Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments. Singing is often done in a group of other musicians, such as in a choir of singers with different voice ranges, or in an ensemble with instrumentalists, such as a rock group or baroque ensemble. As in many respects human song is a form of sustained speech, nearly anyone able to speak can also sing. Singing can be formal or informal, arranged or improvised. It may be done for pleasure, comfort, ritual, education, or profit. Excellence in singing requires time, dedication, instruction, and regular practice. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre, such as classical or rock. They typically take voice training provided by voice teachers or vocal coaches throughout their career.

The human voice

In its physical aspect, singing has a well-defined technique that depends on the use of the lungs, which act as an air supply, or bellows; on the larynx, which acts as a reed or vibrator; on the chest and head cavities, which have the function of an amplifier, as the tube in a wind instrument; and on the tongue, which together with the palate, teeth, and lips articulate and impose consonants and vowels on the amplified sound. Though these four mechanisms function independently, they are nevertheless coordinated in the establishment of a vocal technique and are made to interact upon one another. During passive breathing, air is inhaled with the diaphragm while exhalation occurs without any effort. Exhalation may be aided by the abdominal, internal intercostal and lower pelvic muscles. Inhalation is aided by use of external intercostals, scalenes and sternocleidomastoid muscles. The pitch is altered with the vocal cords. With the lips closed, this is called humming.

The sound of each individual's singing voice is entirely unique not only because of the actual shape and size of an individual's vocal cords but also due to the size and shape of the rest of that person's body. Humans have vocal folds which can loosen, tighten, or change their thickness, and over which breath can be transferred at varying pressures. The shape of the chest and neck, the position of the tongue, and the tightness of otherwise unrelated muscles can be altered. Any one of these actions results in a change in pitch, volume, timbre, or tone of the sound produced. Sound also resonates within different parts of the body, and an individual's size and bone structure can affect the sound produced by an individual.

Singers can also learn to project sound in certain ways so that it resonates better within their vocal tract. This is known as vocal resonation. Another major influence on vocal sound and production is the function of the larynx which people can manipulate in different ways to produce different sounds. These different kinds of laryngeal function are described as different kinds of vocal registers. The primary method for singers to accomplish this is through the use of the Singer's Formant; which has been shown to match particularly well to the most sensitive part of the ear's frequency range.

Vocal registration

Vocal registration refers to the system of vocal registers within the human voice. A register in the human voice is a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality. Registers originate in laryngeal function. They occur because the vocal folds are capable of producing several different vibratory patterns. Each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds. The term "register" can be somewhat confusing as it encompasses several aspects of the human voice. The term register can be used to refer to any of the following:

A particular part of the vocal range such as the upper, middle, or lower registers.

A resonance area such as chest voice or head voice.

A phonatory process (phonation is the process of producing vocal sound by the vibration of the vocal folds that is in turn modified by the resonance of the vocal tract)

A certain vocal timbre or vocal "colour"

A region of the voice which is defined or delimited by vocal breaks.

In linguistics, a register language is a language which combines tone and vowel phonation into a single phonological system. Within speech pathology the term vocal register has three constituent elements: a certain vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, a certain series of pitches, and a certain type of sound. Speech pathologists identify four vocal registers based on the physiology of laryngeal function: the vocal fry register, the modal register, the falsetto register, and the whistle register. This view is also adopted by many vocal pedagogists.

Vocal resonation

Vocal resonation is the process by which the basic product of phonation is enhanced in timbre and/or intensity by the air-filled cavities through which it passes on its way to the outside air. Various terms related to the resonation process include amplification, enrichment, enlargement, improvement, intensification, and prolongation, although in strictly scientific usage acoustic authorities would question most of them. The main point to be drawn from these terms by a singer or speaker is that the end result of resonation is, or should be, to make a better sound. There are seven areas that may be listed as possible vocal resonators. In sequence from the lowest within the body to the highest, these areas are the chest, the tracheal tree, the larynx itself, the pharynx, the oral cavity, the nasal cavity, and the sinuses.

Chest voice and head voice

Chest voice and head voice are terms used within vocal music. The use of these terms varies widely within vocal pedagogical circles and there is currently no one consistent opinion among vocal music professionals in regards to these terms. Chest voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register; a vocal resonance area; or a specific vocal timbre. Head voice can be used in relation to a particular part of the vocal range or type of vocal register or a vocal resonance area.

History and development

The first recorded mention of the terms chest voice and head voice was around the 13th century, when it was distinguished from the "throat voice" (pectoris, guttoris, capitis — at this time it is likely that head voice referred to the falsetto register) by the writers Johannes de Garlandia and Jerome of Moravia. The terms were later adopted within bel canto, the Italian opera singing method, where chest voice was identified as the lowest and head voice the highest of three vocal registers: the chest, passagio and head registers. This approach is still taught by some vocal pedagogists today. Another current popular approach that is based on the bel canto model is to divide both men and women's voices into three registers. Men's voices are divided into "chest register", "head register", and "falsetto register" and woman's voices into "chest register", "middle register", and "head register". Such pedagogists teach that the head register is a vocal technique used in singing to describe the resonance felt in the singer's head.

However as knowledge of human physiology has increased over the past two hundred years, so has the understanding of the physical process of singing and vocal production. As a result, many vocal pedagogists, such as Ralph Appelman at Indiana University and William Vennard at the University of Southern California, have redefined or even abandoned the use of the terms chest voice and head voice. In particular, the use of the terms ''chest register'' and ''head register'' have become controversial since vocal registration is more commonly seen today as a product of laryngeal function that is unrelated to the physiology of the chest, lungs, and head. For this reason, many vocal pedagogists argue that it is meaningless to speak of registers being produced in the chest or head. They argue that the vibratory sensations which are felt in these areas are resonance phenomena and should be described in terms related to vocal resonance, not to registers. These vocal pedagogists prefer the terms ''chest voice'' and ''head voice'' over the term register. This view believes that the problems which people identify as register problems are really problems of resonance adjustment. This view is also in alignment with the views of other academic fields that study vocal registration including: speech pathology, phonetics, and linguistics. Although both methods are still in use, current vocal pedagogical practice tends to adopt the newer more scientific view. Also, some vocal pedagogists take ideas from both viewpoints.

The contemporary use of the term chest voice often refers to a specific kind of vocal coloration or vocal timbre. In classical singing, its use is limited entirely to the lower part of the modal register or normal voice. Within other forms of singing, chest voice is often applied throughout the modal register. Chest timbre can add a wonderful array of sounds to a singer's vocal interpretive palette. However, the use of overly strong chest voice in the higher registers in an attempt to hit higher notes in the chest can lead to forcing. Forcing can lead consequently to vocal deterioration.

Classifying singing voices

In European classical music and opera, voices are treated like musical instruments. Composers who write vocal music must have an understanding of the skills, talents, and vocal properties of singers. Voice classification is the process by which human singing voices are evaluated and are thereby designated into voice types. These qualities include but are not limited to: vocal range, vocal weight, vocal tessitura, vocal timbre, and vocal transition points such as breaks and lifts within the voice. Other considerations are physical characteristics, speech level, scientific testing, and vocal registration. The science behind voice classification developed within European classical music has been slow in adapting to more modern forms of singing. Voice classification is often used within opera to associate possible roles with potential voices. There are currently several different systems in use within classical music including: the German ''Fach'' system and the choral music system among many others. No system is universally applied or accepted.

However, most classical music systems acknowledge seven different major voice categories. Women are typically divided into three groups: soprano, mezzo-soprano, and contralto. Men are usually divided into four groups: countertenor, tenor, baritone, and bass. When considering voices of pre-pubescent children an eighth term, treble, can be applied. Within each of these major categories there are several sub-categories that identify specific vocal qualities like coloratura facility and vocal weight to differentiate between voices.

