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 careers.

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 (loudness), 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 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

Popular music

Beat boxing

Belt (music)

Death growl

Humming

Lead vocalist

Rapping

Screaming (music)

Vocoder

References

External links

A Brief History of Singing

Singing and Health: A systematic mapping and review of non-clinical research

Category:Occupations in music *

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Name	Aretha Franklin
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Aretha Louise Franklin
Birth date	March 25, 1942
Birth place	Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Occupation	Singer, songwriter, pianist
Years active	1956–present
Genre	Soul, jazz, blues, R&B;, gospel, funk, rock
Instrument	Vocals, piano
Label	Columbia (1960–1966)Atlantic (1967–1979)Arista (1980–2003)Aretha Records (2004–)
Associated acts	Sweet Inspirations, Carolyn Franklin, Erma Franklin, Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston, George Benson, George Michael, Michael McDonald, Eurythmics, Mahalia Jackson }}

Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as the Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B;, gospel music, and rock.

''Rolling Stone'' magazine ranked her atop its "100 Greatest Singers of All Time" list, as well as the ninth greatest artist of all time. She has won 18 Grammys and received two honorary Grammys. She has 20 No.1 singles on the Billboard R&B; Singles Chart and two No.1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: "Respect" (1967) and "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (1987), a duet with George Michael. Since 1961, she has scored a total of 45 Top 40 hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Between 1967 and 1982 she had 10 No.1 R&B; albums—more than any other female artist. In 1987, Franklin became the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Biography

Early life and career: 1942–1959

Aretha Louise Franklin (named for two aunts) was born in a two-room house in Memphis, Tennessee, at 406 Lucy Avenue. She was the third of four children born to Barbara (née Siggers) and C.L. Franklin and the fifth of six overall in between past relationships by her parents. Aretha's family moved to Buffalo when she was two years old, and then by four they had settled in Detroit. Following the move to Detroit, Franklin's parents, who had a troubled marriage, split. Due to her father's work as a Baptist minister, Franklin was primarily raised by her grandmother, Rachel. Her mother died in Buffalo when Aretha was ten. Franklin sang in church at an early age and learned how to play piano by ear.

By her late preteens, Franklin was regularly singing solo numbers in her father's New Bethel Baptist Church. C.L. (né Clarence LaVaughn) Franklin, Aretha's father, was a respected local preacher. She grew up with local and national celebrities hanging out at her father's home, including gospel greats Albertina Walker and her group The Caravans, Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward, three women who played a pivotal role in her vocal development as a child.

Early success: 1960–1966

She released her first single for Columbia in September 1960, aged 18. It reached No. 10 on ''Billboard'''s R&B; chart. Her first album was released in January 1961. The label had her record mainly jazz-influenced pop music, hoping for success with this format as the label had with Billie Holiday. Columbia founder John H. Hammond acknowledged in an interview years later that he felt Columbia did not really understand Franklin's background in gospel and failed to bring that aspect out in her secular recordings. After scoring two more Top 10 R&B; hits with "Operation Heartbreak" and "Won't Be Long" in 1961, Franklin scored her first Top 40 pop hit with her rendition of "Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody", B-side of "operation Heartbreak". Later releases failed to find similar success, although Franklin had a near-Top 50 hit with "Runnin' Out of Fools" (1964) and the following year "bubbled under" with (No, No) I'm Losing You. In 1966 she scored a top 30 R&B; hit with Ashford & Simpson's "Cry Like A Baby".

After the release of a tribute album to Dinah Washington, Columbia drifted away from their early jazz dreams for Franklin and had the singer record renditions of girl group-oriented hits including "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)", "Every Little Bit Hurts" and "Mockingbird" but every attempt to bring her success with the material failed. This did not, however, prevent her building a reputation as a multi-talented vocalist and musician. During a show in 1965, the master of ceremonies gave Franklin a tiara and declared her "the queen of soul". The title would prove to be prophetic. By 1966, struggling with recording for Columbia, Franklin decided not to sign a new contract with the label and settled on a deal with Atlantic. After she gained success at Atlantic, Columbia began releasing Franklin material from its vaults, and continues doing so.

Stardom: 1967–1972

Franklin began recording her first songs for Atlantic in early 1967. Initially sent to Muscle Shoals's legendary FAME studios where the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was the in-house band, Franklin cut her first song – the blues ballad "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", which finally allowed Franklin to show her gospel side. Tensions between Franklin's then-husband and then-manager Ted White and a musician led to Franklin and White hiding from public view in New York. Franklin eventually returned to the studio in New York to record the b-side, the gospel-oriented "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man". "I Never Loved a Man" soared up both the pop and R&B; charts upon its release peaking at number-nine and number-one respectively.

Her second single with Atlantic would also be her biggest, most acclaimed work. "Respect", originally recorded and written by R&B; singer Otis Redding, would become a bigger hit after Franklin's gospel-fueled rendition of the song. The song also started a pattern of Franklin in later songs during this period producing a call and response vocal with Franklin usually backed up by her sisters Erma and Carolyn Franklin or The Sweet Inspirations. Franklin is credited with arranging the background vocals and ad-libbing the line, "r-e-s-p-e-c-t, find out what it means to me/take care of TCB", while her sisters shouted afterwards, "sock it to me". Franklin's version peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming a 1960s anthem. Franklin had three more top ten hits in 1967 – "Baby I Love You", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and "Chain of Fools". "Respect" later won Franklin her first two Grammys. She eventually won eight consecutive Grammys under the Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance category.

By the end of the year, Franklin not only became a star but she stood as one of the symbols of the civil rights movement partially due to her rendition of "Respect", which had a feminist-powered theme after Franklin recorded it. Franklin's other hits during the late 1960s included "Think", her rendition of Dionne Warwick's "I Say a Little Prayer", "Ain't No Way" and "The House That Jack Built" among others. By the end of the 1960s, Franklin's title as "the queen of soul" became permanent in the eyes of the media. After a few struggles in 1969, she returned with the ballad, "Call Me" in January 1970. That same year she had another hit with her gospel version of Ben E. King's "Don't Play That Song", while in 1971, Franklin was one of the first black performers to headline Fillmore West where she later released a live album. That same year she released the acclaimed ''Young, Gifted & Black'' album, which featured two top ten hits, the ballad "Daydreamin'" and the funk-oriented "Rocksteady". In 1972, she released her first gospel album in nearly two decades with ''Amazing Grace''. The album eventually became her biggest-selling release ever, selling over two million copies and becoming the best-selling gospel album of all time.

Decline and fallout with Atlantic: 1973–1979

Aretha had another number-one R&B; hit in 1973 with the Carolyn Franklin and William "Sonny" Sanders-composed "Angel", however its parent album, ''Hey Now Hey (The Other Side of the Sky)'', failed to repeat the success of Franklin's other albums. By 1974, after four years performing in Afrocentric-styled clothing, the singer glammed up her look and styled red hair releasing ''Let Me In Your Life''. The album yielded the smash single, "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)". While several singles would later find success on the R&B; charts, Franklin was losing favor with pop audiences as soul music was starting to be overtaken by the emerging disco genre. Atlantic Records had also by this point given priority attention to Roberta Flack, leading to relations between Franklin and the company becoming estranged as a result. Franklin turned down a number of tracks giving to her by Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson (though eventually they would contribute to her failed 1975 album, ''You''). Several of the songs including "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)" were later recorded by Natalie Cole. After the arrivals of Cole, Chaka Khan, and Donna Summer Franklin's star ebbed.

She briefly returned to the top 40 in 1976 with the Curtis Mayfield production, ''Sparkle'', which spawned the number-one R&B; hit, "Giving Him Something He Can Feel". Despite this, Franklin struggled to find success with subsequent releases. After the release of 1979's ''La Diva'', an attempt for Franklin to find a disco audience that flopped, selling less than 50,000 copies, Franklin's contract with Atlantic expired. Neither Atlantic nor Aretha had any interest in renewing it. While she was performing in Las Vegas on June 10, 1979, Franklin's father, C.L., was shot during what was said to be an attempted robbery at his LaSalle Street home in Detroit. The incident left C.L. in a coma for the next five years. Aretha moved back to the Detroit area in late 1982 from Los Angeles (where she had lived since 1976) to help care for her father.

Comeback: 1980–1989

In 1980, Franklin, among other prominent rhythm and blues and soul artists including Ray Charles and James Brown, appeared in the film ''The Blues Brothers''. Franklin appeared as the wife of musician Matt "Guitar" Murphy, who engages in a brief war of words with Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi before going into "Think". Following that performance, Clive Davis signed Franklin to his Arista Records imprint. The singles "United Together" and the George Benson-featured "Love All the Hurt Away" returned Franklin to the R&B; top ten while 1982's ''Jump to It'', featuring a contemporary R&B; production style by Luther Vandross, became a comeback of sorts for Franklin on the pop music chart. The album stayed at No. 1 on the R&B; Albums chart for seven weeks and crossed to No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart, eventually selling close to 600,000 units and becoming Aretha's first gold-certified album since the ''Sparkle'' soundtrack in 1976. The title track became Franklin's first number-one R&B; hit in five years while also hitting No. 24 on the Hot 100. After the relative failure of her 1983 follow-up, ''Get It Right'', also produced by Vandross, Franklin took some personal time off. Following the July 1984 death of her father, she entered the United Sound Studios in Detroit to record a new album for Arista in October of that year. Inspired by the recent success of fellow artist Tina Turner and Arista's emerging star Whitney Houston, Franklin's goddaughter, Arista paired Franklin with Narada Michael Walden.

The album released in July 1985, ''Who's Zoomin' Who?'', featured R&B;, pop, dance, synthpop and rock elements and became Franklin's first platinum-certified success. The album launched several major hits including the title track and the Motown-inspired "Freeway of Love". The rock-influenced Annie Lennox duet, "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" also became a hit for Franklin on the pop charts though it failed to climb higher than No.66 on the R&B; chart due to its more pop rock-leaning sound. Music videos for each of the singles became prominent fixtures on MTV, BET and VH-1 among other video channels. In 1986, Franklin released her follow-up album ''Aretha''. The album sold almost a million copies, and featured the number-one hit, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", a duet with George Michael. In April 1987, the song became Franklin's first single since "Respect" to hit No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Other hits from the album included a cover of "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and another Motown-inspired hit, "Jimmy Lee". In 1987 she returned to her gospel roots with the album, ''One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism'', which failed to repeat the success of ''Amazing Grace'' despite a powerful rendition of "Oh Happy Day", featuring Mavis Staples, but did reach the Top 10 of Billboard's gospel chart. In 1986, she sang the theme song ("Together") for the ABC television network.

Later work: 1989–2003

In 1989, Franklin returned with her first pop album in three years with ''Through the Storm'' but despite scoring a Top 20 hit with the title track featuring Elton John and the presence of Whitney Houston in their duet single, "It Isn't, It Wasn't, It Ain't Ever Gonna Be", the album tanked, as did a follow-up, 1991's new jack swing effort, ''What You See Is What You Sweat''. After singing Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free" on the ''Malcolm X soundtrack'' in 1992 and singing at US President Bill Clinton's inauguration ceremony in 1993, Franklin returned to favor with pop audiences later in 1993 with the release of the dance single "Deeper Love", which was featured on the soundtrack of ''Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit''. The following year, Franklin issued her Arista hits album and with Babyface released two singles, "Honey" and the top-40 pop ballad "Willing to Forgive". In 1995, her song "It Hurts Like Hell" appeared on the soundtrack for the movie ''Waiting to Exhale''. Four years passed until Franklin released another album. 1998's ''A Rose Is Still a Rose'' featured elements of neo soul and hip hop soul with production from Lauryn Hill, Jermaine Dupri and Sean "Puffy" Combs. The title track, written and produced by Hill, became Franklin's biggest hit in years, reaching number 26 on the Hot 100 and reaching the R&B; top five.

She later reprised her role as Matt "Guitar" Murphy's wife in the ''Blues Brothers'' sequel, ''Blues Brothers 2000'' singing "Respect". She struggled to record a successful follow-up, however, and it would be five more years before a new album emerged. Franklin issued her next album, ''So Damn Happy'', in 2003. The album was a critical and commercial failure, selling just over 100,000 copies.

