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Top 5 October 25

Avicii

Avicii is number 1 for "Wake me Up" and number 3 for "Hey Brother"

Photo: Mark Runyon | ConcertTour.org

About Avicii

Tim Bergling (born 8 September 1989), better known as Avicii (stylized as ΛVICII and ◢◤), is a Swedish DJ, remixer, and record producer. Avicii is a dance-genre DJ who ranked No. 6 on the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine in 2011, No. 3 in 2012, and was ranked No. 3 again in 2013.

Influences

I've always been into music, and growing up with older siblings I've also had loads of different influences when it comes to my music taste. There are loads of other people that have influenced me but I think the biggest inspirations I've had aside from my manager has been the Swedish House Mafia guys and Eric Prydz, they were the ones who first got me into house!

Avicii

Avicii's influences include Tiësto, Daft Punk, Laidback Luke, Eric Prydz, and former Swedish House Mafia trio Sebastian Ingrosso, Steve Angello, and Axwell. Said Avicii in April 2011, "I've always been into music, and growing up with older siblings I've also had loads of different influences when it comes to my music taste. There are loads of other people that have influenced me but I think the biggest inspirations I've had aside from my manager has been the Swedish House Mafia guys and Eric Prydz, they were the ones who first got me into house!"

Musical career

2008

In May 2008, Avicii signed to At Night Management.

2010–2011

In 2010, Avicii released a collaboration with John Dahlbäck, titled "Don't Hold Back". He additionally worked on projects with internationally-recognized DJs Tiësto and Sebastian Ingrosso. While his work is primarily electronic synthetic tracks, EMI released a vocal version of his track "Bromance", titled "Seek Bromance". "Seek Bromance" reached the top 20 in several countries including Belgium, France, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Sweden. He also remixed Nadia Ali's classic single "Rapture" for her album Queen of Clubs Trilogy: Onyx Edition. In October 2010, Avicii signed with the European A&R team with EMI Music Publishing, one of the recording industry's "big four".

In 2011, his collaboration track, "Sunshine", with David Guetta was nominated for a Grammy award under the category for Best Dance Recording.[7] His track "Fade into Darkness" was sampled by Leona Lewis on her single "Collide". The sampling was not accredited and led to controversy as Avicii attempted to block the single's release. However, the matter was resolved outside of court with representatives stating "that Leona Lewis and Avicii will work together on the forthcoming single of Collide".[8] In 2011, Avicii released "Levels", which reached the top ten in India, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and topped the charts in Hungary, Norway and Sweden.

"Levels"

Avicii's most notable song has been the single "Levels" which was released officially on 28 October 2011. The song had already been a major hit in the electronic music world all through 2011, but after its official release it became a huge mainstream hit, greatly increasing Avicii's popularity. The song was written by Tim Bergling and contains a vocal sample from the 1962 gospel-inspired "Something's Got a Hold on Me" by Etta James. The same vocal sample was used first by Pretty Lights in his 2006 song "Finally Moving". This sample was also used by Drum and Bass producer Logistics on "Call Me Back" and by Flo Rida in his single "Good Feeling", which was produced by Dr. Luke and Cirkut. 2012

AWX Avicii Concert

On 23 March 2012, Avicii's unsigned single "Last Dance" was previewed on Pete Tong's show on BBC Radio 1. The song was later released on 27 August 2012. At Ultra Music Festival 2012 in Miami, he premiered two tracks, "Girl Gone Wild" (Avicii's UMF Remix) with Madonna and "Superlove" with Lenny Kravitz. Avicii's UMF Remix of "Girl Gone Wild" was released on 20 April 2012, and "Superlove" with Kravitz was released on 29 May 2012. After reaching two million followers on Facebook, Avicii released a new song titled "Two Million". It was put out as a free download on his official Soundcloud page. On 27 April 2012, Avicii released "Silhouettes". Featuring vocals from Salem Al Fakir, this song peaked at #5 on the UK Dance charts and #4 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs. Later in the summer, he was a featured performer on 4 August 2012 at Lollapalooza festival in Chicago's Grant Park. His performance was streamed online. On 12 August 2012, Avicii released "Dancing in My Head" (Avicii's 'Been Cursed' Mix) on Beatport. The track features vocals from Eric Turner. A radio edit of the track, titled "Dancing in My Head" (Tom Hangs Mix) was released on 14 August 2012 on iTunes, and a remix EP was later released on 30 October 2012 featuring remixes from Charlie Bernardo and Michael Woods.

On 26 September 2012, Avicii made history by being the first DJ to headline world famous Radio City Music Hall in New York City. He performed two sold out shows on 26 and 27 September. The 27 September show sold out in less than one minute. He was supported by Matt Goldman and Cazzette at the two shows. At his Radio City Music Hall shows, he played a preview of his new track with Mike Posner titled "Stay with You".

On 29 December 2012, Avicii released his highly anticipated "I Could Be the One" with Nicky Romero. Formerly known as "Nicktim", the song's title was changed after vocals by Noonie Bao were added. After first being debuted at his shows almost a year earlier, the track finally got released via Avicii's record label LE7ELS. The new vocal version was released along with an instrumental version, a radio edit, and remixes from Audrio and Didrick. Avicii is currently ranked number 3 on DJ Mag's Top 100 DJs List for 2012, moving up three spots from his position at number six in 2011.

2013–present

On 9 January 2013, Avicii launched the Avicii X You project, a partnership with Ericsson designed to create the world's first "crowdsourced" hit song. The project enabled fans to send in basslines, effects, melodies, rhythms and vocals to Avicii as sound files over the Internet. Avicii acted as executive producer and created the finished song, which was released on 26 February 2013.

Avicii and Hans Vestberg, President & CEO, Ericsson

On 30 January 2013, Avicii released "Three Million" featuring Negin to mark the 3 millionth fan on his Facebook page. Avicii previously released "Two Million", again when he reached 2 million fans on his Facebook page.

Avicii was nominated for a Grammy for Best Dance Recording with "Levels" at the 2013 Grammy Awards. He was nominated alongside Calvin Harris and Ne-Yo, Skrillex, Swedish House Mafia and John Martin, and Al Walser. The award show took place on 10 February 2013 and the award was won by Skrillex.

From late February to early March 2013, Avicii toured Australia as one of the headline acts in the Future Music Festival alongside The Prodigy and The Stone Roses.[12] In late February 2013, Avicii made his first South American Tour including concerts in Venezuela, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil and Chile.

In March 2013, Avicii announced and premiered many new tracks from his new album, which would later be set to be released in September, during his Main Stage set at Ultra Music Festival in Miami. The new tracks were experimental in nature, and received mixed critical reviews.

On 11 April 2013, Avicii has released his new album promo mix on SoundCloud. The EBU and SVT announced on 15 April that Avicii, along with ex-ABBA members Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, had composed the anthem for the Eurovision Song Contest 2013. The song was performed for the first time in the Final on 18 May.

On 14 June 2013, the world premier of Avicii's new single, "Wake Me Up!" was previewed by Pete Tong on BBC Radio 1 featuring vocals from Aloe Blacc. Tong described the single as a 'complete change in style' from previous singles. The song was later released on iTunes and radio on 25 June 2013. It is the first single from Avicii's album, True, which was released on 17 September 2013. "Wake Me Up!" was #1 on the Spotify Global Chart and Avicii was at 2 in most streamed artist worldwide.

The Official Charts Company announced on 21 July that "Wake Me Up!" has become the UK's fastest selling single of 2013 after overtaking Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines", to sell 267,000 copies in its first week on sale in the UK. "Wake Me Up!" has subsequently become a major hit, topping the charts in over 20 countries including Australia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Scandinavia, the Netherlands and New Zealand.

On 19 October 2013, the DJ Mag 2013 Top 100 DJs List was announced, with Avicii ranking No.3 on the list. Hardwell became the new World No.1 displacing Armin Van Buuren.

