Show name	7th Heaven
Format	Family drama
Runtime	60 minutes (44 minutes without commercials)
Camera	Film; Single-camera
Creator	Brenda Hampton
Starring	Stephen CollinsCatherine HicksBarry WatsonJessica BielBeverley MitchellDavid GallagherMackenzie RosmanNikolas BrinoLorenzo BrinoMaureen FlanniganChaz Lamar ShepherdAdam LaVorgnaGeoff StultsAshlee SimpsonRachel BlanchardJeremy LondonScotty LeavenworthTyler HoechlinSarah ThompsonHaylie DuffMegan HenningHappy as Happy (dog)
Theme music composer	Dan Foliart
Executive producer	Brenda Hampton (entire run) Aaron Spelling E. Duke Vincent (both; seasons 1–10) Chris Olsen Jeff Olsen (both; season 11)
Company	Spelling Television
Distributor	Worldvision Enterprises/Paramount Domestic Television (1996–2006) CBS Paramount Domestic Television (2006–2007) CBS Television Distribution (2007–present)
Country	United States
Language	English
Network	WB (1996–2006)The CW (2006–2007)
First aired
Last aired
Num seasons	11
Num episodes	243
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
List episodes	List of 7th Heaven episodes
Status	Ended

7th Heaven is an American family drama television series, created and produced by Brenda Hampton. The series premiered on August 26, 1996, on the WB, the first time that the network aired Monday night programming, and was originally broadcast from August 26, 1996 to May 13, 2007. The series finale was scheduled for May 8, 2006; however, the show was renewed by the CW when the intended final episode received high ratings. The 11th and final season premiered on Monday, September 25, 2006 and ended on May 13, 2007.

7th Heaven was the longest running series that has ever aired on The WB and was the longest running family drama in television history (beating out both Little House on the Prairie and The Waltons). It was also the longest running show produced by Aaron Spelling. The show tells the story of a Protestant minister's family living in the fictional town of Glen Oak, California.

Premise

The central characters are the Reverend Eric Camden (Stephen Collins), his wife Annie (Catherine Hicks), and their seven children: Matt (Barry Watson), Mary (Jessica Biel), Lucy (Beverley Mitchell), Simon (David Gallagher), Ruthie (Mackenzie Rosman) and the twins, David (Lorenzo Brino) and Sam (Nikolas Brino).

Denomination

Eric is the minister of the Glen Oak Community Church, whose Protestant denomination is typically never disclosed. Exceptions to this were an episode that was narrated by Simon in Season 8; in a Season 11 episode in which Annie comments on how Protestants can't have confession; and in Season 6 episode 15 when Matt tells Sarah Glass that his father is Protestant.

In at least one episode, the Disciples of Christ denominational logo (St. Andrew cross and chalice) was displayed prominently on the front of the church's pulpit. Many of the church scenes were filmed at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of North Hollywood. Although the logo display was likely unintentional, there appears to be nothing about the Camdens' brand of Christianity that would be negated if they were not a part of the Disciples of Christ. The reason for the display of the Chalice is most likely due to the rental agreement of the church. On the wall hanging left to the pulpit, the church's logo is present (blue logo with a cross/anchor symbol). The church (First Christian Church of North Hollywood), has noted that when the cast was on set, they often went into the church office to observe how church staff really act.

In an earlier online show guide from Warner Brothers Television, the back story for Eric Camden described him as being an Episcopal Priest leading, with his Bishop's permission, a non-denominational church.

The Camden family

The family originally consisted of five children (Matt, Mary, Lucy, Simon, and Ruthie), but in the third season, Annie gave birth to twins, Sam and David.

Three of the Camdens (Matt, Mary and Simon) moved away from home sometime during the show's run due to real-life circumstances or requests from the cast members that portrayed them. On the show, Simon went to college and Matt married and pursued his career as a doctor far away from the family. Despite these three all being absent from the Camden home at varying points throughout the show, the house is still always full. Lucy never leaves the Camden home during the course of the series (when Lucy marries, she and her husband move into the garage apartment and start to raise their family) while Ruthie left for a short while in the last season to go to Scotland, and the Camdens offer shelters to various houseguests at different points in the show.

Due to a dissatisfaction with the show and the image that was being created for her by portraying Mary Camden, Jessica Biel asked to leave the series and was slowly written out of the show beginning in 2000; after an appearance on an episode in September 2003, did not appear again on the show until the final episode of the tenth season. This is in sharp contrast to Watson and Gallagher, who regularly guested on the show following their characters' departure from the Camden household.

Themes

Each episode deals with a moral lesson or controversial theme that the family handles either directly or indirectly. Topics dealt with include racism, alcoholism, menstruation, spousal abuse, drug abuse, menopause, sexual harassment, and teenage pregnancy. In one episode, each family member acquired an addiction (with even Ruthie being addicted to gum). Beyond the moral lesson in each show, there are also longer-running story arcs, such as Eric's difficulty coping with the maturing of the female members of the household. The first episode involved Lucy's (lack of a) period. Another episode featured a Holocaust survivor telling her story to Simon's class. In the later seasons, Annie enters menopause and Ruthie needs a training bra.

The topics are usually approached from a socially and politically conservative Protestant Christian point of view (devoting almost all of Season 9 to the importance of abstaining from pre-marital sex). However, several pre-marital incidents do occur, including a Season 10 episode where Eric mentions that his parents had to marry because his mother became pregnant with him. Additionally, there is an episode in which Ruthie disclosed that she lost her virginity while in Europe over the summer (though it was later revealed to be a lie). As a rule, the series generally avoided touching on "hot button" issues (i.e. affirmative action, abortion, and homosexuality). A 2004 episode about the importance of voting on election day seemed to suggest that men in the family were voting for former president George W. Bush, while the women were voting for Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, although the script went out of the way to make sure that no mention of either candidate was ever made directly by name, leaving the viewer to decide and the message of the episode simply being "vote, no matter who you vote for." In the same episode in which Matt discloses that the family is Protestant, he also discloses to Sarah that his father is a Democrat.

The show is reliant on the very special episode concept, attempting to introduce contemporary social issues to lend greater emotional resonance to episodes. These episodes do in fact lead to high ratings for the show. The January 24, 2005 episode, which featured the birth of Lucy's daughter Savannah, garnered 7.99 million viewers—the highest WB rating since 2003. Another example included the would-be series finale, now simply known as the Season 10 finale, which scored 7.56 million viewers on May 8, 2006.

Cast and characters

Jessica Biel's departure

Jessica Biel, who gradually became dissatisfied with what she thought was her "goody goody" image, eventually posed for semi-nude photographs for Gear magazine. The producers of the show did not approve. During the fifth (2000–2001) season, her character had gone through a rebellious phase, and this storyline was used to write Biel out of the show, sending Mary to her grandparents' house in Buffalo for some tough love to counter her rebellious behavior. During Season 6 (2001–2002), Mary returned home, but the differences between Biel and the producers led to Mary leaving home full time and becoming a flight attendant.

Biel returned for five episodes during Season 7 (2002–2003), including Lucy's wedding episode and the season finale. She then appeared in the second episode of Season 8, when she revealed to the family that she had married Carlos Rivera (Carlos Ponce) whom the Camdens assisted in returning home to his family in the Christmas episode "Here Comes Santa Claus" in Season 3, and was pregnant with his child. After a nearly three-year absence, it was announced that Biel would make a triumphant return for the season finale "And Thank You", reuniting all nine Camdens for the first time since the Season 7 finale "Life and Death".

While she was away, from 2003–2006, Mary had major storylines off-camera, including giving birth to son Charles "Charlie" Miguel Rivera in 2004, and then subsequently divorcing her husband and signing away custody of her child in the May 2005 ninth season finale "Mi Familia". Her on-screen ex-husband, Carlos Ponce, made several appearances during her absence to deliver these stories. Minor stories or tidbits include Mary taking a political stance in Season 9 by sending her husband to the voting booth and attending rallies, sending Lucy a baby shower gift, going through job training in London, relocating to Chicago following her divorce, and in Season 10, helping Simon with his financial difficulties. She has clearly maintained a connection with Carlos and Charlie, and up until the divorce was made known, kept in contact with her siblings semi-regularly at least.

