Victoria Beckham

Victoria Beckham

Victoria Caroline Beckham (born as Adams, April 17th 1974-) is a British singer, originally in the girl band the Spice Girls, where she was known as Posh Spice.

She was born in the county of Herefordshire as Victoria Adams.

Adams married the ex-Manchester United and present England footballer David Beckham, on July 4, 1999, with whom she has two sons, Brooklyn, born March 4, 1999, and Romeo, born September 1, 2002. The couple is expecting a third child in March 2005.

An alleged plot to kidnap Victoria on November 1, 2002, was revealed by the News of the World. The court case against the alleged kidnappers collapsed after the original informant admitted that he "made the whole thing up".

Her attempts at a music career have been mixed, despite being one of the biggest celebrities in Britain, she has failed to convert that into chart success. She is the only Spice Girl not to have had a UK number one as a solo artist. She fought unsuccessful chart battles for the top spot with Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis-Bextor in 2000 and Kylie Minogue in 2001. Her debut album made number 10 in the UK.

In 2003 she became involved with controversial Rap music producer Damon Dash to reignite her career. Beckham also became a model for Roc-A-Wear clothing along with Naomi Campbell.

In 2004 her happy image suffered when a string of women lined up to claim having had affairs with David, including Rebecca Loos, which were not fully denied, but she has been seen to Stand by Her Man.

The Mirror reports October 20th, 2004 on Victoria's new fashion lines and how she is scared of another failed music project. Also in the article is a quote from Victoria's spokesman about the new career focus: "This is the start of a new phase in Victoria's career, combining two things she loves - business and fashion. She's going to be more behind the scenes, but she is very excited." She recently designed jeans for Roc & Republic clothing.

Discography

Singles:
Out of Ya Mind (2000) [with True Steppers and Dane Bowers] #2 UK
Not Such an Innocent Girl (2001) #6 UK
A Mind of Its Own (2002) #6 UK
This Groove/Let Your Head Go (2004) #3 UK

Album:
Victoria Beckham (2001) #10 UK
Learning to Fly

Victoria Beckham wrote an autobiographical book called Learning to Fly. In it, amongst other things, she detailed the first incident of the football chant Posh Spice Takes it Up the Arse being sung by the opposing fans at a Manchester United game. The fans chanted this when David Beckham gained possession of the ball.

Robbie Williams

Robbie Williams

Robert Peter Williams (born February 13, 1974 in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire) is a British pop singer. Originally a member of boy band Take That, he split from the group in 1995 and launched a solo career, following a highly publicized battle with drug and alcohol addiction during which he put on nearly 40 pounds (18 kg) and was often seen in public poorly dressed, dirty and unshaven.

Solo career

Before his rising as a superstar, Robbie used to hang in 1996 with the Gallagher brothers - Noel and Liam of then-famous Britpop stars Oasis. Robbie expected to get some Noel-written songs so he can start a career. After few months with cocaine-fueled parties, the loud-mouthed brothers showed him the door.

In 1996 he released his first solo single "Freedom", a cover of the 1990 George Michael hit. Though this was a sucess it was not until the release of the single "Angels" that his solo career took off in Europe. Although it reached number one in many countries, it only managed to get to number four in the official UK singles chart in December 1997 – he would have to wait until September 19, 1998 for his first number one with "Millennium". He quickly became a major celebrity in the UK with numerous top ten singles. In 1999 he collaberated with singer Tom Jones for a track on the album Reload.

He broke the United States in 2000 with his hit song "Rock DJ". The video featured Williams in a roller-disco as he stripped nude and then proceeded to strip off his own flesh, muscle tissue and organs until he was a dancing skeleton. It is said that the frontal nudity was edited out in the US while the gore was left in, whereas the opposite was true for the UK. The video's ending was cut by many TV stations around the world and the whole video was forbidden in some countries (VH1 Europe even made their own video out of recording studio footage). Williams has built quite a reputation for appearing nude (or nearly nude) in photographs, videos and live performances.

His United States and global success was cemented after a duet cover version of the Frank and Nancy Sinatra song "Somethin' Stupid" with Australian actress Nicole Kidman, who was fresh off of her Oscar-nomnated performance in Moulin Rouge. In 2002 he released an album called Swing When You're Winning in which his image was tamed down and he sang jazz, blues and pop standards from the fifties.

In 2002 he stopped working with his long-term writing partner Guy Chambers, who had co-written most of his singles. However, they regrouped again after six months during the making of his next album, Escapology, which was released in late 2002. The first single from it, "Feel", had big success arround Europe. The video for the next single, "Come Undone", featured Williams having sex at a party (actually with his pants on), and also images of insects and reptiles. Therefore a censored version was released that MTV Networks Europe chose to edit a little more and to play it only to the half.

Williams appears in the 2002 List of the "100 Greatest Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public). He toured Australia and New Zealand in December of 2003 with Duran Duran and performed the title song for the movie Johnny English. An official biography, "Feel", has become an instant bestseller in the UK since its publication in September 2004. Williams currently lives in Los Angeles.

His Greatest Hits album was released on 18th October, 2004. The first new single to be taken from the album was called "Radio", which went straight to number one, selling just over 40,000 copies in the first week. The other new track on the album is called "Misunderstood" and is due for release in December 2004. Its video is already available on some music channels. It will be featured on the soundtrack to Bridget Jones's Diary 2.

Discography

Albums
Life Thru a Lens (1997); #1 UK
I've Been Expecting You (1998 (UK) / 2002 (US)); #1 UK
The Ego Has Landed (1999); #63 US (North America only release)
Sing When You're Winning (2000); #1 UK, #110 US
Swing When You're Winning (2001); #1 UK
Escapology (2003); #1 UK, #43 US
Robbie Williams – Live At Knebworth (2003); #2 UK
Greatest Hits (2004); #1 UK

UK hit singles
Aug 1996 "Freedom" #2
Apr 1997 "Old Before I Die" #2
Jul 1997 "Lazy Days" #8
Sep 1997 "South of the Border" #14
Dec 1997 "Angels" #4
Mar 1998 "Let Me Entertain You" #3
Sep 1998 "Millennium" #1
Dec 1998 "No Regrets/Antmusic" #4
Mar 1999 "Strong" #4
Nov 1999 "She's The One/It's Only Us" #1
Aug 2000 "Rock DJ" #1
Oct 2000 "Kids" (with Kylie Minogue) #2
Dec 2000 "Supreme" #4
Apr 2001 "Let Love Be Your Energy" #10
Jul 2001 "Eternity/Road to Mandalay" #1
Dec 2001 "Somethin' Stupid" (with Nicole Kidman) #1
Apr 2002 "My Culture" (1 Giant Leap feat. Maxi Jazz & Robbie Williams) #9
Dec 2002 "Feel" #4
Apr 2003 "Come Undone" #4
Aug 2003 "Something Beautiful" #3
Nov 2003 "Sexed Up" #10
Oct 2004 "Radio" #1
Dec 2004 "Misunderstood"

The highest position in the US charts was #41 for "Angels".