2004–present

In 2003, after 23 years with Arista, Franklin parted with the company and decided to go on the independent route, forming Aretha's Records two years later. Franklin released a duets compilation album, ''Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen'', in 2007. The album featured the Fantasia duet, "Put You Up on Game", which despite becoming a modest hit on Urban AC radio, stalled at No. 41 on the R&B; charts. A year later, Franklin issued her first holiday album, ''This Christmas, Aretha''. After initially being released as a Borders exclusive, it was later released by the DMI label.

In 2008, Franklin was honored as MusiCares "Person of the Year", two days prior to the 50th Annual Grammy Awards, where she was awarded her 18th career Grammy. Franklin was personally asked by then newly-elected President Barack Obama to perform at his inauguration singing "My Country 'tis of Thee". In 2010, Franklin received an honorary music degree from Yale University.

In 2010 and through early 2011, Franklin had told the media she had selected actress Halle Berry to play her in the featured role of the legendary singer in a biopic loosely based on Franklin's memoirs, ''Aretha: From These Roots''. In January 2011, Berry turned down the role. Franklin said she's now setting her sights on singers Fantasia and Jennifer Hudson on getting the lucrative role.

Marking her 50th anniversary in show business, Franklin released her thirty-eighth studio album, ''A Woman Falling Out Of Love'', on May 3, 2011, through WalMart. It is the first release off Franklin's own record label, Aretha's Records, a label she formed back in the 1990s. However, Aretha's new disc peaked at No. 54 on ''Billboard'''s album chart, dropping off after only two weeks. She co-produced some of the new tracks. Ronald Isley was featured in the album doing the Barbra Streisand standard, "The Way We Were", as he and Franklin covered the Carole King classic, "You've Got a Friend", first issued on Isley's ''Mr. I'' album.

Following her exit from the stage in November 2010 and her surgery the following month, Franklin has recently returned to the stage, rescheduling dates she was forced to cancel due to recent health problems.

In September 2011, Tony Bennett released a duet with Aretha entitled "How Do You Keep The Music Playing" from his new album, Duets II (Tony Bennett album).

Personal life

In March 1956, three days after her 14th birthday, Franklin gave birth to her eldest child, a son she named Clarence (for her father). In January 1957 she gave birth to another son, Edward. She never identified by name the father of either child. Her grandmother, Rachel, raised the boys while Aretha pursued her singing career. Rachel lived in a guest house behind C.L. Franklin's LaSalle Street home. (The Franklin family moved from their home on Boston Street in Detroit's North End section to LaSalle Street during the late 1950s.)

Against her father's wishes Aretha began dating a family acquaintance named Ted White. In 1961 they were quickly married in Ohio by a judge. White became her personal manager as well as co-writer. Shortly afterward, she purchased a house on Sorrento Avenue in northwest Detroit, where she resided for the next decade. She and White divorced in 1969. Their son Teddy (Ted White Jr.), born in 1964, is the musical director and guitarist of her touring band.

From 1969 until 1976, she had a seven-year relationship with her road manager Ken Cunningham. (Although she and White did not divorce until late 1969, Aretha conceived her fourth child in June of that year.) In the early 1970s the couple moved from Detroit to New York City, at which time Aretha's grandmother moved into her Sorrento Avenue home. Their son Kecalf (from the initials of his parents' names: Kenneth E Cunningham Aretha Louise Franklin and pronounced "kelf") was born on March 28, 1970 at Detroit's Henry Ford Hospital.

On April 11, 1978, Aretha Franklin married actor Glynn Turman at her father's New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit. Franklin's father performed the marriage ceremony. The couple returned to their home in Encino, California. In late 1982, Franklin moved back to Detroit, and in 1985 she purchased a home in Bloomfield Hills, where she still resides. Turman and Franklin divorced in early 1984. The couple did not have children. They remained friends, and she sang the theme song for his show, ''A Different World'', in the late 1980s. Franklin's sisters Erma and Carolyn are both deceased, as is her brother Cecil. As of January 2012, her half-brother Vaughn (born 1934) is alive, as is her half-sister, Carl Ellan Kelley (née Jennings; born 1940). Kelley is C.L. Franklin's daughter by Mildred Jennings, a then 13-year-old congregant of New Salem Baptist Church of Memphis, Tennessee, where C.L. was pastor in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Franklin's sons, Ted White Jr. ("Teddy") and Kecalf Cunningham, are active in the music business. White has been a guitarist in Aretha's backup band since the late 1980s, while Cunningham works as a Christian hip-hop rapper and producer.

Aretha Franklin is a registered Democrat.

In September 2010, her son Edward was attacked and severely beaten by three people while at a gas station on Plymouth Road, near Evergreen, in northwest Detroit.

Franklin's long friendship with Cissy Houston during Houston's time with The Sweet Inspirations led to Franklin becoming Whitney Houston's godmother. Cissy Houston sang the operatic soprano whoop in the background of Franklin's "Ain't No Way".

On January 1, 2012, Franklin announced that she and William Wilkerson were engaged. Franklin revealed that they were planning to exchange nuptials at a ceremony on a private yacht in Miami, Florida in June 2012.

On January 23, 2012, Franklin announced via Facebook that she and Wilkerson will not marry at the present time. Wilkerson has since moved out of Aretha's house in West Bloomfield and returned to his government-subsidised Detroit apartment.

On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston, Franklin's goddaughter, died in Beverly Hills from unknown causes. Aretha was devastated by her death and said it was "so stunning and unbelievable". She planned to perform at the memorial service on February 18, but her representative claimed that "Aretha is ill and will not perform at the memorial service".

2010 surgery and rumors of cancer

In 2010, Franklin suffered a pain in her side which she said, "was so hard it almost brought me to my knees." After continuing a concert tour, the pain recurred, and she subsequently underwent surgery for an undisclosed ailment. At this time, rumors surfaced that she was suffering from pancreatic cancer. In discussing the events in 2011, she has said that this was not the case and that her doctor told her, "the surgery that you just had is going to add 15 to 20 more years to your life."

Connection to the Civil Rights Movement

Franklin’s music and civil rights involvement cannot be separated for it was through music, which Franklin was able to reach out to so many and empower those who had felt so long oppressed.

Aretha Franklin first became connected with the civil rights movement through her father, Reverend C.L. Franklin. Rev. Franklin was an influential preacher who traveled the country as well as recorded a weekly sermon for the radio station, WLAC, which reached 65 percent of the African-American population. It was these same tours that Aretha would begin her singing career. Rev. Franklin would also introduce Aretha to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. starting a life long friendship between the two.

It was Franklin's soulful sound, which would become the driving anthem of the civil rights movement or as poet Nikki Giovanni put it “the voice of the civil rights movement, the voice of the black America”.

Through Franklin’s album ‘I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You’, hit ‘Respect’ rose to the top. Her strong voice asking for something as simple as respect reflects the cries of the civil rights movement. Her lyrics mirror that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech. Most notably the lines “Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children”. While the civil rights movement was already in motion before Franklin became a prominent figure she had now lent it a soundtrack.

Franklin did not have to do much to help propel the civil rights movement. “Her own sense of pride and her dignified stance, she represented the new black woman of the late 1960s”. Franklin’s own sound and present were enough to reflect the ideas of the movement and were what caused her to become a notable figure in the cause.

Franklin was not actively heading demonstrations or participating in sit-ins, but she was able to do her part and use her talent to help the movement. She would numerous times perform at rallies with the King, lending her voice and fame to pull in crowds.

Awards and achievements

On June 28, 1968 she became the second African-American woman to appear on the cover of ''TIME'' magazine.

On August 1, 1968, she sang the National Anthem at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, IL.

In 1985, then-Gov. James Blanchard of Michigan declared her voice “a natural resource” during a ceremony that marked her 25 years in show business.

Aretha Franklin is one of three musicians, along with Madonna & Marvin Gaye, to have singles peak at each of the top 10 positions on the US Billboard Hot 100.

On January 20, 1987, she became the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

On March 29, 1987, Franklin sang "America the Beautiful" at ''WrestleMania III''.

In September 1999, she was awarded The National Medal of Arts by President Clinton.

In 2004, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked her ninth on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.

In 2005, she was awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush.

In 2005, she became the second woman (Madonna being the first) to be inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.

In 2005, Franklin was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.

On February 6, 2006, she performed, along with Aaron Neville, "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XL.

On May 13, 2006, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree by the Berklee College of Music.

On April 1, 2007 Aretha sang "America the Beautiful" at ''WrestleMania 23.''

On May 14, 2007, she was presented with an honorary Doctor of Music degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

In 2007, Aretha Franklin's recording of "Respect" was voted a Legendary Michigan Song.

Is an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority

On February 8, 2008, Franklin was honored as MusiCares "Person of the Year".

On February 14, 2008, Franklin was given the Vanguard award at the NAACP Image awards.

On May 4, 2008, Franklin was given the Key to the City of Memphis at the 2008 "Memphis in May International Music Festival" by Mayor Dr. Willie Herenton during her performance onstage.

On September 13, 2008, Franklin was ranked No. 19 on the ''Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists'' list by ''Billboard''. November 2008, Franklin was named by ''Rolling Stone'' as the No. 1 all-time best singer of the rock era, according to the magazine's survey of 179 musicians, producers, Rolling Stone editors, and other music industry insiders.

On January 20, 2009, Franklin performed "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" during the inauguration ceremony of Barack Obama.

On May 23, 2010, Franklin received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Yale University. On June 1, 2010, Aretha Franklin's recording of "Chain Of Fools" was voted a Legendary Michigan Song. On February 13, 2011, the Grammy Awards paid tribute to Franklin with a medley of her classics by fellow singers Christina Aguilera, Florence Welch, Jennifer Hudson, Martina McBride and Yolanda Adams

On October 16, 2011, Franklin sang "Precious Lord (Take My Hand)" for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s memorial dedication ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Grammy Awards

Franklin has won 18 performance Grammy Awards, and two honorary Grammys: the Grammy Legend Award (1991) and the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award (1994).

She holds the record for most Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance awards, with eleven to her name (including eight consecutive awards from 1968 to 1975 – the first eight awarded in that category).

{|class="wikitable" |- !colspan="5"|Aretha Franklin's 18 Grammy Award Wins |- !# !Year !Category !Genre !Title |- | 1 || style="text-align:center;"| 1968 || Best Rhythm & Blues Recording || R&B; ||Respect |- | 2 || style="text-align:center;"| 1968 || |Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Respect |- | 3 || style="text-align:center;"| 1969 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Chain Of Fools |- | 4 || style="text-align:center;"| 1970 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Share Your Love With Me |- | 5 || style="text-align:center;"| 1971 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Don't Play That Song For Me |- | 6 || style="text-align:center;"| 1972 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Bridge Over Troubled Water |- | 7 || style="text-align:center;"| 1973 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Young, Gifted and Black (album) |- | 8 || style="text-align:center;"| 1973 || Best Soul Gospel Performance || Gospel || Amazing Grace (album) |- | 9 || style="text-align:center;"| 1974 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Master Of Eyes |- |10 || style="text-align:center;"| 1975 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing |- |11 || style="text-align:center;"| 1982 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Hold On...I'm Comin' (album track) |- |12 || style="text-align:center;"| 1986 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Freeway Of Love |- |13 || style="text-align:center;"| 1988 || Best Female R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Aretha (album) |- |14 || style="text-align:center;"| 1988 || Best R&B; Performance – Duo Or Group with Vocals || R&B; || I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me) (with George Michael) |- |15 || style="text-align:center;"| 1989 || Best Soul Gospel Performance – Female || Gospel || One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (album) |- |*|| style="text-align:center;"| 1991 || Living Legend Award || Special | |- |*|| style="text-align:center;"| 1994 || Lifetime Achievement Award || Special | |- |16 || style="text-align:center;"| 2004 || Best Traditional R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || Wonderful |- |17|| style="text-align:center;"| 2006 || Best Traditional R&B; Vocal Performance || R&B; || A House Is Not A Home |- |18|| style="text-align:center;"| 2008 || Best Gospel-Soul Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group || Gospel |Never Gonna Break My Faith (with Mary J. Blige) |}

Discography

Top 10 US Hot 100 singles

Year	Title	Peak
1967	"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"
1967
1967
1967	"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman"
1967
1968	"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone"
1968
1968	"The House That Jack Built"
1968	"I Say a Little Prayer"
1971
1971
1971
1972
1973	"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)"
1985	"Freeway of Love"
1985	"Who's Zoomin' Who"
1987	"I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (with George Michael)

Source:

