Natasha Bedingfield

Unwritten


These Words


Natasha Anne Bedingfield (born November 26, 1981) is an English singer and songwriter who debuted in the 1980s as a member of the Christian dance/electronic group The DNA Algorithm with her siblings Daniel Bedingfield and Nikola Rachelle. Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Bedingfield recorded rock and gospel songs for the Hillsong London Church.

She recorded her first album Unwritten in 2004. The album contained primarily uptempo pop songs and was influenced by R&B music,[1] it enjoyed international success with over 2.5 million sold worldwide.[2] In 2007, she received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" for "Unwritten".[3] Bedingfield's second album N.B (2007) was yielded by "I Wanna Have Your Babies" and "Soulmate". Bedingfield has achieved 5 top ten singles in the United Kingdom to date.

Bedingfield has promoted humanitarian causes throughout the world, and is noted for her work with children in the "Stop the Traffik" campaign through her mother's charity, Global Angels.

Early life

Bedingfield was born in the Lewisham district of London to New Zealand-born Molly and John Bedingfield who are both charity workers.[4] She has three siblings; an older brother Daniel and a younger sister Nikola, who are both pop singers, and a younger brother, Joshua. Her interest in music was encouraged by her parents and growing up she took guitar and piano lessons.[5] As a teenager, Bedingfield and her siblings, Daniel and Nikola, formed the dance/electronic group, The DNA Algorithm.[6] The group provided Bedingfield with the opportunity to explore different musical genres and expand her songwriting abilities.[7] She provided vocals for the group which primarily performed dance-pop music about religion, independence and empowerment, themes that would later be found in her own solo compositions. The DNA Algorithm performed at several Christian music festivals before disbanding.[8] Bedingfield attended a year at the University of Greenwich, where she studied psychology to "make [her] a better songwriter."[4][5] After a year of studying psychology, she left university to concentrate on singing and songwriting. She began to record demos in the garages of friends who had recording studios. Bedingfield eventually took these demos to record companies.[9] Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Bedingfield composed and recorded songs for the Hillsong London Church. In 2004, her recordings appeared on the church's live album Shout God's Fame and the children's album Jesus Is My Superhero by Hillsong Music Australia.[10]

Music career

[edit] 2004–2006: Unwritten

Bedingfield signed a recording contract with Sony BMG in 2003.[11] Her first album Unwritten was released in September 2004 and features collaborations with Steve Kipner, Guy Chambers, Patrick Leonard and rapper Bizarre. The album contained uptempo pop rock songs and influences from R&B music.[1] Bedingfield's lyrics focused on independence, opportunism and female empowerment.[5] Reviews of the album were generally positive and it was described as a "well-made pop album for the new millennium" by All Music Guide.[1] The album debuted on the UK albums chart at number one and reached the top thirty in the United States.[12] It sold well, reaching multi-platinum status in the United Kingdom[13] and the U.S.[14] At the 2005 Brit Awards, Bedingfield was nominated for four awards, she was also nominated for an award at the 2006 Brit Awards and in 2007 she was nominated for "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance" at the 2007 Grammy Awards.[15][3]

The first single released from the album was "Single", which reached number three on the UK singles chart.[16] The song's lyrics and its accompanying music video, depict Bedingfield's single lifestyle.[17] "These Words" was released as the album's second single. The song became Bedingfield's first UK number-one and U.S. top twenty single.[18] "Unwritten" was released as the album's third single in 2004, the song reached number six on the UK singles chart and it also became the second most played song on U.S. radio in 2006.[19] The songs lyrics discuss "living your own life without other people telling you how to live it".[20] "I Bruise Easily" was released as the album's fourth single, it did not perform as well as its predecessors but was still a moderate success, reaching number 12 on the UK singles chart.

In November 2006, Bedingfield released the DVD Live in New York City, which contained a live concert performance as well as music videos and a documentary. That month she recorded the Diane Warren-penned song "Still Here" for the film Rocky Balboa.[21] The song, however, did not appear on the soundtrack; although it was included on her second album.