Peter Andre

Peter Andre

Peter Andre (birth name: Peter James Andréa) is a male singer born in the UK, but was raised in Australia, and is of Cypriot decent. The UK is where he's finding the most success. At first he was on the Australian soap opera Neighbours before turning to music, the show spawning many other actor/actress turned singers such as Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, Natalie Imbruglia, Holly Valance and Delta Goodrem.

In the UK he began his music career in 1996, first having a top 20 single called "Only One", reaching number #16, but then gained massive success with the song "Mysterious Girl" (featuring Bubbler Ranx), reaching #2 in the UK singles chart. He then had a #1 album "Natural", and two #1 singles "Flava" and "I Feel You". However, after attempting to transform in to an R&B artist rather than a pop artist, and releasing a few more singles, he didn't have as much success as previously, with his second album, "Time", only reaching #28. In 1998 he released his last single (that was "Kiss The Girl" which reached #9, his last top 10 hit for a couple of years, and it was on the soundtrack to Disney's The Little Mermaid) before taking a long break from the charts.

During this break, he went back to his birthtown of Cyprus, and no one had heard from him until very recently, being on the British reality TV series I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!, and flirting with model Jordan. He then re-released his breakthrough hit "Mysterious Girl" in 2004, finally reaching #1 after 8 long years since the original breakthrough release of the song (it had actually been released once before the breakthrough, but with very little success reaching #53 in 1995 without the rapping of Bubbler Ranx). It had also been 6 years since his last chart appearance. To prove the song, his success and his attempts to resurrect a music career were not a one hit wonder this time around, he released a new song "Insania", which was another big hit, reaching #3 in the UK in June 2004. A new album, titled "The Long Road Back", was also released that month, however only reaching #44.

Nelly

Nelly

Nelly (born November 2, 1978) is a rapper. Born Cornell Haynes Jr. in University City, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, he first came to mainstream audiences with Country Grammar (2000) and released Free City with his St. Louis crew the St. Lunatics in 2001. Country Grammar turned out to become a mainstream success that set the stage for his breakthrough album, Nellyville.

Nellyville established him as one of the most famous rappers in the early 2000s, with an image of being equal parts handsome boy-next-door and tough gangsta. From the beginnings of his pop career, the lyrics of "Country Grammar" explored this dichotomy, posing the question: "Who says pretty boys can't be wild niggaz?" and containing references to gun violence and drug use while also sending shoutouts to billionaires Bill Gates and Donald Trump.

The 2002 single "Hot in Herre" (see also quote in Nudity) was also tremendously popular, as was its follow-up, "Dilemma," which featured vocals by Kelly Rowland from Destiny's Child.

In early 2003, Nelly released the controversial single, "Air Force Ones". MTV, MTV2, and VH1 refused to air the video due to product placement for the popular sneakers of the same name. Their sister station, BET, however, played it.

On September 14, 2004, Nelly released two albums, "Sweat" and "Suit." "Suit," an R&B-oriented album, debuted at #1 on the Billboard albums chart and "Sweat," a rap-oriented album, debuted at #2. From the "Sweat" album, the slow ballad "Over and Over", an unlikely pairing with country music performer Tim McGraw, became another crossover hit. Nelly performed the song with McGraw on the latter's CBS Television concert special in 2004.
Hit singles

2000 "(Hot Shit) Country Grammar" #7 US, #7 UK
2001 "E.I." #16 US, #11 UK
2001 "Ride wit Me" (feat. City Spud) #3 US, #3 UK
2001 "Batter Up" (with St. Lunatics) #28 UK
2001 "Where the Party At?" (Jagged Edge feat. Nelly) #3 US, #25 UK
2002 "Hot in Herre" #1 US, #4 UK
2002 "Dilemma" (feat. Kelly Rowland) #1 US, #1 UK
2002 "Air Force Ones" #3 US
2003 "Work It" (feat.Justin Timberlake) #7 UK
2003 "Shake Ya Tailfeather" (with P. Diddy and Murphy Lee) #1 US, #10 UK
2003 "Iz U" #36 UK
2004 "My Place" #4 US, #1 UK (double A-side with Flap Your Wings in the UK)
2004 "Over and Over" (feat. Tim McGraw) #3 US
2004 "Tilt Ya Head Back" (feat. Christina Aguilera) #5 UK

Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill (born May 26, 1975) is an American hip hop singer, initially establishing her reputation as the most visible and vocal member of The Fugees. She was born in South Orange, New Jersey and began singing and acting at a very young age. Her acting roles included the TV show As the World Turns (as "Kira Johnson" in 1991), and the film Sister Act II: Back in the Habit, the latter of which showcased her vocal abilities. Though the Fugees had originally formed in 1988, Hill's membership was disrupted by her acting and her education at Columbia University. The Fugees' first album, Blunted on Reality, was much-hyped but fell far short of expectations. This was followed by The Score, a multi-platinum selling album that established all three Fugees (Hill, Pras Michel and Wyclef Jean) as international successes.

Hill's other acting work includes the television series "King of the Hill" (as "Arletta the Elevator Operator"), the play "Club 127," and the motion pictures Hav Plenty (1997) and Restaurant (1998). She appeared as a singer in the soundtracks for Conspiracy Theory in 1997 on the track, "Can't take My Eyes Off of You," and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood in 2001 on the "Selah" track.

In 1998, Hill released The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, a critical smash hit that ended up on numerous best-of lists for the year, decade and all time. Among the singles on the album was "Doo Wop (That Thing)." In 1999's Grammy Awards, Hill was nominated eleven times and won Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best R&B Song, Best R&B Album, setting a new record for a female performer. The album's title was inspired by Carter G. Woodson's book, The Miseducation of the Negro.

