Wednesday 27 July 2011

the saturdays

The Saturdays is a British/Irish girl group formed in 2007. The band consists of five members: Frankie Sandford, Vanessa White, Una Healy, Mollie King and Rochelle Wiseman. They made their recording début in 2008 for the record label Fascination Records, a sub-division of Polydor Records. Their first debut single "If This is Love" stayed in the charts for seventeen weeks. To-date the band have released three albums which have charted in the UK Top 10 Albums Chart and scored nine UK Top Ten singles, with only ten singles released. As of July 2011, the band has sold roughly over 3 million records in the UK alone.[1]
Their debut album, Chasing Lights, produced 4 top ten singles on the UK Singles Chart.[2] The band embarked on their first headlining UK tour, The Work Tour, in June 2009, and started work on their second album during this tour.[3] The band released the number-two single "Forever Is Over" in October 2009 from their second album, Wordshaker.[2][4] The album peaked at number nine on the UK Albums Chart and produced another top ten single, "Ego".[2] The Saturdays released their first Extended Play or "mini album", titled Headlines!, on 16 August 2010.[5] "Missing You" is the album's first single, and "Higher" is the second. Soon after release, the band announced an accompanying tour, The Headlines Tour.[6] The Saturdays confirmed that they would go on tour again, in December 2011.[7] It was confirmed that their single from their third upcoming studio album would be released on 22 May 2011, titled "Notorious"[8] The single was written by Steve Mac and Ina Wroldsen.[9] The band are due to go on their third headlining tour, however they will tour arena's instead of theaters during the All Fired Up Tour. Following their untitled fourth album, which
The Saturdays were signed to Fascination Records, a sub-label of Polydor Records. Their first studio album, Chasing Lights, was recorded during May and June 2008 with input from multiple producers and song writers, including Alex James, Ina Wroldsen and Alex Cartana. The group supported Girls Aloud on their Tangled Up Tour before the release of their first single, "If This Is Love". The single was released on 2 July 2008 and peaked at number 8 on the UK Singles Chart,[2] the track featured a sample of Yazoo's 1982 single, "Situation. The second single, "Up", was released in October 2008 and peaked at number 5. The single was produced by Quiz & Larossi. "Up" was described as an upbeat bubblegum pop, dance-pop and electropop song.[10][11][12] Its style has also been described as "electro-tinged" and "robotic disco-pop".[12][13] The song has a fun and anthemic feel to it.[10][13] It is 4 minutes and 4 seconds in length.[14] The track also contains prominent siren sound effects which have been likened to the sound of Mis-Teeq's 2003 song "Scandalous".[11] The backing is synthesised on one note throughout the whole song.[15] Written in the key of A minor the beat of the song is set in 6/8 and progresses at an uptempo 126 beats per minute.[16][17] The chorus follows an Am–F–Dm–E chord progression. Also in October, the album Chasing Lights was released. It peaked at number 9 on the UK Albums Chart.[2] In early 2009 the album was certified Platinum by the BBI.[18] The third single, "Issues", was released in January 2009 and reached number 4,[2] which also gained a certificate of Silver by the BBI.[18] Early in the band's career, Frankie Sandford stated in an interview with Mail Online, "'We aren't models who can't sing. We all sing and we all dance. No one's telling us what to do. We're all different because we're just ourselves - and that's the way it should be."[19]
As well as supporting Girls Aloud, The Saturdays also supported the Jonas Brothers at their Hammersmith Apollo gig on 11 September.[20] They also played at Capital FM's Jingle Bell Ball at The O2 Arena in December.[21] On 5 November they performed at Perez Hilton's One Night In Liverpool, and played at Cardiff's Gay Pride event.[22] On the Christmas 2008 special of British Nickelodeon show Ross Lee's Ghoulies, The Saturdays made a special appearance.[23] They also guest starred in Hollyoaks Later in September 2008 and on a 10-minute BBC show, Myths. Early in 2009, the group presented a "Debut Singles" chart show for 4Music. In March, the group released their fourth single, a cover of the Depeche Mode song "Just Can't Get Enough" as one of the official Comic Relief 2009 singles. The single peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart and was the group's third consecutive top twenty hit in Ireland, reaching number six, the group's first top ten appearance in a foreign music market.[24] The single later achieved a Silver certificate by the BBI.[18] The song has also become a cult anthem for Celtic Football Club.[25]
