) note that the most well known cross-generational relationship exists between Spears and Madonna in which "the entertainment newsmedia almost became obsessed with their relationship of mutual admiration."

Legacy

Spears became an international pop culture icon immediately after launching her recording career. Rolling Stone magazine wrote: "One of the most controversial and successful female vocalists of the 21st century," she "spearheaded the rise of post-millennial teen pop ... Spears early on cultivated a mixture of innocence and experience that broke the bank". She is listed by the Guinness World Records as having the "Best-selling album by a teenage solo artist" for her debut album ...Baby One More Time which sold over thirteen million copies in the United States. Melissa Ruggieri of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported, "She's also marked for being the best-selling teenage artist. Before she turned 20 in 2001, Spears sold more than 37 million albums worldwide".

Barbara Ellen of The Observer has reported: "Spears is famously one of the 'oldest' teenagers pop has ever produced, almost middle aged in terms of focus and determination. Many 19-year-olds haven't even started working by that age, whereas Britney, a former Mouseketeer, was that most unusual and volatile of American phenomena — a child with a full-time career. While other little girls were putting posters on their walls, Britney was wanting to be the poster on the wall. Whereas other children develop at their own pace, Britney was developing at a pace set by the ferociously competitive American entertainment industry". 'Britney Spears' has been Yahoo!'s most popular search term for the last four consecutive years, seven times in total. Spears was named as Most Searched Person in the Guinness World Records book edition 2007 and 2009. Spears has also become a major influence among many new artists, including Kristinia DeBarge, Lady Gaga, Little Boots, Selena Gomez & The Scene, Pixie Lott and Miley Cyrus who has cited Spears as one of her biggest inspirations and has also referenced Spears in her hit song "Party in the U.S.A.".

Bebo Norman wrote a song about Spears, called "Britney", which was released as a single. Boy band Busted also wrote a song about Spears called "Britney", which was on their debut album. She is also mentioned in P!nk's song "Don't Let Me Get Me". Richard Cheese called Britney Spears "a remarkable recording artist" and also went on to say that she was "versatile" and what the industry calls an "artist". People magazine and MTV reported that October 1, 2008, the Bronx's John Philip Sousa Middle School, named their music studio in honor of Britney Spears. Spears herself was present during the ceremony and donated $10,000 to the school's music program.

Discography

...Baby One More Time (1999)

Oops!... I Did It Again (2000)

Britney (2001)

In the Zone (2003)

Blackout (2007)

Circus (2008)

Awards and nominations

See also

Britney Spears filmography

Britney Spears products

List of Britney Spears tours

List of Britney Spears songs

List of best-selling music artists

List of best selling music artists in the United States

List of honorific titles in popular music

Notes

References

Further reading

Dennis, Steve (2009). Britney: Inside the Dream. Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0007317516.

Peters, Beth (1999). True Brit: The Story of Singing Sensation Britney Spears. Ballantine Books. ISBN 978-0345436870.

Spears, Britney (2000). Britney Spears's Heart to Heart. Three Rivers Press. ISBN 978-0609807019.

Scott, Kieran (2001). I was a Mouseketeer!. Disney Press. ISBN 978-0786844708.

Stevens, Amanda (2001). Britney Spears: the illustrated story. Billboard Books. ISBN 978-0823078677.

Smith, Sean (2006). Britney The Unauthorized Biography of Britney Spears. Pan Macmillan. ISBN 978-0330440776.

External links

Category:1981 births Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Actors from Louisiana Category:American child singers Category:American dance musicians Category:American dancers Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American music video directors Category:American pop singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American stage actors Category:American television actors Category:Baptists from the United States Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Innosense members Category:Jive Records artists Category:Living people Category:Mouseketeers Category:Musicians from Louisiana Category:Parklane Academy alumni Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Kentwood, Louisiana Category:Sony BMG artists Category:World Music Awards winners Category:American people of Maltese descent

Name	Alisan Porter
Birth date	June 20, 1981
Birth place	Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

Alisan Porter (born June 20, 1981) is an American actress, singer and dancer.

Life and career

Porter was born in Worcester, Massachusetts to a Jewish family. Her maternal grandmother, whose father Joseph Klein was a prominent Worcester rabbi, ran the Charlotte Klein Dance Center in Worcester. Porter's mother, Laura Klein, was a dance coach for Diane Klimaszewski & Elaine Klimaszewski (now better known as the Coors Light Twins) who appeared on Star Search in 1987 in the teen dance category. While in Los Angeles for the twins' appearance on the show, the show's producer heard Alisan singing in the hotel lobby and had her on the very next episode. She has therefore been singing and performing since the young age of three, and at the age of five, became the youngest participant ever to win the Star Search show. As an actress, she is known for her role as Curly Sue in the movie Curly Sue. She costarred with Tim Curry in an introduction scene of an awards ceremony where both of them "jumped" out of a movie screen and into real life through special effects.

Porter continued with acting in high school in Westport, Connecticut, where she joined a theatre group and participated in various shows. When she was eighteen, she moved to New York to audition for Broadway shows. She was cast as Urleen in the show Footloose.