Soon after, Hill and her recording company were sued by Vada Nobles, Rasheem Pugh, Johari Newton and Tejumold Newton, known as "New Ark Entertainment," who claimed to have been denied full credit and compensation for their assistance on the album. They received an undisclosed amount of money and were given credit for drum programming and a small amount of lyrical, instrumental and production work.

Hill is noted as a humanitarian, and in 1996 she received an Essence Award for work which has included the 1996 founding of the Refugee Project, an outreach organization that supports a two-week overnight camp for at-risk youth, and for supporting well-building projects in Kenya and Uganda, as well as for staging a rap concert in Harlem to promote voter registration. In 1999 Hill received three awards at the 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in California. She was named with Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and others among the "10 For Tomorrow," in the EBONY 2000: Special Millennium Issue. In 1999 Ebony magazine named her one of "100+ Most Influential Black Americans."

In 1996, a call to the Howard Stern radio show stated that the caller heard Hill say "I would rather die than have a white person buy one of my albums" during an MTV interview. This is considered unlikely, however, as no recording could be found of the supposed incident.

Though a Fugees reunion was discussed by all of the members of the group, it has not yet happened, reportedly due to conflicts between the three Fugees, including a much-rumored feud between Hill and Wyclef Jean. Hill released an MTV Unplugged album laced with verbal interludes in 2002 to mixed reviews.

On December 13, 2003, Hill shocked officials at the Vatican by denouncing them for "corruption, exploitation, and abuses," apparently in reference to allegations of the child molestation of boys by Catholic officials in the United States of America and the cover-up of offenses by Catholic Church officials. Among those in attendance were Edmund Cardinal Szoka, American-born President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City, and President of the Governatorate of Vatican City. Two days later Pope John Paul II told a group of Bishops from Sudan that, "Scandalous behavior must at all times be investigated, confronted and corrected" in the Catholic Church.

Hill has four children by her husband, retired (American) football player Rohan Marley, son of the late reggae artist, Bob Marley: Zion David Marley, born 1997, Selah Louise Marley, born 1998, and second son Joshua, born 2002. A fourth child was born in 2003.

Hill's nickname is "L-boogie."

The three Fugees were reunited on September 18, 2004 at Dave Chappelle's Block Party in Brooklyn, New York. They headlined a bill that included a star-studded cast of who's who in hip hop, including Kanye West, Common, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott and others.

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Minogue

Kylie Ann Minogue (born May 28, 1968) is an Australian singer and actress who has been based primarily in the United Kingdom since the early 1990s.

Her recording career has been marked by periods of outstanding success and comparative failure. Despite criticism, particularly in the early stages of her career, she has evolved her musical and visual style to attain longevity in the competitive field of pop music. As she has matured from a teenager into an adult, she has become one of her generation's most recognisable celebrities and sex symbols. In many parts of the world, she is known simply as Kylie.

Early life and Neighbours

Born in Melbourne, Australia, Minogue is the eldest of three children. Her sister Dannii Minogue is also a pop singer. Her brother, Brendan, is a camera man. Minogue first came to attention as a child actor in Australian soap operas, making her acting debut at the age of 11. She appeared in "Skyways", Young Talent Time, The Sullivans and The Henderson Kids, before rising to prominence in 1986 with her role in the Australian soap opera Neighbours.

On Neighbours, Minogue played the character of Charlene Mitchell, a tomboy who rebelled at every opportunity, and who fell in love with the boy next door, Scott Robinson, played by Jason Donovan (who she worked with as a child on "Skyways"). The storylines featuring the young couple proved popular with viewers, and both Minogue and Donovan were drawn into the public spotlight, becoming recognisable celebrities for the first time in their respective careers. A record audience watched the episode featuring Scott and Charlene's wedding in 1987.

Minogue's personal popularity in Australia eclipsed that of other cast members, and to a degree that of the program itself. She was the recipient of a Gold Logie Award, as the nation's most popular television performer, with the result determined by public vote. The program began screening in the United Kingdom in 1987 and was highly successful. As in Australia, Minogue was considered to be one of the program's most popular and charismatic performers. She left the series in 1988 to concentrate on her music career.

Album discography

Kylie (1988)
Enjoy Yourself (1989)
Rhythm of Love (1990)
Let's Get To It (1991)
Greatest Hits (1992)
Kylie Minogue (1994)
Impossible Princess (1998) (originally released as Kylie Minogue in the UK)
Intimate and Live (1999)
Light Years (2000)
Hits+ (2000)
Fever (2001)
Confide In Me (2001)
Greatest Hits 1987-1997 (2003)
Body Language (2003)
Ultimate Kylie (2004)
Trivia
In Australia, Minogue has achieved 9 number one singles – more than any other Australian recording artist.
Minogue has cited Olivia Newton-John as her first major influence. She recorded a cover version of Newton-John's hit "Physical" for the Moulin Rouge! soundtrack, however the song was not included. It can be found as a bonus track on the Australian tour edition of "Light Years" and she performed it during the tour of the same name.
Early in her recording career, Madonna became her acknowledged role model. Madonna returned the compliment by wearing a "Kylie Minogue" shirt during a performance at the 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards. In the United Kingdom, Minogue and Madonna are the only female artists to achieve number one singles in the 1980s, the 1990s and 2000s. Madonna is the only female performer to surpass Minogue's (As of 2004) tally of 27 British Top 10 singles. Madonna also sent Minogue a demo song to record called "Alone Again" that she co-wrote with Rick Nowels. Minogue's version however remains unreleased. See Unreleased Madonna songs.
In 1995, Minogue recited the lyrics to one of her biggest hits "I Should Be So Lucky" as poetry in London's Royal Albert Hall "Poetry Jam", at the suggestion of Nick Cave.
Minogue's Madame Tussaud's waxwork has been regularly updated to represent her changing image. In 2002, a figure of Minogue wearing lingerie and in a provocative pose, attracted both praise and condemnation, but became one of Tussaud's most discussed figures.
The success of her single "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" was enhanced when Minogue performed an unauthorised version of the song, which blended it with the music track of New Order's "Blue Monday", at the Brit Awards. Its popularity led to an authorised version being recorded and released as the "B" side for her single "Love At First Sight".
Minogue's portrait hangs in the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.
Minogue has been featured on an Australian postage stamp.
Paul Morley's study of the evolution of pop music, Words And Music: A History Of Pop In The Shape Of A City, employs Minogue as the vehicle by which pop is explored.
Minogue now has her own line of lingerie available in Australia and the UK called "Love Kylie".
In 2002, Q magazine named Minogue in their list of the "50 Bands To See Before You Die".