It should be noted that within choral music, singers' voices are divided solely on the basis of vocal range. Choral music most commonly divides vocal parts into high and low voices within each sex (SATB, or soprano, alto, tenor, and bass). As a result, the typical choral situation affords many opportunities for misclassification to occur. Since most people have medium voices, they must be assigned to a part that is either too high or too low for them; the mezzo-soprano must sing soprano or alto and the baritone must sing tenor or bass. Either option can present problems for the singer, but for most singers there are fewer dangers in singing too low than in singing too high.

Within contemporary forms of music (sometimes referred to as Contemporary Commercial Music), singers are classified by the style of music they sing, such as jazz, pop, blues, soul, country, folk, and rock styles. There is currently no authoritative voice classification system within non-classical music. Attempts have been made to adopt classical voice type terms to other forms of singing but such attempts have been met with controversy. The development of voice categorizations were made with the understanding that the singer would be using classical vocal technique within a specified range using unamplified (no microphones) vocal production. Since contemporary musicians use different vocal techniques, microphones, and are not forced to fit into a specific vocal role, applying such terms as soprano, tenor, baritone, etc. can be misleading or even inaccurate.

Vocal pedagogy

Vocal pedagogy is the study of the teaching of singing. The art and science of vocal pedagogy has a long history that began in Ancient Greece and continues to develop and change today. Professions that practice the art and science of vocal pedagogy include vocal coaches, choral directors, vocal music educators, opera directors, and other teachers of singing.

Vocal pedagogy concepts are a part of developing proper vocal technique. Typical areas of study include the following:

Human anatomy and physiology as it relates to the physical process of singing

*Vocal health and voice disorders related to singing

*Breathing and air support for singing

*Phonation

* Vocal resonation or Voice projection

*Vocal registration: a particular series of tones, produced in the same vibratory pattern of the vocal folds, and possessing the same quality, which originate in laryngeal function, because each of these vibratory patterns appears within a particular range of pitches and produces certain characteristic sounds.

* Voice classification

Vocal styles: for Classical singers, this includes styles ranging from Lieder to opera; for pop singers, styles can include "belted out" a blues ballads; for jazz singers, styles can include Swing ballads and scatting.

* Techniques used in styles such as sostenuto and legato, range extension, tone quality, vibrato, and coloratura

Vocal technique

Singing when done with proper vocal technique is an integrated and coordinated act that effectively coordinates the physical processes of singing. There are four physical processes involved in producing vocal sound: respiration, phonation, resonation, and articulation. These processes occur in the following sequence: #Breath is taken #Sound is initiated in the larynx #The vocal resonators receive the sound and influence it #The articulators shape the sound into recognizable units Although these four processes are often considered separately when studied, in actual practice they merge into one coordinated function. With an effective singer or speaker, one should rarely be reminded of the process involved as their mind and body are so coordinated that one only perceives the resulting unified function. Many vocal problems result from a lack of coordination within this process.

Since singing is a coordinated act, it is difficult to discuss any of the individual technical areas and processes without relating them to the others. For example, phonation only comes into perspective when it is connected with respiration; the articulators affect resonance; the resonators affect the vocal folds; the vocal folds affect breath control; and so forth. Vocal problems are often a result of a breakdown in one part of this coordinated process which causes voice teachers to frequently focus in intensively on one area of the process with their student until that issue is resolved. However, some areas of the art of singing are so much the result of coordinated functions that it is hard to discuss them under a traditional heading like phonation, resonation, articulation, or respiration.

Once the voice student has become aware of the physical processes that make up the act of singing and of how those processes function, the student begins the task of trying to coordinate them. Inevitably, students and teachers will become more concerned with one area of the technique than another. The various processes may progress at different rates, with a resulting imbalance or lack of coordination. The areas of vocal technique which seem to depend most strongly on the student's ability to coordinate various functions are: : #Extending the vocal range to its maximum potential #Developing consistent vocal production with a consistent tone quality #Developing flexibility and agility #Achieving a balanced vibrato

Developing the singing voice

Singing is a skill that requires highly developed muscle reflexes. Singing does not require much muscle strength but it does require a high degree of muscle coordination. Individuals can develop their voices further through the careful and systematic practice of both songs and vocal exercises. Vocal pedagogists instruct their students to exercise their voices in an intelligent manner. Singers should be thinking constantly about the kind of sound they are making and the kind of sensations they are feeling while they are singing. Vocal exercises have several purposes, including warming up the voice; extending the vocal range; "lining up" the voice horizontally and vertically; and acquiring vocal techniques such as legato, staccato, control of dynamics, rapid figurations, learning to sing wide intervals comfortably, singing trills, singing melismas and correcting vocal faults.

Extending vocal range

An important goal of vocal development is to learn to sing to the natural limits of one's vocal range without any obvious or distracting changes of quality or technique. Vocal pedagogists teach that a singer can only achieve this goal when all of the physical processes involved in singing (such as laryngeal action, breath support, resonance adjustment, and articulatory movement) are effectively working together. Most vocal pedagogists believe in coordinating these processes by (1) establishing good vocal habits in the most comfortable tessitura of the voice, and then (2) slowly expanding the range.

There are three factors that significantly affect the ability to sing higher or lower:

# The ''energy'' factor — "energy" has several connotations. It refers to the total response of the body to the making of sound; to a dynamic relationship between the breathing-in muscles and the breathing-out muscles known as the breath support mechanism; to the amount of breath pressure delivered to the vocal folds and their resistance to that pressure; and to the dynamic level of the sound. # The ''space'' factor — "space" refers to the size of the inside of the mouth and the position of the palate and larynx. Generally speaking, a singer's mouth should be opened wider the higher he or she sings. The internal space or position of the soft palate and larynx can be widened by relaxing the throat. Vocal pedagogists describe this as feeling like the "beginning of a yawn". # The ''depth'' factor — "depth" has two connotations. It refers to the actual physical sensations of depth in the body and vocal mechanism, and to mental concepts of depth that are related to tone quality.

McKinney says, "These three factors can be expressed in three basic rules: (1) As you sing higher, you must use more energy; as you sing lower, you must use less. (2) As you sing higher, you must use more space; as you sing lower, you must use less. (3) As you sing higher, you must use more depth; as you sing lower, you must use less."

Posture

The singing process functions best when certain physical conditions of the body exist. The ability to move air in and out of the body freely and to obtain the needed quantity of air can be seriously affected by the posture of the various parts of the breathing mechanism. A sunken chest position will limit the capacity of the lungs, and a tense abdominal wall will inhibit the downward travel of the diaphragm. Good posture allows the breathing mechanism to fulfill its basic function efficiently without any undue expenditure of energy. Good posture also makes it easier to initiate phonation and to tune the resonators as proper alignment prevents unnecessary tension in the body. Vocal pedagogists have also noted that when singers assume good posture it often provides them with a greater sense of self assurance and poise while performing. Audiences also tend to respond better to singers with good posture. Habitual good posture also ultimately improves the overall health of the body by enabling better blood circulation and preventing fatigue and stress on the body.

There are eight components of the ideal singing posture:

# Feet slightly apart # Legs straight but knees unlocked # Hips facing straight forward # Spine aligned # Abdomen flat # Chest comfortably forward # Shoulders down and back # Head facing straight forward

Breathing and breath support

Natural breathing has three stages: a breathing-in period, a breathing out period, and a resting or recovery period; these stages are not usually consciously controlled. Within singing there are four stages of breathing: a breathing-in period (inhalation); a setting up controls period (suspension);a controlled exhalation period (phonation); and a recovery period.

These stages must be under conscious control by the singer until they become conditioned reflexes. Many singers abandon conscious controls before their reflexes are fully conditioned which ultimately leads to chronic vocal problems.

Vibrato

Vibrato is used by singers (and many instrumentalists; for instance, string instruments that are played with a bow can produce vibrato tones) in which a sustained note wavers very quickly and consistently between a higher and a lower pitch, giving the note a slight quaver. Vibrato is the pulse or wave in a sustained tone. Vibrato occurs naturally, and is the result of proper breath support and a relaxed vocal apparatus. Some singers use vibrato as a means of expression. Many successful artists have built a career on deep, rich vibrato.