Charitable work

Since achieving widespread commercial success, Avicii began working with his manager and executive producer Ash Pournouri to start House for Hunger in 2011, a charity dedicated to alleviating global hunger. The pair wanted to showcase the giving spirit fostered by the house music community. Avicii explained, "You have to give something back. I am so fortunate to be in the position where I can actually do that. I feel lucky every day when I wake up and am able to do what I love and make a living." In addition to donating $1 million to Feeding America, a charity founded by Lauren Bush, House for Hunger has helped fund the efforts of The Feed Foundation, allowing it to distribute over two million school meals throughout Africa

Miley Cyrus

Wrecking Ball - Number 2

Photo: Alexandre Costa

Miley Ray Cyrus (born Destiny Hope Cyrus; November 23, 1992) is an American actress and recording artist. The daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, she held minor roles in the television series Doc and the film Big Fish in her childhood. In 2006, Cyrus rose to prominence as a teen idol after being cast in the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana, in which she portrayed the starring character Miley Stewart.

After signing a recording contract with Hollywood Records in 2007, she released Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, which served as the series' soundtrack and Cyrus' debut studio album. It sold three million copies in the United States, and produced the Billboard Hot 100 top-ten single "See You Again". That year, her Best of Both Worlds Tour was adapted into the film Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert.

Cyrus' second album, Breakout (2008), was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments exceeding one million copies, and featured the successful track "7 Things". That same year, she launched her film career as the voice actress for Penny in the animated film Bolt. She earned a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for her performance of its theme song, "I Thought I Lost You". In 2009, Cyrus starred in the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie, whose soundtrack and lead single "The Climb" introduced her to country and adult contemporary markets.

Cyrus developed an adult image and mainstream pop sound with her extended play The Time of Our Lives (2009). Peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, its track "Party in the U.S.A." became her highest-peaking single on the chart up to that point. Cyrus' maturing image progressed with the film The Last Song and her third album Can't Be Tamed in 2010. The latter project featured more prominent dance elements than her earlier releases, and was promoted through sexually-themed performances. In the following two years, she focused on her acting career with several television and film appearances. After signing with RCA Records, Cyrus released her fourth album, Bangerz, in 2013. Its singles "We Can't Stop" and "Wrecking Ball" were promoted with provocative music videos. The former was additionally performed during a controversial performance at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards, while the latter became her first number-one hit in the United States.

"I've not taken, like, acting lessons or anything, but it doesn't mean I don't need to because I'm sure I do [...] I'm probably going to go book an acting coach."

Cyrus is recognized as among the most successful artists to originate from Disney. Cyrus ranked number thirteen on Forbes' 2010 Celebrity 100. For the 2011 Guinness World Records, she was named the “Most Charted Teenager” following her 29th US Billboard Hot 100 chart entry on November 7, 2009 with "Party in the U.S.A.". By the age of 18, she had seven top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and had four RIAA certified albums. As of October 2013, Cyrus has nine top-ten hits on the Hot 100.

Life and career

1992–2005: Early life and career beginnings

Destiny Hope Cyrus was born on November 23, 1992, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Letitia Jean "Tish" (née Finley) and country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. Her name was derived from her parents' belief that she would accomplish great things with her life, and was given the nickname "Smiley", later shortened to "Miley", because she often smiled as an infant. Cyrus suffers from a mild heart condition causing tachycardia which, though not dangerous, is often bothersome. Against the advice of her father's record company, Cyrus's parents secretly married a month after Cyrus's birth on December 28, 1992. Tish had two children from a previous relationship: Trace and Brandi. Billy Ray adopted Trace and Brandi when they were young. She has a half-brother, Christopher Cody, Billy Ray's son from a brief relationship, born the same year as Miley; he grew up with his mother in South Carolina. Tish and Billy Ray had two more children, Braison and Noah. Cyrus's godmother is entertainer Dolly Parton. Cyrus was very close to her paternal grandfather, Democratic politician Ronald Ray Cyrus. Cyrus has paid her grandfather several tributes since his death in 2006, including eventually changing her middle name to "Ray". According to Cyrus's father, "A lot of people say Miley changed her name to Miley Ray because of Billy Ray, but that's not true. She did that in honor of my dad, because the two of them just loved each other to pieces."

Cyrus grew up on a 500-acre (2.0 km2) farm in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, and attended Heritage Elementary School. She was raised Christian and was baptized in a Southern Baptist church prior to moving to Hollywood in 2005. She attended church regularly while growing up and wore a purity ring. Several of Cyrus's siblings also eventually entered the entertainment business: Trace became a vocalist and guitarist for the electronic pop band Metro Station, Noah became an actress, and Brandi became a guitarist. In 2001, when Cyrus was eight, she and her family moved to Toronto, Canada while her father filmed the television series Doc. Cyrus said watching her father film the show inspired her to pursue acting. After Billy Ray took her to see a 2001 Mirvish production of Mamma Mia! at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Cyrus grabbed his arm and told him, "This is what I want to do, daddy. I want to be an actress." She began taking singing and acting classes at the Armstrong Acting Studio in Toronto. In her first role, Cyrus played a girl named Kylie on Doc. In 2003, Cyrus was credited under her birth name for her role as "Young Ruthie" in Tim Burton's Big Fish. During this time, she also auditioned with Taylor Lautner for the feature film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D and it came down to her and another actress, but Cyrus started doing Hannah Montana instead.

2006: Breakthrough with Hannah Montana

At age 11, Cyrus learned of the casting for what became Hannah Montana, a Disney Channel children's television series about a school girl with a secret double life as a teen pop star. Cyrus sent in a tape auditioning for its best friend role, but received a call asking her to audition for the lead, "Chloe Stewart". After sending in a new tape and flying to Hollywood for further auditions, Cyrus was told that she was too young and too small for the part. However, the series' producers invited her for further auditions in light of her persistence and her singing and acting abilities. The following year, Cyrus received the lead position, renamed "Miley Stewart" after herself. Hannah Montana premiered on March 24, 2006, to the largest audience for a Disney Channel program, and quickly ranked among the highest-rated series on basic cable, elevating Cyrus' wealth and fame. Its instant success helped propel Cyrus to teen idol status. Time magazine reports that Cyrus's "phenom[enal]" success is due partially to her talent and partially to "Disney learning to use its vast, multimedia holdings" and market Cyrus and Hannah Montana appropriately. Cyrus eventually became the first artist to have deals in television, film, consumer products, and music within The Walt Disney Company.

As Cyrus' career flourished, Tish Cyrus made several critical decisions regarding her daughter's representation. She signed Cyrus with Mitchell Gossett, director of the youth division at Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty. He is credited with "discovering" her after arranging her auditions for Hannah Montana. Per the recommendation of Cyrus' godmother, country singer Dolly Parton, Tish signed Cyrus with Jason Morey of Morey Management Group for her music career because of their "good morals" that are "not always the case in this business". Franke Swertlow of The Hollywood Reporter described Parton's advice as "the best advice [Tish] could [have gotten] on who should rep her daughter." Tish also recruited Billy Ray's business manager to manage her daughter's finances. Tish herself continues to co-manage or produce many of Cyrus's career decisions. For her education, Cyrus enrolled at Options for Youth Charter Schools and studied with a private tutor on the set of her television show.

The theme song for Hannah Montana, "The Best of Both Worlds", was released on March 28, 2006. The track is credited to "Hannah Montana", the titular pop star that Cyrus portrays. As with other songs credited to Montana, Cyrus typically dressed as the character when performing the song live. It became Cyrus' first charting song, debuting at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song also had success in countries such as the UK and Ireland, where it peaked at number 43 and 17, respectively. Dressed as Hannah Montana, Cyrus opened for The Cheetah Girls on twenty dates of their The Party's Just Begun Tour, beginning on September 15, 2006. On October 24, Walt Disney Records released the first Hannah Montana soundtrack. Of the nine tracks on the soundtrack performed by Cyrus, eight were credited to "Hannah Montana" and one, a duet with her father titled "I Learned from You", was credited to Cyrus as herself. Cyrus's first release under her own name had been a cover of James Baskett's "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", released on April 4, 2006, on the fourth edition of DisneyMania. The soundtrack debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 with first week sales of 281,000 copies. The album continued to top the chart during its second week, and has sold over 3.7 million copies worldwide. During this time period, Cyrus also released the song "Ready, Set, Don't Go", a collaboration with her father. It became her first Top 40 hit credited as herself, peaking at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became her first Top 10 hit on the Hot Country Songs chart, peaking at number 4.

