name	Leave Me Alone
cover	Leave Me Alone.jpg
artist	Michael Jackson
album	Bad
released	(Not released in the U.S.)
format	7" vinyl, 12" vinyl, cassette single, CD single
recorded	1987
genre	Funk rock
length	4:40 (Album/Single Version)7:11 (12" edit)
label	Epic
writer	Michael Jackson
producer	Quincy JonesMichael Jackson (co-producer)
last single	"Smooth Criminal"(1988)
this single	"Leave Me Alone"(1989)
next single	"2300 Jackson Street"(1989)
misc	}}

"Leave Me Alone" is a single by American songwriter and recording artist Michael Jackson. The song was featured on Jackson's seventh studio album, ''Bad'' in 1987, and was as the eighth single from the album in February 1989, but was released outside of the United States and Canada. "Leave Me Alone" only appeared on all CD versions of the ''Bad'' album as a bonus track, as well as on the 2001 cassette edition. The song was written and composed by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones (with Jackson serving as co-producer).

Internationally, the song was a success, peaking at number one and two in Spain and the United Kingdom respectively and charting at top ten in New Zealand and Italy. "Leave Me Alone" was generally well received by contemporary music critics. A short film was released for the song. In the film, Jackson pokes fun at the false rumors about him such as the stories about him purchasing the bones of "The Elephant Man" and his cosmetic surgeries. The short film was the recipient of a Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Short Form Music Video. Despite the success of the single, the song never appeared on any of Jackson's world concert tours.

Background and composition

"Leave Me Alone" was a response to negative and false stories about Jackson that frequently appeared in the media and tabloids post-1986 after the monumental success of ''Thriller.'' Beginning in 1986, the tabloids began to publish false stories about Jackson, one of the first being a story claiming that Jackson slept in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to slow the aging process. A picture leaked out to the media of him lying down in a hyberbaric chamber at a hospital he visited. An unknown person took the picture of Jackson while he was testing out the chamber out of curiosity.

When Jackson bought a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles, the media viewed it as evidence of Jackson's increasing detachment from reality. It was also reported that Jackson had offered to buy the bones of Joseph "The Elephant Man" Merrick; Jackson stated that the story was "a complete lie". These stories inspired the nickname "Wacko Jacko", which Jackson acquired the following year, and would come to despise. Another frequent response from the media was about Jackson's plastic surgery. Jackson's manager said of the media's criticism towards the topic, "So many terrible things have been written. Okay, so he had his nose fixed, and the cleft — big deal. I got news for you, my nose has broke five times. It's been fixed twice. Who gives a shit? Who cares? Elvis had his nose done. Marilyn Monroe had her nose done, had her breasts done? Everybody's had it done."

The song has been viewed as having a "paranoia theme", a theme that Jackson had frequently used on previous studio albums. ''The Atlantic'' felt that Jackson showed "obvious expressions of distrust" in the song and that the song was one of multiple songs where Jackson's "persistent loneliness in his music" was "prominent". In 2009, J. Edward Keyes, of ''Rolling Stone'', described "Leave Me Alone" as sounding like "vintage Michael" and the song works because of its music, "a batch of thick chords for Jackson to vamp over". Keyes noted that the song was a "kind of darker inversion" of "The Way You Make Me Feel", and that "Leave Me Alone" was "worked-up and angry, and Jackson's aggressive scraping of the high notes makes plain his frustration."

Instrumentation

Instruments for "Leave Me Alone" include a piano and guitar. The song is set in the key of E minor with Jackson's voice range being sung from Bb3 to Ab5. The song's tempo is moderate and its metronome is 112 beats per minute.

Critical and commercial reception

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"Leave Me Alone" was generally well received by contemporary music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, a writer for Allmusic, stated he felt that "Leave Me Alone" was the best track on ''Bad'', commenting "why are all of his best songs paranoid anthems?" Steve Morse, a writer for ''The Boston Globe'', described "Leave Me Alone" as a "send-up" of Jackson's feuds with the "paparazzi-filled tabloids." Jon Parales, of ''The New York Times'', commented that "Leave Me Alone" had an "unmistakable message". After Jackson's death in June 2009, ''Rolling Stone'' listed "Leave Me Alone" as being one of Jackson's most monumental work, and the song's composition was generally praised.

"Leave Me Alone" performed well on various charts. It was released as a single outside of the United States and Canada. The song, similar to ''Bad''s previous singles, proved to be a commercial success internationally. "Leave Me Alone"'s most successful territory was Spain, where the song peaked at number one; it stayed at the top position for one week. The song saw similar chart success on the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norwegian, Italian and Switzerland charts, peaking within the top ten at number two, five, six, eight and ten. "Leave Me Alone" also peaked within the top twenty in Sweden, France, and Austrian, peaking at number fifteen, seventeen and nineteen. The single was least successful in Australia, where the song peaked at number thirty-seven.

Music video

The music video for "Leave Me Alone", was directed by Jim Blashfield and Paul Diener and released in early 1989. The video was also featured in the 1988 film ''Moonwalker''. In essence, the video is an amusement park consisting of stylistically crude images based around Jackson's successful career since 1982's ''Thriller''. There is an emphasis on the tabloid view of Jackson's personal life and public image, referring to the nickname "Wacko Jacko" given to him by the press, and the various headlines associated with him in the 1980s. Lampooning rumours that he tried to purchase Joseph Merrick's bones, Jackson dances with stop motion "Elephant Man" bones in the video. This particular segment (without the image of the bones) was used for the single's cover art, and the boneless video segment was featured in ''Moonwalker'' trailer.

In the video, there are images of shrines to actress Elizabeth Taylor, a real life close friend of Jackson. Throughout the video newspaper headlines, published by "National Intruder", with bizarre titles are shown, such as "Michael's Space-Age Diet" and "Michael Proposes to Liz". Another notable scene in the music video was a nose being chased by a surgical scalpel, which was reference to Jackson's plastic surgery being criticized by the media. At the end of the video, it is revealed that a gigantic Jackson himself is the amusement park. He breaks free, tearing the park to pieces. That scene is a somewhat reminiscent of Gulliver's Travels, where Gulliver eventually breaks free from the Lilliputians' grasp from Lilliput.