All no. 1 hits in US R&B; 100 singles

Year	Title
1967	"I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"
1967
1967
1967
1968	"(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone"
1968
1969	"Share Your Love with Me"
1970
1970	"Don't Play That Song (You Lied)"
1971
1971
1972
1973
1973	"Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)"
1974
1976	"Something He Can Feel"
1977
1982
1983
1985	"Freeway of Love"

Source:

Filmography

Movies / Concerts / Documentaries

''The Blues Brothers'' (1980)

''Motown 40: The Music Is Forever'' (1998) (ABC-TV documentary)

''Blues Brothers 2000'' (1998)

''DIVAS LIVE'' (1998)

''Immaculate Funk'' (2000) (documentary)

''Rhythm, Love and Soul'' (2002)

''Tom Dowd & the Language of Music'' (2003) (documentary)

''Singing in the Shadow: The Children of Rock Royalty'' (2003) (documentary)

''From The Heart / The Four Tops 50th Anniversary and Celebration'' (2004)

''Atlantic Records: The House that Ahmet Built'' (2007) (documentary)

Television

''The Tonight Show / Johnny Carson''

''The Mike Douglas Show''

In 1972, she had a role in the TV show Room 222

''Solid Gold'' (numerous appearances with the last in 1982 performing "Jump To It")

''Kelly & Company'' (Marilyn Turner and John Kelly, Detroit)

''Dayna'' (Dayna Eubanks, fomer Detroit newscaster)

''Rolonda Show'' (Rolonda Watts)

''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' (numerous appearances including Oprah's 40th birthday, with Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight)

''Live with Regis and Kelly'' (numerous appearances)

''The View''

References

External links

Aretha Franklin at Legacy Recordings

Aretha Franklin at NPR Music

Category:1942 births Category:African American pianists Category:African American female singer-songwriters Category:American child singers Category:American gospel singers Category:American rhythm and blues singer-songwriters Category:American soul singers Category:Arista Records artists Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Feminist musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Grammy Legend Award Category:Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners Category:Kennedy Center honorees Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Tennessee Category:Musicians from Detroit, Michigan Category:MusiCares Person of the Year Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:Rhythm and blues pianists Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Category:Songwriters from Michigan Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients

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name	Ruben Studdard
background	solo_singer
birth name	Christopher Ruben Studdard
birth date	September 12, 1978
birth place	Frankfurt am Main, Germany
origin	Birmingham, Alabama United States
genre	Pop, R&B;, gospel
occupation	Singer, actor
years active	2003–present
label	19 (2003-present)J (2003-2007)Hickory (2008-2010)Shanachie (2011-present)
website	RubenStuddard.com }}

Christopher Theodore Ruben Studdard (born September 12, 1978), best known as Ruben Studdard, is an American R&B;, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of ''American Idol''. He received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance for "Superstar."

In the years following ''Idol'', Studdard has released four studio albums, including his most recent disc, 2009's ''Love Is''.

In addition to appearing on various television shows he has toured with Robin Givens in the comedy-drama ''Heaven I Need a Hug'' and in 2008 accepted the role of Fats Waller in a national tour of ''Ain't Misbehavin'''.

Early life

Studdard, who was born in Frankfurt, Germany while his American father was stationed there with the U.S. Army, grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. The youngest son of two teachers, at the age of three he sang for the first time at the Rising Star Baptist Church in his hometown of Birmingham. He continued singing gospel in church, performing solos as a child while his mother sang in the local choir. While at Huffman High School, he played football for which he received a scholarship to Alabama A&M; University. While at Alabama A&M; he joined the Omicron Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the men's music fraternity of America.

After growing up listening to his mother's Donny Hathaway albums, Fred Hammond, and gospel music, Studdard began to pursue a career in the music industry, majoring in voice studies at Alabama A&M.; He sang with ''Just a Few Cats'', a popular local Birmingham jazz and R&B; band founded by members of Ray Reach's UAB Jazz Ensemble, along with other local musicians. "A lot of people don't realize how hard I was trying to get into the business before ''American Idol''," Studdard related several years later. "I was making demos and just working so hard." A back-up singer from Just a Few Cats asked him to accompany her to Nashville, Tennessee for an audition on the 2003 second season of "American Idol".

''American Idol''

When auditioning, Studdard sang Stevie Wonder's "Ribbon in the Sky." This guided him to being one of the local finalists. On ''American Idol'', he impressed viewers with his performances of the Leon Russell/Bonnie Bramlett song "Superstar" (best known as a hit for The Carpenters) and the Peabo Bryson/Regina Belle duet "A Whole New World"; during his time on the show, Studdard received praise from music legends such as Lionel Richie, Neil Sedaka, Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, Luther Vandross, and Gladys Knight.

During the televised competition, Studdard gained the nickname "Velvet Teddy Bear" and was noted for his shirts printed with "205", the telephone area code of his hometown of Birmingham. Studdard also did a cover version of "For All We Know", originally recorded by Donny Hathaway, whose music he grew up with.

He won the contest over runner-up Clay Aiken by only 134,000 votes out of 24,000,000 cast in the May 2003 finale, becoming the second ''American Idol'' winner.

Alabama Governor Bob Riley declared March 11, 2003 as "Ruben Studdard Day".

Career

2003–2004: ''Soulful''

Studdard released his first single, a cover of Westlife's "Flying Without Wings" (which he had sung on the show's finale), produced by The Underdogs and Babyface, a month later in June 2003. Fueled largely by sales, it debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. In December 2003, advance orders for his album ''Soulful'' topped the one million mark before it was released into stores. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart that month, selling over 400,000 copies in its first week and attaining the second highest first-week sales of any ''American Idol'' winner. The single "Sorry 2004" from this album found substantial airplay, reaching number nine in the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard R&B; singles chart. Studdard received a Grammy Award nomination in December 2003 for Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance for "Superstar", nominated with his idol Luther Vandross (Vandross won that category). In March 2004, Ruben won the NAACP Outstanding New Artist award.

2004-2005: ''I Need An Angel''

Studdard released the gospel album ''I Need an Angel'' on November 23, 2004. The title track and first single "I Need an Angel" was a cover of a 2002 single performed by R&B; singer Daniel DeBourg and written by R. Kelly. The album sold over 96,000 copies in its first week, it also entered the Gospel charts at number one, opened at number twenty on the Billboard 200 chart, it since has sold over 500,000 copies. It was also number one on the 2005 Billboard Year-End Gospel Albums Chart. As of June 2007, Studdard is the fifth-best selling ''American Idol'' performer with more than 2.4 million albums sold in the U.S.

In March 2005, Studdard filed a lawsuit against his godfather and business advisor Ronald Edwards. The suit alleges that Edwards ran up $156,000 on Studdard's credit cards and stole $90,000 from his checking account. Edwards filed a countersuit. On June 15, 2006, Studdard was awarded $500,000 for personal losses and another $1.5 million in punitive damages.

Between his second and third albums, Studdard began a diet and fitness program to deal with his weight, out of concern for a family history of diabetes and hypertension resulting in his losing over 70 pounds on a vegetarian diet.

2006–2008: ''The Return''

Studdard's third album, ''The Return'' was released in October 2006; it goes back to his R&B; roots, but is different from his previous efforts. Studdard collaborated with the artist Ne-Yo on this album, along with a variety of producers. The single "Change Me" was released ahead of the album. ''The Return'' sold 71,000 copies in its first week to open at number eight on the Billboard 200 album chart, but sales declined rapidly after that, not approaching those of his earlier albums. However, Studdard did have good success on the Urban Contemporary chart with "Change Me" (which reached number one) and its successor "Make Ya Feel Beautiful". Studdard continued to tour saying he would play a variety of music: "Coming out to my show is like coming to my house. I'll play the songs I love. It's like a party. For me, a party has all different types of music happening."

Studdard appeared on the finale of ''American Idol'' season 6 in May 2007. He spent a few weeks touring with Robin Givens in the comedy-drama ''Heaven I Need a Hug'' and prepared to take on the role of Fats Waller in a national tour of ''Ain't Misbehavin''' in 2008. The tour is scheduled to begin November 17, 2008 in Atlanta, GA and end May 14, 2009 in Syracuse, NY.

In December 2007, Studdard had been dropped from his record company, J Records, due to poor sales of ''The Return'' and "[falling] short of expectations." He remained under contract with 19 Recordings, however. As such he was assigned the high-profile position of performing the ''American Idol'' season 7 farewell song, a recording of Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home", in a new version produced by Terry Lewis and Jimmy Jam.

Studdard performed "Celebrate Me Home" live on May 20, 2008, at the Nokia Theatre for the first night of the two-night Grand Finale of American Idol's seventh season.

2009–2010: ''Love Is''

Studdard was featured in the music video for gospel singer Deitrick Haddon's "Love Him Like I Do" along with Gospel duo Mary Mary.

Studdard announced that his next album, to be released May 19, 2009, would be released on Sony Music offshoot Hickory Records. The new album, entitled ''Love Is'', is being produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The first single off ''Love Is'' is the ballad "Together", which was written by Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Phillip Taj Jackson and Martin Kleveland, produced by StarGate & Martin K.

He performed his new single "Together" on American Idol season 8 on March 26, 2009.

''Love Is'' was released on May 19, 2009 to mostly positive reviews. The album, which features a mix of covers and original songs, sold 15,200 units in its first week to debut at number 36 on the Billboard 200, number five on Independent Albums and number eight on Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums.

Studdard appeared with the "David Foster and Friends" 10 city tour beginning October 21, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois and ending November 8, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada.

A fifth album, ''Playlist: The Very Best of Ruben Studdard'' was released on January 26, 2010 by Sony's Legacy Recordings.

Studdard returned to the American Idol stage on March 31, 2010 to perform his latest single "Don't Make 'Em Like U No More". In his on camera interview with Ryan Seacrest after his performance he said that he would be touring with Clay Aiken in the summer.

Studdard and Aiken brought their “Timeless” tour to cities in the US and Canada beginning in Asheville, North Carolina on July 23, 2010 and ending in Biloxi, Mississippi on August 14. Instead of a concert focusing on each singers recordings, Studdard and Aiken opted for a variety show format covering medleys of songs from the 60s to the 90s with a few solos and interspersed with comedy bits.

2010–present: New label

It was announced in July 2011 that Studdard had signed with Shanachie Entertainment and would release his next album in the Spring of 2012.

Acting

Studdard has worked as an actor in several roles, including single-episode appearances on the television series ''8 Simple Rules'', ''Life on a Stick'', ''All of Us'', and ''Eve'', as well as a cameo appearance in the film ''Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed''. He has also appeared on a television commercial for a Birmingham-area Kia dealer.

He appeared in an episode of ''One on One'' as himself & in an episode of ''All of Us'' as an older Bobby. He also appeared in the ''8 Simple Rules'' episode where CJ's dad comes; he played a delivery boy whom CJ mistakes for his father. He greets him by hugging him and saying, "You have always been my idol," referring to his win on ''Idol''. Studdard also appeared on an episode of ''Eve'' as Paul, Janie's younger brother who has a huge crush on Shelly.

Studdard headlined the revival tour of ''Ain't Misbehavin''', starring alongside fellow ''American Idol (season 2)'' alums, Trenyce and Frenchie Davis. Starring as Fats Waller, Studdard received positive reviews and was part of the cast recording album released by Rhino Records on January 13, 2009.

Advocacy

Studdard's love of music led him to create ''The Ruben Studdard Foundation for the Advancement of Children in the Music Arts''. The foundation's mission statement says their aim is "to promote the essential role of the arts in education through learning initiatives for the development of students in the Greater Birmingham Area."

Studdard has signed on as an official spokesperson for ‘Be Sickle Smart’, a nationwide grassroots health-education program aimed at increasing awareness of iron overload among people living with sickle-cell disease.

Personal life

Studdard met Surata Zuri McCants in October 2006, when he was signing CDs at a Wal-Mart in Atlanta. On June 28, 2008, Studdard married McCants in a short, private ceremony in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

After a performance on American Idol on March 31, 2010, Ruben discussed losing approximately 80 pounds through a vegan diet and regular exercise.

On November 16, 2011 Studdard's attorney announced that Studdard was in the process of a divorce. "Ruben Studdard and Zuri McCants Studdard have separated, and they are in the process of seeking a dissolution of their marriage," said Byron Perkins.