In July 2007, she appeared on an online YouTube music video of Esmée Denters singing "Unwritten". Bedingfield sang backing vocals off-screen for most of the video, but joined Denters in front of the camera at the end of the song.[22]

[edit] 2007–present: N.B

Bedingfield's second album N.B was released in April 2007. Bedingfield recollaborated with Kipner along with Eve and Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine. The album takes influence from a variety of music styles such as R&B, reggae and electronica.[23] Bedingfield commented that it differed from Unwritten because it represented her shifting priorities from being a single young woman to "dating, searching for a partner" and "looking for Mr Right".[5] The album debuted on the UK albums chart at number nine and received mixed reviews by critics, who found that it had "good pop moments...but [was] pretentious".[24] Natasha_Bedingfield_Unwritten.jpg

"I Wanna Have Your Babies", the album's lead single, was panned by critics for its "beyond-banal lyrics" about finding the right man to father her children.[25] The song was moderately successful, reaching number 7 in the UK, number 8 in Ireland and the top fifty in most other markets.[26] "Soulmate" was released as the album's second single on July 2, 2007 and also peaked at number 7 in the UK.[27] "Say It Again" has been confirmed as the third single to be released from N.B on October 1, 2007.

To promote N.B., Bedingfield embarked on the FutureSex/LoveShow tour in May 2007, supporting Justin Timberlake[28] and on July 1, 2007, Bedingfield performed at the Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium in London.[29]

Natasha Bedingfield's live session at Abbey Road Studios was recorded for Live from Abbey Road and the performance was screened on an episode shared with Iron Maiden and Gipsy Kings. The show was screened on Channel 4 (UK) and the Sundance Channel (USA).

[edit] Non-musical projects

Bedingfield is a philanthropist who has donated time and money to organizations such as the Global Angels, an international children's charity founded by her mother, Molly Bedingfield.[30] She became associated with the organization in 2006 because of her celebrity status which she could use to help "people around the world, particularly children, who live in conditions that would horrify us".[31] Bedingfield is now an ambassador for Global Angels and in November 2006 she visited India for three weeks in support of the charity. She visited an orphanage in Calcutta and a refugee camp for former child prostitutes in Mumbai to learn more about the situation and the conditions in these areas. Bedingfield later expressed her shock at what she had witnessed.[8] Video diaries filmed during her trip were posted on her official website in early 2007.[32] She is also an advocate for Stop the Traffik, a global coalition which works to end human trafficking[30] and a member of the (RED) campaign.[5]

In 2004, Bedingfield showed interest in acting and made her debut in the James Bond video game From Russia with Love in November 2005. She lent her voice to the character Elizabeth Stark, the British Prime Minister's daughter who is kidnapped in the opening sequence.[33] Bedingfield commented that she would like to do more acting, but only if the film "was good enough, and it was a role that [would] fit me."[33] Bedingfield is not set to appear in any forthcoming films in the near future.

[edit] Personal life and image

In 2006, the media incorrectly reported that Bedingfield was dating Nick Lachey and Maroon 5 lead singer, Adam Levine. Referring to the media reports, Bedingfield commented that "Adam is lovely but I didn't date him or Nick. As soon as you talk to a famous guy, you're immediately linked."[34] Bedingfield is currently dating estate agent Matt Robinson,[35] but will not discuss their relationship because it is something she would like to keep private.[34]

Bedingfield is often characterized by her "girl next door" appearance. She does not want to mislead fans by presenting a false image of herself in photo shoots and music videos, and will only dress and act as she would in her private life.[36] Bedingfield refuses to pose for men's magazines, although she did appear in Arena Homme Plus because the magazine allowed her to wear "lovely dresses".[37] Bedingfield's image in the music video for "I Wanna Have Your Babies" was mocked in an article published in The Guardian. The newspaper made fun of Bedingfield's "clean-cut, straight-toothed, good Christian girl" image, writing that the video is an effort by Bedingfield and her management to be provocative to sell more records.[38]

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Hillary Duff

Come Clean


Wake Up!