Vocal music

Vocal music is music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Vocal music is probably the oldest form of music, since it does not require any instrument besides the human voice. All musical cultures have some form of vocal music and there are many long standing singing traditions throughout the world's cultures.

Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered as instrumental music. For example, some blues rock songs may have a simple call-and-response chorus, but the emphasis in the song is on the instrumental melodies and improvisation. Vocal music typically features sung words called lyrics, although there are notable examples of vocal music that are performed using non-linguistic syllables or noises, sometimes as musical onomatopoeia. A short piece of vocal music with lyrics is broadly termed a song.

Genres of vocal music

Vocal music is written in many different forms and styles which are often labeled within a particular genre of music. These genres include: Art music, Popular music, Traditional music, regional and national music, and fusions of those genres. Within these larger genres are many sub-genres. For example, popular music would encompass blues, jazz, country music, easy listening, hip hop, rock music, and several other genres. There may also be a sub-genre within a sub-genre such as vocalese and scat singing in jazz.

Popular and traditional music

In many modern pop musical groups, a lead singer performs the primary vocals or melody of a song, as opposed to a backing singer who sings backup vocals or the harmony of a song. Backing vocalists sing some, but usually not all, parts of the song often singing only in a song's refrain or humming in the background. An exception is five-part gospel a cappella music, where the lead is the highest of the five voices and sings a descant, and not the melody. Some artists may sing both the lead and backing vocals on audio recordings by overlapping recorded vocal tracks.

Popular music includes a range of vocal styles. Hip-hop uses rapping, the rhythmic delivery of rhymes in a rhythmic speech over a beat or without accompaniment. Some types of rapping consist mostly or entirely of speech and chanting, like the Jamaican "toasting". In some types of rapping, the performers may interpolate short sung or half-sung passages. Blues singing is based on the use of the blue notes–notes sung at a slightly lower pitch than that of the major scale for expressive purposes. In heavy metal and hardcore punk subgenres, vocal styles can include techniques such as screams, shouts, and unusual sounds such as the "death growl".

One difference between live performances in the popular and Classical genres is that whereas Classical performers often sing without amplification in small- to mid-size halls, in popular music, a microphone and PA system (amplifier and speakers) are used in almost all performance venues, even a small coffee house. The use of the microphone has had several impacts on popular music. For one, it facilitated the development of intimate, expressive singing styles such as "crooning" which would not have enough projection and volume if done without a microphone. As well, pop singers who use microphones can do a range of other vocal styles that would not project without amplification, such as making whispering sounds, humming, and mixing half-sung and sung tones. As well, some performers use the microphone's response patterns to create effects, such as bringing the mic very close to the mouth to get an enhanced bass response, or, in the case of hip-hop beatboxers, doing plosive "p" and "b" sounds into the mic to create percussive effects.

While some bands use backup singers who only sing when they are onstage, it is common for backup singers in popular music to have other roles. In many rock and metal bands, the musicians doing backup vocals also play instruments, such as rhythm guitar, electric bass, or drums. In Latin or Afro-Cuban groups, backup singers may play percussion instruments or shakers while singing. In some pop and hip-hop groups and in musical theater, the backup singers may be required to perform elaborately choreographed dance routines while they sing through headset microphones.

Careers in singing

The salaries and working conditions for vocalists vary a great deal. While jobs in other music fields such as music education tend to be based on full-time, salaried positions, singing jobs tend to be based on contracts for individual shows or performances, or for a sequence of shows (e.g., a two-week series of performances of an opera or musical theater show). Since income from singing jobs can be unsteady, singers often supplement their performing income with other singing-related jobs, such as vocal coaching, voice lessons, or as working as a choral director in a church. Due to the large number of aspiring vocalists, it can be very competitive to get jobs in singing. Church choir soloists can make from $30 to $500 per performance (all figures in US dollars). Performers in a community choral group can earn from $200–$3,000 yearly; members of a professional concert choral group can make $80 and up per performance. Singers who perform on radio or TV shows can make $75 and up per show on a local station and $125 and up per national network show (e.g., CBS or NBC). Jazz or pop singers who perform with dance bands or nightclub show groups can make $225 and up per week. Professional opera chorus singers can make from $350–$750 per week. Opera soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, can make from $350 to $20,000 per performance for the most elite performers. Classical concert soloists, for which the number of job openings is very limited, have approximate earnings of $350 per performance and up.

Aspiring singers and vocalists must have musical talent and skill, an excellent voice, the ability to work with people, and a sense of showmanship and drama. Additionally, singers need to have the ambition and drive to continually study and improve, because the process of studying singing does not end after an initial diploma or degree is finished-even decades after finishing their initial training, professional singers continue to seek out vocal coaching to hone their skills, extend their range, and learn new styles. As well, aspiring singers need to gain specialized skills in the vocal techniques used to interpret songs, learn about the vocal literature from their chosen style of music, and gain skills in choral music techniques, sight singing and memorizing songs, and basic skills at the piano, to aid in learning new songs and in ear training or vocal exercises. In Classical singing and in some other genres, a knowledge of foreign languages such as French, Italian, German, or other languages, is needed. Prior to college or university training, aspiring singers should learn to read music, study basic piano, and gain experience with singing, both in choirs and in solo settings.

College or university degrees are "not always required but the equivalent training is usually necessary". Post-secondary training in singing is available for both Classical and non-Classical singers. In the Classical stream, singing can be studied at conservatories and university music programs; credentials that are available range from diplomas and Bachelor's degrees to Master's degrees and the Doctor of Musical Arts. In popular and jazz styles, college and university degrees are also available, though there are fewer programs.

Once aspiring vocalists have completed their professional training, they must then take steps to market themselves to buyers of vocal talent, by doing auditions in front of an opera director, choirmaster, or conductor. Depending on the style of vocal music that a person has trained in, the "talent buyers" that they seek out may be record company A&R; representatives, opera or musical theater directors, choir directors, nightclub managers, or concert promoters. In addition preparing a resume or CV listing their training and performance experience, singers typically prepare a promotional kit that includes professionally taken photographs (head shots); a CD or DVD with excerpts of vocal performances; and copies of reviews from music critics or journalists. Some singers hire an agent or manager to help them to seek out engagements and other performance opportunities; the agent or manager is often paid by receiving a percentage of the fees that the singer gets from performing onstage.

Health benefits

Scientific studies suggest that singing can have positive effects on people's health. A preliminary study based on self-reported data from a survey of students participating in choral singing found perceived benefits including increased lung capacity, improved mood, stress reduction, as well as perceived social and spiritual benefits. However, one much older study of lung capacity compared those with professional vocal training to those without, and failed to back up the claims of increased lung capacity. Singing may positively influence the immune system through the reduction of stress. One study found that both singing and listening to choral music reduces the level of stress hormones and increases immune function. A multinational collaboration to study the connection between singing and health was established in 2009, called ''Advancing Interdisciplinary Research in Singing'' (AIRS).

Singing in non-human species

Scholars agree that singing is strongly present in many non-human species. Wide dispersal of singing behavior among very different animal species (like birds, gibbons, whales, and humans) strongly suggests that singing appeared independently in different species. Currently there are about 5400 species of animals that can sing. At least some singing species demonstrate the ability to learn their songs, to improvise and even to compose new melodies. In some animal species singing is a group activity (see, for example, singing in gibbon families.)