The group announced that they would be doing their own tour in 2009 – The Work Tour, the tour had twenty-seven dates. The group's support acts for the tour were Mini Viva, Pixie Lott, Vagabond and Jessie Malakouti.[26] The name The Work Tour came across after the band released a fifth and final single from the first studio album, Chasing Lights, which was the single "Work", the single later peaked at number 22 in the UK and number 21 in Ireland.[2] Also McFly's Dougie Poynter, Frankie Sandford's boyfriend played bass guitar during "Just Can't Get Enough".[27][28][29] Vanessa White tripped on some wires back stage and had a foot injury, she remained seated on stage for some shows.[30] On the last night of the tour at Manchester Apollo, Michael Jackson's memorial service was on backstage and the band was watching it, so they played a tribute song, singing, sing-a-long of The Jacksons' "Blame It on the Boogie".is due for release in November 2011The group began work on their second studio album in early March 2009, whilst the group performing their first headlining tour, The Work Tour. While on the tour, two songs during their recording sessions; "One Shot" and the album title track, "Wordshaker" were part of the setlist which would appear on the album.[31] The official cover was revealed in a special mailer to fans on the group's official form/website on 23 September 2009.[32] It was revealed that Ina Wroldsen had a huge part in the album, co-writting seven of the songs which would appear on the album.[33] A track titled "Deeper" credited all the band members as the songwriters during the album notes. The album's lead single from the album was titled "Forever Is Over", which gained positive reviews from critics, with OK! Magazine labelling the song as "An infectious synth pop tune".[34] Muumuse.com had the following to say: "Radio-friendly doesn't even begin to describe it - the chorus is simply massive
After the single was released on 4 October 2009, the album make is debut on the UK Singles Charts at number-two making the song one of the bands best peak positions. The song also debuted on the Irish Singles Charts at number nine. "Forever Is Over" was wrote by James Bourne; ex-Busted member, Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters, although it was originally written for American Idol winner, Kelly Clarkson.[36] The single was also wanted by American pop rock artist, Pink.[37] The news section on the group's official website indicated that through September and October 2009, the girls can be seen on many TV shows as they promote the album.[38] Upon the release of Wordshaker, the album generated generally favorable reviews amongst critics upon its release. Allmusic's Matthew Chisling awarded the album three out of five stars, praising the girls and the album for "combining aggressive basslines and vocals that are a pinch of prowess". Chisling's praised tracks like "Open Up," "Lose Control," and "Not Good Enough" for their "catchiness [that] can't be denied". However he criticized "Forever Is Over" and "One Shot" for being "unoriginal" and for being "too Americanized".[39] David Balls of Digital Spy said that "If anything, the girls are showing even more confidence this time around", Praising 'One Shot' and 'Wordshaker' for both combining "grinding basslines with lethal pop hooks". However he was less impressed with the ballads criticizing and calling them a "curse" on the album. As a whole he called the album "fresh-sounding" and that it "should take the group one step closer to household names". He went on to give the album three out of five stars.[40] Michael Cragg from musicOMH called the album as a whole an "enjoyable blast of well-crafted pop" with "throbbing synths" that's "joyful". The only critique Michael had was that "The Saturdays have yet to master - the ballad" stating they "bludgeon most of the slower songs to death." but when they stick to having fun its very "enjoyable". Michael went on to give the album three out of five stars.[41]
The CD single of "Forever Is Over" was released with a b-side, titled "I Can't Wait", which was written by the band themselves with Hannah Robinson and later produced by producers Ben Macklin, Julian Peakeand Richard Stannard.[42] In 2008 and 2009, the Saturdays appeared in adverts for several products including a brand of deodorant, tampons,[43] mobile phones, an operating system, and hair removal products.[44] In December 2009, they performed a gig at the HMV Forum in London, which was later shown on Channel 4.[45]The second and final single to be released from Wordshaker was confirmed as "Ego". The single was wrote by Steve Mac and Ina Wroldsen who has wrote the majority of the bands songs, the song was also produced by Mac. The band appeared on Dancing on Ice to promote the single, they also made an appearance on GMTV, Blue Peter and Alan Carr: Chatty Man. The single was accompanied by a music video which was released in November 2009, and had a similar theme to The Watchmen which was set in 1985. The lead male in the video was Waz Ashayer, who appeared in Make Me a Supermodel.[46] After the promotion of the single the charted at number-nine on the UK Singles Charts and number-ten on the Irish Singles Chart. Although the single became one of the lowest charting, it became one of their best selling singles, with the single gaining a Silver certification by the BBI.[18] The single is their second best selling second behind "Up", where "Up" holds sales of 311,000 and "Ego" holding 307,000