Her appearance in the Season 10 finale, though limited, shed light on events taking place during the last few months. Mary graduated from college the same weekend as Matt and Sarah, reunited with husband Carlos, and was pregnant with twin girls. Although she was not with the family, her conversation with her husband during the episode revealed that Mary's reunion with the family would take place during Matt's and Sarah's graduation ceremony. All of this brought resolution to the estrangement that had been present since Season 5. In the Season 11 premiere it is revealed that Mary had the twin girls over the summer. She and Carlos also reunited and later returned to New York for reasons unknown. She became a teacher and a basketball coach at a high school.

Episodes

DVD releases

CBS DVD (distributed by Paramount) has released 7th Heaven on DVD. They have released all 11 seasons in Region 1. In region 2, seasons 1-7 have been released while in region 4 the first 6 seasons have been released on DVD.

Ratings

7th Heaven was the most watched TV series ever on the WB. It holds the record for the WB's most watched hour at 12.5 million viewers, on February 8, 1999; 19 of the WB's 20 most watched hours were from 7th Heaven. On May 8, 2006, it was watched by 7.56 million viewers, the highest rating for the WB since January 2005. When the show moved to the CW, ratings dropped. Possible reasons for the decline include an aired "Countdown to Goodbye" ad campaign for the last six months of the 2005–06 season which promoted that season as the final season ever; though the New CW Network announced the series' unexpected renewal, it didn't promote the new season strongly via billboards, bus stops, magazine or on-air commercials. Lastly, the network moved 7th Heaven to Sunday nights; the returning viewers may have thought the series was removed from the schedule. The show had a season average of just 3.3 million on the new network, losing 36% of the previous year's audience. It was the third most watched scripted show on the CW. Overall, it was the seventh most watched show.

U.S. ratings

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! Season !! Year !! Network !! Viewers(in millions) !! Rank !! Network Rank |- | 1 || 1996–1997 || rowspan="10"| The WB || 3.2 household rating || #10 |- | 2 || 1997–1998 || 5.8 || #2 |- | 3 || 1998–1999 || 7.6 || #1 |- | 4 || 1999–2000 || 6.4 || #1 |- | 5 || 2000–2001 || 6.9 || #1 |- | 6 || 2001–2002 || 7.0 || #1 |- | 7 || 2002–2003 || 6.6 || #1 |- | 8 || 2003–2004 || 5.5 || #1 |- | 9 || 2004–2005 || 5.3 || #1 |- | 10 || 2005–2006 || 5.2 || #1 |- | 11 || 2006–2007 || The CW || 3.3 || #9 |}

Production

Although originally produced for Fox in 1996, the show aired on the WB. It was produced by Spelling Television, and distributed for syndication by (corporate sibling) CBS Television Distribution. Its producers, including Aaron Spelling, considered it wholesome family viewing, incorporating public service announcements into the show. The final season of 7th Heaven was shown on the inaugural season of The CW. The show wrapped production on the final episode March 8, 2007 about one month before most shows film their last episodes of the season. This was due largely to the fact that after ten years of working together, the actors, producers and crew had gotten production down to a well-oiled machine, slashing costs repeatedly and routinely coming in well under budget. This resulted in 7th Heaven filming episodes in shorter time during the final seasons.

2006 renewal

After much deliberation within the now-defunct WB network, it was made public in November 2005 that the tenth season would be the program's final because of high costs, which were revealed to be due to a poorly-negotiated licensing agreement by the WB network a few years earlier. The program's future was hanging in the balance and it was entirely in the hands of the newly-established CW network whether to renew it for an eleventh seasonal run. In March 2006, the main cast of characters were approached about the possibility of returning for an eleventh season.

After further consideration by the CW network, it was decided three days after the airing of its "series finale", that 7th Heaven would be picked up for an eleventh season, which would air on their network in the Monday-night slot that had helped make it famous. Originally the show was renewed for thirteen episodes, but on September 18, 2006, the renewal was extended to a full twenty-two episodes.

Along with the show's unexpected and last-minute, renewal came some changes. The show's already-low budget was moderately trimmed, forcing cuts in the salaries of some cast members and shortened taping schedules (seven days per episode instead of the typical eight). Furthermore, Mackenzie Rosman, who played youngest daughter Ruthie, did not appear in the first six episodes. She had appeared in every episode of the series prior to that. Catherine Hicks missed three episodes in Season 11, as another cost-cutting move. Additionally, for the first time since joining the cast in 2002 as a series regular, George Stults was absent for a few episodes at the beginning of Season 11. Stephen Collins and Beverley Mitchell ended up being the only two cast members to appear in every single episode of 7th Heaven's eleven seasons.

Also, after airing Monday nights at 8/7c for ten seasons, plus the first two episodes of Season 11, the CW unexpectedly moved 7th Heaven to Sunday nights as of October 15, 2006. The Sunday/Monday lineup swap was attributed to mediocre ratings of shows on both nights. While 7th Heaven did improve in numbers over the CW's previous Sunday night programming, it never quite hit its Monday-night momentum again, and the shows that replaced it in its slot on Monday night never matched what it had achieved in that time slot.

Syndication

CBS Television Distribution handles the domestic and international distribution of the series. Although the series was virtually never received a rating above TV-G throughout its 11-season run, reruns on some cable channels have given the series a TV-PG rating, despite a relative lack of suggestive content that might warrant a TV-PG rating.

In the United States, the show began airing reruns in off-network syndication on September 25, 2000, but ceased to air in syndication in September 2002, while the series was still in first-run broadcast on The WB. The show then aired on the ABC Family channel from the fall of 2002 until 2008. It was announced on April 1, 2010 that ABC Family had re-obtained the rights to 7th Heaven, and would begin airing it at 11 a.m. (ET/PT) on weekdays beginning April 12, 2010. However after one week, ABC Family abruptly pulled the show and replaced it with a third daily airing of Gilmore Girls.

It started airing on cable superstation WGN America on September 8, 2008, though it had previously aired on WGN from 2000 to 2002 during its initial off-network syndication run. Incidentally, the series aired in first-run form on WGN from the show's 1996 debut on The WB until 1999, when WGN ceased to carry WB network programming on its national superstation feed (7th Heaven, along with Sister, Sister, The Parent 'Hood and The Wayans Bros. are the only WB series to air in both first-run broadcast and off-network syndication on WGN America). As of September 2010, 7th Heaven no longer airs on WGN America.

The series also began airing on Hallmark Channel around the same time as when WGN America began to carry reruns of the series again. Hallmark Channel airings of the series, however, truncate the opening credit sequence removing the majority of the theme song except for the first stanza and the last few seconds of the theme. Since WGN America and Hallmark Channel each dropped the series in 2010, 7th Heaven is not currently shown on television in the United States.

Awards and nominations

Emmy Awards

* 1997: Outstanding Art Direction for a Series (Patricia Van Ryker and Mary Ann Good) – Nominated

ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards

* 2000: Top TV Series (Dan Foliart) – WON

* 2001: Top TV Series (Dan Foliart) – WON

Family Television Awards

* 1999: Best Drama – WON

* 2002: Best Drama – WON

Kids' Choice Awards

* 1999: Favorite Television Show – Nominated

* 2000: Favorite Animal Star (Happy the dog) – Nominated

* 2001: Favorite Television Show – Nominated

* 2002: Favorite Television Show – Nominated

* 2003: Favorite Television Show – Nominated

TV Guide Awards

* 1999: Best Show You're not Watching – WON

* 2000: Favorite TV Pet (Happy the dog) – Nominated

Teen Choice Awards

* 1999: TV Choice Actor (Barry Watson) – Nominated

* 1999: TV Choice Drama – Nominated

* 2000: TV Choice Drama – Nominated

* 2001: TV Choice Actor (Barry Watson) – Nominated

* 2001: TV Choice Drama – Nominated

* 2002: TV Choice Drama/Action Adventure – WON

* 2002: TV Choice Actor in Drama (Barry Watson) – WON

* 2002: TV Choice Actress in Drama (Jessica Biel) – Nominated

* 2003: TV Choice Drama/Action Adventure – WON

* 2003: TV Choice Actor in Drama/Action Adventure (David Gallagher) – WON

* 2003: TV Choice Breakout Star – Male (George Stults) – WON

* 2003: TV Choice Actress in Drama/Action Adventure (Jessica Biel) – Nominated

* 2003: TV Choice Breakout Star – Female (Ashlee Simpson) – Nominated

* 2004: TV Choice Breakout Star – Male (Tyler Hoechlin) – Nominated

* 2004: TV Choice Actor in Drama/Action Adventure (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 2004: TV Choice Drama/Action Adventure – Nominated