Porter is based in Los Angeles, where she has been working on her music career. During this time she starred Miriam in the smash at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles alongside Val Kilmer and Adam Lambert and Broadway star Lauren Kennedy. In 2003 the band The Raz was formed, with Porter as the vocalist and main songwriter. The Raz split up in 2004. In March 2005 she announced the birth of her new band, The Alisan Porter Project. During 2006 she performed in the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line as Bebe Bensonheimer at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York City.

Since December 2008, Porter is a contributing columnist for Movmnt Magazine.

Filmography

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%;" |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Film |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- | 1988 | Homesick | Maggie | |- | 1989 | Parenthood | Taylor Buckman | |- | rowspan=2|1990 | Stella | Jenny (age 8) | |- | I Love You to Death | Carla Boca | |- | 1991 | Curly Sue | Curly Sue | |- | 2003 | Shrink Rap | Brandi | |- | 2006 | | Miriam |- | 2011 | Teen Titans | Starfire | |- |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" ! colspan="4" style="background: LightSteelBlue;" | Television |- bgcolor="#CCCCCC" align="center" ! Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes |- | rowspan=3|1987 | Pee-wee's Playhouse | Li'l Punkin | 2 episodes |- | I'll Take Manhattan | Young Maxi | Miniseries |- | Family Ties | Child | 1 episode |- | 1989–1990 | Chicken Soup | Molly Peerce | 12 episodes |- | rowspan=2|1990 | Perfect Strangers | Tess Holland | 1 episode |- | When You Remember Me | Kelly | Television movie |- | 1991 | The Golden Girls | Melissa | 1 episode |- | 2001 | Undressed | Belinda | 4th Season episodes |}

Awards and nominations

{| border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 90%;" |- bgcolor="#B0C4DE" align="center" ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Year ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Award ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Result ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Category ! style="background-color: #BCBCBC"|Film or series |- | 1992 | rowspan=2|Young Artist Award | Nominated | Best Young Actress Guest Starring or Recurring Role in a TV Series | The Golden Girls |-style="background-color: #EAEAEA;" | 1993 | Won | Best Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture | Curly Sue |}

References

External links

Category:1981 births Category:American child actors Category:American child singers Category:American film actors Category:American Jews Category:American singers Category:American stage actors Category:Jewish actors Category:Jewish American musicians Category:Living people Category:People from Los Angeles, California Category:People from Westport, Connecticut Category:People from Worcester County, Massachusetts Category:People from Worcester, Massachusetts

Name	Aaliyah
Img alt	Head and shoulders of a young woman with long, black hair and a broad facial expression, wearing a navy blue shirt baring the center of her chest along with a gold necklace that extends down her chest.
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Aaliyah Dana Haughton
Alias
Born	January 16, 1979Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States
Died	August 25, 2001Marsh Harbour, Abaco Islands, The Bahamas
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genre	R&B;, pop, hip hop
Occupation	Singer, dancer, actress, model
Years active	1991–2001
Label	Blackground, Jive, Atlantic, Virgin
Url

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), who performed under the mononym Aaliyah (), was an American recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At an early age, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight. At age 12, Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and Blackground Records by her uncle, Barry Hankerson. He introduced her to R. Kelly, who became her mentor, as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album, Age Ain't Nothing but a Number. The album sold three million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with Kelly, Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed to Atlantic Records.

Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album, One in a Million; it sold 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. In 2000, Aaliyah appeared in her first major film, Romeo Must Die. She contributed to the film's soundtrack, which spawned the single "Try Again". The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on airplay, making Aaliyah the first artist in Billboard history to achieve this feat. "Try Again" earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B; Vocalist.

After completing Romeo Must Die, Aaliyah filmed her part in Queen of the Damned. She released her third and final album, Aaliyah, in July 2001. On August 25, 2001, Aaliyah and eight others were killed in an airplane crash in The Bahamas after filming the music video for the single "Rock the Boat". The pilot, Luis Morales III, was unlicensed at the time of the accident and had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system. Aaliyah's family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Blackhawk International Airways, which was settled out of court. Since then, Aaliyah's music has achieved commercial success with several posthumous releases. With album sales estimated to be between 24 to 32 million copies worldwide, Aaliyah has been credited for helping redefine R&B; and hip hop, earning her the nickname "Princess of R&B;".

Life and career

1979–1990: Early life

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16, 1979, in Brooklyn, New York. Aaliyah would perform at weddings, church choir and charity events. When she was five years old, her family moved to Detroit, Michigan, where she was raised along with her older brother, Rashad. As a child, Aaliyah traveled with Knight and worked with an agent in New York to audition for commercials and television programs, including Family Matters; she went on to appear on Star Search at the age of nine. who became Aaliyah's mentor, as well as lead songwriter and producer of the album, which was recorded when she was 14. The title track, "Age Ain't Nothing but a Number", peaked at number 75 on the Hot 100. Additionally, she released "The Thing I Like" as part of the soundtrack to the 1994 film A Low Down Dirty Shame. Aaliyah, who was 15 at the time, was listed as 18 on the certificate; the illegal marriage was reportedly annulled in February 1995 by her parents.