Singing in different natural environments

Joseph Jordania suggested that singing behavior is very unevenly distributed among animal species, living in different environments (on the ground, in the water, in trees). Most of the singing species live on the trees (like many bird species, or gibbons), some live in the water (whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions), and there are no animal species who live on the ground and sing except for humans. This uneven distribution of singing can be crucial for our understanding of the origins of the singing behavior in animals and humans. Jordania explains this fact as the result of the pressure from natural selection. Singing is a very costly behavior, not only because of the energy to produce sounds, but primarily for the security reasons, as all the possible predators can easily learn the whereabouts of a singing animal. Singing species that live on the trees are in a much more favourable situation, as trees allow different species to live according to their body weight. So different animals with different body weight live on different "levels" of the tree branches. For example, a 50 kilo leopard can see and hear the sounds produced by a 15 kilo monkey, but as a lighter monkey can live much higher on the tree branches, it is out of reach of a heavier leopard. Therefore tree living (or arboreal) species feel quite secure to sing or to communicate with a wide range of vocal signals. On the other hand, all the ground living (or terrestrial) animal species, despite the huge weight differences between them (ranging from rabbits to lions and elephants) live on the same "ground level", and maintaining silence is crucially important for them. Even most of the birds, the most ardent singers, stop singing and producing other sounds when they sit on the ground. Therefore, predator threat might be a primary reason why tree living species are generally much noisier than ground living species.

See also: art music

A cappella

Aria

Bel canto

Chanson

Chiaroscuro (music)

Choral music

Fach

Group singing

Human voice

Opera

Overtone singing

Recitative

Singer–songwriter

Sprechgesang

Throat singing

Voice pedagogy

Voice projection

Voice type

Yodeling

Winsingad

See also: popular music

Beat boxing

Belt (music)

Death growl

Humming

Lead vocalist

Rapping

Screaming (music)

Vocoder

References

External links

A Brief History of Singing

Category:Occupations in music *

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Coordinates	13°22′27″N39°56′18″N
name	Brooklyn Decker
residence	North Carolina
birth date	April 12, 1987
birth place	Kettering, Ohio, US
yearsactive	2006–present
height
haircolor	Blonde
eyecolor	Blue
measurements	36C-24-34
spouse	Andy Roddick (2009–present)
agency	Marilyn Agency }}

Brooklyn Danielle Decker (born April 12, 1987) is an American fashion model and actress best known for her appearances in the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue, including the cover of the 2010 issue. In addition to working for Victoria's Secret for the 2010 "Swim" collection, she has ventured into television with guest appearances on ''Chuck'', ''Ugly Betty'' and ''Royal Pains''. She made her feature film debut in ''Just Go with It''. Decker is married to American tennis player Andy Roddick.

Early life

Decker was born in Kettering, Ohio, the daughter of Tessa (née Moore), a nurse, and Stephen Decker, a pacemaker seller. She and her family moved to Middletown, Ohio, then to Matthews, North Carolina, a suburb of Charlotte. She was discovered in a Charlotte shopping mall as a teenager. Decker began her modeling career as the face of Mauri Simone, a popular prom dress maker. She won the 2003 Model of the Year award at the Connections Model and Talent Convention. In a January 2011 interview with ''Self'' magazine, Decker stated that she suffered from an eating disorder and states, "My father did an intervention and got me to stop obsessing about everyone else and wrecking my body."

Career

Decker has been featured in pictorials in ''Teen Vogue'', ''Cosmopolitan'', ''FHM'', and ''Glamour'', and has modeled for The Gap, Intimissimi and Victoria's Secret. She has appeared in music videos for Jimmy Buffett and the band 3 Doors Down. She is also an avid Tar Heel basketball and Carolina Panthers fan.

In 2005, within two months of moving to New York City, Decker auditioned for the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Edition, in which she first appeared in 2006. She was again featured in the 2007 edition, and hosted the 2007 behind-the-scenes television special. She returned for a third consecutive time in 2008. Decker was chosen cover girl for the 2010 edition, shot on location in the Maldives islands. In 2007, she had a recurring feature on the CNN/SI website called "She Says, Z Says," along with Paul Zimmerman, discussing NFL football games of the week. Decker appeared in the 2007 made-for-television ''Lipshitz Saves the World''. She worked for a period in Australia. She joined the cast of Sports New York to discuss the 2010 NCAA basketball tournament. In 2008, Decker rang the New York Stock Exchange bell with other ''Sports Illustrated'' models.

Decker is represented by Marilyn Agency.

Decker made a guest appearance on NBC's ''Chuck'', where she played a model applying to be a "Buy More Girl." She made a guest appearance on USA Network's ''Royal Pains'' on July 30, 2009. Decker played swimsuit model Rachel, while Peter Jacobson played Alan, her nebbish husband.

On February 8, 2010, David Letterman announced on ''Late Show with David Letterman'' that Decker had been chosen as the 2010 ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit covermodel. Calling her selection "the news of a lifetime," Decker admitted that her mother cried when she heard her daughter would grace the cover.

Decker served as a guest judge in the 5th cycle from ''Germany's Next Topmodel''.

She was reportedly considered for the lead female role in ''Transformers: Dark of the Moon''.

Decker won ''Esquire'' magazine's 2010 "Sexiest Woman Alive" bracket challenge.

MTV Networks' NextMovie.com named her one of the 'Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011'.

Brooklyn is the female lead in the upcoming Battleship movie based on the game of the same name.

Personal life

Decker is married to American tennis player Andy Roddick.

Filmography

Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2011	''Just Go with It''	Palmer Dodge
2012		Sam Shane
2012		N/A	Filming
Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2007	''Lipshitz Saves the World''	Rebecca Fellini
		Job applicant	1 episode; Chuck Versus the Beefcake
''Royal Pains''	Rachel Ryder	1 episode; The Honeymoon's Over
''Ugly Betty''	Lexie	1 episode; The Wiener, the Bun and the Boob

References

External links

Official website

Brooklyn Decker on Twitter

Brooklyn Decker: A Model Life – slideshow by ''Life magazine''

Category:1987 births Category:American female models Category:Models from North Carolina Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:Actors from North Carolina Category:Living people Category:People from Charlotte, North Carolina Category:People from Middletown, Ohio Category:People from Kettering, Ohio

ar:بروكلين ديكر دانييل cs:Brooklyn Decker de:Brooklyn Decker es:Brooklyn Decker fr:Brooklyn Decker it:Brooklyn Decker he:ברוקלין דקר ms:Brooklyn Decker nl:Brooklyn Decker pl:Brooklyn Decker pt:Brooklyn Decker ro:Brooklyn Decker ru:Деккер, Бруклин tr:Brooklyn Decker

Coordinates	13°22′27″N39°56′18″N
Name	Lindsey Vonn
Country
Disciplines	Downhill, Super-G, Giant slalom, Slalom,Combined
Club	Vail SSC
Skis	Head
Boots	Head
Bindings	Head
Sponsor	Head
Birth date
Birth place	St. Paul, Minnesota,
Height
Weight	160 lb - (75 kg)
Wcdebut	November 18, 2000(age 16)
Website	LindseyVonn.com
Olympicteams	3
Olympicmedals	2
Olympicgolds	1
Worldsteams	3
Worldsmedals	5
Worldsgolds	2
Wcseasons	11
Wcwins	41
Wcpodiums	80
Wcoveralls	3
Wctitles	9
Show-medals	yes
Medaltemplates	}}

}}

Lindsey Caroline Vonn (née Kildow, born October 18, 1984) is an American alpine ski racer with the U.S. Ski Team. She has won three consecutive overall World Cup and downhill championships (2008, 2009, 2010), the first American woman and third woman ever to accomplish this. Vonn won the gold medal in downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics, the first ever in the event for an American woman. Vonn also won three consecutive World Cup season titles in Super G (the first American woman to do so), and two consecutive titles in the combined.

As of March 2011, she has 41 World Cup wins in four disciplines (downhill, Super G, slalom, and super combined). With her Olympic gold and bronze medals, two World Championship gold medals in 2009 (plus three silver medals in 2007 / 2011), and three overall World Cup titles, Vonn has become the most successful American skier in ski racing history.

Vonn received the Laureus World Sports Awards Sportswoman of the Year for 2010. She was also honored again as the USOC's sportswoman of the year for 2010.