"Leave Me Alone" was the recipient of multiple nominations for its music video. The video won a Grammy Award in 1990 for Best Short Form Music Video at the 32nd Grammy Awards. The video also received six nominations at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards for Video of the Year, Viewers' Choice, Breakthrough Video, Best Editing and Best Art Direction; the video won Best Special Effects. The video lost its six nominations to Neil Young's "This Note Is for You" ("Video of the Year"), Art of Noise ("Breakthrough Video"), Paula Abdul ("Best Editing"), and Madonna's "Express Yourself" ("Best Cinematography", "Best Art Direction") and "Like a Prayer" ("Viewers' Choice"). Erewine described the music video as being "weirdly claustrophobic" and felt that, "not coincidentally," it was the "best video from the album."

Track listing

7" single: # "Leave Me Alone" – 4:40 # "Human Nature" – 4:06 3" single: # "Leave Me Alone" – 4:40 # "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" – 6:05 # "Human Nature" – 4:06

Maxi-CD

# "Leave Me Alone" – 4:40 # "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" – 6:05 # "Human Nature" – 4:06 # "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" (Extended Mix) - 6:30 Visionary CD side: #"Leave Me Alone" - 4:40 #"Another Part of Me" (Extended Dance Mix) - 6:18

Visionary DVD side: #"Leave Me Alone" (Music video) - 4:36

Chart performance

{|class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1989/2006/2009) !align="center"|Peakposition |- |align="left"|Australian Singles Chart |align="center"|37 |- |align="left"|Austrian Singles Chart |align="center"|15 |- |align="left"|Dutch Top 40 |align="center"|5 |- |align="left"|French Singles Chart |align="center"|17 |- |align="left"|Italian Singles Chart |align="center"|8 |- |align="left"|Norwegian Singles Chart |align="center"|6 |- |align="left"|Spanish Singles Chart |align="center"|1 |- |align="left"|Swedish Singles Chart |align="center"|19 |- |align="left"|Swiss Singles Chart |align="center"|10 |- |align="left"|UK Singles Chart |align="center"|2 |- |}

Personnel

Written, composed, vocal synthesizer, solo and background vocals by Michael Jackson

Produced by Quincy Jones

Co-Produced by Michael Jackson

Larry Williams: Drum programming, synthesizers

Paul Jackson, Jr.: Guitar

Casey Young: Synclavier, synthesizer programming

Greg Phillinganes: Synthesizer

Rhythm and vocal arrangements by Michael Jackson

Source:

References

External links

The music video for "Leave Me Alone" at Youtube.com

Category:1987 songs Category:1989 singles Category:Michael Jackson songs Category:Music videos directed by Jim Blashfield Category:Songs written by Michael Jackson Category:Songs about the media Category:Songs produced by Michael Jackson Category:Songs produced by Quincy Jones Category:English-language songs

az:Leave Me Alone da:Leave Me Alone el:Leave Me Alone es:Leave Me Alone (canción de Michael Jackson) fa:تنهام بذار fr:Leave Me Alone ko:Leave Me Alone it:Leave Me Alone sw:Leave Me Alone nl:Leave Me Alone ja:リーヴ・ミー・アローン pl:Leave Me Alone (singel Michaela Jacksona) pt:Leave Me Alone sr:Leave Me Alone fi:Leave Me Alone (Michael Jacksonin kappale) tr:Leave Me Alone (Michael Jackson şarkısı) vi:Leave Me Alone

alt	A mid-twenties African American man wearing a sequined military jacket and dark sunglasses. He is walking while waving his right hand, which is adorned with a white glove. His left hand is bare.
background	solo_singer
birth name	Michael Joseph Jackson
alias	Michael Joe Jackson, MJ, King of Pop
birth date	August 29, 1958
birth place	Gary, Indiana, U.S.
death date	June 25, 2009
death place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
instrument	vocals, guitar, drums, percussion, keyboards
genre	R&B;, pop, rock, soul, dance, funk, disco, new jack swing
occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician, composer, dancer, choreographer, record producer, actor, businessman, philanthropist
years active	1964–2009
label	Motown, Epic, Legacy
associated acts	The Jackson 5
relatives	Janet Jackson (sister)
website	130pxMichael Jackson's signature }}

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Often referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records. His contribution to music, dance, and fashion, along with a much-publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. The seventh child of the Jackson family, he debuted on the professional music scene along with his brothers as a member of The Jackson 5, then the Jacksons in 1964, and began his solo career in 1971.

In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. The music videos for his songs, including those of "Beat It", "Billie Jean", and "Thriller", were credited with transforming the medium into an art form and a promotional tool, and the popularity of these videos helped to bring the relatively new television channel MTV to fame. Videos such as "Black or White" and "Scream" made him a staple on MTV in the 1990s. Through stage performances and music videos, Jackson popularized a number of complicated dance techniques, such as the robot and the moonwalk, to which he gave the name. His distinctive musical sound and vocal style have influenced numerous hip hop, post-disco, contemporary R&B;, pop and rock artists.

Jackson's 1982 album ''Thriller'' is the best-selling album of all time. His other records, including ''Off the Wall'' (1979), ''Bad'' (1987), ''Dangerous'' (1991), and ''HIStory'' (1995), also rank among the world's best-selling. Jackson is one of the few artists to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice. He was also inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame as the first (and currently only) dancer from the world of pop and rock 'n' roll. Some of his other achievements include multiple Guinness World Records; 13 Grammy Awards (as well as the Grammy Legend Award and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award); 26 American Music Awards (more than any other artist, including the "Artist of the Century"); 13 number-one singles in the United States in his solo career (more than any other male artist in the Hot 100 era); and the estimated sale of over 750 million records worldwide. Jackson won hundreds of awards, which have made him the most-awarded recording artist in the history of popular music.

Life and career

Early life and The Jackson 5 (1958–1975)

Michael Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, the eighth of ten children in an African American working-class family who lived in a small 3-room house in Gary, Indiana, an industrial city near Chicago. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, was a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B; band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy. A sixth brother, Brandon, died shortly after birth.

Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father, Joe. In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B; Album, Favorite Soul/R&B; Male Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B; Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". That year, he also won Billboard Year-End for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". Jackson again won at the American Music Awards in 1981 for Favorite Soul/R&B; Album and Favorite Soul/R&B; Male Artist. Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt ''Off the Wall'' should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release. In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.