2007–08: Meet Miley Cyrus and Breakout

The second season of Hannah Montana premiered on April 23, 2007, and ran until October 12, 2008. Shortly afterwards, Cyrus signed a four-album deal with Disney-owned Hollywood Records. The double-disc record Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus was released on June 26, 2007; the first disc served as the soundtrack to the second season of Hannah Montana, while the second acted as Cyrus' debut studio album. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 326,000 copies. It was later certified triple-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The project spawned Cyrus' debut single as herself, "See You Again", which became her first Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was eventually certified Platinum in the country, making it her first single to be RIAA certified. The track also had success in countries such as Australia and Canada, where it also peaked inside of the Top 10. The follow-up single "Start All Over" was released in early 2008; it failed to match the success of its predecessor, debuting and peaking at number 68 on the Hot 100. Numerous songs from the Hannah Montana portion of the album charted worldwide following its release.

During the fall of 2007, the Best of Both Worlds Tour was launched to promote the joint album. With the Jonas Brothers, Aly & AJ, and Everlife as her opening acts, Cyrus toured from October 17, 2007, to January 31, 2008, with stops in the United States and Canada. Tickets sold out in minutes and were scalped for up to $2,500 and an average of $214, well above their $26–$65 face value. A Ticketmaster official commented that "there [hadn't] been a demand of this level or intensity since The Beatles or Elvis." Upon the conclusion of the tour in January 2008, Walt Disney Pictures released Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert, a 3D concert film of the tour, on February 1, 2008, for what was expected to be a one-week run. The film earned over $31 million at the box office and an average of $42,000 per theater, twice the expected total, convincing Disney executives to extend the release for an indefinite run. "We don't want to turn away kids from the theaters who couldn't get into the concerts," said Chuck Viane, Disney's chief of distribution. The film's soundtrack was released by Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records on March 11, 2008, and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.

In February 2008, Cyrus and her friend Mandy Jiroux opened a YouTube account and began posting videos of what they called The Miley and Mandy Show. The show, described as a "YouTube hit", was said to be filmed for fun by Cyrus and Jiroux and to be entirely their work, editing the footage together. In May 2008, Gossett, Cyrus's longtime acting agent, left Cunningham Escott Slevin Doherty for United Talent Agency, partially with the hope of "giving Cyrus the major-agency backing that would support a widening career". In June 2009, Cyrus left both Gossett and UTA, which had recently negotiated her deals for The Last Song and the fourth season of Hannah Montana, and joined the Creative Artists Agency, which had already represented her for music. Cyrus celebrated her sixteenth birthday at Disneyland with a charity fundraiser for Youth Service America, a youth volunteer service organization.

Cyrus at the MuchMusic Video Awards in 2010

In April 2008, several provocative images of Cyrus in her underwear and swimsuit were leaked by a teenage hacker who accessed her Gmail account. Cyrus described the images as "silly, inappropriate shots" and stated, "I am going to make mistakes and I am not perfect. I never intended for any of this to happen and I am truly sorry if I have disappointed anyone". On April 25, 2008, Entertainment Tonight reported that a fifteen-year-old Cyrus had posed topless for a photoshoot taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz for Vanity Fair. The New York Times later clarified that though the pictures left an impression that she was bare-breasted, Cyrus was wrapped in a bedsheet and was actually not topless.

In a May 2008 interview with The Los Angeles Times, Francois Navarre, the proprietor of the X17 photo agency, said Cyrus's market value had picked up considerably after the Vanity Fair photo controversy: "She's started to sell more. [...] It used to be $300, and now it's $2,000 for a picture." Estimates for a picture of the then-15 year old's first kiss ranged from $30,000 to $150,000. Navarre noted that Cyrus rarely behaved in a manner contrary to her wholesome image or went out without a parent and stated, "She has people waiting for the moment she starts to be less traditional. [...] It's natural. Any teenager. But it's going to come very fast. [...] As soon as her mom lets her go out by herself. It's going to start to be interesting." Time magazine included her on the 2008 Time 100, the magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her write-up was written by former child star Donny Osmond, who warned, "As an idol to tweens the world over, singer-actress Miley Cyrus, 15, is riding a huge tidal wave at the pinnacle of her career; this is as it should be. I hope she enjoys it. [...] Within three to five years, Miley will have to face adulthood. [...] As she does, she'll want to change her image, and that change will be met with adversity." Billboard ranked Cyrus the fourth best-selling female artist of 2009 and the fifth best-selling singer overall. That year, at the age of sixteen, she became the youngest artist to have four number-one albums on the charts.

On July 22, 2008, Cyrus released her second studio album Breakout, which she said was inspired by "what's been going on in my life in the past year." Cyrus co-wrote eight out of twelve songs on the album. "Songwriting is what I really want to do with my life forever, [...] I just hope this record showcases that, more than anything, I'm a writer." Breakout debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 371,000 copies. In doing so, it gave Cyrus her highest first-week sales to date and her third number-one album on the chart. The album went on to receive a Platinum certification from the RIAA, denoting sales of one million copies. Breakout was preceded by the lead single "7 Things", which became her second single to reach the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Its second single "Fly on the Wall" failed to have the same success, peaking at number 84 on the Hot 100. However, it peaked at number 16 in the United Kingdom. Cyrus hosted the 2008 CMT Music Awards with her father in April and the 2008 Teen Choice Awards by herself in August. In 2008, Cyrus provided the voice of Penny in the 2008 computer-animated film Bolt, which was released on November 21, 2008, to critical acclaim. Cyrus also co-wrote and recorded the song "I Thought I Lost You" as a duet with John Travolta for the film, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination.

2009–12: Can't Be Tamed and focus on film

In 2009, Cyrus starred in the feature film Hannah Montana: The Movie. Both the film and its soundtrack, which contained twelve songs performed by Cyrus, achieved commercial success. Its lead single "The Climb" became a Top 40 hit in twelve countries and introduced Cyrus to listeners outside her typical teen pop audience. Cyrus had considered ending Hannah Montana after its third season, which finished production on June 5, 2009, but Disney retained and exercised its option for a fourth season. In September 2009, she participated in the charity single "Just Stand Up!" in support of the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer and in the City of Hope Benefit Concert in support of cancer research and training programs. She also became involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an environmentalist group, for which she recorded the charity single "Send It On" along with several other Disney Channel stars. Shortly afterwards, Cyrus launched the third Hannah Montana soundtrack, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 137,000 copies. This was significantly lower than the first-week sales for her previous albums, and the soundtrack became her first not to receive an RIAA certification. The soundtrack did, however, spawn the single "He Could Be the One", which entered the Top 10 of the Hot 100. In March 2009, Cyrus published Miles to Go, a memoir co-written by Hilary Liftin chronicling her life through age sixteen.

In partnership with Max Azria and Walmart, Cyrus launched her first clothing line in 2009. It was promoted with Cyrus' first extended play The Time of Our Lives on August 31, 2009. Cyrus said The Time of Our Lives "is a transitioning album. [...] really to introduce people to what I want my next record to sound like and with time I will be able to do that a little more." The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200, with first week sales of 62,000 copies. The following week, however, the album rose to number 2 on the chart, selling 153,000 copies. Its lead single "Party in the U.S.A." debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100, making it her highest-charting single up to that point. To promote the album, Cyrus embarked on the Wonder World Tour, which included over 50 shows in the United States, England and Ireland. The tour was critically and commercially successful, grossing over $67.1 million worldwide. On December 7, 2009, Cyrus performed for Queen Elizabeth II and numerous other members of the British Royal Family at the Royal Variety Performance in Blackpool, North West England.