Personal life

Vonn was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, as Lindsey Caroline Kildow and raised in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, in Burnsville. She was on skis at age two before moving into Erich Sailer's renowned development program at Buck Hill, which also produced slalom racer Kristina Koznick. Her father, Alan Kildow, who had been a national junior skiing champion before a knee injury at 18, "pushed" her very hard, according to Sailer.

When Vonn was ten years old, she met Olympic gold medalist ski racer Picabo Street, whom she considers her heroine and role model. Their meeting made such an impression on Street that she remembered the meeting and later would serve as Vonn's mentor in skiing. Vonn commuted to Colorado to train for several years before her family moved to Vail in the late 1990s.

Vonn attended University of Missouri High School, an online program through the university's Center for Distance and Independent Study.

Vonn's nicknames are "Kildon", "Don Don" and "The Don." Her hobbies include cycling, tennis, reading, and watching NBC's ''Law & Order;'' Vonn appeared as a guest star in the final series episode ("Rubber Room") on ''Law & Order'' on May 24, 2010. She married fellow 2002 Olympian and former U.S. Ski Team athlete Thomas Vonn on September 29, 2007, at the Silver Lake Lodge in Deer Valley, Utah.

During the World Cup racing season in Europe, the U.S. team stayed in Kirchberg. The most unusual of Vonn's trophies also lives in Kirchberg: Olympe the cow. Vonn kept the oversized pet instead of the check for her 2005 win in Val D'Isère.

She also frequently stays at the home of her friend and major competitor, Maria Riesch in Garmisch, Germany. Traditionally, Lindsey and Thomas Vonn spend Christmas Eve at the Riesch family home; Lindsey is fluent in German with an Austrian accent. During the off-season, the Vonns reside in Vail, Colorado., but also have residences in Germany and Atlanta.

Vonn appeared in ''Sports Illustrated''s Swimsuit Edition that featured Winter Olympians in 2010. Vonn also made #59 on ''Maxim'''s Hot 100 list.

Through December 2010, Vonn has yet to record a World Cup victory on U.S. snow, but has eight wins in North America in seven consecutive seasons, all at Lake Louise, Alberta.

Skiing career

Early years

In 1999, Vonn became the first American female to win at Italy's ''Trofeo Topolino'' (for skiers of ages 11–14) where she was victorious in slalom. After climbing through the ranks of the U.S. Ski Team, she made her World Cup debut at age 16 on November 18, 2000 in Park City, Utah.

2002–2005

In her Olympic debut at the 2002 Winter Olympics at age 17, Vonn raced in both slalom and combined in Salt Lake City, with her best result coming with sixth in combined. On March 4, 2003, she earned a silver medal in downhill in the Junior World Championship at Puy Saint-Vincent, France.

Vonn credits a change in her attitude towards training after a bike ride with fellow ski racer Julia Mancuso and Mancuso's father Ciro while visiting them at their Lake Tahoe home in California. With little biking experience, she quickly found herself miles behind Julia and Ciro. Alone and embarrassed, she decided she needed to drastically revise her training regimen and her attitude towards training if she was going to be successful.

On March 24, 2004, Vonn was the downhill silver medalist at the U.S. Alpine Championships in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In December 2004, Vonn climbed onto the World Cup podium for the first time with a downhill victory at Lake Louise, Alberta. She captured five more World Cup podiums over the next two months.

In 2005, she competed in four races at her first World Championships held in Bormio, Italy, pulling in fourth place finishes in both the downhill and the combined. She was ninth in Super-G, but failed to finish the giant slalom. She cited the unexpected appearance of her father, with whom she has a strained relationship, for rattling her before the event.

2006–2007

At her second Winter Olympics in 2006, Vonn crashed in the final training run for the downhill race on February 13, 2006 in San Sicario, Italy; she was evacuated by helicopter to Turin and was hospitalized overnight. Despite a bruised hip, she returned the following day to compete and finished eighth. The gritty performance earned her the U.S. Olympic Spirit Award, as voted by American fans, fellow Team USA athletes, former U.S. Olympians, and members of the media for best representing the Olympic Spirit.

Vonn earned her first "big race" medals with silver in both downhill and Super-G at the 2007 World Championships in Åre, Sweden. A training crash before the slalom caused her a low-level ACL sprain to her right knee, ending her season four weeks early. Nevertheless, she finished third for the season in the women's 2007 World Cup disciplines of downhill and Super G.

2008–2010

In 2008, Lindsey Vonn won the overall World Cup title. She became only the second American woman to do so, following Tamara McKinney in 1983. American Bode Miller won the men's title to complete the first U.S. sweep of the men's and women's overall titles in 25 years (McKinney and Phil Mahre in 1983). She also won the World Cup season title in the downhill and the U.S. Alpine Championships combined title (downhill & slalom), marking her best ski season to date. Vonn also established a new all-time record for most World Cup downhill victories by an American with ten, winning at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on March 8.

In 2009, Vonn repeated as overall World Cup champion, as well as repeating as champion in the downhill and also winning the season championship in Super-G by winning the final race of the season. During the season, she broke Tamara McKinney's American record of 18 World Cup victories when she won the Super G at Tarvisio in February. Her nine World Cup wins also set an American single-season record, surpassing Phil Mahre's total of eight in 1982. At the 2009 World Championships in Val-d'Isère, France, Vonn won her first world championship and became the first American woman to win the world Super-G title. In the super combined event, she won the downhill portion and had appeared to have finished second in the event with a strong slalom performance, but was disqualified for splitting a gate. Three days later she won the gold in the Downhill. During early 2009, she appeared in Alka-Seltzer television commercials in the United States as support for the United States Ski Team. During the summer of 2009, Vonn switched her equipment sponsor and supplier to Head skis, after previously racing her entire career on Rossignol skis. In October 2009, Vonn was awarded the Skieur d'Or Award by members of the International Association of Ski Journalists for her performances during the previous season.

In December 2009, Vonn sustained a bruised arm after a large crash during the opening run of the World Cup giant slalom. She continued racing as there was no fracture that would prevent her return and run at the Olympic Games in Vancouver. Despite skiing with her arm in a brace due to the injury, Vonn won three straight races (two downhills and a Super G) in Haus im Ennstal, Austria from January 8–10, 2010. The wins raised her to second among American skiers on the all-time career list for World Cup wins with 28, passing Phil Mahre and trailing only Bode Miller. On January 14, 2010, Lindsey Vonn was named Colorado Athlete of the Year for 2009. With her victory in a Super G just prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics, she clinched her second straight Super G discipline title with two races still to go. Vonn ended up also winning the overall title, as well as the discipline titles in downhill, Super G and combined, and by winning the last Super G of the season, she boosted her overall World Cup victory total to 33, surpassing Bode Miller for the most World Cup victories by an American. The third consecutive overall World Cup title also equals Phil Mahre's American record and makes Vonn the third woman to achieve it, behind Petra Kronberger with 3 straight and Annemarie Moser-Pröll with 5 straight. Vonn was also named by the Associated Press as 2010 Female Athlete of the Year.

2010 Winter Olympics

At the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vonn planned to compete in five events. On February 10, she revealed that she had a bruised shin. Vonn said the pain from her injury was "excruciating" and she would have a difficult time competing at the Winter Olympics. Due to unseasonably warm weather and resultant poor snow conditions, many of the Alpine skiing events were moved back, giving Vonn additional time to heal. On February 17, in her first event, Vonn won the gold medal in the downhill, besting longtime U.S. rival Julia Mancuso by 0.56 seconds, becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in downhill.

In her second event, the super-combined, Vonn finished first in the downhill portion of the race. However, in the slalom portion, she crashed out because she failed to get her ski around a right-hand gate. Vonn said her shin wasn't the problem. Vonn's friend, Maria Riesch, won the gold, and teammate Julia Mancuso earned the silver medal.

In her third event, the super-G, Vonn finished third behind Andrea Fischbacher and Tina Maze. Vonn was 0.74 second back from first place. On the last part of the race, Vonn said she didn't ski as aggressively as she could have and lost the race because of it. After the race, questions were raised about the setup of the course. Vonn's husband, Thomas, said the course was deliberately set up against Vonn. Austrian coach Juergen Kriechbaum denied any wrongdoing.