''Thriller'' and ''Motown 25'' (1982–83)

In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film ''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial''; the record won a Grammy for Best Recording for Children in 1984. In the same year he won another seven Grammys and eight American Music Awards (including the Award of Merit, the youngest artist to win it), making him the most awarded in one night for both award shows. The album topped the ''Billboard'' 200 chart for 37 weeks and was in the top 10 of the 200 for 80 consecutive weeks. It was the first album to have seven ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." ''Thriller'' was certified for 29 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States. The album won also another Grammy for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical in 1984, awarding Bruce Swedien for his work. Thanks to the ''Bad'' album, Bruce Swedien and Humberto Gatica won one Grammy in 1988 for Best Engineered Recording – Non Classical and Michael Jackson won one Grammy for Best Music Video, Short Form for "Leave Me Alone" in 1989. ''HIStory'' received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. However, the sales for ''Invincible'' were lower than those of his previous releases, due in part to a lack of promotion, no supporting world tour and the label dispute. The album also came out at a bad time for the music industry in general. Jackson rehearsed in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the tour under the direction of choreographer Kenny Ortega. Most of these rehearsals took place at the Staples Center, which was owned by AEG. With ''Thriller'', Christopher Connelly of ''Rolling Stone'' commented that Jackson developed his long association with the subliminal theme of paranoia and darker imagery. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine noted this is evident on the songs "Billie Jean" and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'". In "Billie Jean", Jackson sings about an obsessive fan who alleges he has fathered a child of hers. In "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" he argues against gossip and the media. "Beat It" decried gang violence in an homage to ''West Side Story'', and was Jackson's first successful rock cross-over piece, according to Huey. He also observed that the title track "Thriller" began Jackson's interest with the theme of the supernatural, a topic he revisited in subsequent years. In 1985, Jackson co-wrote the charity anthem "We Are the World"; humanitarian themes later became a recurring theme in his lyrics and public persona.

In ''Bad'', Jackson's concept of the predatory lover can be seen on the rock song "Dirty Diana". The lead single "I Just Can't Stop Loving You" is a traditional love ballad, while "Man in the Mirror" is an anthemic ballad of confession and resolution. "Smooth Criminal" was an evocation of bloody assault, rape and likely murder. Allmusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states that ''Dangerous'' presents Jackson as a very paradoxical individual. He comments the album is more diverse than his previous ''Bad'', as it appeals to an urban audience while also attracting the middle class with anthems like "Heal the World". The first half of the record is dedicated to new jack swing, including songs like "Jam" and "Remember the Time". The album is Jackson's first where social ills become a primary theme; "Why You Wanna Trip on Me", for example, protests against world hunger, AIDS, homelessness and drugs. ''Dangerous'' contains sexually charged efforts such as the multifaceted love song, "In the Closet". The title track continues the theme of the predatory lover and compulsive desire. The second half includes introspective, pop-gospel anthems such as "Will You Be There", "Heal the World" and "Keep the Faith"; these songs show Jackson opening up about various personal struggles and worries. In the ballad "Gone Too Soon", Jackson gives tribute to his friend Ryan White and the plight of those with AIDS.

''HIStory'' creates an atmosphere of paranoia. Its content focuses on the hardships and public struggles Jackson went through just prior to its production. In the new jack swing-funk-rock efforts "Scream" and "Tabloid Junkie", along with the R&B; ballad "You Are Not Alone", Jackson retaliates against the injustice and isolation he feels, and directs much of his anger at the media. In the introspective ballad "Stranger in Moscow", Jackson laments over his "fall from grace", while songs like "Earth Song", "Childhood", "Little Susie" and "Smile" are all operatic pop pieces. In the track "D.S.", Jackson launched a verbal attack against Tom Sneddon. He describes Sneddon as an antisocial, white supremacist who wanted to "get my ass, dead or alive". Of the song, Sneddon said, "I have not—shall we say—done him the honor of listening to it, but I've been told that it ends with the sound of a gunshot". ''Invincible'' found Jackson working heavily with producer Rodney Jerkins. It is a record made up of urban soul like "Cry" and "The Lost Children", ballads such as "Speechless", "Break of Dawn" and "Butterflies" and mixes hip-hop, pop and R&B; in "2000 Watts", "Heartbreaker" and "Invincible".

Vocal style

Jackson sang from childhood, and over time his voice and vocal style changed noticeably. Between 1971 and 1975, Jackson's voice descended from boy soprano to high tenor. Jackson first used a technique called the "vocal hiccup" in 1973, starting with the song "It's Too Late to Change the Time" from The Jackson 5's ''G.I.T.: Get It Together'' album. Jackson did not use the hiccup technique— somewhat like a gulping for air or gasping— fully until the recording of ''Off the Wall'': it can be seen in full force in the "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)" promotional video. With the arrival of ''Off the Wall'' in the late 1970s, Jackson's abilities as a vocalist were well regarded. At the time, ''Rolling Stone'' compared his vocals to the "breathless, dreamy stutter" of Stevie Wonder. Their analysis was also that "Jackson's feathery-timbred tenor is extraordinarily beautiful. It slides smoothly into a startling falsetto that's used very daringly". 1982 saw the release of ''Thriller'', and ''Rolling Stone'' was of the opinion that Jackson was then singing in a "fully adult voice" that was "tinged by sadness".

A distinctive deliberate mispronunciation of "come on", used frequently by Jackson, occasionally spelled "cha'mone" or "shamone", is also a staple in impressions and caricatures of him. The turn of the 1990s saw the release of the introspective album ''Dangerous''. ''The New York Times'' noted that on some tracks, "he gulps for breath, his voice quivers with anxiety or drops to a desperate whisper, hissing through clenched teeth" and he had a "wretched tone". When singing of brotherhood or self-esteem the musician would return to "smooth" vocals. When commenting on ''Invincible'', ''Rolling Stone'' were of the opinion that—at the age of 43—Jackson still performed "exquisitely voiced rhythm tracks and vibrating vocal harmonies". Nelson George summed up Jackson's vocals by stating "The grace, the aggression, the growling, the natural boyishness, the falsetto, the smoothness—that combination of elements mark him as a major vocalist".

Music videos and choreography

Referred to as the King of Music Videos, Steve Huey of Allmusic observed how Jackson transformed the music video into an art form and a promotional tool through complex story lines, dance routines, special effects and famous cameo appearances; simultaneously breaking down racial barriers. Before ''Thriller'', Jackson struggled to receive coverage on MTV, allegedly because he was African American. Pressure from CBS Records persuaded MTV to start showing "Billie Jean" and later "Beat It", leading to a lengthy partnership with Jackson, also helping other black music artists gain recognition. MTV employees deny any racism in their coverage, or pressure to change their stance. MTV maintains that they played rock music, regardless of race. The popularity of his videos on MTV helped to put the relatively young channel "on the map"; MTV's focus shifted in favor of pop and R&B.; His performance on ''Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever'' changed the scope of live stage show; "That Jackson lip-synced 'Billie Jean' is, in itself, not extraordinary, but the fact that it did not change the impact of the performance is extraordinary; whether the performance was live or lip-synced made no difference to the audience" thus creating an era in which artists re-create the spectacle of music video imagery on stage. Short films like ''Thriller'' largely remained unique to Jackson, while the group dance sequence in "Beat It" has frequently been imitated. The choreography in ''Thriller'' has become a part of global pop culture, replicated everywhere from Indian films to prisons in the Philippines. The ''Thriller'' short film marked an increase in scale for music videos, and has been named the most successful music video ever by the ''Guinness World Records''.

