Backing vocalist

Backing vocalists are singers who provide vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. In some cases, a backing singer may sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are used in a broad range of popular music, traditional music and world music styles.

Solo artists may employ professional backing vocalists in studio recording sessions as well as during concerts. In many rock and metal bands (e.g., the power trio), the musicians doing backup vocals also play instruments, such as guitar, electric bass, drums, or keyboards. 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.

The style of singing used by backup singers varies according to the type of song and the genre of music the band plays. In pop and country songs, backup vocalists may perform vocal harmony parts to support the lead vocalist. In hardcore punk or rockabilly, other band members who play instruments may sing or shout backup vocals during the chorus (refrain) section of the songs.

Singing

Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of tonality, rhythm, the use of sustained tones and a variety of vocal techniques. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung without accompaniment or with 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. Singers may also perform as soloist with accompaniment from a piano (as in art song and in some jazz styles) or with a symphony orchestra or big band. There are a range of different singing styles, including art music styles such as opera and Chinese opera, religious music styles such as Gospel, traditional music styles, world music, jazz, blues and popular music styles such as pop and rock.

Singing can be formal or informal, arranged or improvised. It may be done for religious devotion, as a hobby, as a source of pleasure, comfort, or ritual, as part of music education, or as a profession. Excellence in singing requires time, dedication, instruction, and regular practice. If practice is done on a regular basis then the sounds can become more clear and strong. Professional singers usually build their careers around one specific musical genre, such as classical or rock, although there are singers with crossover success (singing in more than one genre). They typically take voice training provided by voice teachers or vocal coaches throughout their careers.

Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (/riˈænə/ ree-AN-ə), (born February 20, 1988), known mononymously as Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer and songwriter. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, she first entered the music industry by recording demo tapes under the direction of record producer Evan Rogers in 2003. She ultimately signed a recording contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its then-president, hip-hop producer and rapper Jay Z.

With sales exceeding 200 million records worldwide, Rihanna is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Her studio albums include Music of the Sun (2005); the Recording Industry Association of America platinum-certified records A Girl like Me (2006), Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011); and the Billboard 200 number-one albums Unapologetic (2012) and Anti (2016). Rihanna is the youngest and fastest solo artist to earn thirteen number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and was named the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade and the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade by Billboard. Many of her songs rank among the world's best-selling singles of all time, including the singles "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "S&M", "We Found Love", "Diamonds" and "Stay" in which she is the lead artist, and her collaborations "Live Your Life" (with T.I.), "Love the Way You Lie" and "The Monster" (both with Eminem).

Rihanna (book)

Rihanna (originally titled and alternatively known as Rihanna: The Last Girl on Earth) is a coffee table photo-book by Barbadian recording artist Rihanna and British artist Simon Henwood. Henwood envisioned the project as the depiction of a "journey", as it includes professional and candid photos by him, that show the singer's fourth studio album, Rated R's (2009) promotional campaign, alongside pictures from other live appearances. The publication features a preface written by French designer Alexandre Vauthier.

It was first issued in the United States as a hardcover edition including a CD, on October 15, 2010; also being released in paperback formats and a deluxe hardcover edition including a crystal monogrammed clamshell and a signed image print. To promote the book, Rihanna appeared at a Barnes & Noble store where she signed copies of it. Editors commented on the book positively, favoring Rihanna's looks and Henwood's photography.

Background and concept

In November 2009, Rihanna released her fourth studio album Rated R through Def Jam Recordings, to critical and commercial success. Following was a year-long world tour, titled Last Girl On Earth. On January 2010, details about a Rihanna photo book were revealed, including its initial title—Rihanna: The Last Girl On Earth—and a tentative date, on June 29 of that year.

Yo Gotti

Mario Mims (born May 19, 1981), better known by his stage name Yo Gotti, is an American rapper from Memphis, Tennessee. In 1996, Gotti released his debut album Youngsta's On a Come Up under the alias Lil Yo. He went to release From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game (2000), Self-Explanatory (2001), Life (2003), Back 2 da Basics (2006), Live from the Kitchen (2012), I Am (2013) and The Art of Hustle (2016).

Musical career

2000–06: Beginnings

Mims grew up in Ridgecrest Apartments of Frayser, Memphis. He began his music career around the age of 14, rapping as Lil Yo, affiliated with DJ Sound and his crew. Between 2000 and 2006, Yo Gotti released a string of independent albums. From Da Dope Game 2 Da Rap Game (2000), Self-Explanatory (2001), Life (2003) and Back 2 da Basics (2006).

2009–12: Live from the Kitchen

After several delays Yo Gotti released his major label debut studio album Live From The Kitchen on January 10, 2012. The album's original first single was titled "5 Star" and it was released on May 20, 2009. The single peaked at 79 on the Hot 100, 19 on U.S R&B and 11 on U.S Rap. "Women Lie, Men Lie" featuring Lil Wayne the album's second single was released on December 11, 2009. The song peaked at 81 on 100, 22 on the U.S R&B and 12 on the U.S Rap. "Look In the Mirror" was the third single released 7 months after the second single on July 27, 2010. The song peaked at 97 on the U.S R&B chart.Live From The Kitchen debuted at number 12 on the US Billboard 200, with 16,000 copies sold in its first week of sales in the United States. After three weeks on the chart the album has sold 36,000 copies in the United States. In 2012 due to Gotti's views of the low sales of his debut album he took his departure from RCA Records & Polo Grounds Music. On October 17, 2012, he released the 7th version of his well known mixtape series Cocaine Muzik entitled Cocaine Muzik 7: The World Is Yours.