Cyrus began transitioning into an adult image in late 2008, when her representatives negotiated a deal for novelist Nicholas Sparks to write the screenplay and novel basis for a film that would serve as a star vehicle for Cyrus by introducing her to audiences older than the young fans she had gained through Hannah Montana. Sparks and co-writer Jeff Van Wie developed The Last Song. It was important to Cyrus that she not be type cast as a singer: "I didn't want to be a singer in another film. I don't want to do that anymore. You have no idea how many musicals show up on my door. I want to do something a little more serious." Production on The Last Song lasted from June 15, 2009, to August 18, 2009. Cyrus starred in The Last Song, which was released on March 31, 2010 and received generally poor reviews, as did Cyrus's performance. Nonetheless, the film was commercially successful, grossing more than $88 million at the worldwide box office. According to box-office analyst Exhibitor Relations, the film marked "a successful transition to adult roles for Miley Cyrus." Before leaving to work on the film, Cyrus ended her nine-month relationship with model Justin Gaston, and began dating her Australian co-star Liam Hemsworth during production. She later called him her "first serious boyfriend". The couple separated shortly after the film's release, though they later reconciled. During this time period, production on the fourth and final season of Hannah Montana began. It began airing on Disney Channel on July 11, 2010, and concluded on January 16, 2011.

During production of these projects, Cyrus began recording her third studio album Can't Be Tamed, and additionally appeared on the charity singles "We Are the World: 25 for Haiti" and "Everybody Hurts" for the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The album was released on June 21, 2010, and became her last to be released by Hollywood Records. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200; with first-week sales of 106,000 copies, it became Cyrus' lowest first-week sales and her first studio album not to peak atop the Billboard 200 chart. The album has sold 343,000 copies in the United States to date, failing to receive an RIAA certification. The album was preceded by the lead single, "Can't Be Tamed" on May 18, 2010, and peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. The second and final single "Who Owns My Heart" was released in select European countries. In February 2011, Cyrus confirmed she would be embarking on her Gypsy Heart Tour, which featured no North American dates. Cyrus later explained "Right now I just want to go to the places where I am getting the most love and Australia and South America have done that for me." The tour began April 29, 2011 and concluded on July 2 after 21 shows. Cyrus performed on stadiums and at arenas in South and Central America, Philippines and Australia. The outfits and dance routines used by Cyrus while promoting Can't Be Tamed were considerably more provocative than previous performances, arousing media criticism.

Following the release of Can't Be Tamed, Cyrus confirmed she would be taking a break from her music career, opting rather to focus on acting. She commented, "I've not taken, like, acting lessons or anything, but it doesn't mean I don't need to because I'm sure I do [...] I'm probably going to go book an acting coach." She later confirmed she would not be going to college for the time being, stating that "[she is] a firm believer that you can go back at any age you want" and "[had] worked hard to get to where [she is] now, and [wants] to enjoy it while it lasts." Cyrus hosted Saturday Night Live on March 5, 2011, where she performed in several sketches. The episode received generally positive reviews from critics, who complimented Cyrus for being "pretty funny". She later made an appearance on the MTV series Punk'd, appearing alongside Kelly Osbourne and Khloé Kardashian. In 2012, Cyrus starred in the film LOL alongside Demi Moore. Cyrus portrayed Lola, a teenage girl who experiments with drinking, drugs, and sexual activity. The film received a limited release, and was critically and commercially unsuccessful. Cyrus later starred in the comedy film So Undercover, appearing as an FBI agent who is required to go undercover at a college sorority. The film was released direct-to-video in the United States on February 5, 2013. It was also reported on August 2, 2011, by Contact Music that Cyrus has signed on to star in a comedy in which she plays a woman who broke a promise to God; the film has yet to be released.

In 2012, Cyrus recorded a cover of the Bob Dylan song "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go", which was featured on the tribute album Chimes of Freedom: Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International. Beginning in 2012, Cyrus recorded various performances of herself doing covers classic songs. She uploaded these performances onto YouTube throughout the summer and fall of 2012. It was later announced that Cyrus would star the film Family Bond, portraying a girl who meets her spy father in an attempt to save her kidnapped mother. The film, distributed by Universal Pictures, is slated for release in 2013. That same year, Cyrus made a guest appearance in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, appearing in two episodes as Missi, the girlfriend of character Jake Harper. Cyrus signed on to star as Mavis in the animated film Hotel Transylvania, but later dropped out to pursue her music career. On May 31, 2012, Cyrus and Hemsworth became engaged; he proposed to her with a 3.5-carat diamond ring.

2012–present: New image and Bangerz

In 2012, Cyrus generated considerable media attention after cutting her traditionally long, brown hair in favor of a blonde, pixie-style haircut; she commented that she had "never felt more [herself] in [her] whole life" and that "it really changed [her] life". In 2013, Cyrus hired Larry Rudolph as her manager, who had previously worked with Britney Spears. That year, she left Hollywood Records after signing a recording contract with RCA Records, through which her fourth studio album Bangerz was released in October. "We Can't Stop" was serviced as the lead single from the record on June 3. The track peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100. It also became her first number-one single in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Its accompanying music video received a mixed reception, and was noted for picturing Cyrus in a more sexual public image. It set a Vevo record after garnering over ten million views within twenty-four hours of its release, and later broke the website's record for being the fastest video to reach 100 million views, accomplishing this feat in thirty-seven days.

"You know you're a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much fuckin' weed."

While working on the album, Cyrus appeared in various collaborations. She provided guest vocals for the Rock Mafia song "Morning Sun", and provided background vocals for the song "Decisions" by Borgore. Cyrus and Hemsworth later appeared in the music video for the song. Cyrus appeared on the Snoop Lion song "Ashtrays and Heartbreaks", released as the first single for his album Reincarnated on April 4, 2013. She later appeared on the song "Fall Down", which was released as a promotional single for will.i.am's album #willpower on April 16, 2013. The single debuted at number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Cyrus' first single to chart on the Hot 100 since "Can't Be Tamed". The single also debuted inside the Top 20 in Canada, as well as the Top 40 in the UK. On May 23, it was confirmed that Cyrus would be featured on the Mike Will Made It single "23", alongside artists Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J. She also provided guest vocals on the Lil Twist single "Twerk", which also featured vocals from Justin Bieber.

"Wrecking Ball" was released as the second single from Bangerz. Its accompanying music video was released on September 9, 2013, and set another Vevo record for 19.3 million views in the first twenty-four hours of its release. "Wrecking Ball" became Cyrus' first single to reach number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. On September 16, a representative for Cyrus announced after months of media speculation that Cyrus and Hemsworth had decided to call off their engagement; ending their four-year relationship. On October 2, MTV aired the documentary Miley: The Movement, which chronicled the recording of Bangerz and featured behind the scenes footage such as Cyrus preparing for her 2013 MTV Video Music Awards performance. On October 5, Cyrus hosted Saturday Night Live for the second time (the first being 2011). Cyrus received mostly positive reviews from critics, who generally praised her acting talent and stated the episode was "good but not great" and competent, however some critics stated that the episode was "lackluster". Cyrus has begun working on her fifth studio album and plans to go on tour in 2014 to support Bangerz.