In the 19-minute music video for "Bad"—directed by Martin Scorsese—Jackson began using sexual imagery and choreography not previously seen in his work. He occasionally grabbed or touched his chest, torso and crotch. When asked by Oprah in the 1993 interview about why he grabbed his crotch, he replied, "I think it happens subliminally" and he described it as something that was not planned, but rather, as something that was compelled by the music. "Bad" garnered a mixed reception from both fans and critics; ''Time'' magazine described it as "infamous". The video also featured Wesley Snipes; in the future Jackson's videos would often feature famous cameo roles.

}} ;Bibliography

George, Nelson (2004). ''Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection'' booklet. Sony BMG.

Further reading

External links

Michael Jackson Live: Best Pics – slideshow by ''Life magazine''

Michael Jackson at MTV

FBI file on Michael Jackson

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Name	Tech N9ne
Birth name	Aaron Dontez Yates
Birth date	November 08, 1971
Origin	Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Genre	Hip hop
Occupation	Rapper, Actor, Label vice president
Years active	1985–present
Associated acts	Krizz Kaliko, Brotha Lynch Hung, Psychopathic Records, Hopsin, Kutt Calhoun, Big Scoob, Ceza
Label	Strange Music
Website	TheRealTechN9ne.com
Background	solo_singer }}

Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "Tech Nine"), is an American rapper from Kansas City, Missouri. In 1999, Yates and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. Throughout his career, Yates has sold over one million albums and has had his music featured in film, television, and video games. In 2009, he won the Left Field Woodie award at the mtvU Woodie Awards.

His stage name originated from the TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun, given to him by rapper Black Walt due to his fast rhyming style. Yates later applied a deeper meaning to the name, claiming that it stands for the complete technique of rhyme, with 'tech' meaning technique and 'nine' representing the number of completion.

Early life

Tech N9ne was born Aaron Dontez Yates on November 8, 1971 in Independence, Missouri. He began rapping at a very early age, and would rap the letters of his name in order to remember how to spell it. Interaction with his father was infrequent, and his mother suffered from epilepsy and lupus when he was a child, which deeply affected him and inspired him to "search for God." He would wander around abandoned buildings with his best friend, Brian Dennis, hoping to catch a ghost on film. In 2002, Dennis was shot and killed by his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend, which further inspired Yates' search for a higher power, as well as giving him the drive to vent his frustrations in his music.

Career

Early in his life, Yates was a member of a group formed in 1991 called Black Mafia. He saw glimpses of success in the group 57th Street Rogue Dog with their single "Let's Get Fucked Up." As a member of the group Nnutthowze, Aaron Yates signed with Perspective Records in 1993. However, the group disbanded soon after being released from the label. Yates signed with Qwest Records briefly before moving to JCOR Records.

In 1997, Yates joined the group The Regime formed by rapper Yukmouth. The following year, he was featured on the soundtrack for the film Gang Related. Yates appeared on the song "The Anthem" by Sway & King Tech in 1999, which also featured artists RZA, Eminem, Xzibit, Pharoahe Monch, Jayo Felony, Chino XL, KRS-One, and Kool G. Rap. Later that year, he and Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music.

In 2001, Yates released the studio album ''Anghellic'' on JCOR Records. Tech Nine did not get much Radio play or get featured on any show now that he was with Strange Music. Now that he was doing his own thing and not others. People looked at him in a different way. People (Mainstream) were convinced that Tech Nine was a Devil Worshiper and his Music was a form of Witch Music. After the label closed, Yates decided to stay on his own Strange Music label. The next year, he released ''Absolute Power'' which debuted number 79 on the Billboard 200Absolute Power sales increased 3 times after Tech Nine starterd the FTI Campaine. In this Campaine Tech Nine not only told people to Download his music but provided a website to Download his new Album. . In 2006, Yates released the album ''Everready (The Religion)''. The following year, he released ''Misery Loves Kompany''. Yates announced that the album was the first in a series of "Tech N9ne Collabos" albums that feature a wide range of guest appearances.

The following year, Yates released the album ''Killer''. That September, he exceeded one million album sales. Yates remarked of the accomplishment that, "It just reminded me of all the work we done in the past, up until now [...] I don't think it's sunken in yet. I've been celebrating for the last two days because that's a hell of an accomplishment. I've been planning success all my life. I'm not even a bit surprised, I'm happy about it. That just means I was right." Yates released his second Collabos album, ''Sickology 101'', in April 2009.

Yates later performed at the Rock The Bells 2009 Festival and the tenth annual Gathering of the Juggalos. That October, he released ''K.O.D.'', short for King of Darkness. The album featured a dark overtone, as Yates was dealing with the illness of his mother. An EP of cut songs from the album was released in 2010 as ''The Lost Scripts of K.O.D.'' Later that year, Yates released his third Collabos album, ''The Gates Mixed Plate''. In October, he released his second EP ''Seepage''. On December 23, he released his first mixtape ''Bad Season''.

On June 7, 2011 Yates released his most recent album ''All 6's And 7's''. The album features a myriad of prominent hip-hop artist including B.o.B, E-40, Snoop Dogg, T-Pain, Mint Condition, Hopsin, Busta Rhymes, Twista, Lil Wayne, Yelawolf, and Deftones.

In 2011, Yates told 411mania.com that after ''All 6's And 7's'' he plans on releasing his fourth album in the Collabos series titled ''Welcome to Strangeland'', featuring guest appearances from everyone on Strange Music, followed by the long awaited K.A.B.O.S.H. and 816 Boyz albums. Then, in July 2011, Yates said in a blog post that Rick Ross has agreed to do a song with him for the K.A.B.O.S.H. album and that he is also hoping to have a collaboration with Jay-Z on that album. In the same blog post, he said that the K.A.B.O.S.H. album will be a rock album. In another blog post several weeks later, he confirmed that he will begin work on the album after completing ''Welcome to Strangeland''. Following his tour, he announced that he was about to begin work on ''Welcome to Strangeland'' and ''KLUSTERFUK'', confirming producers for both projects. He said he will then begin work on the K.A.B.O.S.H. album.