* 2005: TV Choice Actor in Drama/Action Adventure (Tyler Hoechlin) – Nominated

* 2005: TV Choice Actress in Drama/Action Adventure (Beverley Mitchell) – Nominated

* 2005: TV Choice Parental Units (Stephen Collins and Catherine Hicks) – Nominated

* 2005: TV Choice Drama/Action Adventure – Nominated

* 2006: TV Choice Breakout Star – Female (Haylie Duff) – Nominated

* 2006: TV Choice Parental Units (Stephen Collins and Catherine Hicks) – Nominated

Young Artist Awards

* 1997: Best Family TV Drama Series – WON

* 1997: Best Performance in a Drama Series – Young Actress (Beverley Mitchell) – WON

* 1997: Best Performance in a Drama Series – Young Actor (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 1997: Best Performance in a TV Comedy/Drama – Supporting Young Actress Age Ten or Under (Mackenzie Rosman) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Family TV Drama Series – WON (tied with Promised Land)

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Leading Young Actress (Beverley Mitchell) – WON (tied with Sarah Schaub)

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actor (Bobby Brewer) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress (Danielle Keaton) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress (Molly Orr) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Leading Young Actor (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Leading Young Actress (Jessica Biel) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Supporting Young Actress (Mackenzie Rosman) – Nominated

* 1999: Best Family TV Drama Series – Nominated

* 1999: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actor (Craig Hauer) – Nominated

* 1999: Best Performance in a TV Series – Young Ensemble (Beverley Mitchell, Barry Watson, Jessica Biel, David Gallagher, Mackenzie Rosman) – Nominated

* 2000: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress (Kaitlin Cullum) – WON

* 2000: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Leading Young Actress (Beverley Mitchell) – WON

* 2000: Best Family TV Series – Drama – Nominated

* 2001: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress (Brooke Anne Smith) – WON

* 2001: Best Family TV Drama Series – Nominated

* 2001: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress (Jamie Lauren) – Nominated

* 2002: Best Family TV Drama Series – Nominated

* 2002: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Guest Starring Young Actress (Ashley Edner) – Nominated

* 2002: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Leading Young Actor (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 2002: Best Performance in a TV Drama Series – Supporting Young Actress (Mackenzie Rosman) – Nominated

* 2004: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Supporting Young Actress (Mackenzie Rosman) – WON

* 2005: Best Family Television Series (Drama) – Nominated

* 2005: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Leading Young Actor (Tyler Hoechlin) – Nominated

* 2006: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Young Actor Age Ten or Younger (Drake Johnston) – Nominated

* 2007: Best Family Television Series (Drama) – Nominated

* 2007: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Supporting Young Actress (Mackenzie Rosman) – Nominated

* 2007: Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) – Young Actor Age Ten or Younger (Nikolas Brino and Lorenzo Brino) – Nominated

* 2008: Best Performance in a TV Series – Young Actor Ten or Under (Lorenzo Brino) – Nominated

* 2008: Best Performance in a TV Series – Young Actor Ten or Under (Nikolas Brino) – Nominated

Young Star Awards

* 1997: Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series (Beverley Mitchell) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Drama TV Series (Jessica Biel) – Nominated

* 1998: Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series (David Gallagher) – WON

* 1999: Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 2000: Best Performance by a Young Actor in a Drama TV Series (David Gallagher) – Nominated

* 2000: Best Young Ensemble Cast – Television (David Gallagher, Jessica Biel, Beverley Mitchell, Mackenzie Rosman) – Nominated

References

External links

Category:1990s American television series Category:1996 television series debuts Category:2000s American television series Category:2007 American television series endings Category:American drama television series Category:Christian entertainment television Category:The CW Television Network shows Category:English-language television series Category:Teen dramas Category:Television shows set in California Category:Television series by CBS Paramount Television Category:Television series by Spelling Television Category:Television videos and DVDs Category:WB network shows Category:Television series revived after cancellation

Name	Kylie Minogue
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Kylie Ann Minogue
Birth date	May 28, 1968
Birth place	Melbourne, Australia
Genre	Pop, synthpoprock, dance, electronic
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, fashion designer, author, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Years active	1979–present
Label	PWL (1987-1993) Deconstruction (1993-1998) Parlophone (1999-present) Mushroom (Australia)
Url

Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE ( ; born 28 May 1968), is an Australian pop singer, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing her career as a recording artist in 1987. Her first single, "Locomotion", spent seven weeks at number one on the Australian singles chart and became the highest selling single of the decade. This led to a contract with songwriters and producers Stock, Aitken & Waterman. Her debut album, Kylie (1988), and the single "I Should Be So Lucky", each reached number one in the United Kingdom, and over the next two years, her first 13 singles reached the British top ten. Her debut film, The Delinquents (1989) was a box-office hit in Australia and the UK despite negative reviews.

Initially presented as a "girl next door", Minogue attempted to convey a more mature style in her music and public image. Her singles were well received, but after four albums her record sales were declining, and she left Stock, Aitken & Waterman in 1992 to establish herself as an independent performer. Her next single, "Confide in Me", reached number one in Australia and was a hit in several European countries in 1994, and a duet with Nick Cave, "Where the Wild Roses Grow", brought Minogue a greater degree of artistic credibility. Drawing inspiration from a range of musical styles and artists, Minogue took creative control over the songwriting for her next album, Impossible Princess (1997). It failed to attract strong reviews or sales in the UK, but was successful in Australia and Israel where it reached the number 1 position.

Minogue returned to prominence in 2000 with the single "Spinning Around" and the dance-oriented album Light Years, and she performed during the closing ceremonies of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Her music videos showed a more sexually provocative and flirtatious personality and several hit singles followed. "Can't Get You Out of My Head" reached number one in more than 40 countries, and the album Fever (2001) was a hit throughout the world, including the United States, a market in which Minogue had previously received little recognition. Minogue embarked on a concert tour but cancelled it when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. After surgery and chemotherapy treatment, she resumed her career in 2006 with . Her tenth studio album X was released in 2007 and was followed by the KylieX2008 tour. In 2009, she embarked upon her For You, For Me Tour, her first concert tour of the US and Canada.

Minogue has achieved worldwide record sales of more than 60 million, and has received notable music awards, including multiple ARIA and Brit Awards and a Grammy Award. She has mounted several successful concert tours and received a Mo Award for "Australian Entertainer of the Year" for her live performances. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire "for services to music", and an Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2008.

Life and career

1968–86: Early life and career beginnings

Kylie Ann Minogue was born 28 May 1968 in Melbourne, Australia, the first child of Ronald Charles Minogue, an accountant of Irish ancestry and Carol Ann (née Jones), a former dancer from Maesteg, Wales. Her sister, Dannii Minogue, is also a pop singer The Minogue children were raised in Surrey Hills, Melbourne, and educated at Camberwell High School.

The Minogue sisters began their careers as children on Australian television. Interested in following a career in music, she made a demo tape for the producers of the weekly music programme Young Talent Time, which featured Dannii as a regular performer. Kylie gave her first television singing performance on the show in 1985 but was not invited to join the cast. Dannii's success overshadowed Kylie's acting achievements,

Her popularity in Australia was demonstrated when she became the first person to win four Logie Awards in one event, and the youngest recipient of the "Gold Logie" as the country's "Most Popular Television Performer", with the result determined by public vote.

1987–92: Stock, Aitken and Waterman and Kylie

During a Fitzroy Football Club benefit concert with other Neighbours cast members, Minogue performed "I Got You Babe" as a duet with the actor John Waters, and "The Loco-Motion" as an encore, and was subsequently signed to a recording contract with Mushroom Records in 1987. Her first single, "The Loco-Motion", spent seven weeks at number one on the Australian music charts. It sold 200,000 copies, and Minogue received the ARIA Award for the year's highest selling single. Its success resulted in Minogue travelling to England with Mushroom Records executive Gary Ashley to work with Stock, Aitken & Waterman. They knew little of Minogue and had forgotten that she was arriving; as a result, they wrote "I Should Be So Lucky" while she waited outside the studio. The song reached number one in the UK, Australia, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Israel and Hong Kong. Minogue won her second consecutive ARIA Award for the year's highest selling single, and received a "Special Achievement Award". Her debut album, Kylie, a collection of dance-oriented pop tunes spent more than a year on the British album charts, including several weeks at number one. The album went gold in the United States, and the single, "The Loco-Motion", reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number one on the Canadian Singles Chart. "It's No Secret", released only in the U.S., peaked at number 37 in early 1989, and later in the year she left Neighbours to focus on her music career. Jason Donovan commented "When viewers watched her on screen they no longer saw Charlene the local mechanic, they saw Kylie the pop star." She was sometimes referred to as "the Singing Budgie" by her detractors over the coming years, however Chris True's comment about the album Kylie for Allmusic suggests that Minogue's appeal transcended the limitations of her music, by noting that "her cuteness makes these rather vapid tracks bearable".