Artistry

Musical style and influences

Cyrus at the 82nd Academy Awards on March 7, 2010 in Hollywood, California Following her debut, Cyrus is most often considered a pop artist. In their review of the first Hannah Montana soundtrack, The Star Scoop described the songs on the album as being "upbeat pop songs, with a splash of country." CommonsenseMedia described the songs from the same album as being "upbeat" and "girl-power" oriented, citing the lyrics to "I Got Nerve" as a prime example. Kirsi Bertolini for Yahoo! also felt that the song featured in Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus featured a girl-power theme, and felt that the songs were "bubbly" and "karaoke-like." CinemaBlend compared the songs from Hannah Montana 2 to songs released by artists Avril Lavigne and Hilary Duff. The music found on the second disc of the album, though intended to be seen as Cyrus' solo debut, were often noted as being similar in theme and style to that of Hannah Montana songs. With the release of her second studio album Breakout, Cyrus began to distance herself from the sound featured on her soundtrack appearances. The album is noted as featuring a wide variety of genres when compared to previous works by the artist. The song "Fly on the Wall", taken from Breakout, is noted as featuring electropop influences in its production, while the song "These Four Walls" is seen as featuring country aspects.

The music taken from the soundtrack of the Hannah Montana movie features a more Country themed sound, in conjunction with the film's plot. The song "Hoedown Throwdown" taken from the film is noted as combining influences of R&B and Country. "The Climb" has solid, clear vocals and is a standard-issue power ballad that places piano solos between chiming electric guitars. With the release of Cyrus' 2009 album The Time of Our Lives, Cyrus incorporated a mixture of elements into the songs. "Kicking and Screaming" features instrumentation that relies on glam electric guitar riffing. It is noted as being the most prominent representation of rock music on The Time of Our Lives. The song "Party In the U.S.A." features a mixture of R&B and pop music, while the album's title track is described as being a bouncy, dance-pop song characterized by 1980s synths and a fizzy sound caused by a bubblegum pop background. While recording her third studio album, Cyrus stated she hoped it would be her last pop album as she "wasn't inspired" by her music. She later announced plans for a new, rock inclined sound for future albums. The music featured on Can't Be Tamed is often noted as being of the dance genre and heavily relies on bass. Cyrus herself later claimed the album contained music influenced by pop singer Lady Gaga and possessed techno qualities. When speaking of her fourth studio album Bangerz, Cyrus stated she felt the album had a "dirty south" feel, and stated she had collaborated with many rappers for a hip-hop vibe. She later elaborated that the album would combine the genres of hip-hop and country, which she felt was a "good hybrid." Miguel and Frank Ocean were named as musical influences for Bangerz.

As a very young child, Cyrus was exposed to artists such as Carl Perkins, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Loretta Lynn. She grew up listening to Kelly Clarkson, Hilary Duff, Mariah Carey, Ashlee Simpson, and Britney Spears. She told Spears' ...Baby One More Time was the first record she bought. She also likes The Killers, Coldplay, The Wreckers and Willie Nelson. Citing in 2013 her five favorite singers, Cyrus called Dolly Parton who is her godmother "a legend" and said "her music represents my whole childhood". Of Joan Jett she said: "when I was growing up she was always who I wanted to be. Lil Kim is who I am on the inside and she just makes me happy listening to her music. Nicki Minaj is now my Little Kim of my generation. Beth Hart has one of the best voices of all time." She also likes French Montana, Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, Adele, and Sinéad O'Connor.

Voice

Cyrus is a contralto, and with a "Nashville twang" in both her speech and singing voice. Songs such as "These Four Walls" have been noted as prime examples of Cyrus' twangy vocals. In her song "Goodbye", Cyrus' vocal performance is more "roosty" with a more "natural-sounding accompaniment" In "Party in the U.S.A.", Cyrus' vocals display an undertone of alternative country twang and features belter refrains. Cyrus' vocals for the song "Obsessed" are noted as being "husky." Throughout her career, Cyrus has experimented with altering her voice. Songs such as "Fly on the Wall" see Cyrus' voice processed to sound different. In "The Time of Our Lives", Cyrus' vocals display a prominent use of auto-tune, and are influenced by New Wave music. The songs taken from her Can't Be Tamed album further explore the use of auto-tune on Cyrus' vocals. The album's title track is noted as using auto-tune throughout various portions of the song's lyrics. When reviewing the Wonder World Tour, Dave Paulson of The Tennessean stated, "Cyrus' spectacle sets her apart from nearly every other A-list act touring today. She's not a renowned vocalist by any stretch, but her show's choreography barely provides a moment for her to catch her breath, and she's still able to deliver."

Early summer of 2012 Cyrus performed some of her favorite songs such as Look What They've Done To My Song, Lilac Whine, and Jolene, which she and her voice were both highly praised by critics. Cyrus' voice has been highly praised by other artists. Katy Perry was asked at the iHeartRadio Festival if she would ever collaborate with Cyrus and responded "I don’t know…maybe…she’s got an incredible voice. I have heard her sing ‘Wrecking Ball’ before that single came out and I tweeted about it a long time ago before it even came out and I was just so excited about it for her. She’s got a set of pipes that are incredible." Mike Will Made It stated in the MTV documentary, Miley: The Movement, "I said to my managed 'I wanna work with her' and he just reached out. You know, I was just like, 'oh my god, you guys have not idea how crazy this girl's voice is.' You hear her sing Jolene and you just go okay." Juice J, who teamed up with Cyrus and Wiz Khalifa for "23," said he's still in disbelief that he got the opportunity to work with her. "I never thought I would collaborate with Miley Cyrus, but I am so glad it happened," Juicy said. "It's like not even real to me! I have to pinch myself. It's almost like a dream come true 'cause she is super talented. We made a lot of great records together." J. Cole also gave his take on Cyrus' talents saying he thought her previous duet in 2010 with Dolly Parton was "amazing" and he would jump on a song with her if the right one came along. "I saw her sing on stage with Dolly Parton and I thought it was pretty amazing," the "Crooked Smile" rapper said. "She is talented actually I think beyond all the extra publicity." Ed Sheeran stated that he thought Cyrus had an amazing voice, especially in Wrecking Ball, but she was using it in the wrong way. "I think she's got an amazing voice. I just think she's packaged the wrong way," Sheeran told The Mirror, Entertainmentwise reports.

Performances

In his review of the Best of Both Worlds tour, J. Freedom du Lac of The Washington Post described the concert as "a nearly 90-minute blast of pop in which the charismatic Cyrus – who complained that she wasn't feeling well – commanded the stage with confidence, performing with a particular swagger." The performances featured on Cyrus' Wonder World Tour showed more dramatic performances; at one point, Cyrus performed on top of moving scaffolding. When performing a cover of "I Love Rock & Roll" on the tour, Cyrus performed the song suspended in the air atop of a Harley-Davidson Dyna Fat Bob FXDF 2010 that traveled through the air. Beginning with the release of The Time of Our Lives, Cyrus' performances became somewhat more explicit and controversial in nature. Cyrus's performance of "Party in the U.S.A." at the 2009 Teen Choice Awards incited a media uproar, with some viewers criticizing Cyrus's provocative outfit and inclusion of a brief pole dance as inappropriate for her age, then sixteen, and for her young fans. Conversely, Newsday reported that her sexualization "has been coming for some time." Ian Drew, senior editor of US Weekly, said, "She already has this risque image, so it really wasn't much of a stretch. That's how Britney [Spears] took off. She was the good girl gone bad, and it looks to be working for Miley as well." Her performance of Can't Be Tamed on Britain's Got Talent garnered much controversy. Midway through the performance, Cyrus grabbed a female backup dancer, dipping her low, and simulated a kiss. The performance was met with negative reactions from the media and caused her to release a statement in which Cyrus promised she did not kiss the backup dancer. Cyrus wrote, "It is ridiculous that two entertainers can’t even rock out with each other without the media making it some type of story. I really hope my fans are not disappointed in me because the truth is I did nothing wrong. I got up there and did my job which is to perform to the best of my ability."