Tech N9ne is featured on Lil Wayne's ninth studio album ''Tha Carter IV'' on the song Interlude. The track features a verse from Tech and Andre 3000. During a radio interview with Funkmaster Flex in August 2010, Wayne stated that he and Tech N9ne formed a "brotherhood" when Yates visited him in jail. In a later interview, Tech N9ne claimed that he thinks the song will "awaken a lot of other people that wouldn't usually look [his] way" and "teach all the new fans how to become technicians."

Style and influences

Yates is known for his dynamic rhyme schemes and speed rap abilities. Soren Baker of VH1 states that Yates' techniques "showcase his wide-ranging, mind-blowing flows." Baker characterizes Yates' earlier work as "apocalyptic music, which discussed abortion and infidelity as much as his rapping prowess." Allmusic reviewer Jason Birchmeier calls his style "bizarre hardcore rap."

Yates says that he is influenced by Old school hip hop, and specifically cites Slick Rick, N.W.A, Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. & Rakim, Schoolly D, and Just-Ice. He is also interested in other genres of music, and lists The Doors, Jim Morrison, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, AC/DC, Metallica, Floetry, Outkast, Cee Lo Green, and Gnarls Barkley as influences.

In popular culture

Films

Yates' songs have appeared in the films ''Gang Related'', ''Alpha Dog'', ''Our Heroes: The 25 Best Black Sports Movies (Ever)'', and ''The Life of Lucky Cucumber''. Yates was originally set to score the entire film ''Alpha Dog'', but the studio decided to replace some of his music with more commercially known songs. In 2009, his song "Let's Go" was used in an online promotional short film for AXE body spray. Yates also appears as an actor in the films ''Vengeance'' and ''Night of the Living Dead: Origins 3D''.

Video games

Several of Yates' songs are featured in the video games ''Madden NFL 2006'', ''Midnight Club: Los Angeles'',''EA Sports MMA'', and ''25 To Life'', the latter of which Yates is also an unlockable character. In 2009, Yates and label mate Krizz Kaliko appeared in a promotional video for the ''Fight Night Round 4'' video game.

Television

Yates' music has appeared on the television shows ''Dark Angel'', ''I'm From Rolling Stone'', ''My Super Sweet 16'', ''The Hills'', ''Spike Guys' Choice Awards'', and ''Warren The Ape''. In 2008, his song "Earthquake" was featured on an episode of MTV's ''America's Best Dance Crew'' in which the crew had to visually convey the title of the song in their performance. On the August 15, 2009 Strikeforce event, Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg, MMA fighter Gilbert Melendez entered the arena to Tech N9ne's 2006 song "The Beast" for his bout with Mitsuhiro Ishida. His song "Riot Maker" was used as the official theme song for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's 2010 ''Hardcore Justice'' pay-per-view.

Discography

Studio albums

1999: ''The Calm Before the Storm''

2000: ''The Worst''

2001: ''Anghellic''

2002: ''Absolute Power''

2003: ''Celcius''

2006: ''Everready (The Religion)''

2007: ''Misery Loves Kompany (Tech N9ne Collabos)''

2008: ''Killer''

2009: ''Sickology 101 (Tech N9ne Collabos)''

2009: ''K.O.D.''

2010: ''The Gates Mixed Plate (Tech N9ne Collabos)''

2011: ''All 6's and 7's

TBA: ''Welcome to Strangeland (Tech N9ne Collabos)''

;with K.A.B.O.S.H. TBA: ''Amafrican Psycho''

EPs

2010: ''The Lost Scripts of K.O.D.''

2010: ''Seepage''

2011: ''KLUSTERFUK''

Mixtapes

2010: ''Bad Season'' with DJ Whoo Kid and DJ Scream

Selected filmography

2003: ''Beef''

2003: ''Das Bus''

2004: ''T9X: The Tech N9ne Experience''

2004: ''United Ghettos of America Vol. 2''

2005: ''Hip Hop Nation Vol. 1''

2005: ''Letter to the President''

2006: ''Alpha Dog'' 2008: ''The Psychumentary''

2009: ''The Life of Lucky Cucumber''

2009: ''Strictly Strange''

2010: ''K.O.D. Tour (Live in Kansas City)''

2010: ''Vengeance''

2011: ''Night of the Living Dead: Origins 3D'' 2011: ''EuroTech Tour''

:''Selected filmography'' notes :1. Tech N9ne does not physically appear, but he did have a helping hand in scoring the movie, this includes the placement of several of his songs in the films score as well as the appearance of a song from fellow label mates Skatterman & Snug Brim.

Awards and nominations

mtvU Woodie Awards

!Year	!Nominated work	!Award	!Result
2009	Tech N9ne	Left Field Woodie

References

External links

Official website

Category:1971 births Category:Living people Category:People from Kansas City, Missouri Category:African American rappers Category:Horrorcore artists Category:Rappers from Missouri Category:Underground rappers

da:Tech N9ne de:Tech N9ne el:Tech N9ne fr:Tech N9ne it:Tech N9ne hu:Tech N9ne nl:Tech N9ne ja:テック・ナイン no:Tech N9ne pl:Tech N9ne ru:Tech N9ne simple:Tech N9ne fi:Tech N9ne tr:Tech N9ne

name	The Veronicas
background	group_or_band
origin	Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
genre	Alternative rock, electro rock, electro, pop punk, rock
years active	1999–present
label	Warner Music (2004-)Sire (2004–)Rhino (2007–)London (2004–2007)Pony Canyon (2008)
associated acts	Michael Paynter
website	Official website
current members	Jessica OrigliassoLisa Origliasso George "Jungle George" Sherman
past members	Ethan Roberts Josh Paul Robert J. Guariglia Vik Foxx Paulie }}

The Veronicas are an electrorock pop-punk band based in Australia. Twin sisters Jessica and Lisa Origliasso formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007.

They have released two studio albums, the first being ''The Secret Life of...'' in 2005. It peaked at #2 on the Australian charts and gained an ARIA certification of four times platinum, for 280,000+ sales. ''The Secret Life of...'' spawned five singles, including three top ten singles in Australia.

The Veronicas released their second album ''Hook Me Up'' in 2007; it peaked at #2 on the Australian charts and earning a certification of two times platinum. The album has had four Australian top ten singles released from it to date. The album's title track, "Hook Me Up", was The Veronicas' first number one single in Australia.