Her follow-up album Enjoy Yourself (1989) was a success in the United Kingdom, Europe, New Zealand, Asia and Australia, and contained several successful singles, including the British number one "Hand on Your Heart", In December 1989, Minogue was one of the featured vocalists on the remake of "Do They Know It's Christmas", and her debut film, The Delinquents, premiered in London. It was poorly received by critics, but it proved popular with audiences; in the UK it grossed more than £200,000, and in Australia it was the fourth-highest grossing local film of 1989 and the highest grossing local film of 1990.

Rhythm of Love (1990) presented a more sophisticated and adult style of dance music and also marked the first signs of Minogue's rebellion against her production team and the "girl-next-door" image. Determined to be accepted by a more mature audience, Minogue took control of her music videos, starting with "Better the Devil You Know", and presented herself as a sexually aware adult. Her relationship with Michael Hutchence was also seen as part of Minogue's departure from her earlier persona; Hutchence was quoted as saying that his hobby was "corrupting Kylie", and that the INXS song "Suicide Blonde" had been inspired by her. The singles from Rhythm of Love sold well in Europe and Australia and were popular in British nightclubs. Pete Waterman later reflected that "Better the Devil You Know" was a milestone in her career and said that it made her "the hottest, hippest dance act on the scene and nobody could knock it as it was the best dance record around at the time". Her fourth album, Let's Get to It (1991), reached number 15 on the British album charts and was the first of her albums to fail to reach the Top 10;

A Greatest Hits album was released in 1992. It reached number one in the UK and the singles "What Kind of Fool (Heard All That Before)" and her cover version of Kool & The Gang's "Celebration" each reached the UK Top 20. She performed a striptease in the video for her next single, "Put Yourself in My Place", inspired by Jane Fonda in the film Barbarella. This single and her next, "Where Is the Feeling?" each reached the British top 20, During this period she made a guest appearance as herself, in an episode of the comedy The Vicar of Dibley. The director Steven E. de Souza was intrigued by Minogue's cover photo in Australia's Who Magazine as one of "The 30 Most Beautiful People in the World", and offered her a role opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in Street Fighter (1994). The film was a moderate success, earning USD$70 million in the U.S., She co-starred with Pauly Shore and Stephen Baldwin in Bio-Dome (1996), but it was a failure, dismissed by Movie Magazine International as the "biggest waste of celluloid space".

Australian artist Nick Cave had been interested in working with Minogue since hearing "Better the Devil You Know", saying it contained "one of pop music's most violent and distressing lyrics" and "when Kylie Minogue sings these words, there is an innocence to her that makes the horror of this chilling lyric all the more compelling". They collaborated on "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (1995), a brooding ballad whose lyrics narrated a murder from the points of view of both the murderer (Cave), and his victim (Minogue). The video was inspired by John Everett Millais's painting Ophelia (1851–1852), and showed Minogue as the murdered woman, floating in a pond as a serpent swam over her body. The single received widespread attention in Europe, where it reached the top 10 in several countries, and acclaim in Australia where it reached number two on the singles chart, and won ARIA Awards for "Song of the Year" and "Best Pop Release". Following concert appearances with Cave, Minogue recited the lyrics to "I Should Be So Lucky" as poetry in London's Royal Albert Hall "Poetry Jam", at the suggestion of Cave, and later described it as a "most cathartic moment". She credited Cave with giving her the confidence to express herself artistically, saying: "He taught me to never veer too far from who I am, but to go further, try different things, and never lose sight of myself at the core. For me, the hard part was unleashing the core of myself and being totally truthful in my music." By 1997, Minogue was in a relationship with the French photographer Stéphane Sednaoui, who encouraged her to develop her creativity. Inspired by a mutual appreciation of Japanese culture, they created a visual combination of "geisha and manga superheroine" for the photographs taken for the album Impossible Princess and the video for "German Bold Italic", Minogue's collaboration with Towa Tei. Minogue drew inspiration from the music of artists such as Shirley Manson and Garbage, Björk, Tricky and U2, and Japanese pop musicians such as Pizzicato Five and Towa Tei.

Impossible Princess featured collaborations with musicians such as James Dean Bradfield and Sean Moore of the Manic Street Preachers. Mostly a dance album, its style was not represented by its first single "Some Kind of Bliss", and Minogue countered suggestions that she was trying to become an indie artist. She told Music Week, "I have to keep telling people that this isn't an indie-guitar album. I'm not about to pick up a guitar and rock." Acknowledging that she had attempted to escape the perceptions of her that had developed during her early career, Minogue commented that she was ready to "forget the painful criticism" and "accept the past, embrace it, use it". Billboard described the album as "stunning" and concluded that "it's a golden commercial opportunity for a major [record company] with vision and energy [to release it in the United States]. A sharp ear will detect a kinship between Impossible Princess and Madonna's hugely successful album, Ray of Light". Retitled Kylie Minogue in the UK following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, it became the lowest-selling album of her career. At the end of the year a campaign by Virgin Radio stated, "We've done something to improve Kylie's records: we've banned them." to become her most successful album since Kylie in 1988, and her Intimate and Live tour was extended due to demand. The Victorian Premier, Jeff Kennett, hosted a civic reception for Minogue in Melbourne, and she maintained her high profile in Australia with live performances, including the 1998 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, and Sydney's Fox Studios in 1999, where she performed Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend", and a Christmas concert in Dili, East Timor in association with the United Nations Peace-Keeping Forces. Returning to Australia, she appeared in the film Sample People and recorded a cover version of Russell Morris's "The Real Thing" for the soundtrack. Her album Light Years (2000) was a collection of dance songs, influenced by disco music. Minogue said that her intention was to present dance-pop music in a "more exaggerated form" and to make it "fun". The single "Spinning Around" became her first British number one in ten years, and its accompanying video featured Minogue in revealing gold hot pants, which came to be regarded as a "trademark". The single was described by a 2009 The Times article as heralding a new era in synthpop that was continuing. and number two in the UK. She then embarked upon a concert tour, On A Night like This Tour, which played to sell-out crowds in Australia and the United Kingdom. Minogue was inspired by Madonna's 1993 world tour The Girlie Show which incorporated Burlesque and theatre, William Baker also cited the style of Broadway shows such as 42nd Street, films such as Anchors Aweigh, South Pacific, the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals of the 1930s and the live performances of Bette Midler. Minogue was praised for her new material and her reinterpretations of some of her greatest successes, turning "I Should Be So Lucky" into a torch song and "Better the Devil You Know" into a 1940s big band number. She won a "Mo Award" for Australian live entertainment as "Performer of the Year". Following the tour she was asked by a Seattle Post-Intelligencer journalist what she thought was her greatest strength, and replied, "[That] I am an all-rounder. If I was to choose any one element of what I do, I don't know if I would excel at any one of them. But put all of them together, and I know what I'm doing."

She appeared as "The Green Fairy" in Moulin Rouge! (2001), shortly before the release of Fever, an album containing disco elements combined with 1980s electropop and synthpop. Fever reached number one in Australia, the UK, and throughout Europe, eventually achieving worldwide sales in excess of eight million. Its lead single "Can't Get You Out of My Head" became the biggest success of her career, reaching number one in more than 40 countries. She won four ARIA Awards including a "Most Outstanding Achievement" award, and two Brit Awards, for "Best international female solo artist" and "Best international album". Rolling Stone states that "Can't Get You out of My Head" "was easily the best and most omnipresent dance track of the new century", and following extensive airplay by American radio, Capitol Records released it and the album Fever in the U.S. in 2002. Fever debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number three, and "Can't Get You out of My Head" reached number seven on the Hot 100. and the following year won the same award for "Come into My World".