Life is sweet – and getting even sweeter – for the pop world's favorite girl-next-door. Sure, Hilary Duff starred in a monstrously huge TV show but that's, like, so yesterday 'cause Hilary's exercising her right to change her mind and act her age. No more trying to fit a circle into a square. With her first real pop-rock album, Metamorphosis, and the #1 single "So Yesterday," Hilary is finally free to be who she wants to be.

"Change is a very important and natural thing," says Hilary. "We called the album Metamorphosis because it's about changes that everybody experiences. It's not just about me, but it is very personal. The change might seem a little sudden because most people are used to seeing me as a character through Lizzie McGuire and movie roles that I played. So this music is a good way to get everyone to know the real me. Everyone evolves and changes."

A triple-threat talent, Hilary has become a music, film and television phenomenon thanks to an unbroken string of hits that began with her starring role in the Disney Channel Original Series Lizzie McGuire, the record-breaking #1 show in its timeslot. Hilary made her singing debut on that hit sit-com, lending her fresh vocals and sunny style to "I Can’t Wait" from the RIAA-certified platinum Lizzie McGuire Television Soundtrack. In her motion picture debut, Hilary co-starred with Frankie Muniz in this summer's action-adventure hit Agent Cody Banks. Next came singing and starring roles in The Lizzie McGuire Movie, in which Hilary played – prophetically enough – an American tourist mistaken for a huge singing star.

Proving that life imitates art, Hilary’s singing career is exploding on Top 40 radio, MTV and Top 200 retail charts. Metamorphosis – her amazingly appealing debut solo album of 13 songs – shipped well in excess of gold with 800,000 copies on August 26, 2003 and charted #2 on the Billboard 200 its first week of release. Its debut single, "So Yesterday," became an instant #1 retail hit at Walmart.com, and stormed the pop singles charts on July 29, hitting the #1 spot after quickly making top-request waves at national Top 40 radio and on MTV’s signature program "Total Request Live," where Hilary's "Why Not" music video (from the RIAA-certified platinum The Lizzie McGuire Movie Soundtrack) had already been a Top 10 staple for months.

MTV also hosted a prestigious premiere for the "So Yesterday" music video on its July 21 presentations of Making The Video and TRL All-Star Backyard BBQ and featured Hilary in MTV Diary. Duff recently was a presenter at both the MTV Video Music Awards and the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, where she accepted the trophy for "Favorite TV Show" on behalf of Lizzie McGuire. And although there’s not one molecule of space left for another top award her shelf, "So Yesterday" has become the #1 most-streamed video on AOL.


"I’ve always sung, ever since I could talk," says Hilary. "At home, at school, in the choir, everywhere. But about two years ago I decided to be a real singer, and started working with really cool singers, musicians and songwriters. Best of all, I started working in the studio, experimenting and putting material together. I’ve really fallen in love with the studio. I just know that a lot of my fans relate to the album."

What kind of music can fans expect from Hilary on Metamorphosis? A chameleon-like variety of changing moods, from the romantic ballad "Where Did I Go Right?" to the ultimate break up song, "So Yesterday." From the tough-talkin' "Party Up" to the hard rockin' "Little Voice."

"The music on the album is a little different from the pop songs everyone’s heard from me before, because Metamorphosis has all the kinds of music I like to listen to," Hilary explains. "There are a lot of different sounds, from rock to eletronic – with a whole range of tempos from some deep, slow songs, to some high-energy rock songs to give me a boost. Everybody goes through different moods and different feelings and sometimes when you put on your favorite song it makes you feel a little bit better."