In her fourth event, the giant slalom, visibility was reduced by thick, low fog. Vonn crashed in her first run, resulting in a broken fourth finger and Vonn's disqualification from the event. In her fifth event, the slalom, Vonn lost control and straddled a gate, disqualifying her from the event.

World Cup victories

Season titles

12 titles (3 overall, 4 downhill, 3 super G, 2 combined)

Season	! Discipline
rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;"	2008	Overall
align=center
rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"	Overall
align=center	Downhill
align=center
rowspan="4" style="text-align:center;"	Overall
align=center	Downhill
align=center
rowspan ="3" style="text-align:center;"	Combined

Race victories

41 race victories (21 downhill, 14 super G, 2 slalom, 4 combined)

{|class="wikitable" |- !Season !Date !Location !Race |- | style="text-align:center;"| 2005 || December 3, 2004|| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center|Downhill |- | rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| 2006 3 victories (2 DH, 1 SG) || December 3, 2005|| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center|Downhill |- | December 17, 2005|| Val-d'Isère, France || align=center|Downhill |- | March 3, 2006|| Hafjell, Norway || align=center|Super G |- | rowspan="3" style="text-align:center;"| 2007 3 victories (2 DH, 1 SG) || December 2, 2006|| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center|Downhill |- | December 20, 2006|| Val-d'Isère, France || align=center|Downhill |- | January 28, 2007|| San Sicario, Italy || align=center|Super G |- | rowspan="6" style="text-align:center;"| 2008 6 victories (5 DH, 1 SC) || December 1, 2007|| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center| Downhill |- | December 21, 2007|| rowspan=2| St. Anton, Austria || align=center|Downhill |- | December 22, 2007|| align=center|Super Combined |- | January 19, 2008|| Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy || align=center|Downhill |- | February 9, 2008|| Sestriere, Italy || align=center|Downhill |- | March 8, 2008|| Crans-Montana, Switzerland || align=center|Downhill |- | rowspan="9" style="text-align:center;"| 2009 9 victories (2 DH, 4 SG, 2 SL, 1 SC) || November 15, 2008|| Levi, Finland || align=center|Slalom |- | December 5, 2008|| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center|Downhill |- | January 17, 2009|| Altenmarkt, Austria || align=center|Super Combined |- | January 30, 2009|| rowspan=2| Garmisch, Germany || align=center|Slalom |- | February 1, 2009|| align=center|Super G |- | February 22, 2009|| Tarvisio, Italy || align=center|Super G |- | March 1, 2009|| Bansko, Bulgaria || align=center|Super G |- | March 11, 2009 || rowspan=2| Åre, Sweden || align=center|Downhill |- | March 12, 2009 || align=center|Super G |- | rowspan="11" style="text-align:center;"| 2010 11 victories (6 DH, 4 SG, 1 SC) || December 4, 2009 || rowspan=2| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center|Downhill |- | December 5, 2009 || align=center|Downhill |- | December 18, 2009 || Val-d'Isère, France || align=center|Super Combined |- | January 8, 2010 || rowspan=3| Haus im Ennstal, Austria || align=center|Downhill |- | January 9, 2010 || align=center|Downhill |- | January 10, 2010 || align=center|Super G |- | January 22, 2010|| rowspan=2| Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy || align=center|Super G |- | January 23, 2010|| align=center|Downhill |- | January 31, 2010|| St. Moritz, Switzerland || align=center|Super G |- | March 6, 2010|| Crans-Montana, Switzerland || align=center|Downhill |- | March 12, 2010|| Garmisch, Germany || align=center|Super G |- | rowspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| 2011 8 victories (3 DH, 4 SG, 1 SC) || December 5, 2010|| Lake Louise, AB, Canada || align=center|Super G |- | December 18, 2010|| rowspan=2| Val-d'Isère, France || align=center|Downhill |- | December 19, 2010|| align=center|Super Combined |- | January 8, 2011|| Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria || align=center|Downhill |- | January 21, 2011|| rowspan=2| Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy || align=center|Super G |- | January 23, 2011|| align=center|Super G |- | February 26, 2011|| Åre, Sweden || align=center|Downhill |- | March 6, 2011|| Tarvisio, Italy || align=center|Super G |}

References

External links

FIS-Ski.com – World Cup season standings - Lindsey Vonn

U.S. Ski Team - biography

Ski-DB.com - Results - Lindsey Vonn

2010 Winter Olympics - profile - Lindsey Vonn

lindseyvonn.com - official site

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2010 - Lindsey Vonn

The Ski Channel - profile

YouTube.com – U.S. Ski Team video – mini-profile

SkiRacingVideos.com – Video Profile

LindseyIsEpic.com – Videos and race results/schedule

2010 Time Magazine - 10 Questions for Lindsey Vonn

Category:American alpine skiers Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States Category:Olympic alpine skiers of the United States Category:Alpine skiers at the 2002 Winter Olympics Category:Alpine skiers at the 2006 Winter Olympics Category:Alpine skiers at the 2010 Winter Olympics Category:Laureus World Sports Awards winners Category:Sportspeople from Saint Paul, Minnesota Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Olympic medalists in alpine skiing Category:People from Burnsville, Minnesota

an:Lindsey Vonn cs:Lindsey Vonnová de:Lindsey Vonn et:Lindsey Vonn es:Lindsey Vonn fa:لیندزی وان fr:Lindsey Vonn ko:린지 본 hr:Lindsey Vonn it:Lindsey Vonn lv:Lindsija Vona hu:Lindsey Vonn nl:Lindsey Vonn ja:リンゼイ・ボン no:Lindsey Vonn pl:Lindsey Vonn pt:Lindsey Vonn ro:Lindsey Vonn ru:Вонн, Линдси simple:Lindsey Vonn sk:Lindsey Vonnová sl:Lindsey Vonn sr:Линдзи Вон fi:Lindsey Vonn sv:Lindsey Vonn tr:Lindsey Vonn uk:Ліндсі Вонн zh:林赛·沃恩

Coordinates	13°22′27″N39°56′18″N
name	Bar Refaeli
birth date	June 04, 1985
birth place	Hod HaSharon, Israel
height
haircolor	Blond
occupation	Model, actress
eyecolor	Blue
measurements	89-60-89 (EU) (35C-24-35)
dress size	6 (US); 36 (EU)
shoe size	40 (EU); 9 (US)
agency	Storm Model Management (London)ONE Management (New York City)IMG Models (Paris)
website	www.barrefaeli.co.il }}

Bar Refaeli (; born 4 June 1985) is an Israeli model and occasional actress, most known for her modeling work and for her relationship with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio. She was the cover model of the 2009 ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue.

Early life

Bar Refaeli was born into an Israeli Jewish family in Hod HaSharon, Israel. Her parents, Rafael and Tzipi, own a horse ranch. Her mother was a successful Israeli model in the 1970s under her maiden name, Tzipi Levine. Refaeli has three brothers. She began a modeling career at the age of eight months, appearing in commercials. Refaeli had to wear braces in her early years, interrupting her modeling until age 15, when she returned to modeling with the representation of Irene Marie Models.

Career

Modeling career

Refaeli began her modeling career before the age of 8 months for a baby commercial. By age 15, she was featured in campaigns for the fashion brands ''Castro'' and ''Pilpel'', also starring in a commercial for Milky. Refaeli won the title "Model of The Year" in an Israeli beauty contest in 2000.

Refaeli has appeared in ''ELLE'' (France), ''Maxim'', and ''GQ'' (Italy). She debuted in the 2007 ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue, becoming the first Israeli model to appear in the magazine, posing with rock band Aerosmith. In 2009, Refaeli was the covermodel for the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue. A photo from the shoot, featuring a bikini-clad Refaeli, was painted on the side of a Boeing 737 in a promotional deal with Southwest Airlines, leading to criticism of Southwest from passengers for using an image they regarded as inappropriately sexual and "offensive to families". In October of the same year, Refaeli was again embroiled in controversy, when Haredi groups criticised a Tel Aviv billboard campaign in which she appeared semi-nude, alleging that it could "poison" the public. The billboards were subsequently removed.