Minogue's stylist and creative director William Baker explained that the music videos for the Fever album were inspired by science fiction films—specifically those by Stanley Kubrick—and accentuated the electropop elements of the music by using dancers in the style of Kraftwerk. Alan MacDonald, the designer of the 2002 KylieFever tour, brought those elements into the stage show which drew inspiration from Minogue's past incarnations. The show opened with Minogue as a space age vamp, which she described as "Queen of Metropolis with her drones", through to scenes inspired by Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange, followed by the various personas of Minogue's career. and 2006 in the U.S.; she voiced one of the principal characters, Florence.

Minogue began a relationship with the French actor, Olivier Martinez, after meeting him at the 2002 Grammy Awards ceremony. Her next album, Body Language (2003), was released following an invitation-only concert, titled Money Can't Buy, at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. The event marked the presentation of a new visual style, designed by Minogue and Baker, inspired in part by Brigitte Bardot, about whom Minogue commented: "I just tended to think of BB [Bardot] as, well, she's a sexpot, isn't she? She's one of the greatest pinups. But she was fairly radical in her own way at that time. And we chose to reference the period, which was ... a perfect blend of coquette and rock and roll." The album downplayed the disco style and Minogue said she was inspired by 1980s artists such as Scritti Politti, The Human League, Adam and the Ants and Prince, blending their styles with elements of hip hop. It received positive reviews with Billboard Magazine writing of "Minogue's knack for picking great songs and producers". Allmusic described it as "a near perfect pop record... Body Language is what happens when a dance-pop diva takes the high road and focuses on what's important instead of trying to shock herself into continued relevance". Sales of Body Language were lower than anticipated after the success of Fever, After reaching number one on the US club chart, "Slow" received a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Dance Recording category. The Wall Street Journal described Minogue as "an international superstar who seems perpetually unable to conquer the U.S. market".

Minogue played a guest role in the season finale of the comedy series Kath & Kim, in which she referenced her earlier role as Charlene in Neighbours, during a wedding sequence. The episode achieved the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's highest ratings of the year.

She released her second official greatest hits album in November 2004, entitled Ultimate Kylie, along with her music videos on a DVD compilation of the same title. The album introduced her singles "I Believe in You", co-written with Jake Shears and Babydaddy from the Scissor Sisters, and "Giving You Up". "I Believe in You" reached the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play top three, and was exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London in February 2007. Minogue commenced her , and after performing in Europe, travelled to Melbourne, where she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

2006–09: Showgirl: The Homecoming Tour, X, KylieX2008 and For You, for Me Tour

In November 2006, Minogue resumed her with a performance in Sydney. She had told journalists before the concert that she would be highly emotional, and she cried before dedicating the song "Especially for You" to her father, a survivor of prostate cancer. Her dance routines had been reworked to accommodate her medical condition, and slower costume changes and longer breaks were introduced between sections of the show to conserve her strength. The media reported that Minogue performed energetically, with the Sydney Morning Herald describing the show as an "extravaganza" and "nothing less than a triumph". Minogue's shows throughout Australia continued to draw positive reviews, and after spending Christmas with her family, she resumed the European leg of her tour with six sold-out shows in Wembley Arena, before taking her tour to Manchester for a further six shows.

In February 2007, Minogue and Olivier Martinez announced that they had ended their relationship, but remained on friendly terms. Minogue was reported to have been "saddened by false [media] accusations of [Martinez's] disloyalty". in November 2007. The electro-styled album included contributions from Guy Chambers, Cathy Dennis, Bloodshy & Avant and Calvin Harris. The album received some criticism for the triviality of its subject matter in light of Minogue's experiences with breast cancer; she responded by explaining the personal nature of some of the album's songs, and said "My conclusion is that if I'd done an album of personal songs it'd be seen as 'Impossible Princess 2' and be equally critiqued." and said of her breast cancer, "thankfully, the experience hasn't made her music discernibly deeper". X and "2 Hearts" entered at number one on the Australian albums and singles charts respectively. In the UK, X initially attracted lukewarm sales, and Minogue won a Brit Award for "International solo female". X was released in the U.S. in April 2008, and debuted outside the top 100 on the albums chart despite some promotion. X was nominated for the 2009 Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album, Minogue's fifth Grammy Award nomination.

In December 2007, Minogue participated in the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, and later performed in the final of the UK talent show The X Factor with the eventual winner, Leon Jackson, whose mentor was Dannii Minogue. From May 2008, Minogue promoted X with a European tour, KylieX2008, which is her most expensive tour to date with production costs of £10 million. Although she described the rehearsals as "grim" and the set list went through several overhauls, She appeared in The Kylie Show, which featured highly stylised set-piece song performances from Minogue as well as comedy sketches with Mathew Horne, Dannii Minogue, Jason Donovan and Simon Cowell. She co-starred in the 2007 Doctor Who Christmas special episode, "Voyage of the Damned", as Astrid Peth, a waitress on a spaceship Titanic. The episode aired on 25 December 2007, with 13.31 million viewers, the show's highest viewing figures since 1979.

It was announced in late December 2007 that Minogue was to be among those honoured in Queen Elizabeth II's 2008 New Years Honours list, with an OBE for services to music. Minogue commented "I am almost as surprised as I am honoured. I feel deeply touched to be acknowledged by the UK, my adopted home, in this way." She received the OBE officially from The Prince of Wales in July 2008. In May, 2008 Minogue was awarded the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France's highest cultural honour. Culture Minister Christine Albanel described Minogue as a "midas of the international music scene who turns everything she touches into gold", and saluted her for publicly discussing her breast cancer. and won the "Best International Female Solo Artist" award at the 2008 BRIT Awards.

In late September 2008, Minogue made her Middle East debut as the headline act at the opening of Atlantis, The Palm, an exclusive hotel resort in Dubai, and from November, she continued with her KylieX2008 tour, taking the show to cities across South America, Asia and Australia. The tour visited 21 countries, and was considered a success, with ticket sales estimated at $70,000,000. She hosted the 2009 BRIT Awards on 18 February 2009 with James Corden and Mathew Horne.

In September and October 2009, Minogue embarked on the For You, For Me Tour, her first North American concert tour, which included shows in the U.S. and Canada. On 14 December 2009, Minogue released a download-only concert album entitled . The album was recorded at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom and contains 25 live version songs.

2010–present: Aphrodite

Minogue's eleventh studio album, Aphrodite, was released in Japan on 30 June 2010 and worldwide in July 2010. The lead single, "All the Lovers", premiered on radio in May 2010 and was made available for purchase in June 2010. The album debuted at number one in the UK charts, exactly twenty two years after her first UK number one hit. On 3 June 2010, she hosted the inaugural AmfAR "Inspiration Gala" at the New York Public Library honouring Jean Paul Gaultier for his lifelong contribution to men's fashion and the fight against AIDS. Minogue appeared on BBC1's Friday Night With Jonathan Ross on 25 June 2010, during which she confirmed she is a UK resident, and announced that she will tour in 2011.

In July 2010, Minogue filmed a cameo performance as a rock star in the American independent film Jack and Diane. The movie stars Juno Temple, Riley Keough and Jena Malone. She also recorded a duet titled "Devotion" with British synthpop duo Hurts for their debut album Happiness, released on 6 September 2010. The second single from Aphrodite, titled "Get Outta My Way" was released on 27 September 2010. In October 2010, Minogue performed in front of the Sphinx and the Pyramids at Giza, Eygpt to celebrate the anniversary of "Enigma" magazine, with profits going to the We Owe It To Egypt Foundation. A third single, Better Than Today, was released on 6 December 2010. It peaked at number thirty-two in the UK and became her lowest charting single to have a proper physical release.

On 1 December 2010, Minogue and Parlophone records released A Kylie Christmas (EP) on iTunes, which included a cover of the 1945 song Let It Snow as well as Santa Baby which was previously available as a b-side to her 2000 single Please Stay.

Image and celebrity status

|alt=A bronze statue of Kylie, on a star-shaped pedestal, portrays her in a dancing pose. Her legs are crossed and she bends at the waist, with both arms stretched above her head. The statue stands in a public square in front of a modern glass building, and several people are walking.]] Minogue's efforts to be taken seriously as a recording artist were initially hindered by the perception that she had not "paid her dues" and was no more than a manufactured pop star exploiting the image she had created during her stint on Neighbours. During her career Minogue has chosen photographers who attempt to create a new "look" for her, and the resulting photographs have appeared in a variety of magazines, from the cutting edge The Face to the more traditionally sophisticated Vogue and Vanity Fair, making the Minogue face and name known to a broad group of people. Stylist William Baker has suggested that this is part of the reason she has entered in the mainstream pop culture of Europe more successfully than many other pop singers who concentrate solely on selling records.