The 13 pop-rock songs on Metamorphosis were produced, arranged, written and mixed by the very best in the business. The album’s behind-the-scenes-talent includes Charlie Midnight (Joe Cocker, James Brown, Joni Mitchell) who contributed to nine tracks; The Matrix (Avril Lavigne, Christina Aguilera), the producing masterminds behind "So Yesterday," "Where Did I Go Right?" and "The Math"; Chico Bennett (Madonna, Usher, Destiny’s Child); Matthew Gerrard (Nick Carter); John Shanks (Michelle Branch); Kara DioGuardi (Celine Dion, Enrique Iglesias); singer-songwriter-producer Meredith Brooks; plus some of the best pop-rock musicians anywhere.

"Can I tell you how awesome everyone’s been to work with? They are the very best writers and producers and musicians ever, and they’ve been so open to my opinions," Hilary says. "It was important to me that all the songs we recorded really meant something special to me personally. I got to talk with some of the writers and say, 'You know, I feel like this . . .' and they really got it, which is so cool. I loved the whole process. It’s so exciting. I love that the whole album really relates to me and my life."

Two songs were special contributions from Hilary’s number one idol: her talented big sister, Haylie Duff. "Since she knows me better than anyone else in the world, Haylie wrote 'Sweet Sixteen,' a really fun song that totally relates to my life right now. She also came up with 'Inner Strength' and it's really beautiful. Very empowering and uplifting."

Speaking of idols, here's what another one has to say: "Hilary is just completely a light to the world," no less an authority than Britney Spears told Popstar! magazine. "So beautiful and so incredibly sweet. Her music is amazing . . . she should just be herself and never change."

It's difficult to comprehend all that Hilary Duff has accomplished in the past few years. Prior to Metamorphosis, Hilary had already sold 2.2 million albums, spent six weeks in the Billboard Top 10 and earned two platinum album awards. She has starred in one #1 television series, two hit movies, and has already made two more major films (20th Century Fox’s Cheaper By The Dozen with Steve Martin, and Warner Bros.' A Cinderella Story) to be released later this year. Plus, not one but two television specials will honor the big day she turns "Sweet Sixteen."

Not bad for someone who really just wants her driver's license.

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Taylor Dayne

In a career now reaching over 12 years Taylor Dayne has established herself as one of Pop Music's most successful artists. Her versatile voice has gained recognition in multiple formats from pop, rock, dance to adult comtempary.

Taylor has earned herself millions of album and single sales worldwide, two sold out world tours and 3 grammy nominations. Her voice reaches across the lines of age, gender and culture.

Taylor was born in Long Island, New York on March 7th...1962. Taylor began singing as a child running around the house constantly singing commercials and along to the radio. She soon discovered she had an amazing gift and then begin to fine tune it. She sang in a rock band at 15, after school trained classically to strengthen her singing albilities. Taylor soon joined a band called "FELONY" and got some hands on experience and also joined another band after that called "THE NEXT".

After this stage Taylor knew her love was to go solo and so she tried sending out demo's but soon she met her long time buddy and producer "Ric Wake" who together they found they had something special when it came to making music.

Taylor asked big companies for their throw away tracks and it just happened that a song called "TELL IT TO MY HEART" would be the launching pad of an amazing career.

"TELL IT TO MY HEART" soon soared up the pop charts all over the world bringing Taylor into the eyes of millions of fans and selling over 1 million copies worldwide and hitting number 1 in five countries. This was an unexpected success, Taylor was blown away by just how quickly it all started. She had signed with big label "ARISTA" and with a big hit they needed an album like yesterday. Taylor and her crew got to work and the debut album "TELL IT TO MY HEART"(1988) was made in a mere 6 weeks and spawned big hits such as:

* Tell It To My Heart
* Prove Your Love
* I'll Always Love You
* Don't Rush Me

This album went on to sell over 2 million copies worldwide and Taylor toured the world including opening for "Michael Jackson" on his BAD Tour. Then where most artists fall short Taylor stunned the critic's by gaining another 4 Top Ten Singles from her follow up album "CAN'T FIGHT FATE"(1990) which includes her USA #1 smash "Love Will Lead
You Back":

* With Every Beat Of My Heart
* Love Will Lead You Back
* I'll Be Your Shelter
* Heart Of Stone

This album also sold over 2 million copies worldwide and a world tour followed. Taylor then took a creative hiatus to prepare for her 3rd album, after 3 years Taylor was ready to release her next album tilted "SOUL DANCING"(1993) which she shows her amazing voice off and tops the charts with a remake of the Barry White song "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" which hits #1 in Australia and Top 20 in Usa and features the hits:

* Can't Get Enough Of Your Love
* Send Me A Lover
* I'll Wait

"SOUL DANCING" goes on to sell over 1/2 million copies in the USA and goes gold in Australia and peaks at number 3 on the album charts.