Awards and nominations

American Music Awards

*2004, Favorite Male R&B;/Soul Artist: (Nominated)

BET Awards

*2005, Best Gospel Artist: (Nominated)

*2004, Best New Artist: (Nominated)

*2004, Best Male R&B; Artist: (Nominated)

Grammy Awards

*2004, Best Male R&B; Vocal Performance: "Superstar" (Nominated)

*2004, Outstanding New Artist: Soulful (Winner)

Soul Train Awards

*2004, Best New R&B;/Soul or Rap New Artist: "Superstar" (Nominated)

Discography

Albums

Year

Album

Chart Positions

! rowspan="2"

! width="40"

! width="40"

! width="40"

! width="40"

2003

* Released: December 9, 2003

* Label: J Records(#54639)

* Format: CD

2004

* Released: November 23, 2004

* Label: J Records(#62623)

* Format: CD

US: GoldUS sales: 483,000

2006

* Released: October 17, 2006

* Label: J Records(#78961)

music download>digital download

US sales: 238,000

2009

* Released: May 19, 2009

* Label: Hickory Records(#301005)

* Format: CD, digital download

US sales: 50,000

2012

''Letters from Birmingham''

* Released: March 13,2012

* Label: Shanachie Records

* Format: CD, digital download

US sales: 9,000

Compilation albums

Year	Album	Sales
2010	''Playlist: The Very Best of Ruben Studdard''	*Released January 26, 2010	*Sony Legacy	US sales: 3,500

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions			Album
		! width="40"	! width="40"	! width="40"
	"Flying Without Wings"				Non-album single
				rowspan="3"
	"Sorry 2004"
"What If"
"I Need an Angel"
2006					rowspan="2"
2007	"Make Ya Feel Beautiful"
2008					single
	"Together"
"Don't Make 'Em Like U No More"
2012	"June 28th"				''Letters from Birmingham''

Single certifications

{|class="wikitable" ! Year ! Title ! CAN |- | 2003 | "Flying Without Wings" | 3x Platinum |}

Other albums

''American Idol Season 2: All-Time Classic American Love Songs'' (2003)

* "What the World Needs Now" (with Season 2 Finalists)

* "God Bless the U.S.A. (Proud to Be an American)" (with Season 2 Finalists)

* Superstar

''American Idol: The Great Holiday Classics'' (2003)

* "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

* "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (American Idol Ensemble)

* "This Christmas"

''Genius & Friends'' (2005)

*"Imagine" with Ray Charles and The Harlem Gospel Singers

''Ain't Misbehavin''' (2009 Cast Recording)

*"Honeysuckle Rose" duet with Frenchie Davis

*"The Jitterbug Waltz" with Patrice Covington & Company

*"Lounging At The Waldorf" with Frenchie Davis, Trenyce Cobbins & Patrice Covington

*"Your Feet's Too Big"

Filmography

''Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed'' (2004)

''Natural Born Komics'' (2006) (direct-to-DVD)

Lifted (2011)

References

External links

Ruben Studdard Official website

Official Foundation site

Category:1978 births Category:African American singers Category:Alabama A&M; Bulldogs football players Category:Musicians from Alabama Category:American football offensive linemen Category:American gospel singers Category:American Idol winners Category:American male singers Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American television actors Category:American vegans Category:Baptists from the United States Category:Living people Category:Military brats Category:People from Birmingham, Alabama Category:People from Frankfurt Category:Urban contemporary gospel musicians

da:Ruben Studdard de:Ruben Studdard fa:روبن استودارد fr:Ruben Studdard ko:루벤 스터다드 id:Ruben Studdard it:Ruben Studdard lv:Rabens Studarts ja:ルーベン・スタッダード no:Ruben Studdard pt:Ruben Studdard simple:Ruben Studdard fi:Ruben Studdard sv:Ruben Studdard vi:Ruben Studdard

Name	Taylor Swift
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Taylor Alison Swift
Birth date	December 13, 1989
Birth place	Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, ganjo, piano, ukulele
Genre	Country pop
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, actress
Years active	2006–present
Label	Big Machine
Website	}}

Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. She signed to independent label Big Machine Records and became the youngest songwriter ever hired by Sony/ATV Music Publishing. She released her self-titled debut album in 2006. The record spawned five singles: "Tim McGraw", "Picture to Burn", "Teardrops on My Guitar", "Our Song" and "Should've Said No". Swift wrote three of the album's songs alone, including two singles, and co-wrote the remaining eight. As part of the album's promotion, Swift opened on tour for Rascal Flatts, George Strait, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. She received a Best New Artist nomination at the 50th Grammy Awards.

In 2008, Swift released her second album, ''Fearless'', which became a crossover commercial success. Five singles were released: "Love Story", "White Horse", "You Belong with Me", "Fifteen" and "Fearless". Swift wrote seven of the album's songs alone, including two singles, and co-wrote the remaining six. The record won four Grammy Awards, with Swift becoming the youngest ever Album of the Year winner. ''Fearless'' also received Album of the Year plaudits at the American Music Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and Country Music Association Awards, making it the most awarded album in country music history. Swift conducted a 105-date Fearless world tour in support of the album. ''Billboard'' named her Artist of the Year in 2009.

In 2010, Swift released her third album, ''Speak Now'', which sold over one million copies in its first week. Written and composed entirely by Swift, the record spawned six singles—"Mine", "Back to December", "Mean", "The Story of Us", "Sparks Fly" and "Ours". "Mean" was awarded Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance at the 54th Grammy Awards. The 111-date Speak Now World Tour was attended by over 1.7 million fans and has become one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time. In 2011, ''Billboard'' named Swift Woman of the Year. She is currently recording her fourth album, due for release in the fall of 2012.

Swift's work has earned her numerous accolades, including six Grammy Awards, ten AMAs, seven CMAs, six ACMs and 13 BMI Awards. She has sold over 20 million albums and 41.8 million digital tracks worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Swift has endorsement deals with Target, CoverGirl, Sony, Elizabeth Arden, Walmart and American Greetings. She is considered by ''Forbes'' to be one of the wealthiest recording artists working today. In addition to her music career, Swift has appeared as an actress in the crime drama ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation'' (2009), the romantic comedy ''Valentine's Day'' (2010) and the animated film ''The Lorax'' (2012).

Early life

Swift was born on December 13, 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Scott Kingsley Swift, a Merrill Lynch financial adviser, and Andrea (née Gardner), a homemaker who previously worked as a mutual fund marketing executive. Swift was named after singer James Taylor; her mother believed a gender-neutral name would help her forge a successful business career. She has a younger brother, Austin, who attends Vanderbilt University. She spent the early years of her life on an 11-acre Christmas tree farm near Pottstown, Pennsylvania and was educated at the fee-paying Wyndcroft School. When Swift was nine, her family moved to Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, where she attended Wyomissing Area Junior/Senior High School. Swift spent her summers at her parent's vacation home in Stone Harbor, New Jersey and has described it as the place "where most of my childhood memories were formed".

At the age of nine, Swift developed an interest in theatre and performed in Berks Youth Theatre Academy productions of ''Grease'', ''Annie'', ''Bye Bye Birdie'' and ''The Sound of Music''. She travelled regularly to Broadway, New York for vocal and acting lessons. However, "after a few years of auditioning in New York and not getting anything”, Swift turned her attention to country music. She was inspired by LeAnn Rimes's ''Blue'' and her maternal grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, an opera singer. When she was in fourth grade, Swift won a national poetry contest with a three-page poem, "Monster in My Closet". At the age of eleven, after many attempts, Swift won a local talent competition by singing a rendition of LeAnn Rimes’s “Big Deal”, and was given the opportunity to appear as the opening act for Charlie Daniels at a Strausstown amphitheater. She spent her weekends performing at local festivals, fairs, coffeehouses, karaoke contests, garden clubs and Boy Scout meetings. Swift recorded a demo of karaoke covers, and travelled with her mother to Nashville, Tennessee for spring break, leaving a copy of the demo with record labels along Music Row. She received label rejections and realised that "I needed to know how to do something more than just sing a song".

Swift began performing the "The Star Spangled Banner" at many sporting events, hoping she would be offered a recording contract. On one occasion, an 11-year-old Swift high-fived Jay-Z after singing the national anthem at a 76ers game in Philadelphia. At the age of 12, Swift was shown by a computer repairman how to play three chords on a guitar, inspiring her to write her first song, "Lucky You". She then recorded a second demo of original songs. In 2003, Swift and her parents began working with music manager Dan Dymtrow, after he spotted her singing at the US Open. Swift's second demo caught the attention of RCA Records, who offered the eight-grader an artist development deal. In 2004, Swift modelled for Abercrombie and Fitch as part of their "Rising Stars" campaign and had an original song included in a Maybelline Cosmetics compilation CD.

When Swift was 14, her father transferred to the Nashville office of Merrill Lynch and the family relocated to a lake-shore house in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Swift has said her parents "presented it as a move to a nice community" rather than as her chance to become a star. Her mother has said, "We've always told her that this is not about putting food on our table or making our dreams come true." In Tennessee, Swift attended Hendersonville High School for her freshman and sophomore year. Later, to accommodate her touring schedule, Swift transferred to the Aaron Academy, a private Christian school which offered homeschooling services, and earned her high school diploma in 2008.

Music career

2004–2005: Move to Nashville

Swift moved to Nashville at the age of 14, having secured an artist development deal with RCA Records. Her musical influences included the Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill, Sheryl Crow, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. Swift had writing sessions with experienced songwriters such as Troy Verges, Brett Beavers, and the Warren Brothers, but eventually formed a lasting working relationship with Liz Rose. Swift saw Rose performing at an RCA songwriter event and suggested that they write together. They began meeting for two-hour writing sessions every Tuesday afternoon after school. Rose has said that the sessions were "some of the easiest I've ever done. Basically, I was just her editor. She'd write about what happened in school that day. She had such a clear vision of what she was trying to say. And she'd come in with the most incredible hooks". Swift also began recording demos with producer Nathan Chapman. After performing at a BMI Songwriter's Circle showcase at The Bitter End, New York, Swift became the youngest songwriter ever hired by the Sony/ATV Tree publishing house.

Swift left RCA Records when she was 15; the company wanted her to record the work of other songwriters and wait until she was 18 to release an album, but she felt ready to launch her career with her own material. She also parted ways with manager Dan Dymtrow, who later took legal action against Swift and her parents. At an industry showcase at Nashville's The Bluebird Café in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a Dreamworks Records executive who was preparing to form his own independent record label, Big Machine Records. Swift was one of the new label's first signings. She also joined talent agency CAA.

2006–2008: ''Taylor Swift''

Swift began her career by building a strong MySpace presence, using the site to get feedback about her demos. She released her debut single, "Tim McGraw", in mid-2006, reaching No.6 on ''Billboard'' magazine's Hot Country Songs chart. Big Machine Records was still in its infancy and Swift and her mother "came in to help stuff the CD singles into envelopes to send to radio. We sat out on the floor and did it because there wasn't furniture at the label yet". Her self-titled debut album was later released on October 24, 2006. Debuting high on the ''Billboard'' 200, the album sold 39,000 copies during its first week. It peaked at No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and No.5 on the ''Billboard'' 200. Her debut album spent eight consecutive weeks at the top of the Top Country Albums charts and remained at the top for 24 out of 91 weeks. The music video for "Tim McGraw" won Swift an award for Breakthrough Video of the Year at the 2007 CMT Music Awards. Her pursuit of country music stardom was the subject of "GAC Short Cuts", a part-documentary, part-music-video series airing since the summer of 2006. On May 15, 2007, Swift performed "Tim McGraw" at the Academy of Country Music Awards. Swift appeared as an opening act for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, George Strait, Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts.

The second single from the ''Taylor Swift'' album, "Teardrops on My Guitar", was released February 24, 2007. In mid-2007, the song peaked at No.2 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart and No.33 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was re-released with a pop remix that brought "Teardrops on My Guitar" to No.13 on the Hot 100 and No.11 on the Pop 100. In October 2007, Swift was awarded Songwriter/Artist of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters Assn. Intl., making her the youngest artist ever to win the award. Her third song off her debut album, "Our Song" spent six weeks at No.1 on the Country charts, peaked at No.16 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and rose to No.24 on the ''Billboard'' Pop 100. Swift recorded a holiday album, ''Sounds of the Season: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection,'' which was released exclusively at Target in late 2007. Swift was nominated for a 2008 Grammy Award in the category of Best New Artist, but lost to Amy Winehouse.