Kate Bush

Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on July 30, 1958 in Bexleyheath, Kent, England) is a British singer-songwriter who has acquired a large number of extremely devoted fans since her debut in 1978 with the surprise hit "Wuthering Heights," which was number 1 in the British music charts for 4 weeks.

David Gilmour of Pink Floyd was largely responsible for bringing her to prominence, funding her first demo sessions and attracting the interest of the Floyd's record company, EMI. They have since worked together on occasional projects and in concert.

While her range of styles does not appeal to everyone, Bush is nevertheless widely respected by many musicians, and has been noted as an influence and inspiration by artists as diverse as Jewel, Tori Amos, Björk, Paula Cole, Sinead O'Connor, Pat Benatar, Happy Rhodes, The Utah Saints, Andre 3000 of OutKast and others. The trip hop artist Tricky has stated her work has been a significant influence on him and that she should be treasured more than the Beatles. Though many outside of Europe remain unfamiliar with her work and its profound intensity, others in her profession are also unreluctant to declare her works as those of great genius. Even the iconoclastic punk rocker John Lydon (Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) has declared her work to be "fucking brilliant" and has labelled her "a true original".

Even in her earliest works where the piano was a primary instrument, she weaved together many diverse influences, melding classical music, rock, and a wide range of ethnic and folk sources, to produce a uniquely impressive amalgalm, and this has continued throughout her career. More than one reviewer has used the term surreal to describe much of her music, for many of the songs have a melodramatic emotional and musical surrealism that defies easy categorization. It has been observed that even the more joyous of the pieces is often tinged with traces of melancholy, and even the most sorrowful have elements of a unique vitality struggling against all that would oppress it. The unapologetic use of her voice as an instrument to convey a broad range of emotional intensity and subtlety is one thing that characterizes nearly all that she does.

Kate Bush has tackled sensitive and taboo subjects long before it has become fashionable to do so. Moving discusses female orgasm; Kashka From Baghdad is a song about a happy gay male couple oblivious to the world's prejudice around them; Breathing explores the results of nuclear fallout.

She has worked with Peter Gabriel on two of his albums, most notably on the hits Games Without Frontiers and Don't Give Up, (the latter a duet); and his appearance on her 1979 television special. Their duet of Roy Harper's Another Day was discussed for release as a single, but this never came to pass. Harper is another frequent collaborator, appearing on her song Breathing and her on his albums HQ and Once (both also featuring Gilmour).

She has appeared in duets with Midge Ure, Big Country and others on their albums. A wide diversity of respected artists have worked with her on some of her more recent albums ranging from the rock guitarist Jeff Beck, the classical guitarist John Williams, the folk artists The Trio Bulgarka, and Prince.

Bush's only tour took place in early 1979 (April 3 - May 10 see details below), after which she she gave only the occasional live performance. A number of reasons have been suggested as to why she abandoned touring among them a rumour of a crippling fear of flying, and the suggestion that the death of 21 year old Bill Duffield, severely affected her. Duffield, her lighting director, was killed in a accident during her April 20 concert at The London Palladium when he fell twenty feet through an open trap door on the stage. Bush held a benefit concert on 12 May, with Peter Gabriel and Steve Harley at London’s Hammersmith Odeon for his family. It was this benefit that was recorded and is the only record of Bush's live performance.

In 1993, Bush directed and starred in the short film, The Line, The Cross and The Curve, a musical co-starring Miranda Richardson and featuring music from Bush's album The Red Shoes (which in turn was inspired by the classic movie The Red Shoes.

Bush dropped out of the public eye in the late 1990s, though her name occasionally cropped up in the media in connection with rumours of a new album release. There were also reports that she had suffered a nervous breakdown and that she had had a child (the latter was confirmed by her in a recent interview).

She has confirmed that she is at work on a new album, with the title of one track "How to be Invisible" having been discussed on at least one of her fan Web sites. She was reportedly recording tracks as recently as November 2003 at Abbey Road Studios, but as of fall 2004 no release date for a new album has been announced, more than a decade after her last recordings were released.

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"Kate Bush" is also a character in Victory Gundam, one of the five (of the six) original members of the Shrike Team who were named in homage to famous 20th century female singers.

Discography

Studio albumsThe Kick Inside (1978)
Lionheart (1978)
Never For Ever (1980)
The Dreaming (1982)
Hounds of Love (1985)
The Sensual World (1989)
The Red Shoes (1993)

CompilationsThe Whole Story (1986) (includes a new rendition of "Wuthering Heights")
This Woman's Work 1978-1990 (1990, rereleased in 1998) (a boxed set of her six albums to date, also including two discs of rare b-sides)

VideosLive at the Hammersmith Odeon (1981)
The Single File (1983)
Hair of the Hound (1986)
The Whole Story (1986)
The Sensual World (1989)
The Line, the Cross and the Curve (1994)

Live albumsLive at the Hammersmith Odeon (1989)
The Lionheart Tour 1979

Empire, Liverpool, UK (3 April)
Hippodrome, Birmingham, UK (4 April)
Hippodrome, Birmingham, UK (5 April)
New Theatre Oxford, UK (6 April)
Gaumont Southampton, UK (7 April)
Hippodrome, Bristol, UK (9 April)
Apollo Theatre, Manchester, UK (10 April)
Apollo Theatre, Manchester, UK (11 April)
Empire Theatre, Sunderland, UK (12 April)
Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK (13 April)
The Palladium, London, UK (16 April - 20 April)
Concert House, Stockholm, Sweden (24 April)
Falkoneer Theatre, Copenhagen, Denmark (26 April)
Congress Centrum, Hamburg, Germany (28 April)
Carre Theatre, Amsterdam, Holland (29 April)
Leiderhalle, Stuttgart, Germany (2 May)
Circuskrone, Munich, Germany (3 May)
Guerzenich, Cologne, Germany (4 May)
Theatre de Champs Elysees, Paris, France (6 May)
Rosengarten, Mannheim, Germany (8 May)
Jarhunderthalle, Frankfurt, Germany (10 May)
Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK (May 12) Benefit concert. Recorded as Live at the Hammersmith Odeon

Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake

Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American singer who came to fame as a vocalist in the pop band N*Sync. His career started after a stint on the American television talent show Star Search when he became a cast member on the 1980s version of the Mickey Mouse Club variety show.

Timberlake later gained attention for his relationship with Britney Spears. The two dated for five years. The couple's break up attracted a great deal of media attention.