In August 2013, Cyrus was the subject of widespread media attention and public scrutiny following a controversial performance and duet with Robin Thicke at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards. The performance began with Cyrus performing "We Can't Stop" in teddy bear-themed attire. Following this, Thicke entered the stage singing "Blurred Lines" alternatively with Cyrus, who stripped down to a skin-colored, latex two-piece outfit. Cyrus subsequently touched Thicke's crotch area with a giant foam finger and twerked against his crotch. An article published in The Hollywood Reporter described the performance as "crass" and "reminiscent of a bad acid trip". Media attention of the performance largely overshadowed the attention that was given to other major events of the night, such as the reunion of 'N Sync and performances by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Cyrus' performance was described by XXL critic B. J. Steiner as a "trainwreck in the classic sense of the word as the audience reaction seemed to be a mix of confusion, dismay and horror in a cocktail of embarrassment", while the BBC said she stole the show with a "raunchy performance". The performance also became the most tweeted about event in history, with Twitter users generating 360,000 tweets about the event per minute; breaking the previous record held by Beyonce's Super Bowl XLVII halftime show performance six months earlier. News and social media sites featured numerous articles about parental concerns with the performance's impact on children. Her performance was reported to contribute towards the dehumanization of black women by mimicking "ratchet culture" and using them as living props, swatting one on the backside. Reacting to the controversy, Cyrus stated about her critics: "They’re overthinking it. You’re thinking about it more than I thought about it when I did it."

Public image

Cyrus performing at the Kids Inaugural: We Are the Future concert in 2009.

Cyrus has a Christian faith, and was baptized in a Southern Baptist church in 2005. Cyrus is an avid supporter of gay rights, and is often vocal about her beliefs on the opinion. In 2011, Cyrus got a tattoo of the equals sign on her right ring finger, symbolizing equal rights for gay people. In 2012, she named London as her favorite place to perform due to its extensive gay scene. Cyrus' song "My Heart Beats for Love", taken from her Can't Be Tamed album, was written about one of Cyrus' gay friends, and is dedicated to all of Cyrus' gay fans. In several interviews Cyrus has mentioned her use of cannabis. In a Rolling Stone interview, Cyrus said cannabis was "the best drug on earth" and called it, along with MDMA, a "happy drug". In a video obtained by The Daily, taking place at Cyrus' 19th birthday party at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, Cyrus went to the microphone and addressed the crowd. Immediately after her Bob Marley-themed birthday cake had been brought out, Cyrus said, "You know you're a stoner when your friends make you a Bob Marley cake. You know you smoke way too much fuckin' weed." Cyrus' representative later stated that the Bob Marley cake had just been a "joke" and that Cyrus' response had been "sarcastic". In May 2013, Cyrus came first in Maxim's Hot 100 of the year. In July 2013, Cyrus posed nude for a "Protect the Skin You’re In" T-shirt, part of a campaign by fashion designer Marc Jacobs to raise awareness and cash for melanoma research. All of the sales will benefit the NYU Cancer Institute and NYU Langone Medical Center.

In 2007, Cyrus earned $18 million. In 2008, Cyrus earned $25 million and was ranked number 35 on Forbes magazine's Celebrity 100 list. Parade magazine reported she was the richest teenage celebrity and that her franchise would be worth approximately $1 billion by the end of the year. In 2009, Forbes ranked her #29 on the Celebrity 100 and reported she had earned a total of $25 million. In 2010, Cyrus was ranked 13th on Forbes' Celebrity 100, earning $48 million from June 2009 to June 2010. She was the 4th highest earner under 30 years old and the youngest on the list. Between June 2010 and June 2011, Cyrus earned $54 million. From working on Hannah Montana, Cyrus was paid $15,000 per episode, making her the sixth-highest paid child star on television, behind fellow Disney stars Dylan and Cole Sprouse and Keke Palmer with $20,000 for their shows. At age 17 she was named #19 on the "Top 20 World's Richest Female Singers of All Time" list, with over $100 million in earnings in five years, which made her the youngest female artist on the list. In 2011, she was named #1 on the Top 10 Richest Teens in Hollywood, with $120 million.

Katy Perry

Number four with a Roar

Photo - Sean MacEntee

Katheryn Elizabeth "Katy" Hudson. (born October 25, 1984), better known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, businesswoman, philanthropist, and actress. She was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. Having had very little exposure to mainstream pop music in her childhood, she pursued a career in gospel music as a teen and released her debut studio album, Katy Hudson, in March 2001. She also recorded a second solo album that was scheduled for an August 18, 2005 release but got cancelled.

In 2007, Perry signed a recording contract with Capitol Records and adopted her current stage name. The following year, she came to prominence with the June 2008 release of her second album, One of the Boys, which produced the singles "I Kissed a Girl", "Hot n Cold", "Thinking of You", and "Waking Up in Vegas". The project was further promoted through the Hello Katy Tour. In November 2009, she released a live album titled MTV Unplugged, which features performances of several tracks from One of the Boys. Perry's third record, Teenage Dream, was released in August 2010 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". In doing so, it became the first album recorded by a female artist in history to produce five number-one hits, and the second album overall after Michael Jackson's August 1987 album Bad. Perry embarked on the California Dreams Tour following its release. In March 2012, Teenage Dream was re-released as Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection and produced the number-one single "Part of Me". Her fourth album, Prism, was released in October 2013 and contains the Billboard Hot 100 number 1 single "Roar".

Perry has received numerous awards and nominations, including nine Grammy nominations and Billboard dubbed her as 2012's Woman of the Year. She remains the only artist to spend 69 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100. She has ventured into celebrity endorsement and released fragrances Purr, Meow, and Killer Queen. In July 2011, she made her film debut voicing Smurfette in The Smurfs. Perry was ranked at number fourteen on Billboard's list of top moneymakers of 2011, grossing more than $11 million. In July 2012, she released her 3D autobiographical documentary film, Katy Perry: Part of Me, which concentrated on her life as a touring artist and the breakdown of her one-year marriage to English actor/comedian Russell Brand.

Early life

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born in Santa Barbara, California,. to Pentecostal pastors Maurice Keith Hudson and Mary Christine Perry. She has a younger brother named David (whose stage name is Hudson). and an older sister named Angela. Her father is of English descent while her mother is of 1/8 Irish, 3/8 Portuguese, 1/4 English, and 1/4 German descent. Through her mother, she is a half-niece of director Frank Perry (August 21, 1930 — August 29, 1995).

As a child, Perry attended religious schools and camps. She was incorporated into her parents' ministry and sang in the church between the ages of nine and seventeen. She grew up listening to gospel music,. and in an interview she said, "Growing up I wasn't really allowed to listen to a whole lot of what my mom would call, secular music,". She 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 during her freshman 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].". She took cassette tapes her sister Angela practiced with and rehearsed the songs and performed them in front of their parents. They suggested she take vocal coaching. She grabbed the opportunity and began taking lessons at the age of nine and continued until she was sixteen.

Career

1999–2006: Career beginnings and Katy Hudson

At 15, Perry's singing in church attracted the attention of rock veterans from Nashville, Tennessee, who brought her there to polish her writing skills. In Nashville, she 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. Performing as Katy Hudson, she released a self-titled gospel rock album on March 6, 2001. Two singles were released from the album; "Trust in Me" on February 6, 2001, and "Search Me" on June 12, 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.

At the age of 17, Perry left her home for Los Angeles, California where she worked with Glen Ballard on an album for Island Records. Growing up listening to mostly Country Gospel, she 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 her. 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, who then helped develop her songwriting over the next few years. The album was initially planned to be released during the Fall of 2004 along with a promotional DVD, according to a promotional video on the Java Records website. The album never saw the light of day and Perry was subsequently dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group. Some of her collaborations with Ballard, including "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.