Background

In 2004, Lisa Origliasso and Jessica Origliasso were introduced to the Music Director of The Bell Hughes Music Group (BHMG), Hayden Bell. After producing some demo recordings with the twins, Bell invited them to sign a publishing agreement with Excalibur Productions (a subsidiary of BHMG). In the process, Bell helped facilitate their progression in musical style from acoustic pop to the more rhythmic rock pop approach that is now their trademark. On the strength of these demos, Bell took them to meet the executives at Engine Room (a subsidiary of PBL (Packer) Group) and they were immediately signed to a production deal. To further develop their song writing skills, Bell connected them with several internationally acclaimed songwriters and producers including Clif Magness (who has written with Avril Lavigne), Billy Steinberg (Madonna, Cyndi Lauper), Max Martin (Britney Spears, Katy Perry, P!nk), Eric Nova, Dead Mono and Vince DeGiorgio, where they created a catalogue of over 50 songs.

Meetings were then arranged with Warner Bros. Records in the USA. Seymour Stein and senior executives recognised that Bell had indeed discovered and developed a musical talent, signing them quickly to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records/Sire America, for a reported sum of 2 million dollars.

Band name

Regarding how they chose their name, Jess Origliasso stated: "The name is something we thought about for a short time and we wanted it to be a girl's name, but we didn't want it to be 'the Jesses.' We were very conscious of not wanting to make it a twin thing, because we don't think that's really cool." "We didn't want it to be called 'the Lisas,' either," singer Lisa Origliasso added. "So one day we saw the movie ''Heathers'', and there's a line where Christian Slater asks, 'Are you a Heather?' and Winona Ryder's character [Veronica] answers, 'No, I'm a Veronica,' and so we went with that, because she was this kind of cool, unique chick with an attitude."

However, some believe that Archie Comics character Veronica Lodge had some influence on the naming, including people at Archie Comics themselves, who launched legal action against the group for trademark infringement, in an attempt to stop them from using the name. Archie comics had asked Warner Music Group to hand over all publicity rights and to pay US$200 million in damages. Of this amount $20 million was for damages and $180 million as a penalty against Warner. In a statement with ''New York Times'' Michael I. Silberkleit, chairman of Archie Comics Publications, Inc. stated,

''The importance is the image of Archie, which everybody knows is good, clean, wholesome stuff,[...] Preventing unauthorized use of the name will protect both the characters and customers who have paid for licensing rights[...]"

A settlement was reached that included a cross-promotion deal, including an appearance in an issue of Veronica Lodge's comic book. The issue (#167) featured a card with a code allowing a free download of their single "4ever" in MP3 form. A few months later, ''Archie and Friends'' (#100) featured The Archies meeting The Veronicas. The next issue of ''Archie and Friends'' (#101) also featured The Veronicas, with Archie as their biggest fan.

Music career

2005–2007: ''The Secret Life of...''

The Veronicas performed at the 2005 NRL Grand Final days before their debut album, entitled ''The Secret Life of...'', was released in Australia on 17 October 2005, entering the ARIA Album charts at the position of #7. Since then, it has peaked at #2 and gone 4x Platinum. Due to the success of the album, five singles were released in Australia: "4ever", "Everything I'm Not", "When It All Falls Apart", "Revolution" and "Leave Me Alone".

''The Secret Life of the Veronicas'' spent a year in the ARIA album charts without leaving the top 40. In September 2006, the album was nominated for three ARIA awards including; "Best Pop Release", "Highest Selling Album" and "Best Breakthrough Album". They won "Best Pop Release" but lost the other two to other nominees. The girls also performed their 2nd single "Everything I'm Not" on the night. The album was released in the US on 14 February 2006; it debuted at #133 on Billboard 200 and #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Only two singles were released in the United States off the album. A special DVD was released with the US version as a limited edition exclusive. The limited edition included two extra songs and videos, and was only available online. However, copies have been found to have been shipped to several stores in Australia as well. Other releases in the US include ''Sessions@AOL'' which features their songs "Heavily Broken" and "Revolution" live in the AOL studios, also released was ''The Veronicas: Mtv.com Live EP'' which also features live performances of their songs including a new song, entitled "Stay".

The album has also had success in other countries such as New Zealand where it debuted at #5, #75 on the Dutch Album Charts and #11 in Belgium. Due to their chart success in Belgium, they won the award for Best International New Artist at the TMF Awards of 2006. "When It All Falls Apart" spent a record of 17 weeks of MTV Asia's Pop 10 Chart, in which 7 of them were at the number 1 spot. The song was recorded in Simlish and is featured in the ''Sims 2'' expansion pack Seasons.

Lisa and Jessica are the faces of Choice Calvin Klein and Australian hair product company nu:u. ''Blender'' magazine named included them in their list of hottest women in rock in 2006. The sisters sang the title song on the short-lived television show ''Related'' which had featured songs from their debut album. They appeared in an episode that aired 6 February 2006. In March 2006, their debut single "4ever" was featured in the Amanda Bynes comedy ''She's the Man''. It was featured in the promotional television spots, the film itself and the soundtrack. Their song "Revolution" appeared in another Amanda Bynes film, "Sydney White", in 2007.

The girls also appeared on ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' episode "The Suite Life Goes Hollywood" as guest stars and performed their song "Cry". The twins have also created a fashion line called "The Veronicas for Target" which was released in stores on 25 August 2007 in Australia.

On 2 December 2006 The Veronicas released a CD/DVD, entitled ''Exposed... The Secret Life of The Veronicas'' in Australia which features live performances from their Australian 2006 Revolution Tour and a DVD featuring parts of the sisters' live performances throughout 2005–2006, including footage that had previously not been seen, and their music videos. The album debuted at #6 on the ARIA DVD Charts accrediting platinum in its first week. The second week it rose to its peak of #3 and was accredited Double Platinum.

2007–2009: ''Hook Me Up''

In 2007, the Veronicas began work on their second album. The album was written and recorded in Los Angeles with Toby Gad, Billy Steinberg and John Feldmann.

''Hook Me Up'' was released in Australia on 3 November 2007. The album debuted at number two on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart with sales of 9,531 copies in its first week, and was certified Gold. It has since gone 2x platinum. The album became the twenty-eighth highest selling album in Australia for 2007. ''Hook Me Up'' was released in the UK on 12 October 2009 and has peaked at number thirty-five.

The lead single from the album, "Hook Me Up", was added to Australian radio on 27 August 2007, but was physically released on 22 September 2007. It debuted at number five, eventually reaching number one after seven weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, making it their first number one hit in Australia.