In 1994 Taylor records the theme song for the motion picture "The Shadow" starring Alec Baldwin and astounds fans with her dynamic vocal range.

* Original Sin

In 1995 Taylor decides to leave her record label "ARISTA" to take time out and to discover where she wants her career to go and on departure releases her "GREATEST HITS" album featuring her 10 consecutive smash hits plus remixes of:

* Say A Prayer
* I'll Wait
* Tell It To My Heart

Over the next 3 years Taylor takes up acting and stars in the movies:

* Stag
* Fools Paradise
* Love Affair

It was actually back in 1994 when Taylor starting to really take acting seriously and as well as her 3 movie roles, Taylor has also appeared on various Televison shows including
"Rude Awakenings".

In 1998 Taylor develops her own record label and begins work on her 4th solo album released in late 1998 tilted "NAKED WITHOUT YOU"an amazing album that showcases her writing and vocal talent and features the dance hits:

* Whatever You Want
* Unstoppable
* Naked Without You

"NAKED WITHOUT YOU" was a long wait for eager fans but was treasured by all her many fans and although only released in the USA, word is legal problems are holding up release for the rest of the world.

In 1999 Taylor tours and promotes the album and it is announced that a "LIVE CD" will be sold at her Live Shows and through her website in the near future.

In 2000 Taylor records a song tilted "Planet Love" for the motion picture "Flawless". This song soars to the #1 spot on the Billboard Dance Charts and fans go crazy over this great song:

* Planet Love

In May 2000 Taylor tours the USA and announces she is working on her 5th solo album and is working with great writer's and producer's.

In JULY 2000 the LIVE CD is being sold at Taylor's Live Shows in the USA and it will be sold through her website as a very limited edition collector's CD. The LIVE CD at this stage is not getting a commercial release:

* Live CD

Taylor Dayne fans from around the world eagerly wait for the LIVE CD to be sold on her website and for her forthcoming new album...

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Nelly Furtado

Taylor Swift

Sean Kingston

Beautiful Girl


Big Girls, Don't Cry (feat Fergie)


After producing an endless array of hit records for the likes of musical heavyweights such as 50 Cent, The Game, Rihanna and Snoop Dogg, production savant J.R. Rotem has turned his attention to one of the most innovative young talents in music, Sean Kingston, the first signing on his Beluga Heights label.

Kingston, a 17 year old native of Jamaica who now lives in Miami brings his very unique triple threat of talent of rapping, reggae chatting and soulful harmonization with the 2007 release of his debut yet to be titled album.

"As an artist, my whole goal is to make powerful and classic music," Sean divulges. "I want everyone to feel me and understand where I'm from and that's what this album will do. The music is all about an authentic Sean Kingston vibe. JR is a talented dude and a dope producer and he saw that I had something different than any other artist out there. Together we're a powerful force.

In addition to J.R., The Runners, Cool and Dre, DJ Felli Fell, and DJ Khaled will be supplying beats. In just a short time, Kingston has already done what few in his age bracket can accomplish - solidify a following in the streets and get people excited about music again.

He has two certified thunder knockers on his hands with "Colors 2007" and the Jamaican remix. The original version is a lyrical brouhaha with Kingston showing he can hang with the acclaimed guest MCs. Miami Mayor Rick Ross and the multi-platinum west coast superstar, The Game. The reggae remix of Colors is a Caribbean hailstorm featuring the legendary Vybez Cartel and the always profound Kardinal Offishall. Both records maintain the same theme of unity and self-reflection.