Sunday 24 July 2011

shontelle

Shontelle Layne (born October 4, 1983), known professionally as Shontelle, is a Barbadian singer, and songwriter. She released her debut album Shontelligence in November 2008. Her second album, No Gravity, was released in September 201
Shontelle Layne was born on October 4, 1983, in Barbados to Raymond and Beverley Layne and is the oldest of three sisters.[2] Shontelle has stated that she was highly athletic when she was young, participating in track & field while excelling in school.[2] Shontelle's aunt, Kim Derrick, a Caribbean singer, encouraged her to pursue singing.[2] While in high school, Shontelle was a member of the Cadet Corps at Harrison College where she was a drill sergeant over Rihanna, which sprouted a friendship.[2]
Shontelle later became a student of entertainment law at the University of the West Indies campus in Barbados and was on her way to becoming a lawyer when Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers heard "Roll It Gal" on the radio, a song that Shontelle had co-written for Alison Hinds, a fellow Bajan artist.[2] This prompted the two to find her to create a cover version of the song, but later brought her to the US in late 2007 and signed her to SRC Records.[2] Later, Shontelle moved to America so she could fulfill her dream in being a singer and songwriter0.
Shontelle began work on her debut studio album in early 2008, and completed the album in six months.[2] The album's title was given to her by the album's engineer who used the word "shontelligence" as a joke after Shontelle and her producers were playing a game that involved making up words from her name.[3] "T-Shirt", Shontelle's debut single, was released in July 2008 and reached number thirty-six on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a moderate hit. However, it reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, peaking at number six there.[3]
Shontelle's debut album, Shontelligence, was released on November 18, 2008. The album reached number 115 on the Billboard 200,[4] selling 6,200 records in its first week,[5] and reached number twenty-four on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[4] It was re-released on March 10, 2009, and has since sold 30,000 records in the US.[5]
The second single from the album, "Stuck with Each Other", featuring Akon, was released in February 2009 in the US and May 2009 in the UK. The single failed to chart in the US, but reached number twenty-three in the United Kingdom. Shontelle toured as a supporting act for the UK leg of the New Kids on the Block World Tour in January 2009. Shontelle was also Beyoncé Knowles' opening act for her I Am... Tour from May to June 2009 during the British leg.[6]
Shontelle was also the host of My Prom Style! and Universal Motown's 2009 Ultimate Prom fashion reality series. She performed at a high school prom in New York City in June 2009, but first she led three students in a competition to design the dress that singer Kat DeLuna, the headliner, wore at the Ultimate Prom concert.[
Shontelle's second album, No Gravity, was released in the US on September 21, 2010.[8] Shontelle stated that the album would be experimental and that she wanted to change her original sound for the record.[9] While the title 'No Gravity' symbolises a mantra, Shontelle states she has adapted to her life and to her career, to motivate herself to keep climbing higher and to have nothing hold her down or hold her back.[10] Shontelle collaborated with Bruno Mars, Tony Kanal and Darkchild among others for the record.[11] In the first week of release, No Gravity placed at number 81 on the Billboard 200, selling 7,000 copies.[citation needed]
The lead single from the album, "Impossible", was released in February 2010 for digital download, but failed to garner success until May 2010, when it debuted on the Billboard Hot 100. It has since become her most successful single to date, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100.[12] The second single from the album, "Perfect Nightmare", was released in August 2010. "Say Hello to Goodbye" was released to pop radio on March 15 as the third single.