"Untouched" was the first single to be released from their album in the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. The song reached number 2 in Australia eventually reaching platinum accredation. The song became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 first debuting at number sixty-two and eventually peaking at number seventeen making it their first top twenty hit in the United States. They became the first Australian artists to have a single Certified Platinum in the U.S. with over 1,000,000 paid downloads. It was also their debut single in the UK, peaking at number eight and in Ireland peaking at number one, their first international number-one single

Their third and fourth singles "This Love" and "Take Me on the Floor" were both top ten hits hits in Australia and were both certified Gold. "Take Me on the Floor" was released as their second single in the U.S. but only peaked at number eighty-one. On 11 October, their fifth single, "Popular" was released digitally in Australia. It has only gained heavy airplay and peaked at #11 on the Australian Airplay Chart.

Their debut single "4ever" was rereleased as their second single in the UK and Ireland on 21 September 2009 and has peaked at number 17 in the UK and twenty in Ireland.

In support of the album, The Veronicas embarked on their third Australian tour The Hook Me Up Tour in 2007. The tour, which began on 30 November and concluded on 12 December, was held in eight major cities around Australia.

On 16 October 2008 The Veronicas announced their second tour for the album, Revenge Is Sweeter tour, which was their first tour to extend into New Zealand, United States, Canada, UK and Japan beginning on 13 February 2009 in Newcastle, Australia and ending on 25 September 2009 in Manchester, UK as well as a European promotional tour which included France, Germany and Italy. As part of their tour in Japan they released a two disc compilation album called ''The Veronicas Complete'' featuring all their songs from their first and second albums as well as three bonus tracks on 18 March 2009. On September 2008 the nominees for the 22nd annual ARIA Awards were announced, with The Veronicas receiving four nominations. Hook Me Up received 2 nominations for ''Best Pop Release'' and ''Highest Selling Album'' and Untouched and Hook Me Up (single) received a nomination for ''Highest Selling Single'' each. The Veronicas performed their hit single "Untouched" at the event, but left with no awards.

2010–present: Third studio album

Writing for their third studio album had begun in December 2009, and recording in January 2010. The album, which cites influences by classical music, classical rock and pop genres, will be their first release in over three years. Jessica Origliasso stated that the album will be inspired by artists The Subways, The Dead Weather, Mazzy Star, Ladytron and Peaches. Lisa and Jessica Origliasso have described the album as "[...] a little different from [...] the last two records" and "[...] a pop record [with] different undertones." The song peaked at number nineteen on the ARIA Charts. They also revealed in February 2011 that they had recorded backing vocals for Cherie Currie's new album. Additionally The Veronicas recorded a cover version of the song "Grown-Up Christmas List", by singer Amy Grant, for the Christmas compilation album ''The Spirit of Christmas 2010''.

Philanthropy

In 2006, The Veronicas joined Steve Irwin's Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a charity that deals with the protection of animals and their natural environments. The band was also featured in an Australian public service announcement campaign against music piracy targeting schools, labeled ''Australian Music In Tune''. Other successful Australian artists included were Powderfinger, Jimmy Barnes and Silverchair.

Work for this charity has included a texting competition to reach two-thousand text messages in the hopes of raising one thousand dollars. In January 2009, it was announced Jess would pose nude for PETA after getting attention from a member of the organization.

Lisa also marched alongside Drew Barrymore, Pete Wentz, Janice Dickinson and other celebrities in support of gay marriage in California at a May 2009 march in Los Angeles protesting the 26 May 2009 decision of the California Supreme Court ruling upholding Proposition 8. They also joined a "Wear it with Pride" campaign to reform same-sex laws in Australia for the 85 legislative changes made in 2010 to overturn discrimination against same-sex couples and their families. The campaign involved them wearing numbered T-shirts representing each legislative change. In 2010 Lisa and Jessica were honoured as Wildlife Warriors of the year for their efforts in publicizing animal protection and conservation on a worldwide scale.

Products and endorsements

The Veronicas range of endorsements have included Australian hair products Nu:U and were also chosen to be the faces of the fall 2005 promotional campaign for Choice Calvin Klein range. In 2006 they entered into a co-marketing deal with shoe brand Keds for their first US tour. The deal included web promotions and in-store acoustic performances at selected stores. On 27 January 2010 they announced via twitter that they had signed a deal with cosmetic brand ''Flirt!'', a division of Estée Lauder, to be the faces of their "Rock-n-Rebel" fragrance. They became ambassadors for the fragrance with the deal to including a multi-million dollar promotion during mid-2010 which also included giving make-up tips via the Rock-n-Rebel website and judged a beauty contest where young women were asked to submit photos of their "ultimate rock star style".

On 25 August 2007, The Veronicas launched their self-titled fashion line at Target Miranda store and is available in stores around Australia. According to the girls the fashion line was created to reflect their style which had been sought after by their younger fans and what they would like to see younger girls wear. Aimed at seven-fourteen year old girls Lisa described the fashion line as "[...]punk princess, mixed with rock 'n' roll," and Jess described it as "[...] princess and cute." The colours used for their fashion line include black and white and also features cherries, pirate motifs and love heart details. The current clothing range includes day-wear and pyjamas.

Discography

Studio albums

''The Secret Life of...'' (2005)

''Hook Me Up'' (2007)

Awards and nominations

Tours

Revenge Is Sweeter tour (2009)

References

External links

Official website

Official Website

Category:ARIA Award winners Category:Musical groups established in 2004 Category:Girl groups Category:Identical twins Category:Australian singers of Italian descent Category:People from Brisbane Category:Pop punk singers Category:Queensland musical groups Category:Sibling duos Category:Sicilian Australians Category:Australian vegans Category:Sibling musical duos Category:Twin people from Australia

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Name	Hanna Pakarinen
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Hanna Helena Pakarinen
Birth date	April 17, 1981
Origin	Lappeenranta, Finland
Instrument	Vocals
Genre	PopPop rockAdult Contemporary
Occupation	Singer, Songwriter
Years active	2004–present
Label	Sony BMG (2004–present)
Associated acts	Jani Wickholm, Antti Tuisku, Ilkka Jääskeläinen, Ari Koivunen
Website	Official WebsiteOfficial MySpace
Past members	}}

Hanna Helena Pakarinen (born April 17, 1981 in Lappeenranta, Finland) is a Finnish pop and pop-rock singer who rose to fame as the winner of the first series of the Finnish singing competition ''Idols'' in 2004. Since then she has also participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, and has sold over 91,000 certified records in Finland, which places her among the top 50 best-selling female soloists in her home country.