She has modeled for Subaru, Accessorize, Brazilian clothing line Besni, Italian jewelry line Marco Bicego, and Rampage. In 2009, she modeled for Garnier International.

On 5 March 2009, Refaeli received the "World Style Award," presented by the Women's World Awards, for her "natural elegance, sense of style and compassion." In October of the same year, Refaeli co-hosted Fashionable Istanbul's press conference announcing their October 2009 fashion event, also appearing in its advertising. Refaeli was voted #57 in 2010 and #42 in 2008 in the FHM hottest women women list.

Film and television career

Refaeli co-starred the Israeli TV series ''Pick Up'' in 2005. In October 2008, she co-hosted the Bravo special program ''Tommy Hilfiger Presents Ironic Iconic America'', based on the book ''Ironic Iconic America'' written by George Lois. She returned as a program host in 2009, this time for MTV's brief revival of ''House of Style''.

On January 18, 2011, Refaeli attended the premiere of the English-language movie Session in Israel in which she stars. Directed by Israeli Haim Bouzaglo, the film is a psychological thriller that tells the story of a manipulative psychologist who becomes obsessed with a new young patient. She served as a guest judge on cycle four of ''Germany's Next Topmodel'' hosted by Heidi Klum.

Personal life

Previously linked to ''Baywatch'' actor David Charvet and Uri El-Natan, Refaeli began a relationship with American actor Leonardo DiCaprio in November 2005 after meeting him at a Las Vegas party thrown for members of U2. In the course of their trip to Israel in March 2007, the couple met with Israeli president Shimon Peres and visited Refaeli's hometown of Hod HaSharon. The relationship ended in June 2009. Numerous reports, however, indicate that, as of early 2010, the romance may have been rekindled. In May 2011, it was reported that the couple had ended their romantic relationship, although still remaining friends.

Her relationship with DiCaprio caused one nationalist Israeli organization to send her a letter, later leaked to the press, in which she was asked, for the sake of "future generations of Jews", not to marry a "non-Jew", a request similar to the one made, a few years previously, to Israeli Miss World winner Linor Abargil.

Refaeli confided to ''L'Isha magazine'' that she prefers to keep a lower profile – though she is out with DiCaprio much of the time. "I am there for him and I am at all the events," she says. "I just don't walk in hand-in-hand with him. I don't see any reason. I don't need to strike poses with him in front of the cameras. No one needs to know how we kiss."

Philanthropy/personal causes

Refaeli volunteers for Project Sunshine, a non-profit organization providing free services and programs for children facing life-threatening illnesses. She has also volunteered for organization Ahava, which has been caring for pets abandoned in Northern Israel during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

Refaeli and film director Shahar Segal have agreed to do a free campaign under the slogan "One Bag Less" to reduce the use of plastic bags.

In August 2010, she decided to write a special report with the collaboration of ''Better Place'' on why she believes that people should drive electric cars.

Military enlistment controversy

In 2007, controversy arose when it became widely known that Refaeli had married a family acquaintance and divorced him soon after in order to avoid military service in the Israel Defense Forces, which is mandatory for both men and women over the age of 18, with certain exceptions. As a result of the adverse publicity, the Israeli Forum for the Promotion of Equal Share in the Burden threatened to boycott the fashion chain Fox if they hired Refaeli, but the two sides reached a compromise in which the model agreed to visit injured IDF soldiers on visits to Israel and encourage enlistment in the army. Refaeli later stated, "I don't regret not enlisting, because it paid off big time. That's just the way it is, celebrities have other needs. I hope my case has influenced the army." In 2009, fellow Israeli model Esti Ginzburg, while speaking in support of enlisting, caused headlines by criticizing Bar Refaeli for her avoidance of military service. The controversy garnered further headlines when Refaeli was featured on the cover of Italian ''GQ'''s war-themed May 2011 issue.

References

External links

Bar Refaeli Photo Gallery 2009

Category:Jewish actors Category:Israeli female models Category:Israeli television presenters Category:Israeli Jews Category:People from Hod HaSharon Category:1985 births Category:Living people

az:Bar Rafaeli cs:Bar Refaeli de:Bar Refaeli es:Bar Refaeli fa:بار رافائلی fr:Bar Refaeli ko:바 라파엘리 hi:बार रेफेली it:Bar Refaeli he:בר רפאלי lad:Bar Refaeli hu:Bar Refaeli nl:Bar Refaeli ja:バー・ラファエリ pl:Bar Refaeli pt:Bar Refaeli ro:Bar Refaeli ru:Рафаэли, Бар fi:Bar Refaeli sv:Bar Refaeli tr:Bar Refaeli

Coordinates	13°22′27″N39°56′18″N
name	Marisa Miller
alt	Blonde woman smiling while sitting in a public lounge.
birth name	Marisa Lee Bertetta
birth date	August 06, 1978
birth place	Santa Cruz, California, United States
height
haircolor	Blonde
eyecolor	Hazel
measurements	34-23-35 (US) 86.5-58-89 (EU)
weight
dress size	2 (US), 32 (EU), 6 (UK)
shoe size	7 (US), 37½ (EU), 4½ (UK)
agency	Cartel Management
website	Marisa Miller.com
spouse	Jim Miller (2000–2002) Griffin Guess (2006–present)
networth	}}

Marisa Lee Miller (née Bertetta; born August 6, 1978) is an American model best known for her appearances in the ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issues and her work for lingerie retailer Victoria's Secret. After a stint shooting with photographer Mario Testino for fashion magazines like ''Vogue'', Miller began working for both companies in 2002. In 2007, she became a Victoria's Secret Angel, and graced the cover of the 2008 ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue to record-setting numbers. Her accomplishments have led to her being dubbed the "return of the great American supermodel."

She is also known for contracts with companies like Harley-Davidson, for whom she is the first spokesperson in the history of the company. Miller is considered a sex symbol; she ranked #1 on ''Maxim'' magazine's 2008 "Hot 100" list and in ''FHM'''s global 2010 "Sexiest Women in the World" poll. Aside from modeling, she is an ambassador for both the American Cancer Society and the USO.

Early life

Born Marisa Lee Bertetta in Santa Cruz, California, to parents Krista (Useldinger) and Marc Bertetta, Miller attended high school at Aptos High and Monte Vista Christian School. She considered herself a tomboy growing up, with mostly male friends and little awareness of anything girly. Out of shyness, she often wore large t-shirts to hide her body and would get fully dressed just to go to the trash-can while at the beach.

Miller was first "discovered" at age sixteen walking through a San Francisco café by two Italian modeling agents. After talking to her mother, she was on a plane to Italy with her mother a few months later, despite her "shy and conservative" personality. Miller gained attention in 1997 when she appeared in the first issue of ''Perfect 10'' magazine. Although she came in third behind Ashley Degenford and Monica Hansen in ''Perfect 10'' magazine's first annual model search, she was repeatedly showcased in following issues, including the covers of the Winter 1998 and August/September 1999 editions, as well as a reprint for the Fall 2004 edition cover.

Career

Miller moved from a start as an amateur magazine model to high profile mainstream work after an acquaintance showed a picture of her to famed fashion photographer Mario Testino in 2001. Testino asked to meet Miller, who was running a surf school at the time, and was invited to Manhattan Beach, California, where she would be surfing.

Noticing her, Testino snapped pictures of her and approached her with a job offer. It turned out to be editorials for both the American and Italian editions of ''Vogue''. Within six months, Miller was working for Victoria's Secret and the coveted ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue, in which she appeared in every issue from 2002 to 2008. In particular, she famously posed wearing only an iPod in the 2007 issue. She has also appeared in a diverse range of magazines, many of them international editions, such as ''GQ'', ''Maxim'', ''Glamour'', ''Cosmopolitan'', ''Marie Claire'', ''Elle'', and ''Vanity Fair''. She has featured in advertisements for Nordstrom, J.Crew, Guess?, Tommy Hilfiger, Bath & Body Works, and True Religion jeans.