Swift's successful single, "Picture to Burn", was the fourth single from her debut album. The song debuted and soon peaked at No.3 on the Billboard Country chart in spring 2008. "Should've Said No" became Swift's second No.1 single. In Summer 2008, Swift released ''Beautiful Eyes'', an EP sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. In its first week of release, the album sold 45,000 copies, debuting at No.1 on ''Billboard'''s Top Country Albums chart and No.9 on the ''Billboard'' 200. With her self-titled debut album sitting at No.2 during the same week, Swift became the first artist since 1997 to hold the Top 2 positions of the Top Country Albums chart. In October 2008, Swift performed a duet with best selling rock band Def Leppard in a taped show in Nashville, Tennessee, and their collaboration was up for both Performance of the Year and Wide Open Country Video of the Year at the CMT Music Awards in 2009.

2008–2010: ''Fearless''

Swift's second studio album, ''Fearless'', was released in the United States on November 11, 2008. The album debuted at No.1 on the ''Billboard'' 200 Album Chart with sales of 592,304, making it the largest opening U.S. sales week in 2008 by a female artist in all genres of music, and the fourth biggest overall. During the first week of release, more than 129,000 of Swift's sales were sold digitally, giving Swift the best online start for any country album in history. "Change", a song from the album, was selected as part of a soundtrack supporting Team USA's efforts in the 2008 Summer Olympics. The song was also featured as part of the soundtrack of NBC's broadcast package of the Olympics.

The lead single from the album, "Love Story", was released on September 12, 2008. It became the first country crossover recording to hit number one on the Nielsen BDS CHR/Top 40 chart in the 16-year-history of the list, as well as number one on the Mediabase Top 40 Chart. The second single from ''Fearless'', "White Horse", was released on December 8, 2008. Though it missed the No.1 spot on Billboard's Hot Country Songs as of the week April 11, 2009, "White Horse" claimed the No.1 spot atop the USA Today/Country Aircheck chart (powered by Mediabase) in that week. She was the first artist in the history of Nielsen SoundScan to have two different albums in the Top 10 on the year end album chart. It also was the first album by a female artist in country music history to log eight weeks at No.1 on The ''Billboard'' 200. Swift is ''Billboard'''s Top Country Artist and Hot Country Songwriter of 2008; she is also country music's best-selling artist of 2008. Swift ranked seventh on Nielsen SoundScan Canada's top-10 selling artists across all genres in 2008.

Swift sang the Star-Spangled Banner at game three of the World Series in Philadelphia on October 25, 2008. In January 2009, Swift announced her North American Fearless Tour planned for 52 cities in 38 states and provinces in the US and Canada over the span of 6 months. In the same month, Swift made her first musical guest appearance on ''Saturday Night Live''. On February 8, 2009, Swift performed her song "Fifteen" with Miley Cyrus at the 51st Grammy Awards. As of the week ending February 8, 2009, Swift's single "Love Story" became the country song with the most paid downloads in history.

Since the release of ''Fearless'', she released one new song "Crazier" for the soundtrack of the feature film ''Hannah Montana: The Movie''. At the 44th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, Swift picked up Album of the Year honors as a performer and producer for ''Fearless''. Swift is the youngest artist in history to win the ACM ''Album of the Year'' award. The Academy lauded her for career achievements including selling more albums in 2008 than any other artist in any genre of music, the breakthrough success of her debut album, the worldwide crossover success of her No.1 single "Love Story" and Swift's contribution to helping country music attract a younger audience. As of late April 2009, Swift has sold more than 14 million downloads. On April 28, 2009, Swift gave a free, private concert to students at Bishop Ireton High School, a small Catholic school in Alexandria, Virginia after the school won a national "TXT 2 WIN" contest from Verizon Wireless. On October 8, 2009 Swift's official website announced that her sold-out Fearless Tour would return to North America for 37 additional dates in 2010.

Scheduled to perform on September 13, 2009, Swift attended the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. She became the first country music artist to win an MTV Video Music Award. During the show, as Swift was on stage accepting the award for Best Female Video for "You Belong with Me", singer/rapper Kanye West came on stage and took the microphone from Swift, saying that Beyoncé's video for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", nominated for the same award, was "one of the best videos of all time," an action that caused the many audience members to boo West. He handed the microphone back to a stunned and reportedly upset Swift, who did not finish her acceptance speech. When Beyoncé later won the award for Best Video of the Year for "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", she called Swift up on stage so that she could finish her acceptance speech. Following the awards show, West apologized for his verbal outburst in a blog entry (which was subsequently removed). He was criticized by various celebrities for the outburst, and even by President Barack Obama who called West a "jackass" in an "off the record" comment. He later posted a second apology on his blog and made his first public apology one day after the incident on the debut episode of ''The Jay Leno Show''. On September 15, 2009, Swift talked about the matter on ''The View'', where she said she was at first excited to see West on stage and then disappointed once he acted out. She said West had not spoken to her following the incident. Following her appearance on ''The View'', West contacted her to apologize personally; Swift said she accepted his apology. However, on November 8, 2010, in an interview with a Minnesota radio station, West seemed to recant a bit of his past apologies by attempting to describe the act at the 2009 awards show as "selfless" and downplay the perception of disrespect it created.

On November 11, 2009, Swift became the youngest artist ever to win the Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the year, and is one of only six women to win the Association's highest honor. "Fifteen" reached No.38 on the chart week of November 21, 2009l. "Two Is Better Than One" by Boys Like Girls and John Mayer's "Half of My Heart" both featured Swift, peaking at No.40 and No.25 respectively. ''Fearless'' was the best-selling album of 2009 in the US with more than 3.2 millions copies sold in that year. Swift claimed both the No.1 and No.2 positions atop Nielsen's BDS Top 10 Most Played Songs chart, with "You Belong With Me" and "Love Story", respectively.

Swift released the track "Today Was a Fairytale" as a digital download on iTunes on January 19, 2010. It sold more than 325,000 copies in its first week. In February 2010, Swift brought her Fearless Tour to 5 cities in Australia. Opening acts included Gloriana.

In January 2010, Swift won four awards for Album of the Year, Best Country Album, Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song at the 52nd Grammy Awards, from a total of eight nominations. During the ceremony, she performed a duet with Stevie Nicks. Her vocal performance received a negative critical response and was described variously as "tinny and rhythmically flat-footed", "badly off-key", "strikingly bad" and "incredibly wretched".

2010–2012: ''Speak Now''

On Wednesday, August 4, 2010, the lead single from Swift's third album, "Mine", was leaked onto the internet. Big Machine Records decided to rush the release of the song to counteract the leak. Swift appeared at the 44th Annual Country Music Awards on November 10, 2010. ''Speak Now'' was released on October 25, 2010. She wrote the album completely by herself in Arkansas, New York, Boston and Nashville with Nathan Chapman serving as co-producer.

In 2011, Swift visited Singapore as the first stop of the Asian leg of her first world tour. After the last stop of the Speak Now World Tour in Hong Kong, Swift began the European and American leg. Swift's first live album, ''Speak Now World Tour: Live'', featuring all seventeen performances from the North American leg of her concert tour, was released on November 21, 2011. Three dates on the Speak Now World Tour were cancelled because Swift fell ill with bronchitis. Swift invited many stars to duet with her during the US tour, including singer-songwriters such as James Taylor, Jason Mraz and Shawn Colvin, pop stars such as Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, rappers such as Nicki Minaj, Usher, Flo Rida and T.I., rock stars such as Jim Adkins and Hayley Williams, and country singers such as Ronnie Dunn, Darius Rucker, Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney.

In October 2011, Swift was named Songwriter/Artist of the Year by Nashville Songwriters Association International. During the ceremony, she played an acoustic version of "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" in honor of Alan Jackson, a Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee. When making his induction speech, Jackson praised Swift for "the prettiest version I've ever heard". In December 2011, Swift released "Safe & Sound", co-written and co-recorded with The Civil Wars. The single featured on ''The Hunger Games'' soundtrack, which also featured a second Swift song, "Eyes Open".

At the 54th Grammy Awards on February 12, 2012, Swift's song "Mean" won Best Country Song and Best Country Solo Performance. She performed the song during the ceremony; her first Grammy performance since her widely criticized 2010 appearance. She received positive reviews. ''Time'' felt she "delivered her comeback on-key and with a vengeance" while ''USA Today'' remarked that the criticism in 2010 seemed to have "made her a better songwriter and live performer".

On April 1, 2012, she won the award for "Entertainer of the Year" for the second time running at the Academy of Country Music Awards. She was also was nominated for "Female Vocalist" and "Video of the Year" for "Mean". Swift has sold over 20 million albums worldwide. She holds the new record for Fastest Selling Digital Album by a Female Artist, for her latest CD, 'Speak Now,' as well as the Most Simultaneous U.S. Hot 100 Hits by a Female Artist, with 11 charting back-to-back singles in the Guiness Book of World Records 2012. On January 8, 2012, Swift was elected the fifth top artist (fourth female top artist) of all-time with the best-selling digital music tracks. Swift has sold 41,821,000 digital tracks as of the end of 2011 according to Nielsen SoundScan. Swift sold approximately 4,470,000 albums in the US in 2010 (more than any other artist) and sold 9.9 million digital tracks.

2012–present: Untitled fourth album

Swift is currently working on her fourth album with producer Nathan Chapman. It is scheduled for release in the fall of 2012. 25 songs have already been completed but Swift intends to keep writing and recording throughout 2012 "because I'm having so much fun". After writing her third album alone, Swift is now collaborating with people "from all different places in music", including songwriter Lori McKenna. The album will detail "the rise and fall of a relationship", as well as the resulting "absolute crash-and-burn heartbreak". She has described the album's mood as "sad, if I'm being honest." There has been media speculation that it will focus on Swift's relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal.

Swift also appeared on a song called "Both of Us" from B.o.B's second album ''Strange Clouds'', which was released May 1st, 2012.

Songwriting style

Swift's lyrics are highly autobiographical; she has said that "If you listen to my albums, it’s like reading my diary." It has been said that her lyrics "can be tinged with acid: the quiet loner girl getting one over on the cheerleaders, or a caustic payback for the boy who dumped her." She has also indicated that she tries to write so her fans can relate to the lyrics, saying "My goal is to never write songs that my fans can't relate to." She parodied her confrontational style of songwriting during her appearance on ''Saturday Night Live''; during her opening monologue, she performed an original song that featured lines such as "You might think I'd bring up Joe, that guy who broke up with me on the phone/ Hey, Joe, I'm doing real well, tonight I'm hosting 'SNL'" referring to her highly publicized relationship with Joe Jonas.

The intensely personal nature of the songs has drawn her attention in the music industry. Swift once said, "I thought people might find them hard to relate to, but it turned out that the more personal my songs were, the more closely people could relate to them." Due to the autobiographical nature of her songs, some fans have researched the songs' origins. Swift once said, "Every single one of the guys that I’ve written songs about has been tracked down on MySpace by my fans." ''The New York Times'' described Swift as "one of pop's finest songwriters, country’s foremost pragmatist and more in touch with her inner life than most adults".

Other work

Acting

Swift made her primetime television acting debut in 2009 in an episode of CBS's ''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''. The episode was watched by 20.8 million viewers. Swift both hosted and performed as the musical guest for the November 7, 2009 episode of ''Saturday Night Live''. In 2010, Swift made her feature film acting debut in the romantic comedy ''Valentine's Day'' and won the Teen Choice Award for Movie Female Breakout. In 2012, she voiced the character of Audrey in the animated film ''The Lorax''. Swift is in talks to star as Joni Mitchell in the film adaptation of in Sheila Weller's ''Girls Like Us'', which follows the careers of Mitchell, Carly Simon and Carole King.

Philanthropy

On September 21, 2007, Swift helped launch a campaign to protect children from online predators. She has teamed up with Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen to combat internet sex crimes. The year-long campaign, in partnership with the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, will distribute Internet safety information and materials to parents and students across the state. In early 2008, Swift donated the pink Chevy pick-up truck given to her by her record label to the children’s charity, the ''Victory Junction Gang''; in June 2008, Swift donated all the proceeds from her merchandise sales at the 2008 Country Music Festival to Red Cross, the ''Nashville Area Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund'' and the ''National American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund''.