In 2002, Timberlake released his first solo album, Justified, to widespread critical acclaim and impressive sales. The album reached #2 on the US Billboard chart, and both it and the single "Cry Me A River" won 2004 Grammy Awards

In 2003 he performed with Christina Aguilera on the Stripped tour. During the same year, he also performed a duet with Kylie Minogue and gained notoriety for allegedly groping her behind.

During the halftime show of Super Bowl XXXVIII, Timberlake performed a song and dance routine with Janet Jackson to an audience of over 100 million people. In the course of this live performance, he bared her breast in what he called a "wardrobe malfunction". CBS, the NFL, and MTV, which produced the halftime show, disclaimed all responsibility under a hailstorm of controversy. The FCC announced an investigation.

In 2004, Justin Timberlake began dating Cameron Diaz. He has also started work on his motion picture acting debut, the thriller Edison, due out in 2005.

Filmography (Composer)
Bad Boys 2 (2003) (song "Love Don't Love Me")
Crossroads (2002) (song "Bye Bye Bye") with NSYNC
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) (song "P.O.P.") with NSYNC

James Brown

James Brown

James Brown (born May 3, 1933, Barnwell, South Carolina - some sources list his year of birth as 1928 and his birthplace as Pulaski, Tennessee) is one of the most important figures in twentieth-century music and a prime influence in the evolution of gospel and rhythm-and-blues into soul and funk. As a singer, dancer and bandleader, he has influenced popular musicians since the 1960s. He has been cited as an influence by musicians in many genres, including rock, soul, jazz, R&B, and hip-hop. Amoung other things, his quick assent to icon status in the musical community can be attributed to his rejection of industry stereotypes. Also, Soul Brother Number One was a symbol of self-motivation and acheivement in spite of racism for Black Americans.

James Brown's musical innovations, developed in tandem with the many skilled musicians who passed through Brown's bands(the Flames, the James Brown Band, the JBs), used the basic building blocks of earlier African-American music; his career is a case study in change and self-determination.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, his irresistible sound spawned countless imitators. By the mid- '70s, several of his key band members (Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley, and Maceo Parker), had left his employ and joined forces with George Clinton, whose so-called P-Funk groups (Funkadelic, Parliament, Parlet, the Brides of Funkenstein) were a looser, wilder and more self-consciously counterculture version of Brown's bands. With the advent of hip hop in the late '70s, James Brown's grooves became the foundation for rap music and breakdancing, as DJs such as Grandmaster Flash looped and extended the drum breaks from earlier JB favorites like "Give It Up Or Turn It A Loose." In the late 1980s, James Brown's music experienced a renaissance with the rise of sampling by Hip Hop producers. Snippets of his 800-some songs were recycled into hundreds of rap songs and continue to appear in electronic music to this day.
Biographical Information
Brown grew up in the poverty of Depression era Augusta, Georgia. At 16, he was convicted of armed robbery and made the acquaintance of Bobby Byrd. He secured an early release after three years with the help of Byrd's family under the condition that he not return to Augusta or Richmond County and that he would try and get a job. After a brief stint as a boxer and then baseball pitcher ended by a leg injury, Brown turned his energy toward music, transforming the vocal band The Gospel Starlighters into the first generation of The Famous Flames.
The Sixties
He began to tour relentlessly (Brown often calls himself The Hardest Working Man In Show Business) and the band built a following with their live shows. Brown's early hits, such as "Please Please Please," recorded 1956, and "I'll Go Crazy," recorded 1959, were fairly straightforward gospel and R&B compositions marked by a rhythmic acuity and sharpness of vocal and instrumental attack that would later become even more pronounced and would lead to the style called "funk". Brown's trademark screams and stage act are renowned for generating a positive and highly excited response from the audience. While these early singles were local hits, and performed well on the R&B chart, the band was not nationally successful until this live show was captured on record, on Brown's self-financed Live at the Apollo in 1963. During this time Brown recorded for the Cincinnati, Ohio-based King Records, presided over by Syd Nathan.

Brown followed this success with a string of singles that, along with the work of Allen Toussaint in New Orleans, essentially defined funk music. 1964's "Out of Sight" was a harbinger of the new James Brown sound. "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" and "I Got You (I Feel Good)," both from 1965, featured the deceptively simple riffs of guitarist Jimmy Nolen, which played off the bass guitar and drums. In addition, "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" saw Brown utilizing technology; the released version of the single was sped up to make the song more commercial. "Cold Sweat" (1967) marked a radical departure into more abstract music, and critics have come to see this recording as a high mark in the music of the 1960s, although at the time the innovations of Brown were overshadowed by the work of the Beatles. Brown employed musicians and arrangers who had come up through the jazz tradition. He was noted for his ability as a bandleader and songwriter to marry the simplicity and drive of R&B to the rhythmic complexity and precision of jazz. Mixed in with his more famous rhythmic essays of the era were ballads and even Broadway show tunes. As the 1960s progressed, Brown would refine this style further with "Licking Stick-Licking Stick" (recorded in 1968), and "Funky Drummer" (recorded in 1969). He would also add socio-political commentary on songs like "Say It Loud (I'm Black and I'm Proud)" (1968) and "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door I'll Get It Myself)" 1970).
The Seventies
By 1970 and his "Get Up (I Feel Like Being) a Sex Machine" (recorded in Nashville, Tennessee), his "classic" '60s band, featuring guitarist Jimmy Nolen, saxophonist Maceo Parker, and trombonist Fred Wesley, had left him, and he employed a new band that included Bootsy Collins, and later, Fred Wesley (as trombonist and musical director). As Brown's musical empire grew (he bought radio stations in the late 1960s), his desire for financial and artistic independence grew as well. In the early 70s he began recording for Polydor Records, and many of his sidemen and supporting players, such as Fred Wesley (and the JB's, Brown's backing group), Bobby Byrd, Lyn Collins, Myra Barnes and Hank Ballard, released records on Brown's subsidiary label, People, which started up in 1971. These recordings are as much a part of Brown's legacy as those released under his own name, and most are noted examples of what might be termed James Brown's "house" style. The early 70s marked the first real awareness, outside the African-American community, of Brown's achievements; Miles Davis and other jazz musicians began to cite Brown as a major influence on their styles.