1996–1999: One in a Million

|title=One in a Million - Overview|last=Stanley|first=Leo|publisher=Allmusic|accessdate=June 21, 2009}}|format=Ogg|pos=right}} In 1996, Aaliyah left Jive Records and signed to Atlantic Records. She worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott, who contributed to her second studio album, One in a Million. The album yielded the single "If Your Girl Only Knew", which topped the Billboard Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs for two weeks. It also generated the singles "Hot like Fire" and "4 Page Letter". The following year, Aaliyah was featured on Timbaland & Magoo's debut single, "Up Jumps da Boogie". selling over 3.7 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide. She was scheduled to film for the sequels of The Matrix as the character Zee. the album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 187,000 copies in its first week.

Death, funeral and wrongful death lawsuit

On August 25, 2001, at 6:45 pm (EST), Aaliyah and various members of the record company boarded a twin engine Cessna 402B (N8097W) at Marsh Harbour, Abaco Islands, The Bahamas, to travel to the airport in Opa-locka, Florida, after they completed filming the music video for Rock the Boat. The plane crashed shortly after takeoff, about from the runway. Aaliyah, pilot Luis Morales III, hair stylist Eric Forman, Anthony Dodd, security guard Scott Gallin, video producer Douglas Kratz, stylist Christopher Maldonado, and Blackground Records employees Keith Wallace and Gina Smith were killed.

, where Aaliyah is buried]]

Aaliyah's funeral was held on August 31, 2001, at the Saint Ignatius Loyola Church in New York. Her body was set in a silver casket, which was carried in a glass hearse and was drawn by horse. The album was certified double Platinum by the RIAA and sold 2.6 million copies in the United States. In August of the following year, clothing retailer Christian Dior donated profits from sales in honor of Aaliyah. The role was later recast to Nona Gaye. Aaliyah's scenes were later included in the tribute section of the Matrix Ultimate Collection series. Andy Kellman of Allmusic remarked "Ultimate Aaliyah adequately represents the shortened career of a tremendous talent who benefited from some of the best songwriting and production work by Timbaland, Missy Elliott, and R. Kelly."

Musical style and image

Aaliyah had a vocal range of a soprano. With the release of her debut single "Back & Forth", Dimitri Ehrlich of Entertainment Weekly expressed that Aaliyah's "silky vocals are more agile than those of self-proclaimed queen of hip-hop soul Mary J. Blige." her lyrics were described as in-depth. As her albums progressed, writers felt that Aaliyah matured, calling her progress a "declaration of strength and independence". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic described her eponymous album, Aaliyah, as "a statement of maturity and a stunning artistic leap forward" and called it one of the strongest urban soul records of its time. She portrayed "unfamiliar sounds, styles and emotions", but managed to please critics with the contemporary sound it contained. Ernest Hardy of Rolling Stone felt that Aaliyah reflected a stronger technique, where she gave her best vocal performance. She stated that she admired Sade because "she stays true to her style no matter what... she's an amazing artist, an amazing performer... and I absolutely love her." Aaliyah expressed she had always desired to work with Janet Jackson—whom she had drawn frequent comparison to over the course of her career, stating "I admire her a great deal. She's a total performer... I'd love to do a duet with Janet Jackson."

Aaliyah focused on her public image throughout her career. She often wore baggy clothes and sunglasses, stating that she wanted to be herself. When she changed her hairstyle, Aaliyah took her mother's advice to cover her left eye, much like Veronica Lake.

Aaliyah was honored at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards by Janet Jackson, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Ginuwine and her brother, Rashad, who all paid tribute to her. In the same year, the United States Social Security Administration ranked the name Aaliyah one of the 100 most popular names for newborn girls. Aaliyah was ranked as one of "The Top 40 Women of the Video Era" and "100 Sexiest Artists" in VH1's 2003 The Greatest series. She was also ranked at number 18 on BET's "Top 25 Dancers of All Time". In memory of Aaliyah, the Entertainment Industry Foundation created the Aaliyah Memorial Fund to donate money raised to charities she supported. In December 2009, Billboard magazine ranked Aaliyah at number 70 on its Top Artists of the Decade, while her eponymous album was ranked at number 181 on the magazine's Top 200 Albums of the Decade.

Discography

Age Ain't Nothing but a Number (1994)

One in a Million (1996)

Aaliyah (2001)

Filmography

{|class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%" |- !style="background:#B0C4DE"|Year !style="background:#B0C4DE"|Title !style="background:#B0C4DE"|Role !style="background:#B0C4DE"|Notes |- |1997 |New York Undercover |Herself |"Fade Out" (season 3, episode 65) |- |2000 |Romeo Must Die |Trish O'Day |Feature film |- |2002 |Queen of the Damned |Queen Akasha |Feature film. Posthumous release |}

See also

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

List of awards and nominations received by Aaliyah

List of fatalities from aviation incidents

Notes

References

External links

Official website

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