Swift donated $100,000 to the Red Cross in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to help the victims of the Iowa flood of 2008. Swift has teamed up with Sound Matters to make listeners aware of listening "responsibly". Swift supports @15, a teen-led social change platform underwritten by Best Buy to give teens opportunities to direct the company's philanthropy through the newly-created @15 Fund. Swift's song, "Fifteen", is featured in this campaign. Swift lent her support to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal by joining the lineup at Sydney's Sound Relief concert, reportedly making the biggest contribution of any artist playing at Sound Relief to the Australian Red Cross. Swift donated her prom dress, which raised $1,200 for charity, to DonateMyDress.org. On November 20, 2009 after a live performance on BBC's Children in Need night Swift announced to Sir Terry Wogan she would donate £13,000 of her own money to the cause.

On December 13, Swift's own birthday, she donated $250,000 to various schools around the country which she had either attended or been involved with. Swift has donated a pair of her shoes – a gently-worn pair of black Betsey Johnson heels with her autograph on the sole – to the Wish Upon a Hero Foundation's Hero in Heels fundraiser for auction to raise money to benefit women with cancer. In response to the May 2010 Tennessee floods, Swift donated $500,000 during a flood relief telethon hosted by WSMV, a Nashville television station. On May 23, 2011, Swift transformed what was to have been the final dress rehearsal for the North American leg of her Speak Now tour into a benefit concert for victims of recent tornadoes in the United States southeast region. The concert in Nashville drew more than 13,000 people and raised more than $750,000 from proceeds from ticket sales, merchandise and other facets of the show. The benefit concert for tornado relief was subsequently honored at the 2011 Do Something Awards. In July 2011, Swift further aided the cause by donating $250,000 to Alabama football coach Nick Saban's charity Nick's Kids to aid in the tornado relief efforts of West Alabama.

Product endorsements

Jakks Pacific released a celebrity doll of Swift in late 2008. Swift has been the face of L.E.I. Jeans (Life Energy Intelligence) since 2008. Swift and the L.e.i. Clothing Line made a deal to create a line based on Swift's style of dressing, which will appear in Wal-Mart in the coming months. However, Swift said she does not want to be called a designer. Instead, she says she will inspire the clothing company's dress line based on her own style. "I don't look at it like I'm branching out as a designer... It's not the Taylor Swift designer line." In 2009, Swift became the National Hockey League's newest celebrity spokesperson. She appears in commercials for the Nashville Predators.

In May 2009, Swift filed a lawsuit (kept sealed until August 2010) against numerous sellers of unauthorized counterfeit merchandise bearing her name, likeness, and trademarks, where she demanded a trial by jury, sought a judgement for compensatory damages, punitive damages, three times the actual damages sustained, and statutory damages, and sought for recovery of her attorney's fees and prejudgement interest. Nashville's U.S. District Court granted an injunction and judgment against the sellers, who had been identified at Swift's concerts in several states. The court ordered merchandise seized from the defendants to be destroyed. On July 15, 2011, Swift's official website announced that she had partnered with Elizabeth Arden to launch a fragrance, which is to be released in October 2011. The fragrance's name, "Wonderstruck", is a reference to the song "Enchanted" featured on her ''Speak Now'' album. Swift is also working with American Greetings, Inc. She has endorsement deals with companies including Target, CoverGirl, Sony, Elizabeth Arden, Walmart and American Greetings.

In the media

Position as a role model

Swift has been described as a role model. The singer considers it "my responsibility" to be "conscious" of her influence on young fans. However, she insists that "I don't live by all these rigid, weird rules that make me feel all fenced in. I just like the way that I feel like, and that makes me feel very free." Swift does not drink alcohol because she worries that "I might come off in a way that I can't control. Maybe I should just lighten up!" "It's not like I judge people who [drink] or that I don't hang out with people who drink." She refuses to take part in overly sexualised photo-shoots: "I like trying out new styles but I don’t feel comfortable taking my clothes off." A 2012 ''Vogue'' cover story described Swift as "clever and funny and occasionally downright bawdy" in person, but noted that she "asks if her cursing can be off the record". The lyrical content of her songs is regarded as appropriate for young audiences; a ''New Yorker'' journalist who attended a Swift concert recounted watching "six sixteen-year-old girls holding hands and swaying, and a girl in a hijab sobbing as she sang the words. It was hard not to be a little moved, and not to feel relieved that the words being sung were, more or less, safe ... One can attend a concert by Katy Perry and listen to a stadium full of thirteen-year-olds chant along with the song “Peacock” which goes, “I want to see your peacock-cock-cock! Your peacock-cock!"

Feminist discussion

The merits of Swift as a feminist have been widely discussed. She has been described by Jezebel as "a feminist's nightmare": "Her image of being good and pure plays right into how much the patriarchy fetishizes virginity, loves purity, and celebrates women who know their place as delicate flowers". However, a ''Village Voice'' music critic dismissed this criticism as "shallow and gross, in that special way that things get gross when you cram shaded and living work through an ideological sieve like you're mechanically separating chicken". He continued: "Criticisms include: She's a conformist stooge of the patriarchy (she's now had two hits about defying fathers); she idolizes chastity (she's coy about sex, but only the willful could miss the fucking in the new "Sparks Fly," which includes the line "Gimme something that'll haunt me when you're not around"); and she sells girls corrupt and shallow fairy-tale notions of romance (one of the two fairy-tale songs on ''Fearless'' mocked a guy for trying to white-knight her, and the only mention of such things on ''Speak Now'' is "I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you"—note the tense)."

The song ''Fifteen'' has been the subject of particular scrutiny. It has been said that the song contains a "feminist message" in the lyrics "Back then I swore I was gonna marry him some day, but I realized some bigger dreams of mine” and "In your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy on the football team". Feminist critics claim the use of the word "everything" in the lyric "Abigail gave everything she had to a boy, who changed his mind, and we both cried" is a reference to virginity: "Songs like "Fifteen" dig up the ancient Puritan ideal that girls can only access power by confidently and heterosexually denying access to their pants." However, others interpret “everything” as trust: "Abigail trusted and opened up to a boy for the first time, only to be let down. Maybe that includes sex, maybe it doesn’t."

When asked by ''The New York Times'' in 2010 whether she considered herself a feminist, Swift replied, "I have never really thought about that". In 2012, ''Billboard'' asked Swift whether the marginalization of women in country music, prevalent in the 1950s, was still an issue: "I was fortunate enough to come about in a time when I didn't feel that kind of energy at all, and it was always my theory that if you want to pay in the same ballgame as the boys, you've got to work as hard as them. I was always playing just as many shows as they were and playing on the same shows as they were. I was willing to pay my dues as an opening act, playing in clubs and bars and playing in tiny venues. The new male artists were doing the same thing, so I never saw an issue there".

Criticism of vocal abilities

Swift's vocal performance during a duet with Stevie Nicks at the 2010 Grammy Awards was widely criticized as "badly off-key", "strikingly bad" and "incredibly wretched". Music critic Bob Lefsetz was particularly vocal in his criticism. He argued that, while "Taylor’s too young and dumb to understand the mistake she made", she killed her career "overnight". "In one fell swoop, Taylor Swift consigned herself to the dustbin of teen phenoms". Lefsetz had previously been a supporter of the singer's career, and Swift and Lefsetz had corresponded occasionally by email and telephone. ''Wired'' has described "the Swift attack" as "one of the most personal tracts Lefsetz had ever written. You got the sense that he felt duped, that he really believed in her. Which, for Lefsetz, doesn’t happen a whole lot anymore".

Swift's song "Mean" is believed to a rebuttal to Lefsetz. In the album liner notes, Swift wrote, “I thought you got me", and Lefsetz has said she told him “You get me” on several occasions. In response to the song, Lefsetz wrote that, while Swift had "captured the teen zeitgeist better than anyone in this century", it was now time for her to "be a woman singing about womanly issues". "Joni Mitchell ultimately sang about the human condition, contemplating suicide in "Song For Sharon". Is Taylor Swift gonna grow or keep on fighting these petty wars?" "She still can’t sing," he concluded. "And if this song is really about me, I wish it were better". Swift performed "Mean" at the 2012 Grammy Awards and won two awards for the song. In her acceptance speech, Swift said, "There's really no feeling quite like writing a song about someone who's really mean to you ... and then winning a Grammy for it."

In an interview with ''The New Yorker'', Swift refused to defend her singing voice: “I write songs, and my voice is just a way to get those lyrics across”. "I'm not trying to go out there and do vocal acrobatics. I'm just trying to write good songs". She has said that she only feels nervous performing "if I'm not sure what the audience thinks of me, like at award shows".

Industry polls

Swift was included in ''People'''s annual "100 Most Beautiful People" 2008, 2009, and 2010 lists. Additionally, she was named 57th on ''Maxim's'' sexiest women of 2008, 50th on the 2009 list and 31st on the 2010 list. ''CosmoGirl'' voted Swift as the "2008 Girl of the Year". Swift was named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as one of "The RS 100: Agents of Change". ''People'' magazine named Swift one of 25 Most Intriguing People of 2009.

She was nominated as a candidate for ''Time'''s "2009 The Time 100 Finalists" list, which is determined by online voting. In April 2010, Swift was included in ''Time''s annual list of the 100 Most Influential People. Swift's entry was written by Stevie Nicks, who said that "Taylor reminds me of myself in her determination and her childlike nature. It's an innocence that's so special and so rare. This girl writes the songs that make the whole world sing, like Neil Diamond or Elton John [...] The female rock-'n'-roll-country-pop songwriter is back, and her name is Taylor Swift. And it's women like her who are going to save the music business." She was ranked second on ''Rolling Stone''s lists of Top 16 "Queen Of Pops" of the decade.

Personal life

Swift's main residence is a duplex penthouse in midtown Nashville, Tennessee. She also owns a house in Beverly Hills, California.

Relationships

Swift dated singer Joe Jonas from July to October 2008. She dated actor Taylor Lautner from October to December 2009. Swift was romantically linked to musician John Mayer from late 2009 until June 2010. They first met in 2008 and recorded a duet, "Half of My Heart", in late 2009.

Swift dated actor Jake Gyllenhaal from October 2010 to December 2010. On December 9, 2011, Gyllenhaal called the LAPD for assistance, after a large number of photographers followed the couple's car in Los Angeles. Following their break-up, they were seen together in January and February 2011.

Politics

After casting her vote in the 2008 US presidential election, Swift declined to inform journalists which candidate she had supported. However, following Barack Obama's inauguration, she told ''Rolling Stone'': "I've never seen this country so happy about a political decision in my entire time of being alive. I'm so glad this was my first election." In 2009, after Swift's VMA acceptance speech was interrupted by Kanye West, President Obama described West's behaviour as "really inappropriate. The young lady seems like a perfectly nice person. She’s getting her award. What is he doing up there? He’s a jackass."

In 2010, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush attended the taping of a Swift television special in Kennebunkport, Maine, and later described Swift as "unspoiled" and "very nice". In 2012, Swift was presented with a Kids' Choice Award in recognition of her charitable work by Michelle Obama, who praised her as someone who "has rocketed to the top of the music industry but still keeps her feet on the ground, someone who has shattered every expectation of what a 22-year old can accomplish". Swift later described the First Lady as "a role model".

Swift is an admirer of the Kennedy family and has spent time with Rory, Caroline and, particularly, Ethel Kennedy. When asked about her friendship with Swift, Ethel replied, "Oh, she is amazing! Such good company." Rory has said, "There is a mutual admiration society between my mother and Taylor Swift and I just love it! I think it says so much about Taylor - she has that ability to connect and cross generations ... She's terrific and such a great role model for young girls, as well as for all women, really. ... She's just so curious and interested". In January 2012, Swift travelled to Utah to attend the Sundance premiere of the HBO documentary ''Ethel''.

In a 2012 interview, Swift remarked that she was "very cautious" about using her public profile to address political issues, adding that she hoped to "gradually" become more outspoken: "I don't feel that I am in a place to sing about politics or anything like that. I don't know enough at this point".