By the mid-70s Brown's star-status was on the wane. His 70s Polydor recordings were a summation of all the innovation of the last twenty years, and while some critics maintain that he declined artistically during this period, compositions like "Funky President," "The Payback," and "Stoned to the Bone" are among his best. Nevertheless, key musicians such as Bootsy Collins began to depart. Ironically, the disco movement, which Brown anticipated, and some say originated, found relatively little room for Brown; his 1976 albums Get Up Offa That Thing and Bodyheat were his first flirtations with disco-fied rhythms incorporated into his funky repitoire. While 1977's Mutha's Nature and 1978's Jam 1980's generated no charted hits, 1979's The Original Disco Man LP is nonetheless a worthy late addition to his ouvre, containing the song "It's Too Funky in Here," which was his last top R&B hit of the 70s.
The Eighties to the Present
In 1985 he managed another hit single, "Living In America," but in 1988, he was arrested following a high-speed car chase through the streets of Augusta. Imprisoned for firearms and drugs offences, as well as for the repercussions of his flight, he was released in 1991 to find the sampled rhythms and drum beats from his records almost ubiquitous in rap music; a 20-second drum solo near the end of the song "Funky Drummer" is perhaps the single most sampled piece of music in history. Brown still makes his home in the Augusta area, and is a prominent figures in that community. A street in downtown Augusta is named James Brown Boulevard in his honour.

Brown was a recipient of Kennedy Center Honors for 2003, and a scheduled 2004 unveiling of a statue of Brown in Augusta was delayed because of James Brown's ongoing legal problems.

The 1991 four-CD retrospective Star Time is a synopsis of his career; nearly all his earlier LPs have been re-released on CD, often with additional tracks and informed commentary by scholars familiar with Brown. In short, James Brown's reputation as an innovator is now commonplace, and his personal appearances still draw crowds; a testament to his stature as both musician and entertainer.

Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury (September 5, 1946 - November 24, 1991) was a singer and the lead vocalist of the British Rock band Queen. He was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar to Bomi and Jer Bulsara. He had a sister, Kashmira Bulsara-Cooke. His parents were Parsis from the state of Gujarat in western India. The name Bulsara was taken from the small Gujarati town in which Bomi Bulsara, Freddie's father, was brought up. Freddie's father was an accountant for the British Colonial Office in Zanzibar.

Freddie was educated at St. Peter's boarding school near Bombay, India, where he had his first musical training (Grade V piano). His first onstage performance was also at St. Peters, with his five-member school band, the Hectics. It was at St. Peter's where he picked up the name 'Freddie'; soon even his parents addressed him by that name.

After spending his formative years in India, Freddie and his family fled to England because of a revolution in Zanzibar. He was 18 when he arrived in England. There, he pursued a Diploma in Art and Graphic Design at Ealing Art College, following in the footsteps of Pete Townshend. This knowledge was to come in useful when he designed queens famous crest. 

With a wide vocal range and a somewhat operatic technique, he was one of the most versatile and technically accomplished singers to work in the pop idiom. He was the composer of many of Queen's hits, including "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Somebody to Love" and "We Are the Champions".

Freddie's songwriting was unique, demonstrating influence from a variety of sources, but a strong individual sense of melody, harmony, and complex orchestration. In several of his most well-crafted and popular tunes he provided all of the vocal tracks, resulting in a smooth controlled sound that was at the time unprecedented.

Queen started using studio overdubs in a serious way with their second album, Queen II, which features Freddie's music on the entire second side of the LP (or, in CD parlance, tracks 6-11). Many listeners identify "Bohemian Rhapsody" as the pinnacle of his musical achievement, but it is possible to find the seeds of this mini-opera in his earlier works.

He released two solo albums: Mr. Bad Guy (1985) and Barcelona (1988), the latter with Catalan soprano Montserrat Caballé. The collaboration came as surprise to critics, being the first of its kind, but was nonetheless widely acclaimed if not commercially successful. One of his hits as a solo artist was a cover of the song "The Great Pretender" (1987), but after his death gained his first solo number 1 hit "Living On My Own", remixed by No More Brothers, which was his biggest UK hit.

He was bisexual; however, he did not officially come out until his announcement that he had AIDS, one day before he died. He was a fan of Liza Minnelli and Michael Jackson, the latter of whom he collaborated with on some tracks, which were never published including "State Of Shock" which was performed by Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger for the official release.

He was well known for his extravagance and hedonism, but also for his kindness and generosity. He adored cats and kept several, even writing a song about his favourite ("Delilah", on the Innuendo album, 1991). He was a heavy smoker, which contributed to a roughening of his voice in the eighties.

He died of AIDS on November 24, 1991, in London, and was cremated at Kensal Green Cemetery; the wherabouts of his ashes are unknown. The remaining members of Queen founded The Mercury Phoenix Trust and organized The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert.

Mercury appears in the 2002 List of "100 Greatest Britons" (sponsored by the BBC and voted for by the public).

A species of East African isopod, Cirolana mercuryi N. Bruce, 2004 was named for Freddy Mercury, as, quoting the type, "arguably Zanzibar's most famous popular musician and singer."

He was a Zoroastrian. His famous overbite was caused by the presence of four extra teeth which pushed his incisors out. He commented early in his career that he wished to have work done on his teeth, but regretted that he didn't have time to do it. He also expressed fears that such an operation might damage his voice.

Freddie possessed a very slight tenor voice, he was able to produce very sharp sounds, but also quite grave sounds. Mercury had an enviable voice range, with the superb extension of three and a half octaves.

Mercury left £100,000 to his chef, and left his £18-million house to his friend Mary Austin.

Although Mercury may have passed in the real world, he appears as a recurring character in the Japanese anime series Sakigake!! Cromartie High!. Wearing only long brown pants with red suspenders he is known to the main characters only as "Freddie". He does not speak despite moments of him singing (although his voice is not audible) and is sometimes seen riding around on a giant black horse. Some people wonder if he understands Japanese. He also is normally introduced by a harmonious guitar riff.

Solo Albums:

Mr. Bad Guy (1985)
Barcelona (1988) (with Montserrat Caballé)
The Freddie Mercury Album (1992)
The Great Pretender [UK Version Of The Freddie Mercury Album] (1992) 

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley

Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), known as The King of Rock and Roll, or as just "The King", was an American singer who had an immeasurable effect on world culture. He started his career under the name the Hillbilly Cat and was later nicknamed Elvis the Pelvis because of his physically exuberant performance style.