By 2000, when Minogue returned to prominence, she was considered to be have achieved a degree of musical credibility for having maintained her career longer than her critics had expected. That same year, Birmingham Post noted "[o]nce upon a time, long before anybody had even heard of Britney, Christina, Jessica or Mandy, Australian singer Kylie Minogue ruled the charts as princess of pop. Back in 1988 her first single, I Should Be So Lucky, spent five weeks at number one, making her the most successful female artist in the UK charts with 13 successive Top 10 entries." Her progression from the wholesome "girl next door" to a more sophisticated performer with a flirtatious and playful persona attracted new fans to her. After 20 years as a performer, Minogue was described as a fashion "trend-setter" and a "style icon who constantly reinvents herself". She has been acknowledged for mounting successful tours, and for worldwide record sales of more than 60 million.

Minogue is regarded as a gay icon, which she encourages with comments such as "I am not a traditional gay icon. There's been no tragedy in my life, only tragic outfits..." and "My gay audience has been with me from the beginning ... they kind of adopted me." Minogue has been inspired by and compared to Madonna throughout her career. Kathy McCabe for The Telegraph notes that Minogue and Madonna follow similar styles in music and fashion, and concludes, "Where they truly diverge on the pop-culture scale is in shock value. Minogue's clips might draw a gasp from some but Madonna's ignite religious and political debate unlike any other artist on the planet... Simply, Madonna is the dark force; Kylie is the light force." During the same week a bronze cast of her hands was added to Wembley Arena's "Square of Fame".

In March 2010, Minogue was declared by researchers as the "most powerful celebrity in Britain". The study examined how marketers identify celebrity and brand partnerships. Mark Husak, head of Millward Brown's UK media practice, said: "Kylie is widely accepted as an adopted Brit. People know her, like her and she is surrounded by positive buzz". In June 2010, after a performance at Glastonbury with the Scissor Sisters on their track "Any Which Way", Minogue started filming a cameo role in the film Jack and Diane, in New York.

Cancer

Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer on 17 May 2005, leading to the postponement of the remainder of her Showgirl – The Greatest Hits Tour and her withdrawal from the Glastonbury Festival. Her hospitalisation and treatment in Melbourne resulted in a brief but intense period of media coverage, particularly in Australia, where Prime Minister John Howard issued a statement supporting Minogue. As media and fans began to congregate outside the Minogue residence in Melbourne, the Victorian Premier Steve Bracks warned the international media that any disruption of the Minogue family's rights under Australian privacy laws would not be tolerated. His comments became part of a wider criticism of the media's overall reaction, with particular criticism directed towards paparazzi. Minogue underwent surgery on 21 May 2005 at Cabrini Hospital in Malvern, and commenced chemotherapy treatment soon after. In December 2005, Minogue released a digital-only single, "Over the Rainbow", a live recording from her Showgirl tour. Her children's book, The Showgirl Princess, written during her period of convalescence, was published in October 2006, and her perfume, "Darling", was launched in November. On her return to Australia for her concert tour, she discussed her illness, and said that her chemotherapy treatment had been like "experiencing a nuclear bomb". but she later spoke of her respect for the medical profession.

Minogue was acknowledged for the impact she had made by publicly discussing her cancer diagnosis and treatment; in May 2008, the French Cultural Minister Christine Albanel said, "Doctors now even go as far as saying there is a 'Kylie effect' that encourages young women to have regular checks."

Discography

Kylie (1988)

Enjoy Yourself (1989)

Rhythm of Love (1990)

Let's Get to It (1991)

Kylie Minogue (1994)

Impossible Princess (1997)

Light Years (2000)

Fever (2001)

Body Language (2003)

X (2007)

Aphrodite (2010)

See also

List of awards and nominations received by Kylie Minogue

List of Kylie Minogue concert tours

Kylie Minogue filmography

Notes and references

Notes

References

External links

– owned and maintained by EMI and represents Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue Collection at the Performing Arts Collection

Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Actors from Melbourne Category:ARIA Award winners Category:Australian child actors Category:Australian dance musicians Category:Australian expatriates in the United Kingdom Category:Australian female singers Category:Australian film actors Category:Australian pop singers Category:Australian television actors Category:Australian people of Irish descent Category:Australian people of Welsh descent Category:Breast cancer survivors Category:BRIT Award winners Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Disco musicians Category:Freestyle musicians Category:Gold Logie winners Category:Grammy Award winners Category:LGBT rights activists from Australia Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:Parlophone artists Category:Recipients of the Centenary Medal Category:Singers from Melbourne Category:The X Factor judges Category:The X Factor (UK)

Name	Ashley Tisdale
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Ashley Michelle Tisdale
Born	July 02, 1985West Deal, New Jersey, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals in the week of February 12, 2006, with "What I've Been Looking For" and "Bop to the Top", both songs from the first High School Musical soundtrack.
- bgcolor	"#B0C4DE" align="center"
Name	Tisdale, Ashley Michelle
Short description	American singer, actor
Date of birth	July 2, 1985
Place of birth	Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States

Category:1985 births Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:American child actors Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:American television producers Category:American Jews Category:American pop singers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American stage actors Category:American voice actors Category:Jewish actors Category:Jewish singers Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:People from Monmouth County, New Jersey Category:Warner Bros. Records artists

Name	Alesha Dixon
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Alesha Anjanette Dixon
Born	October 07, 1978Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	R&B;, Pop, hip hop
Occupation	Singer, Songwriter, Model, rapper, Dancer, Television Presenter
Years active	1999–present
Label	Polydor Records (2005–2006) Asylum Records (2008–present) Atlantic Records (2008–present)
Associated acts	Mis-Teeq Roll Deep
Url

Alesha Anjanette Dixon (born 7 October 1978) is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B;/garage trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records. Dixon began recording her debut solo album, Fired Up in 2006, but due to poor record sales of her first two singles, "Lipstick" and "Knockdown", she was dropped from Polydor.

In 2007 Dixon became a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and eventually won. Her television exposure led to a successful comeback, which included her signing to Asylum Records, an offshoot of Warner Music Group. Dixon then released a second album, entitled The Alesha Show in 2008, which received platinum certification from BPI in the UK.

In September 2009 Dixon became a judge on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing, replacing fellow judge Arlene Phillips. The replacement of Phillips by Dixon attracted criticism, as some questioned the extent of Dixon's dancing knowledge. Dixon herself dismissed the criticism, describing it as a "storm in a teacup", and refused to stand down as judge. In 2010 Dixon returned for the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing and released her third studio album, The Entertainer.

Early life

Dixon was born in Welwyn Garden City, to an English mother, Beverly Harris, and Jamaican father, Melvin Dixon. She has five half-brothers called Adrian, Mark, John, Jeroame, Callum and one half-sister called Leyanne. She was educated at Monk's Walk School, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. Dixon's mother and father split up when Dixon was four years old and Dixon's father moved away, resulting in Dixon later describing her family life as "very dysfunctional".

Her first job was at Ladbrokes, although she aspired to become a PE teacher after leaving college. After completing a diploma course in sports studies, but whilst at dance classes in London she was approached by a talent scout from a production company. Whilst travelling back home on the train she was approached by another scout who was forming a band and asked if she was interested. Dixon explained that "his view was there weren't many black British musicians who were overly successful. I said, 'Dad, I can't base my decision on what people haven't done'". Together they decided to form a band when Dixon and Washington, the two co-founders, spotted Su-Elise Nash, a girl auditioning for another band. The band made a decision to remain a trio. In 2001, they released their debut album Lickin' On Both Sides, featuring hits "All I Want", "One Night Stand", "B with Me" and double A-side single "Roll On/This Is How We Do It". In 2002 Mis-Teeq performed and received a nomination at the BRIT Awards in Earls Court, later in the year band won the MOBO Award for Best Garage Act. After the success of their debut album, 2003 saw Mis-Teeq becoming the faces of JD Sports stores nationwide.

In 2003, Mis-teeq released their second album Eye Candy, which included the singles "Scandalous", "Can't Get It Back" and "Style". In 2004, Mis-Teeq toured the United States and released their debut single Scandalous from their American self-titled debut, a compilation of the albums Lickin' On Both Sides and Eye Candy. They also released "One Night Stand" before coming back to Europe to start work with their third album however, Telstar Records went into administration. The band was left with no choice but to release a Greatest Hits compilation under exclusive licences with Universal Records.