Filmography

>

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
2009	''CSI: Crime Scene Investigation''	Haley Jones
2009	''Saturday Night Live''	Herself	Host and Musical Guest
2010		Felicia	Teen Choice Award for Choice Breakout FemaleNominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry (with Taylor Lautner)Nominated—Teen Choice Award for Choice Liplock (with Taylor Lautner)Nominated—MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Taylor Lautner)
2012	''''	Audrey

Discography

Albums

''Taylor Swift'' (2006)

''Fearless'' (2008)

''Speak Now'' (2010)

Tours

Fearless Tour (2009–10)

Speak Now World Tour (2011–12)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Category:1989 births Category:Actors from Pennsylvania Category:American child singers Category:American country banjoists Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American female guitarists Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American pianists Category:American pop singers Category:American television actors Category:Big Machine Records artists Category:Child pop musicians Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Pennsylvania Category:People from Reading, Pennsylvania Category:People from Wyomissing, Pennsylvania Category:Ukulele players

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Name	Katy Perry
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson
Alias	Katy Hudson
Birth date	October 25, 1984
Birth place	Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Genre	Pop, rock, dance, gospel
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, actress
Instrument	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2001–present
Label	Red Hill, Island, Columbia, Capitol
Associated acts	The Matrix
Website	}}

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Perry grew up with gospel music, and during her first year of high school she pursued a music career as Katy Hudson, releasing her first studio album called ''Katy Hudson'' which failed to chart. She recorded a solo album later, which was never released. After signing with Capitol Music Group in 2007, her fourth record label in seven years, she adopted the stage name Katy Perry.

She first gained recognition with the release of her first mainstream album, ''One of the Boys'' in 2008, which spawned three ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten songs—"I Kissed A Girl", "Hot n Cold" and "Waking Up In Vegas". Perry supported the album with her Hello Katy Tour. In 2010, her third studio album, ''Teenage Dream'' (2010), which topped the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, and spawned five number one singles—"California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"—''Teenage Dream'' was the only album (after Michael Jackson's ''Bad'')—to do so, and the first female in history to achieve this milestone. She embarked on the California Dreams Tour, which grossed nearly $60 million worldwide. Perry re-released the album under the name of ''Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection'' on March 26, 2012, and the re-release has already spawned the number-one single "Part of Me".

Perry is the only artist to spend over 52 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and has since heightened this to 69 weeks. As of 2012, Perry has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards. She was named 2011's "Artist of the Year" by MTV. She has sold 37.6 million digital tracks in the United States and 11 million albums worldwide. Perry was a guest judge on the seventh series of ''The X Factor UK'' and the ninth season of ''American Idol''. She has released fragrances "Purr" and "Meow". She ventured into film, voicing Smurfette in the 2011 film ''The Smurfs''. Perry was married to British comedian Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012.

Early life

Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson in Santa Barbara, California to Keith, a West Coast scenester in the 1960s, and Mary Hudson (née Perry), an evangelist who grew up in Southern California and had a "tempestuous" first marriage in Zimbabwe. Perry has Portuguese, German, Irish, and English ancestry. She is the second child of two pastors. She has an older sister named Angela Hudson and younger brother named David Hudson. Perry's mother's aunt and uncle were screenwriter Eleanor Perry and director Frank Perry. Perry was incorporated into her parents' ministry and sang in their church between the ages of 9 and 17. She grew up listening to gospel music, was not allowed to listen to what her mother called "secular music", and attended Christian schools and camps. As a child, Perry learned how to dance in a recreation building in Santa Barbara. She was taught by seasoned dancers and began with swing, Lindy Hop, and jitterbug. She took her GED after her first year at Dos Pueblos High School and decided to leave school in the pursuit of a career in music. Perry initially started singing "because [she] was at that point in [her] childhood where [she] was copycatting [her] sister and everything she [would do]." Her sister practiced with cassette tapes, while Perry took the tapes herself when her sister was not around. She rehearsed the songs and performed them in front of her parents, who suggested she take vocal coaching. She grabbed the opportunity and began taking lessons at the age of nine and continued until she was sixteen. She later enrolled in at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, and studied Italian opera for a short period of time.

Career

1999–2006: Career beginnings

When Perry was 15, her singing in church attracted the attention of rock veterans from Nashville, Tennessee, who brought her there to polish her writing skills. In Nashville, Perry started recording demos and was taught by country music veterans how to craft songs and play guitar. Perry signed to the Christian music label Red Hill, under which she recorded her first album at the age of 15. Performing as Katy Hudson, she released a self-titled gospel rock album in 2001. She supported this album with ''The Strangely Normal Tour'', accompanied by Phil Joel, LaRue, Luna Halo, Earthsuit and V*Enna. The album was unsuccessful as the label ceased operations at the end of 2001. She later changed her surname to Perry, her mother's maiden name, because "Katy Hudson" was too close to film actress Kate Hudson.

At the age of 17, Perry left her home for Los Angeles, where she worked with Glen Ballard on an album for Island Records. Growing up listening to mostly gospel music, Perry had few references when she began recording songs. Asked by the producer with whom she would like to collaborate, Perry had no idea. That night, she went with her mother to a hotel. Inside, she turned on VH1 and saw producer Glen Ballard talking about Alanis Morissette; Ballard produced Morissette's ''Jagged Little Pill'', which had a "huge influence" on Perry. She expressed interest in working with Ballard to her initial collaborator, who arranged a meeting for her with Ballard in Los Angeles. Perry presented one of her songs to Ballard. Ballard then helped Perry develop her songwriting over the next few years. The album was due for release in 2005, but ''Billboard'' reported it also went nowhere. Perry was dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group. Some of Perry and Ballard's collaborations included "Box", "Diamonds" and "Long Shot", were posted on her official MySpace page. "Simple", one of the songs she recorded with Ballard, was released on the soundtrack to the 2005 film ''The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants''. "Long Shot" and "I Do Not Hook Up" was later recorded by Kelly Clarkson for her 2009 album ''All I Ever Wanted''.

Perry signed to Columbia Records in 2004. However, the label was not amenable with her vision, not putting her in the "driver's seat". Instead, one of Columbia's ideas was to pair Perry with the record production team The Matrix, who was working on an album, to serve as its female vocalist. Although the album was later shelved, she caught the attention of the music press: Her burgeoning music career led to her being named "The Next Big Thing" in October 2004 by ''Blender'' magazine. With no album project ongoing, Perry began recording her own. Eighty percent completed, however, Columbia decided not to finish it and dropped her from the label. While waiting to find another label, she worked in an independent A&R; company called Taxi Music. In 2006, Perry was featured in the tail-end of the video to P.O.D.'s single "Goodbye for Now". She made a cameo appearance in Carbon Leaf's video, "Learn to Fly".

2007–09: Commercial success with ''One of the Boys'' and ''MTV Unplugged''

While in the process of being dropped by Columbia in 2006, the company's publicity executive Angelica Cob-Baehler enthusiastically recommended Perry to Virgin Records chairman Jason Flom. At the time Flom was leading a complete revival in fortunes at the label and looking to crown recent achievements by breaking a global pop act. Despite mixed reactions from fellow Virgin executives, Flom became convinced that Perry could be that breakthrough star, and at the start of 2007 extended discussions with Columbia resulted in Perry signing to the newly created Capitol Music Group, a merger between Virgin and Capitol. As part of the deal, the label secured the masters to the unfinished album, recorded while at Columbia, that would go on to form a significant part of her official mainstream debut album, ''One of the Boys''.

The Columbia recordings were seen by Flom as being "very strong but lacking an undeniable smash or two that would work both at U.S. pop radio and internationally" and so one of the executive's first actions after completing the signing was to set up a collaboration between Perry and the writer-producer Dr. Luke. The results were the songs "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold". Establishing her image was one of the immediate concerns of her management. A campaign was started in November 2007 with the release of the video to "Ur So Gay", aimed at introducing her to the music market. A digital EP led by "Ur So Gay" was later released to create online buzz and press story. This was a successful move that resulted in bringing Perry to the attention of Madonna, who mentioned her on KISS FM and KRQ's ''JohnJay & Rich'' morning show in Arizona. On March 10, 2008, she appeared as herself on the ABC Family television series, ''Wildfire'', on the episode "Life's Too Short".

In the next step of promoting the album, Perry undertook a two-month tour of radio stations. The album's official lead single, "I Kissed a Girl", was released on May 6, 2008. Perry's A&R;, Chris Anokute, told HitQuarters the song and its controversial theme had met with strong resistance at the label: "People said, 'This is never going to get played on the radio. How do we sell this? How’s this going to be played in the bible belt?'" Anokute said that they needed the support of one of the label's radio promoters to convince people to believe in the record; otherwise, Perry would have likely been dropped again. Capitol's SVP of Promotions, Dennis Reese, saw the vision and helped push the single on national radio. The first station to pick it up and take a chance was The River in Nashville. After playing it for three days they were innundated with enthusiastic calls. With the song climbing atop the charts, Perry embarked on the annual Warped Tour music festival, which her management used to "establish her as a credible performer and make sure she wasn't seen as just a one-hit wonder." The single was a commercial success, peaking at number one for seven weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It has since become a major worldwide hit, topping charts in 30 countries, including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. On June 12, 2008, Perry appeared as herself on the daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', posing for the cover to the June 2008 issue of the fictional magazine ''Restless Style''. Perry also performed backing vocals on the song, "Another Night in the Hills" from Gavin Rossdale's 2008 solo album ''Wanderlust''.

''One of the Boys'' was released on June 17, 2008, to mixed critical reviews. The album has reached number nine on the ''Billboard'' 200, and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Perry released her second single, "Hot n Cold", which became her second top three single in dozens of countries around the world, including the United States where it reached number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, as well as topping the charts in Germany, Canada, and Denmark. After Perry wrapped up her appearance at the Warped Tour, she went on tours in Europe. She later launched her first headlining tour, the Hello Katy Tour, in January 2009. "I Kissed a Girl" earned Perry a nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2009 Grammy Awards. Perry was nominated in five categories at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Female Video, but lost to Britney Spears. She won Best New Act at the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards, which she co-hosted, and Best International Female Artist at the 2009 BRIT Awards. On February 9, 2009, both "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold" were certified three-time platinum by Recording Industry Association of America for individual digital sales of over three million. The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Perry in its 2010 version as the "Best Start on the US Digital Chart by a Female Artist," for having her first two singles sell over two million digital copies.

The Matrix's self-titled debut album, which features Perry, was later released via the team's label, Let's Hear It, during Perry's solo tour. When the release date was scheduled, "I Kissed a Girl" had been charting well. Matrix member Lauren Christy spoke to Perry about the decision, but she wanted to hold the release until the fourth single of ''One of the Boys'' had been dispatched. Despite their communication, ''The Matrix'' was released on January 27, 2009, via iTunes Store.

In December 2008, Perry apologized to British singer Lily Allen for remarks in which she called herself a "skinnier version" of her, saying she meant it as a joke. Allen retaliated and told a British radio station that she "happen[ed] to know for a fact that she [Perry] was an American version" of her because their record company needed "to find something controversial and 'kooky'" like her. In January 2009, Perry embarked on her first headlining world tour, the Hello Katy Tour, visiting North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Beginning on January 23, 2009, and ending on November 28, 2009, the tour consisted of 89 concerts. During that time, Perry also opened select concerts for the band No Doubt, on their ''Summer Tour 2009''.

On May 16, 2009, Perry performed at the opening ceremony of the annual Life Ball in Vienna, Austria. In June 2009, lawyers acting for Perry opposed the then-recent trademark of Australian fashion designer Katie Perry, who uses her own name to market loungewear. Some media outlets reported this as a lawsuit, which Perry denied on her blog. Katie Perry reported on her blog that at a hearing with IP Australia on July 10, 2009, the singer's lawyers withdrew their opposition to the trademark. During the summer of 2009 Perry filmed a cameo appearance for ''Get Him to the Greek''; her scene, in which she kisses her future fiancé Russell Brand was cut, and does not appear in the final film. Discussing the issue with MTV, Perry hypothesized there may have been some fear that seeing the two make out would have taken viewers out of the experience. In 2009, Perry was featured on two singles: in August, a remix of Colorado-based band 3OH!3's song "Starstrukk" (the idea for the collaboration having come after Perry's tour that featured 3OH!3 as the supporting act, the song being released by iTunes on September 8, 2009); and, thereafter, in December, on "If We Ever Meet Again", the fourth single from Timbaland's album ''Shock Value II''. In October 2009, ''MTV Unplugged'' revealed that Perry was one of the artists to perform for them, and that she would be releasing a live album of the performance, including two new tracks, "Brick by Brick" and Fountains of Wayne cover "Hackensack". The album, released on November 17, included both a CD and a DVD, and debuted at No. 168 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 chart.