Sunday 17 July 2011

britney spears

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album ...Baby One More Time in 1999. During her first decade within the music industry, she became a prominent figure in mainstream popular music and popular culture, followed by a much-publicized personal life. Her first two albums established her as a pop icon and broke sales records, while title tracks "...Baby One More Time" and "Oops!... I Did It Again" became international number-one hits. Spears was credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s.
In 2001, she released her third studio album Britney and expanded her  the starring role in the film Crossroads. She assumed creative control of her fourth studio album, In the Zone released in 2003, which yielded chart-topping singles "Me Against the Music", "Toxic" and "Everytime". After the release of two compilation albums, Spears experienced personal struggles and her career went under hiatus. Her fifth studio album, Blackout, was released in 2007 and despite receiving little promotion, it spawned hits "Gimme More" and "Piece of Me". In 2008, her erratic behaviour and hospitalizations caused her to be placed in a conservatorship. The same year, her sixth studio album Circus was released, with the global chart-topping lead single "Womanizer". After embarking on The Circus Starring Britney Spears, she released greatest hits The Singles Collection, which featured U.S. and Canadian number-one single "3". In 2011, Spears returned with her seventh studio album, titled Femme Fatale, which was released on March 29, 2011, including the lead single "Hold It Against Me" which has become Spears' fourth U.S. number-one single.[1][2] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.[3] This made Spears the only female artist ever to have six number one debut albums, and have seven albums debut in the top two spots.
Spears has sold over 100 million records worldwide. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the eighth top-selling female artist in the United States, with 33 million certified albums.[4] Spears is also recognized as the best-selling female artist of the first decade of the 21st century, as well as the fifth overall.[5] She was ranked the 8th Artist of the 2000s by Billboard.[6] In June 2010, Spears was ranked sixth on Forbes list of the 100 Most Powerful and Influential celebrities in the world; she is also the third most mentioned musician on the internet, according to Forbes.[7]
Britney Jean Spears was born on December 2, 1981, the second child of Lynne Irene (née Bridges) and James Parnell Spears. She is of English heritage through her maternal grandmother, who was born in London, and of distant Maltese descent.[8][9] Her siblings are Bryan James and Jamie Lynn.[10] At age three, she started to attend dance lessons in her hometown of Kentwood, Louisiana, and was selected to perform a solo at the annual recital. During her childhood, she also attended gymnastics and voice lessons, and won many state-level competitions and children's talent shows.[11][12][13]
Spears made her local stage debut at age five, singing "What Child Is This?" at her kindergarten graduation. She said about her ambition as a child, "I was in my own world, [...] I found out what I'm supposed to do at an early age".[12] At age eight, Spears and her mother Lynne traveled to Atlanta for an audition in the 1990s revival of The Mickey Mouse Club. Casting director Matt Cassella rejected her for being too young to join the series at the time, but introduced her to Nancy Carson, a New York City talent agent. Carson was impressed with Spears's vocals and suggested enrolling her at the Professional Performing Arts School; shortly after, Lynne and her daughters moved to a sublet apartment in New York.
Spears was hired for her first professional role as the understudy for the lead role of Tina Denmark in the Off-Broadway musical Ruthless!. She also appeared as a contestant on the popular television show Star Search, as well as being cast in a number of commercials.[14][15] In December 1992, she was finally cast in The Mickey Mouse Club, but returned to Kentwood after the show was cancelled. She enrolled at Parklane Academy in nearby McComb, Mississippi. Although she made friends with most of her classmates, she compared the school to "the opening scene in Clueless with all the cliques. [...] I was so bored. I was the point guard on the basketball team. I had my boyfriend, and I went to homecoming and Christmas formal. But I wanted more."[12][16]
In June 1997, Spears was in talks with manager Lou Pearlman to join female pop group Innosense. Lynne asked family friend and entertainment lawyer Larry Rudolph for his opinion and submitted a tape of Spears singing over a Whitney Houston karaoke song along with some pictures. Rudolph decided he wanted to pitch her to record labels, therefore she needed a professional demo. He sent Spears an unused song from Toni Braxton; she rehearsed for a week and recorded her vocals in a studio with a sound engineer. Spears travelled to New York with the demo and met with executives from four labels, returning to Kentwood the same day. Three of the labels rejected her, arguing audiences wanted pop bands such as the Backstreet Boys and the Spice Girls, and "there wasn't going to be another Madonna, another Debbie Gibson, or another Tiffany." Two weeks later, executives from Jive Records returned calls to Rudolph.[17]
Senior vice president of A&R Jeff Fenster stated about Spears's audition that "It's very rare to hear someone that age who can deliver emotional