It was not until 2007 that she filmed her first television commercial for Victoria's Secret, appearing alongside Heidi Klum for the ''It'' bra.

On December 4, 2007, Miller made her debut in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, and opened a segment in the following year's edition. Other runway work include 2007's ''Fashion for Relief'' show, benefiting victims of Hurricane Katrina, as well as MTV's ''Fashionably Loud'', Imitation of Christ, Inca, and Amir Slama's Rosa Cha, for which she was one of the most anticipated models.

On the February 12, 2008 episode of ''The Late Show with David Letterman'', it was revealed via a three-story billboard in New York City that Miller would grace the cover of that year's ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue. The tandem online launch of the issue drew record page views to the SI website: 228 million, a 41% increase over 2007. In September 2008, Sports Illustrated released a "Best of Marisa Miller" swimsuit calendar for the 2009 year.

Victoria's Secret also put her to work in 2008, with a five-city tour to promote the 2008 ''Swim'' collection's release in stores; the April–May tour included stops in New York City, Miami, Chicago (where she threw the opening pitch at a Chicago Cubs baseball game), Boston, and Minneapolis. The relaunch of Victoria Secret's sports line, ''VSX'', soon followed, along with her first official campaign as an Angel: promoting the company's fragrance ''Very Sexy Dare''.

For the 2009 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, Miller was chosen to wear the year's "Fantasy Bra," a harlequin design featuring 2,300 white, champagne, and cognac diamonds, and a 16-carat heart-shaped brown-yellow diamond pendant for a $3-million value and 150 total carats.

In response to claims that Miller had parted with Victoria's Secret in January 2010, the Chief Marketing Officer for Limited Brands responded, saying the claims were "unfounded and untrue" while adding "we adore Marisa and we will continue to work with her in the future." In late 2010, Miller confirmed she had moved on from Angel status.

Beyond modeling

In a July 2010 interview with ''Forbes'', Miller stated that because the fashion industry had changed, with celebrities supplanting models on magazine covers and in campaigns, supermodels have to become brands to be successful. For that reason, she shifted focus to consumer products reflective of her personality. In July 2008, Miller took her first step beyond modeling when her shoe line with skateboarder/surfer-oriented company Vans launched. Miller starred in a 2008 viral video on YouTube with All Star baseball player Ryan Braun for Remington's ShortCut hair clippers

In 2008, Miller became the first spokesperson in motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson's one-hundred-year history. She first partnered with Harley to launch the VRSCF V-Rod Muscle motorcycle and rejoined the company in November 2009 to act as the face of their first "Military Appreciation Month" campaign, featuring Miller as a classic pin-up in military-themed advertisements and online content. 2010 found her again working for the company, this time for their "Start Something" campaign, encouraging dreamers to become new riders.

Miller represents the rum brand Captain Morgan as the company's "Official First Mate" in advertising, social responsibility communication, and event appearances.

In October 2010, the NFL announced Miller had been hired as a spokesperson for the 2010-2011 season, with duties including hosting the NFL International Series game between the San Francisco 49ers and Denver Broncos in London. The announcement drew accusations toward the league of sending a "mixed message" in hiring a well-known lingerie and swimsuit model on the heels of controversies over reporter Ines Sainz's treatment at the New York Jets' facilities and the messages and photos Brett Favre allegedly sent Jenn Sterger. ''New York Times'' columnist William C. Rhoden noted that "Miller reveals a lot of flesh in the N.F.L. advertisements featuring her. This is Miller’s business, but it shouldn’t be the N.F.L.’s."

In 2010, she designed and released a paddle board line with Surftech aimed at female riders.

Television

Miller's first work in television was as a judge on the Bravo reality series ''Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model'' in 2004, the same year she appeared in Puddle of Mudd's "Spin You Around" music video. 2007 brought appearances in the pilot episode and finale of VH1 reality show ''The Shot'' and cameos in HBO's ''Entourage'' and the CBS comedy ''How I Met Your Mother'', the latter with her fellow Victoria's Secret Angels. In 2009, she had a guest judge role on an episode of ''America's Next Top Model'' and a minor role in an episode of ''Gary Unmarried''; in 2010, she co-hosted an episode of ''GameTrailers TV with Geoff Keighley''.

She has appeared in commercials for the NFL Network and the California Travel and Tourism Commission's "Visit California" campaign. Miller's 2008 commercial for Activision's ''Guitar Hero: World Tour'' was deemed too sexy to air.

Film

Miller first film will be ''R.I.P.D.''.

Media recognition

The swell in publicity resulting from her 2008 work served to land Miller in the number one spot on ''Maxim'' magazine's "Hot 100" rankings for 2008, beating out list regulars such as Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, and Eva Longoria. This marked the first time anyone has debuted on the list in the number one position. In her subsequent cover story for the July issue, ''Maxim'' proclaimed her as the "return of the great American supermodel." Of such acclaim, Miller admits, "I get a kick out of it, but it would be stupid to let it go to my head. It’s modeling—I didn’t find the cure for cancer." Miller continued to be highly rated and appeared on the list in 2009 in 18th place, and in 2010 in 10th place.

She also finished first place in ''The Best Damn Sports Show Period'' "Smokin' Sixteen" competition in 2008, repeating her 2007 win over competitors such as Gisele Bündchen and Adriana Lima. Miller ranked second in AskMen.com's "Top 99" for 2010, after ranking third in 2009, ninth in 2008, twelfth in 2007, and fourteenth in 2006. She added to her popular accolades with the "Hot N' Fresh" award at the second annual Spike Guys' Choice Awards.

In 2010, Miller came in third in ''FHM'' magazine's UK edition of the 16th annual "Sexiest Women in the World" poll, placing behind actress Megan Fox and winner, British singer Cheryl Cole. Miller topped the poll in the US edition of ''FHM'' and was declared the global winner of the poll, receiving the most combined votes from ''FHM'''s 24 international editions.

Personal life

She married Jim Miller, a Los Angeles surfing contest promoter and lifeguard from California, in 2000. The couple separated in 2002; they divorced soon after. After the divorce, Marisa continued using the surname Miller. She married music producer Griffin Guess on April 15, 2006.

From an early age she loved surfing, and her aunt was on the pro tour. In 2004, she placed second in the celebrity division of the Kelly Slater Surf Invitational and says of the sport, "I feel my absolute best—physically, mentally and spiritually—when I'm surfing every day." She also won the most valuable player award at the 4th annual Celebrity Beach Bowl. She was a standout volleyball player in high school and has taken up boxing. After signing with Harley Davidson, Miller received her motorcycle license and rides a Harley Nightster. She has said that she would like to be a sportscaster. Miller comes from a family of nurses. Her mother returned to college to become a pediatrics nurse and her sisters are also nurses. She has expressed an interest in following the same career path if she stops modeling.

As of 2009, Miller is an ambassador for the American Cancer Society. Proceeds from her online store are donated to the charity. She also supports the Young Survival Coalition, which raises awareness of breast cancer in women under 40, as well as environmental organization the Surfrider Foundation, which aims to preserve the world's oceans and beaches. In October 2009, Miller hosted the Monte Foundation music festival, an annual fundraiser for schools in the Aptos area, where she and Guess own a home. She is also an ambassador for the USO; she visits military bases and receives frequent fan mail from American troops worldwide.

References

Magazines

Marisa Miller in Sports Illustrated, published by Time Inc.

* ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'', 2003 - 2006

* ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'', 2007

* ''Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue'', 2008

External links

MarisaMiller.com

Category:1978 births Category:American female models Category:Article Feedback Pilot Category:Harley-Davidson Category:Living people Category:Models from California Category:People from Santa Cruz, California

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