2010–present: ''Teenage Dream'', film debut and ''The Complete Confection''

Perry appeared as a guest judge alongside Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh during the Dublin audition stage of the seventh series of the British television show ''The X Factor'' on June 28, 2010. She was one of the many celebrities chosen to fulfil the role of judge whilst Dannii Minogue was on maternity leave. In May 2010, Perry released the first single from her second studio album, '' Teenage Dream '' entitled, "California Gurls". The single peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks. "Teenage Dream" was released as the second single from her album, and it also topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming her third number one and second from the album. ''Teenage Dream'' was released August 24, 2010 and debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200 chart with sales of 192,000 copies in its first week. The album as since sold over 2 million copies in the US, being certified Platinum by the RIAA. Following the album's release, the third single "Firework" was released and became the third consecutive single from ''Teenage Dream'' to top the Hot 100. With this, Perry became the first female in eleven years to have three consecutive number-ones from one album. thumb|left|upright|Perry at the TV Week Logie Awards in 2011 In February 2011, Perry released the fourth single, "E.T.", a remixed version featuring Kanye West, that peaked at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks. The music video for "E.T." was directed by Floria Sigismondi and features Shaun Ross as the main love interest. With "E.T." at number one on the chart of May 12, 2011, Perry became the first artist to spend 52 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In June 2011, Perry released the fifth single, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". A remixed version featuring American rapper Missy Elliot was released in early August. The song topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on August 17, 2011, making Perry the first female and second artist (tied with Michael Jackson) ever to have five No. 1 singles from one album. Also, when the song reached number 1 in the Pop Songs airplay chart, "Teenage Dream" became the first album to have 5 number 1's from the same album on that chart. Additionally, when the song reached number one in the Adult Pop Songs airplay chart, the album become the first to have 4 number 1's from the same album on the chart. In October 2011, Perry released the sixth single, "The One That Got Away". It reached No. 3 on ''Hot 100'', becoming the third album in history to produce six top five hit singles, and the seventh song from ''Teenage Dream'' to reach the top of the ''Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs'', the most by any album and setting a new record in the chart. Perry released a "The One That Got Away" remix featuring American rapper B.o.B. in December 2011. An acoustic version of the song was released in January 2012.

From February 2011 to January 2012, Perry embarked on an extensive world tour in support of ''Teenage Dream'', the ''California Dreams Tour'', playing 124 shows in Europe, Australasia, Asia, North America and South America and earning over $59 million. Perry made her perfume debut, releasing a fragrance named "Purr" in November. It is packaged in a cat-shaped bottle, and is available through Nordstrom stores. She followed it up with the fragrance's first flanker, "Meow". In July 2011, Perry made her film debut in the 3D family film ''The Smurfs'' as Smurfette. ''The Smurfs'' earned $557,771,535 worldwide during its theatrical run. Perry appeared at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2011. She was nominated for ten awards, received the most nominations of the ceremony and was the first singer to have four different music videos shown in various categories, eventually winning three of those, Video of the Year for "Firework", Best Collaboration and Best Special Effects for "E.T.". On September 17, 2011, marked Perry' 69th consecutive week in the Top 10 with single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". On September 23, 2011, she performed, along with Elton John, Brazilian Claudia Leitte and friend Rihanna, on the opening day of the 2011 Rock in Rio festival, which was extended to October 2. Perry performed for 100 thousand people, a show that received high praise from critics and audience alike.

On December 14, 2011, the annual list ''Forbes'' was elected the third singer who earned more than US$44 million, behind Lady Gaga (US$90 million) and Taylor Swift (US$45 million). On December 15, 2011, Perry was elected the ''Artist of the Year'' by MTV, for their performance on the charts worldwide and won the record during the year. On December 20, 2011, She released a Barbie doll that represents her style in 2012. On January 8, 2012, Perry was named the sixth best-selling digital artist of all time in the United States, having sold 37,620,00 million singles and albums as of 2011, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

In the week ending January 15, 2012, Perry became the first artist ever to have five songs sell over 5 million digital copies in the USA. Perry was once again recruited by EA Games to promote their new expansion pack "''The Sims 3: Showtime''" for their ''The Sims'' game franchise. The game content was based on Perry. Perry became the first person to have six songs top the ''Billboard'' Adult Pop Songs chart. In March 27, 2012, she re-released ''Teenage Dream'' under the title ''Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection'' on March 27, 2012. The lead single from the re-release (and seventh single from the ''Teenage Dream'' era overall) was "Part of Me", which released in February, debuted atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. Perry has announced that she will release a part-biopic, part-concert film to be shown in 3D titled ''Katy Perry: Part of Me'' to be released on the 4th of July weekend of 2012 by Paramount Pictures. In April 2012, Perry performed in India for the first time at the opening ceremony of 5th edition of Indian Premier League, cricket match, in Chennai along with Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Prabhu Deva. She performed her songs "Teenage Dream" and a remix version of "California Gurls". In April 2012, Perry stated that she was working on new music and changing her musical style, "My music is about to get real f---ing dark. You'd never see my face because my hair would be in it."

Artistry

Musical style and themes

Perry has a contralto vocal range. Perry's first album is of the Gospel music genre. She related that her perspective in music was "a bit enclosed and very strict", and everything she did was church-related. Her second album, ''One of the Boys'', is described as "secular" and "rock," and reflects a departure from her religious musical roots. Her next album ''Teenage Dream'' featured more pop songs in the vein of ''Boys''. In her childhood, Perry was introduced to the music of Alanis Morissette and Freddie Mercury, the late frontman of the British band Queen. In her tribute to Mercury on what would have been his 65th birthday, Perry stated; "Without you I wouldn't be making music or doing what I do because your lyrics inspired me as a 15 year old girl." Queen's song "Killer Queen" has inspired her to pursue a career in pop music after her first album. She also described that Morissette's album ''Jagged Little Pill'' as having influenced her music profoundly; even going on to work with Morissette's collaborator on the album, Glen Ballard because of that. Influence also came from a number of female pop rock singers, including Cyndi Lauper, Shirley Manson, Pat Benatar and Joan Jett, as "they came out with a vengeance." Perry also cited Madonna as another big influence, saying "I want to evolve like Madonna."

Perry is artistically involved in her projects, especially in the writing process. Since she could play guitar, she would start writing songs at home and present it to her producers. Perry is mostly inspired by specific moments of her life. She said it is easy for her to write songs about heartbreak. Most of the themes in ''One of the Boys'' deal with heartbreak, teen adventure, and "puking into toilets". Perry's mother reportedly told British tabloid ''Daily Mail'' that she dislikes her daughter's music, calling it "shameful and disgusting". Perry said her mother was misquoted and told MTV that it was false information. Her songs "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl" have received negative reactions from both religious and gay sectors. The songs have been respectively labeled as being homophobic and promoting homosexuality, as well as "lez ploitational". Musicians Pink, Kathleen Hanna and Beth Ditto criticised "I Kissed A Girl" as offensive to the LGBT community. MTV mentioned criticism suggesting that Perry is using "bi-curiosity" as a way to sell records. Perry responded to the controversy surrounding "Ur So Gay": "It's not a negative connotation. It's not, 'you're so gay,' like, 'you're so lame,' but the fact of the matter is that this boy should've been gay. I totally understand how it could be misconstrued or whatever ... It wasn't stereotyping anyone in particular, I was talking about ex-boyfriends." Perry has written several songs for other singers, including Ashley Tisdale ("Time's Up"), Selena Gomez & the Scene ("Rock God" and "That's More Like It"), Kelly Clarkson ("Long Shot" and "I Do Not Hook Up"), Jessica James ("Bullet" and "Girl Next Door"), Lesley Roy ("Slow Goodbye"), Kady Malloy ("Wish You the Worst"), and Adam Lambert ("Cookoo").

Public image

Perry is known for her unconventional style of dress. It is often humorous, bright in color, and reminiscent of different decades, and she frequently uses fruit-shaped accessories, mainly watermelon, as part of her outfits. Perry's transformation into an artist began with fashion, inspired by American film actress Dominique Swain's portrayal in the 1997 film ''Lolita''. She defines her fashion style as "a bit of a concoction of different things". Her fashion has caught the attention of designers. In June 2008, a publicity photo that showed Perry posing with a switchblade was criticized. The picture was defended as only an effort to give Perry a "sexy, harder edge". The criticism leveled at her was mocked by Perry who subsequently posed with a spoon instead. She was ranked 7th in ''Rolling Stone'''s global Queen of Pop poll in July 2011. Perry is also a gay activist. According to Dosomething.org, Perry had stated "I am a gay activist and I say that proudly. I voted no on Prop 8 (California’s Nov. 4, 2008, amendment declaring that marriage is defined as a union solely between a man and a woman), of course."

Personal life

Perry has had relationships with Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy, whom she met in a recording studio in New York, breaking up in December 2008; Relient K frontman Matt Thiessen, with whom she worked on her album ''Teenage Dream'' and British comedian Russell Brand.

Perry first met Brand in the summer of 2009 when she filmed a cameo appearance for Brand's film ''Get Him to the Greek''. Although the cameo ultimately did not make it into the final cut of the movie, Perry later noted that the "scene called for me to make out with him...And on the way down the stairs after the scene, I was hopping like a bunny. I hop like a bunny when I'm happy". Perry and Brand began dating after meeting again several months later in September 2009 at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, where Brand, as host, remarked, "Katy Perry didn't win an award and she's staying at the same hotel as me, so she's gonna need a shoulder to cry on. So in a way, I'm the real winner tonight." The couple became engaged in December 2009 while vacationing in India. At the time, Perry stated that she had plans to take dual British citizenship. "One of the first things I'll do is apply for dual citizenship. I'm not too sure if I have to take a test as I've not had time to look into it. But England is like my second home". In an August 2010 interview with ''Rolling Stone'', Perry also noted that, "I am sensitive to Russell taking the Lord's name in vain and to Lady Gaga putting a rosary in her mouth. I think when you put sex and spirituality in the same bottle and shake it up, bad things happen." Perry and Brand married on October 23, 2010, in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan, India, the same location where Brand proposed.

After 14 months of marriage, Brand filed for divorce from Perry on December 30, 2011, in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences. The announcement of the divorce followed media speculation that the couple was having marital problems, including an ''Us Weekly'' report that they had got into a "massive fight" and spent Christmas 2011 on opposite sides of the globe, with Perry in Hawaii and Brand in London, both without their wedding rings. After Perry and Brand reached an agreement on financial issues, a judge granted the divorce request in February 2012; however the divorce will not become effective until July 2012, as California law requires a six-month interval from the initial filing.

Discography

''Katy Hudson'' (2001)

''One of the Boys'' (2008)

''Teenage Dream'' (2010)

Tours

Headlining

Hello Katy Tour (2009)

California Dreams Tour (2011–2012)

Co-headlining The Strangely Normal Tour (2001)

Warped Tour 2008 (2008)

Opening act

No Doubt – Summer Tour 2009 (North American select dates) (2009)

Promotional

Teenage Dream Tour (2010)

Filmography

+ List of television and films credits
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
2008	''''	Herself	Episode 8914
2008		Herself
2010	''American Idol''	Guest judge
2010		Guest judge
2010	''Sesame Street''	Herself	Online special (deleted from televised episode due to viewer controversy)
2010	''The Simpsons''	Herself	"The Fight Before Christmas" (Season 22, episode 8)
2010	''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition''	Herself	"Boys Hope/Girls Hope" (Season 8, Episode 1)
2010	''Get Him to the Greek''	Herself	Deleted scene, Uncredited
2010—2011	''Saturday Night Live''	Herself/Host/Musical Guest	"SNL episode 681
2011	''[[How I Met Your Mother''	Honey
2011	''America's Got Talent''	Guest judge	July 27 (Season 6, Qtr Finals 3 results)
2011		Smurfette (voice)
2011		Herself	Deleted scene, Cameo appearance
2012	''Raising Hope''	Rikki	"Single White Female Role Model" (Season 2, Episode 16)
2012	''Katy Perry: Part of Me''	Herself	3D film
2013	''The Smurfs 2''	Smurfette (voice)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Official website

Category:1984 births Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from California Category:American bloggers Category:American Christians Category:American contraltos Category:American dance musicians Category:American female guitarists Category:American female pop singers Category:American film actors Category:American people of German descent Category:American people of English descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Portuguese descent Category:American pop rock singers Category:American pop singer-songwriters Category:LGBT rights activists from the United States Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Brit Award winners Category:Capitol Records artists Category:English-language singers Category:Female rock singers Category:Living people Category:Musicians from California Category:People from Santa Barbara, California Category:Singers from California Category:The X Factor judges

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