Kelly Clarkson later used "Long Shot" (which Perry wrote with Matt Thiessen and Ballard.) for her March 2009 album, All I Ever Wanted. Perry then signed to Columbia Records in 2004. However, the label was not amenable with her vision and did not put her in the "driver's seat". Instead, one of Columbia's ideas was to pair her 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, titled Fingerprints. Eighty percent completed, however, Columbia decided not to finish it and dropped her from the label. In 2004, Perry and Kaya Jones provided backing vocals on Mick Jagger's song "Old Habits Die Hard", which won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. While waiting to find another label, she worked in an independent A&R company called Taxi Music. In 2006, she was featured in the tail-end of the video to P.O.D.'s single "Goodbye for Now". and played the love interest of Travie McCoy in the music video for Cupid's Chokehold by Gym Class Heroes, of which McCoy is the lead singer.

2007–09: Breakthrough with One of the Boys

While in the process of being dropped by Columbia in 2006, the company's publicity executive Angelica Cob-Baehler enthusiastically recommended her 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 her 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 brought 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. "I Kissed a Girl", was released on May 6, 2008. Her 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, she 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, which is in the Bible Belt. After playing it for three days they were inundated 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. On June 12, 2008, she appeared as herself on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. Perry also performed backing vocals on the song, "Another Night in the Hills" from Gavin Rossdale's June 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. "Hot n Cold" 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 her a nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2009 Grammy Awards. She 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 her 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 her 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 onto iTunes. 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, she also opened select concerts for the band No Doubt, on their Summer Tour 2009.

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 she 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 Russell Brand was cut, and does not appear in the film. Discussing the issue with MTV, she hypothesized there may have been some fear that seeing the two make out would have taken viewers out of the experience. In 2009, she 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" 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 a cover of Fountains of Wayne's "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.

2010–12: Teenage Dream, film debut, and Part of Me

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 English television show The X Factor on June 28, 2010. She was one of the many celebrities chosen to fulfill the role of judge whilst Dannii Minogue was on maternity leave. Perry's third studio album Teenage Dream was released on August 24, 2010, in the United States. It topped the Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 192,000 units. The album has since sold over two million copies in the US, being certified Platinum by the RIAA. It was preceded by the May release of its lead single, titled "California Gurls" featuring rapper Snoop Dogg, which picked atop the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks. "Teenage Dream" was released in July as the album's second single, and also topped the Hot 100. In October, "Firework" was released as the third single from Teenage Dream. It became the album's third consecutive number one on the Hot 100. As a result, she became the first female in eleven years to have three consecutive number-ones from a single album.

In November 2010, she released her first fragrance, Purr. It is packaged in a cat-shaped bottle, and is available through Nordstrom stores. In February 2011, Perry embarked on an extensive world tour in support of Teenage Dream. It was titled the California Dreams Tour and including 124 shows in Europe, Australasia, Asia, North America and South America. It earned over $59 million. That same month, a remixed version of "E.T." featuring rapper Kanye West was released as the fourth single from Teenage Dream. It topped the Hot 100 chart for five non-consecutive weeks. 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, the album's fifth single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" topped the Hot 100. This allowed her to achieve a record for being the first female to achieve five number one Hot 100 songs from one album, and she tied with Michael Jackson's record. Additionally, Teenage Dream boasted a record-breaking six number-one songs on Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart. In July 2011, she made her film debut in the 3D family film The Smurfs as Smurfette. The Smurfs earned $557,771,535 worldwide during its theatrical run, though received many negative reviews from critics. The week of 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.

In October, "The One That Got Away" was released as the sixth single from Teenage Dream, peaking at three on the Hot 100. Teenage Dream became the third album in history to produce six top five hit singles,. "The One That Got Away" became the album's seventh track to reach the top of the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart, the most by any album and setting a new record in the chart.

Perry hosted Saturday Night Live on December 10, 2011 with Robyn serving as the episode's musical guest. Perry's work on the episode received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised her comedic timing and the episode's digital short which featured Perry and Andy Samberg, however some critics noted that Perry's performance in the episode was overshadowed by cast regular Kristen Wiig. Her second fragrance, Meow, was released December 2011. Also in December, she was elected the Artist of the Year by MTV, for their performance on the charts worldwide and won the record during the year. Also that month, she revealed plans to release a Barbie doll that represents her style.

On January 5, 2012, Perry was named the sixth best-selling digital artist in the United States, with sales of 37.6 million units according to Nielsen SoundScan. That month, she became the first artist to have five songs sell over 5 million digital units. Later that month, EA Games recruited her to promote their new expansion pack The Sims 3: Showtime. In March 2012, Teenage Dream was re-released under the title Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection. It was preceded by the February release of "Part of Me", which became the album's seventh single released and sixth single overall to top the Hot 100. "Wide Awake" was released in May as the album's eighth and final single, peaking at number two. In June 2012, she revealed plans to launch her own record label, which would be under Capitol Records. In July 2012, her autobiographical documentary movie Katy Perry: Part of Me was released to theaters under Paramount Pictures. It garnered positive critical reviews and grossed $30 million worldwide at the box office. That September, it was announced that Perry would take home the 2012 "Woman of the Year" Award at Billboard's Women in Music event, which took place on November 30, 2012 in New York City. She also supported Barack Obama during his campaign for re-election in November 2012.

2013: Prism

Perry told Billboard in late 2012 about Prism: "I know exactly the record I want to make next. I know the artwork, the coloring and the tone.. I even know what type of tour I'm doing next. I'll be very pleased if the vision I have in my head becomes a reality". However, Perry mentioned that she did not want the album to be a "Teenage Dream 2.0", stating: "That would be silly. It's not of any interest for me to try and outdo myself at every corner. Eventually you just like pop, explode". Even though Perry initially said that the record would contain "darker" elements, departing from her previous sound, she later clarified, stating: "There's not really any darkness on the record, there's definitely some textures and colors but I think I was saying that when I was going through a different phase, but I really let that light in". In early April 2013, she worked with UNICEF to assist children in Madagascar with education and nutrition. Later that month, she appeared in a video clip for the "Chime For Change" campaign that aims to spread female empowerment.

Perry reprised her role as Smurfette in The Smurfs 2, which was released in theaters on July 31, 2013. Like its predecessor, it received many negative reviews from critics. Killer Queen was released as her third fragrance in August 2013 through Coty, Inc. "Roar" made its debut as the lead single from Prism on August 10, 2013. Perry recorded and co-wrote a duet with John Mayer titled "Who You Love" for his album Paradise Valley. The album was released on August 20, 2013. She closed the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards by performing "Roar" live for the first time on August 25, 2013 in a special performance under the Brooklyn Bridge. On September 4, 2013, Billboard announced that "Roar" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. On September 30, 2013, she performed Prism tracks "Roar", "Dark Horse", "Walking on Air", and "By the Grace of God" at the iTunes Festival. She made a musical guest appearance with Bruce Willis on Saturday Night Live on October 12, 2013, performing "Roar" and "Walking on Air".

"Unconditionally" was released as the album's second single on October 16, 2013. The next day, Prism became available for streaming online. Prism was released in Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, and Slovenia on October 18, 2013, and was released worldwide on October 22, 2013. The same day as its worldwide release, Perry performed her Prism tracks for the first time at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles. The next day, she hosted the "We Can Survive" concert along with Bonnie McKee, Kacey Musgraves, Sara Bareilles, Ellie Goulding, and duo Tegan and Sara at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, where she also performed her Prism tracks. The concert's profits went towards Young Survival Coalition, an organization aiding breast cancer in young women. On November 10, 2013, she will perform "Unconditionally" with Will Ferrell at the 2013 MTV Europe Music Awards. She will begin a tour to promote Prism in May 2014.

Artistry

Public image

Rolling Stone ranked Perry 7th in its global Queen of Pop poll in July 2011. Men's Health dubbed her the "sexiest woman of 2013". She is a sex symbol. and is known for her unconventional style of dress,. which is often humorous, bright in color, reminiscent of different decades, and often includes food-related themes. such as her trademark peppermint swirl bra. Her 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 October 2008, a photo of her posing with a switchblade was criticized. The picture was defended as only an effort to give her a "sexy, harder edge".