"That's the whole campaign," Kingston, whose parents are from Jamaica, elaborated. "The song is about representing every flag that you're loyal to - whether it is Jamaica, the States, your block etc. It's a lifestyle record that can be a street anthem no matter where you are. I couldn't ask for anybody better than The Game and Ross to join me on the track. The Reggae version came up because I knew I had to do one special for Jamaica. The first person I thought of was Vybez Cartel. His verse came out crazy. Then Kardinal Official, that's my homie, he really attacked the track."

Kingston's album is shaping up to be as diverse as the colors are on the different flags he talks about.

The melody of "Stand By Me," also acted a muse for the first official single off the album "Beautiful Girls." It is way more than puppy love when Sean lays his vocals on the record, singing about a shattering break up.

"You're way too beautiful girl," he sings about heartbreak. "Girls will have you suicidal when they say it's over."

"I heard the track 'Stand By Me,' one night in the studio, the radio was on. "I asked J.R., did anybody ever flip that? He made the beat the beat right there on the spot and I wrote the songs in a few minutes. It's hard when you're in love and a girl tells you that it is time to end things. I know everyone can relate to that, so that's why I had to write about it."

"Drummer Boy" finds Kingston sticking mainly to rapping over the trouncing pounce of drums, while "I Can Feel" takes it to the party and incorporates a sample of Phil Collins' timeless "In the Air Tonight."

Perhaps one of the most eye opening track however may the song "Prosecutor," where Kingston vents about what he calls the wrongful imprisonment of his sister and mother. "You're lying and there's no way to prove it," he fumes.

Sean says he was inspired to write the record after he saw his family incarcerated when he was just 14 years old.

"I always had my sister and my brother," he began to explain. "My brother was doing his own thing, he was there but he was running around doing his own thing. When my mother and sister went away, it took a lot out of me. My sister went away for four months and my mom been away for over a year. When she went way, I was like 'nah man, this is too much.' I was only 14. I missed her like crazy but I pulled through and used it as my motivation. "Prosecutor" is a defining song on the album for me - nothing fake about it because it touches on something very personal to me. The dope melody that's on there makes me feel even closer to it."

Kingston wants to make it clear that he is no cookie cutter artist that has the songs laid out for him. He comes up with 100 percent of his lyrics.

"Man, it feels good to get that creative freedom," he says. "Not a lot of artists are put in that position. I don't feel that just because I'm a young dude, somebody should write my songs and say 'ok spit it this way.' I think music is better when it comes from the person, when it comes from your heart. I feel comfortable writing my own music and them letting me do it, is a great situation.

Sean talks about J.R. more like a big brother, rather than an Executive Producer of his album. Couple of years ago, Kingston started randomly hitting music industry contacts on MySpace. Although none of the A&R reps responded, Rotem emailed him back. J.R. almost had no choice, "Sean would hit me up at least three times a day!" J.R. says.

"He just had a real distinct sound," Rotem remembers. "I worked with some of the best and I don't see why Sean can't grow to be one of them. His potential is limitless."

Rotem invited Sean for a meeting in Los Angeles, coincidentally; the young performer was already in the process of moving to California. Shortly after their initial meeting, Rotem had a flagship artist for his Epic records joint venture, Beluga Heights. For Sean, it was almost like a prophecy beginning to be fulfilled. Not only is music his love, it is in his blood. Iconic Reggae artist Buju Banton is his uncle and Jack Ruby, who produced records for Bob Marley and Burning Spear in Jamaica, is his grandfather. Now Kingston says he's looking forward to making music and living out his dream.

"In the future I want to have my own label and work on the business side," he said. "I went to acting school when I was younger, so I want to get into that. I want to get into every aspect of the business. It took me a little while to develop and build my sound, to find out who the real Sean Kingston was. I didn't know if I wanted to harmonize, or to rap. But I found out that I can do it all."

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Sean Kingston