Birth and upbringing
Presley was born poor in Tupelo, Mississippi, the son of Vernon Elvis Presley and Gladys Love Smith Presley. He was raised both in Tupelo and later in Memphis, Tennessee, where his family moved when he was 13. He had a twin brother (Jesse Garon Presley) who died at birth. The young Elvis took up guitar at 11 and, after high school, worked at Precision Tool Company and then drove a truck for the Crown Electric Company.

Scottish author Allan Morrison claims that Elvis was of Scottish descent. In an as-yet-unpublished book, Morrison claims to have found that his ancestors lived in Lonmay, Aberdeenshire in the 1700s. According to Morrison, records show that Andrew Presley married Elspeth Leg in Lonmay in 1713. Their son, also called Andrew, went to the English colonies in 1745.

Discography
Elvis Presley had 11 albums top the Billboard pop album charts:

Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
Elvis' Christmas Album (1957)
Loving You (1957)
G.I. Blues (1960)
Blue Hawaii (1960)
Something for Everybody (1961)
Roustabout (1965)
Elvis sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (1972)
Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite (1973)
Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits (2002)

According to Allmusic.com, his best albums include:

Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
From Elvis in Memphis (1969)
The Sun Sessions (1976)
The Top Ten Hits (1987)
The Million Dollar Quartet (1990)
The King of Rock n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters (1992)
From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters (1993)
Walk a Mile in my Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters (1995)
Sunrise (1999)
Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits (2002)
2nd to None (2003)
Selected songs
  "A Big Hunk o' Love"
"(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I"
"A Little Less Conversation"
"All Shook Up"
"Always On My Mind"
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
"An American Trilogy"
"Blue Suede Shoes"
"Burning Love"
"Can't Help Falling In Love"
"Crying In The Chapel"
"(You're The) Devil In Disguise"
"Don't"
"Don't Be Cruel"
"Good Luck Charm"
"Hard Headed Woman"
"Heartbreak Hotel"
"(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame"
"Hound Dog"
"I'm Yours"
"In The Ghetto"
"It Hurts Me"
"It's Now Or Never"
"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"
"Jailhouse Rock"
"Kentucky Rain"
"Love Me Tender"
"Mean Woman Blues"
"Moody Blue"
"My Way"
"One Night"
"Promised Land"
"Return To Sender"
"She's Not You"
"Stuck On You"
"Suspicious Minds"
"Surrender"
"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
"Too Much"
"Trouble"
"Way Down"
"The Wonder of You"
"Wooden Heart"
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
"Young and Beautiful"

Celine Dion

Celine Dion

Céline Marie Claudette Dion (born March 30, 1968) is a Québécoise vocalist. She does not like the label "Québécoise" above all others, however; she wishes to be known first and foremost as a Canadian.

Career Beginnings

She was born in the small town of Charlemagne, Quebec, with a singing voice that her mother encouraged. By the age of five she was performing for anyone who would listen.

In 1980 her mother brought her to agent/manager René Angélil, who so believed in her voice that he mortgaged his home to help finance her career. In 1981 they released her first record in her native French language, "La Voix du bon Dieu" ("The Voice of God"), that made her an instant star in Quebec. The following year she competed and won the gold medal at the Tokyo World Song Festival.

Her career continued to blossom, and in 1987 she produced the album Incognito, which became a huge success. Approached by Swiss song writers Atilla Serefthug and Nella Martinetti she was chosen to represent Switzerland in the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest singing "Ne partez pas sans moi". By winning the contest in Dublin, Ireland on April 30, 1988, she received a large boost to her career in Europe. Her first English-language album, Unison (1990), expanded her international recognition with the breakthrough single, "Where Does My Heart Beat Now".

Many of the hit singles that followed over the next ten years ("If You Asked Me To", "Water from the Moon", and "Nothing Broken but My Heart") were written by Diane Warren, a composer best known for power ballads. However, Céline Dion finally showcased her talents as a songwriter when she co-wrote "Don't Save It All for Christmas Day" for the 1998 Christmas album, These Are Special Times and "Treat Her Like a Lady" on her Let's Talk About Love album, 1997.

In late 1993, she indicated to the public for the first time that she was in love with her manager, René Angélil. In the dedication section of her third English-language album, The Colour of My Love, Dion named Angélil "the colour of [her] love". Eventually, they were engaged, and she married him in 1994. The wedding was broadcast on television across Canada and was very highly rated. The couple also has a son, René-Charles Angélil (born January 2001).

To date Dion has sold around 175 million albums, making her the best-selling female artist of all time.

Band
Élise Duguay - backing singer
Julie LeBlanc - backing singer
Terry Bradford - backing singer (ex)
Barnev Valsaint - backing singer
Claude "Mégo" Lemay - piano, music director
André Coutu - guitar
Paul Picard - percussion
Yves Frulla - keyboard
Marc Langis - bass guitar

Discography

Albums

Miracle 2004 1 million
A New Day... Live in Las Vegas (Live album/DVD from her show in Vegas) 2004 1 million
1 Fille & 4 Types (in French) 2003 2,5 million
One Heart 2003 7 million
A New Day Has Come 2002 12 million
The Collector's Series - Volume 1 2000 3 million
All the Way...A Decade of Song (greatest hits CD) 1999 20 million
Au cœur du stade (Live album/DVD from two sold-out shows in Paris) 1999 2 million
These Are Special Times 1998 12 million
S'il suffisait d'aimer (in French) 1998 4 million
Let's Talk About Love 1997 31 million
Live à Paris (live album/VHS/DVD) 1996 3 million
Falling into You 1996 32 million
D'eux (in French, known as The French Album in the United States) 1995 9 million
Céline Dion à l'Olympia (in French, live recording from Paris) 1994 2 million
The Colour of My Love 1993 20 million
Céline Dion 1992 5 million
Dion chante Plamondon (in French) 1991 2 million
Unison 1990 3 million
Incognito (in French) 1989 500 000
Total: 175 million