Perry is Pentecostal and an avid supporter of gay rights. According to Dosomething.org, she voted no on Prop 8 (California's November 4, 2008, amendment that would legally define marriage as a union solely between a man and a woman). Through Twitter and by performing at his rallies, Perry supported President Barack Obama in his run for re-election in 2012 due to his stance on same-sex marriage, and believing in "equal rights for all".

Musical style and themes

Her first album is within 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 contrast to Boys. Many of her songs have been described as EDM or electropop,. and she herself has been credited as an electropop artist.

In her childhood, Perry was introduced to the music of Alanis Morissette and Freddie Mercury, the late frontman of the English 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" 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. Perry has also listed Madonna as a significant influence, saying "I want to evolve like Madonna.".

Perry has a contralto vocal range. She 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. She is mostly inspired by specific moments of her life, and has 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". Her mother Mary once reportedly told tabloid Daily Mail that she disliked her daughter's music, calling it "shameful and disgusting". She said Mary was misquoted and told MTV that it was false information. Perry has written songs recorded by other singers, including Ashley Tisdale ("Time's Up"), Selena Gomez & the Scene ("Rock God" and "That's More Like It"), Jessie James ("Bullet" and "Girl Next Door"), Kelly Clarkson ("Long Shot" and "I Do Not Hook Up"), and Lesley Roy ("Slow Goodbye").

Her songs "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl" have been respectively labeled as being homophobic and promoting homosexuality, as well as "lez ploitational". MTV mentioned criticism about her 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.".

Personal life

Perry has had relationships with musician Justin York,. singer Matt Thiessen, actor Johnny Lewis,. rapper Travie McCoy, and was married to actor/comedian Russell Brand. She has been in an on-off relationship with John Mayer since August 2012.

She first met Russell Brand in 2009 when she filmed a cameo appearance for his film Get Him to the Greek. The two began dating after meeting again in September 2009 at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. The couple became engaged in December 2009 while vacationing in Rajasthan, India. They married on October 23, 2010, in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan. After 14 months of marriage, he filed for divorce on December 30, 2011. After they reached an agreement on financial issues, a judge granted the divorce request in February 2012. Her July 2012 autobiographical documentary revealed that the disagreement over starting a family led to the end of the marriage. In June 2013, she revealed in an interview with Vogue that Brand did not like the idea of her "being in control" of things and never spoke to her again after texting her about his filing for divorce. She also mentioned in her September 2013 interview with Billboard that she thought about committing suicide after the divorce.

Lorde

Royals is number 5

Photo - Hamley1980

Ella Maria Lani Yelich-O'Connor (born 7 November 1996), known by her stage name Lorde (/ˈlɔrd/), is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. Her first EP, The Love Club, was released on 22 November 2012, and her first single, "Royals", debuted at number one on the New Zealand Top 40, and also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2013, making her the first New Zealand solo artist to have a number one song in the United States. Her debut album, Pure Heroine, was released on 27 September 2013. She won the Silver Scroll Award for 2013 for "Royals".

Early life

Ella Yelich-O'Connor was born in Auckland, New Zealand on 7 November 1996 to Vic O'Connor, a civil engineer, and Sonja Yelich, a prize-winning New Zealand poet. She was raised in suburban Devonport, Auckland alongside three siblings, including a younger brother and sister, and an older sister. She is of Croatian and Irish ancestry.

At the age of 12 she attended Belmont Intermediate. In August 2009, her musician friend Louis McDonald's father, Ian, sent Universal A&R scout Scott Maclachlan two home recordings - an audio of Louis & Ella covering Duffy's hit song 'Warwick Avenue', and a video of her singing Pixie Lott's 'Mama Do'.[citation needed] Later, when Lorde was 13, A&R scout Scott Maclachlan signed her to Universal and at the age of 14, she began working with their songwriters. Lorde began writing songs with her guitar at "about thirteen or fourteen".[better source needed]

As of July 2013, Lorde is a Year Twelve student at Takapuna Grammar School.

Career

Lorde's debut EP, The Love Club, was originally posted on SoundCloud in November 2012. Officially released digitally in March 2013 and on CD in May 2013, The Love Club EP features five songs, including the number one hit "Royals". On 27 May 2013, "Royals" was covered on national television on the New Zealand version of The X Factor by all-girl group Gap 5, mentored by Melanie Blatt. "Royals" debuted as a single at number 1 on the New Zealand Top 40 on 15 March 2013 and remained in the top position for three weeks. On 8 May 2013, The Love Club EP debuted in the number 2 position on the album chart. In August 2013, with "Royals", Lorde became the first female in 17 years to top the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs chart, since Tracy Bonham with her 1996-hit, "Mother Mother". Following the release of "Royals" in the United States in June 2013, 85,000 copies were sold during a single week in July. In a subsequent interview, Lorde stated, "I had a sneaking suspicion that it might do all right". The song also peaked number 1 in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the Alternative charts and the Rock charts. With "Royals", Lorde became the first solo artist from New Zealand to top the US Billboard chart, and the youngest artist to hold the US number one in more than 25 years.

"I started writing songs when I was 13 or 14, because I've always been a huge reader. My mum's a poet and we've always had so many books, and that's always been a big thing for me, arguably more so than music."

Lorde speaking of her songwriting technique

The "Tennis Court" single was released in New Zealand on 8 June 2013. The Tennis Court EP was released digitally in the UK on 7 June (due to the timezone difference) and physically on 22 June. It was played during the BBC Sport coverage of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships – Women's Singles final. On 14 June 2013, Lorde's second single "Tennis Court" debuted at number 1 on the New Zealand Top 40 singles chart. In the same week, she also became the first New Zealand artist to simultaneously have four songs in the top 20 tracks of the New Zealand Top 40. Previously, Titanium held this record with three songs.

Lorde was the replacement for Frank Ocean, who cancelled because of illness, at the 2013 Splendour in the Grass festival. She was contacted on 26 July 2013, the Friday immediately prior to the weekend of the festival, while she was at a party with friends in Auckland, New Zealand. She performed before 10,000 people in northern Byron Bay, Australia, where the festival is based in 2013.

On 12 August 2013, Lorde announced on her Twitter profile that her debut album Pure Heroine would be released on in the US on 30 September 2013. The album's release was preceded by a New Zealand advertising campaign, with its lyrics displayed in classified ads, shop windows, posters and fax broadcast to media offices.

In early September 2013, Lorde and co-writer Joel Little were shortlisted for the 2013 Silver Scroll Award—the award honours outstanding achievements in the writing of original New Zealand pop music songs—for "Royals". On October 15, it was announced they had won. In a September 2013 interview for TV3's 3rd Degree, Lorde revealed that she had declined an offer from singer Katy Perry to be a supporting act on Perry's world tour.

Her cover of Tears for Fears' hit song "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was included on the The Hunger Games: Catching Fire film soundtrack.

Musical style and influences

Lorde's music draws from electropop, but she grew up listening to soul musicians Etta James and Otis Redding. She cites the unusual vocals of Grimes, the band Sleigh Bells and producer SBTRKT as prominent influences for Lorde. Lorde also stated that she was inspired by the initially hidden identities of Burial and The Weeknd, explaining, "I feel like mystery is more interesting", and called American musical artist Nicki Minaj an "important female in pop". Lorde describes short story writers Raymond Carver, Wells Tower, Tobias Wolff and Claire Vaye Watkins as lyrical inspirations, and particularly noted their sentence structures.

During the writing of The Love Club (2013), Lorde was particularly influenced by Kanye West and she performed a cover version of West's song "Hold My Liquor" at her Auckland concert on 7 September 2013.

Discography

Lorde has released an EP, a studio album and three singles. She made her chart debut in 2013 with "Royals" which reached number one in New Zealand and the US Billboard Hot 100, making her the first New Zealand artist to reach number one in that region. That was followed by the release of her debut studio album, Pure Heroine.

1. Cover

2. Avicii

3. Miley Cyrus

4. Katy Perry

5. Lorde