The last song Dixon recorded with Mis-Teeq was "Shoo Shoo Baby" for the Disney film Valiant. In March 2005, their Greatest Hits compilation was released and it was announced that they were separating to pursue solo careers.

2006-2008: Fired Up and record label departure

}} Dixon launched her solo career after Mis-Teeq's breakup and signed a £500,000, three-album deal with Polydor Records. She spent a year writing and recording her solo debut album, Fired Up, working with a wide range of producers including Richard X, Xenomania, Johnny Douglas, Brian Higgins, Estelle and Paul Epworth. During this period Dixon performed mononymously, known simply as "Alesha".

In June 2005, she announced her first solo single to be "Superficial". However, at the last minute, the song "Lipstick" was chosen as the first single. "Lipstick" was released on 14 August 2006, and charted at 14 on the UK Single Charts. She released her second single "Knockdown" on 30 October 2006, which charted at 25 on the UK Download Chart. However on the official UK Singles Charts, the single peaked at number 45, falling down to 68 the following week.

On 6 November 2006, it was revealed that Dixon had been dropped by her label, Polydor Records.

2008-2009: The Alesha Show

After her victory on Strictly Come Dancing Dixon soon became at the centre of a bidding war between record labels, and even Polydor Records, the label that had dropped her months previously, put in an offer. Dixon, however, chose to sign a four-album contract with Asylum Records in 2008. Dixon's first new album as part of her contract, The Alesha Show was released in the UK on 24 November 2008 and 21 November in Ireland. The official first single from the album, "The Boy Does Nothing" became her first solo top ten hit on the UK Singles Chart, following a 76 spot jump from 84 to 8 The single rose for three weeks before breaking into the top ten at number six,

The fourth single from The Alesha Show, called "To Love Again" was released on November 15, 2009. The track, a ballad penned by Dixon and Gary Barlow, was the first single taken from the deluxe version, entitled The Alesha Show - Encore, released on November 23. Dixon also embarked upon a 17-date national tour, named The Alesha Show, which began on 20 October 2009 in Nottingham.

2010-present: The Entertainer

while supporting McFly]] In early 2010, Dixon began work on her third studio album, The Entertainer, which she intends to release during the summer. In May 2010 the Daily Star claimed that Dixon has been working with producer Jim Beanz and that Beanz stated "We're going to build some up-tempo dance songs to take the UK and the US by storm". She hopes to release the album in the US. Dixon's fansite also stated that Dixon had confirmed that she would once again be creating music with Xenomania, the producers who created "The Boy Does Nothing". On 15 March Dixon flew to Denmark to begin recording with Soulshock & Karlin, the producers of Dixon's "Breathe Slow". Dixon's fan site later reported that Dixon had secured a recording session with Rodney Jerkins, a record producer who has produced records for Michael Jackson's final studio album Invincible and most recently produced Lady Gaga and Beyoncé's "Telephone".

Dixon herself later confirmed via a diary update not on her official site but her fansite that she had recorded 2 tracks with Soulshock & Karlin and also revealed she had just finished recording a new track named "Bionic". Dixon described "Bionic" as "a powerful, fun, quirky song all about being strong when life tests you". and on 30 June her fansite president revealed the lead single is a track called "Drummer Boy", produced by Haitian-American producer , Shama Joseph p/k/a "Sham" or "ShamRock". Dixon has also announced that she has worked with Buzbee, who wrote Alexandra Burke's "Bad Boys", on new tracks for her album, and has also announced that she and Gary Barlow have "become good friends" and he is to write for her new album. On 5 August it was revealed that Dixon had decided to change the album name from Unleashed to The Entertainer. On 16 September it was announced that Dixon has collaborated with Roll Deep, and features the band's forthcoming single "Take Control". The second single from the album is "Radio". The third single was confirmed to be "Every Little Part of Me", which features guest vocals from Jay Sean.

Other ventures

Products and endorsements

In January 2008, less than a month after her profile was raised due to her victory on Strictly Come Dancing, Dixon signed a deal with Ford to endorse the new Ford Focus, an ad campaign featuring her was made, and a track called '4 U I Will' was recorded using real car parts. Dixon said, "When Ford first showed me the original TV ad and the incredible instruments I immediately wanted to get involved." Some of the instruments being used were the 'door harp', the 'clutch guitar' and the 'hatchback kick drum', in total 21 parts were taken from the car and transformed into unique looking instruments. In February 2008 Dixon fronted a campaign for the Department of Health, promoting safe sex. The sum of money she received was never disclosed despite calls to have the sum made public. Later in 2008 Alesha became the face of a new Veet campaign.

In May 2009, Dixon collaborated with clothing label Dune, selling limited edition necklaces, with all the profits being donated to the Teenage Cancer Trust. John Eagen, Dune’s CEO stated that "they are delighted to have Alesha support this cause". The necklace, which consists of three layers of gold, pewter and silver balls, was launched by Dixon to help raise awareness for the charity.

In June 2009, Dixon fronted a new campaign for Toblerone chocolate, offering fans a free download of an exclusive new track called "Before the Sun Goes Down". Fans were also able to enter a competition to win a pair of VIP tickets to see Dixon in concert and meet her. Jane Furze, Toblerone Marketing Manager said in a statement, "We're delighted to have Alesha on board - she's a great personality and the perfect fit with the brand".

In November 2009, it was announced that Dixon had signed a signed a four-year profit sharing deal with LA Fitness, to become brand ambassador for the gym chain as part of their multi-million pound re-launch scheme. Dixon's contract was described as "unique" by LA Fitness, as Dixon is not only endorsing the gym chain, but taking on an advisory role. The pay Dixon receives is in direct correlation to the gym's success over the term of the deal, meaning Dixon could earn up to £3 million in bonuses, considerably higher than the flat-fee that endorsers usually receive. Together they raised over £3,500,000 towards helping combat malaria in Tanzania. The whole team met Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street. Dixon had previously been to Downing Street just months before the climb to meet with Sarah Brown in honour of the Cosmopolitan ultimate women of the year awards. While discussing the malaria issue in Tanzania, Dixon said,

"I think people in England take things for granted, we complain about our NHS system and yes it’s not perfect but believe me it’s far better than what they've got there."

Dixon backed Nickelodeon's 'See Something, Say Something' campaign which is the UK’s anti-bullying initiative. The campaign aims to encourage children to speak out against bullies and help children gain the confidence to tell someone if they, or someone they know is being bullied. As the face of the campaign Alesha said: "Nickelodeon's See Something, Say Something campaign is extremely close to my heart, so I felt compelled to show my support. I was bullied as a child and know how important it is to tell someone about it".

Dixon is also a patron of the African-Caribbean Leukaemia Trust (ACLT), which is a voluntary charity, whose main aim is to increase the number of Black and Mixed Parentage people on the UK Bone Marrow Register. The members of the ACLT freely volunteer their time in attempting to raise awareness in the Black community; enabling potential donors to come forward and be involved in the process of offering hope and a healthy future to someone whose disorder may otherwise prove fatal.

In June 2009 Dixon was asked to become an official ambassador for the charity, 'Help a London Child'. In a statement Dixon said "I am very honoured that Help a London Child have asked me to be an ambassador and I have accepted. I have supported the charity for some time now and it makes sense to make my involvement more official. I am looking forward to continuing my support and I have already volunteered to run the Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon to help raise funds for the charity!" Help a London Child Manager Kate Crabtree said, "This is fantastic news for Help a London Child and we are absolutely delighted. Alesha’s thoughtfulness and compassion make her the perfect ambassador and we look forward to her continued invaluable support."

Speaking in August 2010 to noted UK urban writer Pete Lewis - Assistant Editor of Blues & Soul - about her all-round positive attitude towards her philanthropic work, Dixon said: "Being in the entertainment industry I do feel I have a responsibility that comes with my fame. And, while some celebrities may spend their time moaning about the negative things that come along with being famous, my thing is, if you ARE in the limelight then why not try to find POSITIVE things that come with it?.. And for me the most positive thing is shedding light on subjects that matter but don't normally get a look-in!"