Biography

Early life

Hanna was born in Lappeenranta, South Karelia (though she now resides in Helsinki she still proudly speaks the local dialect of the region). Throughout her early twenties she worked as a forklift driver, an unusual occupation for a female, and was part of a local Finnish band named Rained.

''Idols'' Series 1

In the summer of 2003, a twenty-three-year-old Pakarinen auditioned for the inaugural season of the Finnish singing competition ''Idols'' in the country's capital, Helsinki. Her powerful and emotion-filled vocals impressed the panel of judges and she was unanimously passed through to the next round of the contest, before making it through to the live finals. From the outset of the live shows, Pakarinen was considered a hot favourite to win. She received consistent high praise from the judges, and on one occasion she was even hugged by one of them. On numerous occasions they described her as, "the first ''real'' singer in the competition".

On January 3, 2004, Pakarinen secured a place in the top two grand finale of the contest, alongside Jani Wickholm. During the finale, broadcast a week later on January 9, Pakarinen performed Tina Turner's ''The Best'', the Bangles' ''Eternal Flame'' and the coronation song made especially for the ''Idols'' winner, ''Tulin Voittamaan ("I Came to Win")''. She also made an English version of the song titled ''Love is Like a Song''. Later that night, it was announced that Pakarinen had secured 60% (or 413,000) of the viewers' votes, thereby defeating runner-up Jani Wickholm, who had received 40% (or 282,000) of the public vote. Pakarinen was crowned as the first Finnish Idol and was given an advanced payment of €30,000, along with a recording contract with Sony BMG.

Post-''Idols'' Career

2004-2005: ''When I Become Me''

Immediately after winning ''Idols'', Pakarinen signed a recording contract with Sony BMG and she released her debut single "Love Is Like A Song", which debuted at number one on the Finnish singles chart, a position it held for four non-consecutive weeks. Her debut album ''When I Become Me'' was released in June 2004, five months after her win on ''Idols'', and debuted at number two on the Finnish albums chart. Although it held the number two spot for a total of five weeks and stayed within the top five for ten weeks, the album did not manage to reach the number one position. However, it was still a huge success and was certified platinum for the sale of over 52,000 copies in Finland. Although a second single was not released commercially from the album, the songs "Fearless", "How Can I Miss You" and the title track "When I Become Me" were released as promotional singles in order to support the album, with "How Can I Miss You" becoming Pakarinen's first music video. Pakarinen also embarked on her first nationwide tour as a recording artist named the ''When I Become Me Tour'', which received excellent reviews and sold out at every venue.

2005–2006: ''Stronger''

In the late summer of 2005, Pakarinen returned to the music scene with her second commercial single "Kiss Of Life", which would serve as the first single to be taken from her second album ''Stronger''. The song debuted and peaked at number four on the Finnish singles chart, and when the album was released in September, it (like her first album) debuted and peaked at number two. ''Stronger'' was not as successful as her first album, falling to number ten within its first three weeks, however it still managed to sell almoat 17,000 copies and was certified gold. The songs "Stronger Without You" and "Damn You" were chosen as promotional singles, the first of which was accompanied by a music video. To further support the album, Pakarinen travelled across Finland on her ''Stronger Tour'', performing many songs from the new album as well as several from her previous record.

2007: ''Lovers'' and Eurovision

In January 2007, after a short break from the music industry, Pakarinen released the song "Go Go" as a promotional single from her highly anticipated third studio album. The song was accompanied by a music video which became extremely popular, and when ''Lovers'', the third album was released on February 14, it debuted at number three on the chart. Although it placed lower than her previous record, ''Lovers'' went on to become much more critically successful and spent over twice as many weeks on the albums chart. It was certified gold and sold 16,000 copies in Finland. The album also marked Pakarinen's personal debut as a songwriter. She is credited on six of the album's eleven original tracks.

On February 17, 2007, it was announced that Pakarinen had been chosen to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki with the song "Leave Me Alone", the first commercial single from her new album and her third commercial single overall. During the live finals, the song received 53 points and finished in 17th place. However, the contest allowed Pakarinen to gain a much wider European audience, and "Leave Me Alone" and its music video became very popular, especially in Sweden. Here, the song topped the radio chart for three consecutive weeks and peaked at number eight on the Swedish singles chart. In the UK, the song charted at number one-hundred-and-twenty-two on downloads. Back home in Finland, the song peaked at number eleven.

Following the Eurovision Song Contest, Pakarinen returned to her music and embarked upon her ''Lovers Tour'', again playing to sell-out audiences and receiving rave reviews for her powerful voice and stunning stage performances. On October 17, 2007, she appeared on the soundtrack of the Finnish movie ''Musta Jää''. Pakarinen sang the title song "Black Ice", for which she made a music video to promote the movie.

2008–present: ''Love In A Million Shades''

Following her highly successful ''Lovers'' album, Pakarinen took a break from the music industry in order to write material for her fourth studio album. In late 2008, Pakarien released "Make Believe" as the first single from her upcoming fourth studio album, ''Love In A Million Shades'', the title of which was announced true her official Myspace. After almost two years since the appearance of her third album, ''Love In A Million Shades'' was released on January 14, 2009. Having taken a creative step away from the rock-image of her previous album ''Lovers'', ''Love In A Million Shades'' debuted and peaked at number 7 on the Finnish albums chart, her first release to peak outside the top three. The second single, "Shout It Out Loud" however, peaked at number 2 on the singles chart, her highest position since her debut, "Love Is Like A Song". The album sold 7,000 copies and was the first album by Pakarinen not to be certified. However, her record label Sony BMG stated that the drop in sales was expected due to the growing digital age throughout the world, before going on to say they believed Pakarinen's career could easily last well over another decade. The title-track, "Love In A Million Shades" was also released as the second single in late February and was accompanied by a music video, her first since "Black Ice" over a year earlier. In mid-2009 Pakarinen completed her fourth national tour, supporting her fourth studio album. Unlike her previous tours however, the ''Love In A Million Shades Tour'' played small, intimate venues.

Discography

References

External links

Hanna Pakarinen's official website

Video of song "Leave me alone"

Hanna Pakarinen's fanlisting

Hanna Pakarinen's Fan Site

Category:1981 births Category:Living people Category:People from Lappeenranta Category:Finnish female singers Category:Idols (Finland) Category:Idol series winners Category:Finnish Eurovision Song Contest entrants Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2007

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