Modelling and television career

As a model, Dixon is represented by Select Model Management and has appeared on the cover of Cosmopolitan, FHM, Arena, Company, Bliss and other magazines and in various other editorial fashion shoots. In 2008 a poll showed that Dixon had "Britain's sexiest legs" beating Cheryl Cole, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Lily Cole and others. Dixon was cast as the lead female in the music video for "She Wants to Move" by N.E.R.D. Dixon has been featured in FHM's annual 100 sexiest women in the world poll on a number of occasions. She is managed by Malcolm Blair. She has also been a guest on BBC One's current affairs programme This Week on two occasions, in November 2006 and December 2007. In 2009 it was reported that Dixon was in talks with television companies about a possible chatshow. In 2009 she co-presented Children in Need alongside Terry Wogan and Tess Daly, she also presented 2008's coverage from BT Tower.

In March 2010, she presented the Mister World 2010 pageant, which took place in Incheon, Korea.

Strictly Come Dancing

Series 5: Contestant

Dixon took part in series 5 of hit TV show Strictly Come Dancing in 2007, partnered with professional dancer Matthew Cutler. Dixon was at first hesitant to join, fearing that snobbery within the music industry would damage her career. In a later interview she said, "There’s always this preconceived idea that people do reality TV shows because they want to kick-start their careers whereas I was actually worried that it would affect it." They had been the favourite from the third week, receiving the most points from the judges on numerous occasions. Dixon herself gained high appraisal from the judges, even being likened to a "young Josephine Baker" by Bruno Tonioli.

Dixon was dubbed the "British Beyoncé" by Strictly Come Dancing host Bruce Forsyth, she later said "There's only one Beyoncé. When Bruce says that I get embarrassed. It’s very sweet... but it’s not true." Mis-Teeq were often cited as the British equivalent to Destiny's Child; the trio that first gave Beyoncé media attention.

Dixon is currently the most successful contestant to ever take part in Strictly Come Dancing, with an average point score of 36.5/40, the highest average score from any contestant to ever take part in the show.

{|class="wikitable" border="1" |- !Week # !Dance/Song !Total !Result |- |align="center"|2 |align="center"|Rumba/Hurt |align="center"|31(8,7,8,8) |align="center" |- |align="center"|3 |align="center"|Jive/Shake a Tail Feather |align="center"|36(9,9,9,9) |align="center" |- |align="center"|4 |align="center"|American Smooth/Top Hat, White Tie and Tails |align="center"|33(8,8,8,9) |align="center" |- |align="center"|5 |align="center"|Foxtrot/Heaven |align="center"|36(9,9,9,9) |align="center" |- |align="center"|6 |align="center"|Salsa/Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' |align="center"|35(9,8,9,9) |align="center" |- |align="center"|7 |align="center"|Waltz/A Time For Us |align="center"|38(9,10,9,10) |align="center" |- |align="center"|8 |align="center"|Cha Cha Cha/Crazy in Love |align="center"|39(9,10,10,10) |align="center" |- |align="center"|9 |align="center"|Tango/JealousySamba/Reach Out I'll Be There |align="center"|38(9,10,9,10)36(9,8,10,9) |align="center" |- |align="center"|10 |align="center"|Viennese Waltz/MemoryPaso Doble/Toccata |align="center"|38(9,9,10,10)36(9,9,9,9) |align="center" |- |align="center"|11 |align="center"|Quickstep/ValerieArgentine Tango/I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You |align="center"|38(9,9,10,10)38(9,9,10,10) |align="center" |- |align="center"|12 |align="center"|Waltz/A Time For UsCha Cha Cha/Crazy in LoveJive/We Love to Boogie |align="center"|39(10,10,9,10)38(9,9,10,10)35(9,8,9,9) |align="center" |}

Series 7-onwards: Judge

It was revealed in July 2009 that Alesha would be joining the Strictly Come Dancing judging panel in September 2009. She replaced Arlene Phillips, 66, which led to the BBC being accused of ageism and sexism by the media, and Dixon herself faced criticism by newspaper columnists such as Amanda Platell and Janet Street-Porter. Dixon, having a conflicting schedule also had to rearrange three dates on her upcoming tour, The Alesha Show in order to do the show, which is broadcast live on Saturday nights. The replacement of Arlene Phillips for Alesha Dixon even became dubbed "Alesha-gate" by some (the "-gate" suffix being a reference to the Watergate Scandal).

Dixon's judging debut was met by criticism by some viewers, and 272 complaints were received by the BBC, according to The Guardian. In response to the complaints, television critic Jim Shelley commented that "the lynch-mob was such you'd have thought she had strangled a kitten".

Fellow judge Bruno Tonioli accused critics of hypocrisy, saying "this time last year people were calling for Arlene to be sacked on the spot for being rude about John Sergeant [...] She was the Wicked Witch of the West, now all of a sudden she is Mother Teresa. What's going on here?" However, despite Dixon's debut causing hundreds of complaints, critics praised some of her later judging as the series progressed, with Richard Simpson of the Daily Mail stating, "it seems Miss Dixon has finally found her voice and is making up for lost time on that point".

Personal life

In June 2005, after a five-year relationship, Dixon married footballer MC Harvey, formerly of So Solid Crew, in a private ceremony at Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire. Dixon filed for divorce just over a year later after MC Harvey had an affair with Javine Hylton. They have no children together. She then dated Aston Villa and former Valencia CF Norwegian international John Carew; they split in 2008.

After her marriage broke down and her record label dumped her within the space of two weeks, Dixon suffered from depression. In a later interview she said, "It was the lowest point of my life. I just kept thinking, 'What have I done to deserve this?' I didn't see the point in living." She decided to move on and to turn around her life, saying "When you are knocked down you have two choices - stay down or get back up, stronger." She said that Strictly Come Dancing helped her overcome her problems and gave her a "Zest for life"

Dixon cut all contact with her older brother, Mark Harris, after he sold his story of their "terrible" childhood, claiming that they "often went to bed hungry" and that her mother, Beverley neglected them in favour of sometimes violent boyfriends, he also accused Dixon of turning her back on her family in the pursuit of fame and fortune. In response to the comments about her mother, Dixon said, "I cherish her. If anyone is rude about her or says a bad word about her they won't be a part of my life. Unfortunately, that's not how I feel about my brother."

In February 2009, in an interview with the Daily Mail, Alesha spoke about her obsessive-compulsive behaviour:

"My friends call me Monica because she's the one in Friends who's obsessed with cleaning. I always think the house looks messy; a messy house can depress me. It can make me feel messy. If my house is clean and everything is in order, I feel better."

She is currently living with her two dogs, a collie cross-breed called Roxy and a puppy called Daisy, both were adopted from an RSPCA animal centre. Dixon has stated that she hates her own laugh, describing it as sounding like a "Crow" or "Sid James" and saying "I'd change it if I could but it's become a trademark." Dixon in an interview also said "somebody stole my laugh and made it into a ringtone".

Discography

2006: Fired Up

2008: The Alesha Show

2010: The Entertainer

Tours

;Headlining act 2009: The Alesha Show

;Supporting act 2009: Enrique Iglesias UK Tour

Awards and nominations

{|class="wikitable" border="1" |- !Year !Ceremony !Award !Nominated Work !Result |- |rowspan="1"|2006 |align="center"|MOBO Awards |Best UK Female |style="text-align:center" rowspan="3"|Herself | |- |rowspan="1"|2008 |align="center"|Cosmopolitan Awards |Ultimate Confidence Queen | |- |rowspan="4"|2009 |align="center" rowspan="2"|MOBO Awards |Best UK Act | |- |Best Video |rowspan="3"|"The Boy Does Nothing" | |- |align="center" rowspan="2"|UK Music Video Awards |Best Pop Video | |- |Best Styling in a Video | |- |rowspan="3"|2010 |align="center"|BRIT Awards |British Single |align="center"|"Breathe Slow" | |- |align="center"|MOBO Awards |Best Video |align="center"|"Drummer Boy" | |- |align="center"|BT Visit London Awards |Sound of London |align="center"|Herself | |}

References

Further reading

;Books

Tripp, Anna. - The Unauthorized Biography. Michael O'Mara Books Ltd, 29 October 2009. ISBN 9781843174431.

External links

Official Australian website

Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers Category:Asylum Records artists Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:British female singers Category:British hip hop musicians Category:British rappers Category:British rhythm and blues singers Category:English people of Jamaican descent Category:English-language singers Category:Mis-Teeq members Category:People from Welwyn Garden City Category:Reality show winners Category:Strictly Come Dancing judges Category:Strictly Come Dancing participants Category:UK garage musicians Category:Black British musicians