Hit Singles

from Unison
 1990 "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" #4 US
 1991 "(If There Ever Was) Any Other Way" #35 US
from Céline Dion
 1992 "Beauty and the Beast" (with Peabo Bryson) #9 US, #9 UK
 1992 "If You Asked Me to" #4 US
 1992 "Introduction/Love Can Move Mountains" #36 US
 1992 "Nothing Broken but My Heart" #29 US
from The Colour of My Love  1993 "When I Fall in Love" #23 US
 1993 "The Power of Love" #1 US, #4 UK (1994 release)
 1994 "Misled" #23 US, #40 UK
 1994 "Think Twice" #1 UK
 1995 "Only One Road" #8 UK
from D'eux
 1995 "Pour que tu m'aimes encore (To Love Me Again)" #7 UK
from The Colour of My Love
 1995 "Misled" (re-issue) #15 UK
from Falling into You
 1996 "Falling into You" #10 UK
 1996 "Because You Loved Me" #1 US, #5 UK
 1996 "All by Myself" #4 US (1997 release), #6 UK
 1996 "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" #2 US, #3 UK
 1997 "Call the Man" #11 UK
from Let's Talk About Love
 1997 "Tell Him" (with Barbra Streisand) #3 UK
 1997 "The Reason" #11 UK
 1998 "My Heart Will Go On" #1 US, #1 UK
 1998 "Immortality" (with The Bee Gees) #5 UK
from These Are Special Times
 1998 "I'm Your Angel" (with R. Kelly) #3 UK
from Let's Talk About Love
 1999 "Treat Her Like a Lady" #29 UK
from All the Way: A Decade of Song
 1999 "That's the Way It Is" #6 US, #12 UK
 2000 "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" #19 UK
from A New Day Has Come
 2002 "A New Day Has Come" #22 US, #7 UK
 2002 "I'm Alive" #17 UK
 2002 "Goodbye's (The Saddest Word)" #38 UK
from One Heart
 2003 "One Heart" #27 UK
"Think Twice" and "My Heart Will Go On" appeared 45th and 39th respectively in the official list of the best-selling singles in the UK issued in 2002.

Britney Spears

Britney Spears

Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American pop singer. Her career encompasses chart-topping records, high-profile advertising and a foray into acting. She is now considered an American cultural icon recognized throughout the world, but has also been the subject of controversy surrounding the sexuality of her music and image.
Biography

Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears first came to fame as a member of the Disney Channel's New Mickey Mouse Club in the 1993 and 1994 seasons.

Her castmates on the show included Justin Timberlake and Joshua Chasez (who later became members of the pop band NSYNC), Keri Russell (star of the TV show Felicity), Christina Aguilera, also a pop singer, and actor Ryan Gosling. Spears dated Timberlake for about five years.

Famous Singers > Britney Spears Britney Spears Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American pop singer. Her career encompasses chart-topping records, high-profile advertising and a foray into acting. She is now considered an American cultural icon recognized throughout the world, but has also been the subject of controversy surrounding the sexuality of her music and image. Biography Born in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears first came to fame as a member of the Disney Channel's New Mickey Mouse Club in the 1993 and 1994 seasons. Her castmates on the show included Justin Timberlake and Joshua Chasez (who later became members of the pop band NSYNC), Keri Russell (star of the TV show Felicity), Christina Aguilera, also a pop singer, and actor Ryan Gosling. Spears dated Timberlake for about five years. ...Baby One More Time Her first album on Jive Records, ...Baby One More Time, debuted in the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Charts in early 1999, and also topped the charts in the UK. The single of the same name was also a number one hit in many countries, and was accompanied by a music video in which Spears wore a schoolgirl outfit and danced down a high-school corridor. Spears broke the record for the youngest artist, at age 17, to have their first single debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (This record was broken in 2004 by 13-year-old JoJo, whose single "Leave (Get Out)" debuted at #1.) Spears also broke the record for the youngest artist, at age 17, to have their first single and first album debut simultaneously at #1 on the Billboard charts. Spears still holds this record. The album "...Baby One More Time" is to date the greatest-selling album by a teenager. In 2000, Spears was nominated for two Grammy awards: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single "...Baby One More Time", and Best New Artist. She did not receive either award. Oops!... I Did It Again Her followup album, Oops!... I Did It Again, released on May 16, 2000, also debuted at number one, and was a similarly huge hit. It sold over 1.3 million units its first week in the U.S., making it the fastest-selling album by a female artist. The album sold 9 million units in the U.S. and 19 million worldwide. Following the success of her first two albums, Spears' career skyrocketed, and a multimillion-dollar music, film, advertisement, concert and TV-special "industry" sprang up around her. Her most popular ads were for Pepsi, for which she earned a reputed $7-$8 million. In 2003 there was media speculation that the soft drink behemoth were planning to replace Spears with Destiny's Child frontwoman Beyoncé Knowles. This speculation turned out to be false, and Spears has gone on to sponsor other Pepsi products. In 2001, Spears was again nominated for two Grammy awards: Best Pop Vocal Album for Oops!...I Did It Again and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single of the same name. She did not receive either award. Britney Her next album, Britney, was released on November 6, 2001, and debuted at number one in the charts. The first single "I'm A Slave 4 U" was produced by The Neptunes, and its R'n'B stylings heralded the starlet's attempt to grow with her audience, young and old. Over 4 million copies of Britney were sold in the United States alone, and the album went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide. While the album was very much a hit by anyone else's standards, these figures are low in comparison to the sales of her other albums. In 2002, Spears starred in a movie, Crossroads, which reached number two in the box office charts. Songs from the album Britney appeared in the film. Spears' performance was poorly received by critics and she netted herself a Razzie Award for worst performance of 2002. In June 2002, Spears branched out as a restaurateur with the opening of a New York City eatery, NYLA, but the venture was not a success and the restaurant closed in 2003. In September 2002, she took a break from the spotlight, and in 2003 many music industry critics speculated that her career was in decline. Over the course of her first three albums, Britney Spears had sold approximately 54 million copies worldwide. In 2003, Spears was nominated for two Grammy awards yet again: Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Overprotected", and Best Pop Vocal Album for Britney. She did not win either award. In the Zone Her fourth album, In the Zone, was released on November 18, 2003. Jettisoning the Max Martin produced synth pop of her earlier releases, the album took in lesser-known producers such as RedZone as well as such big names as Moby and R. Kelly. Spears co-wrote eight of the album's thirteen songs. In the Zone rose straight to the top of the album charts in its debut week. Spears is the only female in music history to have her first four albums debut at No. 1. After an opening performance in which she kissed Madonna at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards in August, Madonna was also featured on the album's first single, "Me Against the Music". The single only reached No. 35 on the Hot 100, but was a No. 1 hit in other countries. On January 3, 2004, Spears married her childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander at The Little White Wedding Chapel on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. The couple promptly arranged for an annulment, which was granted on January 5, ending their 55-hour marriage. Following the wedding, Spears released the second single from In the Zone, "Toxic", which became a worldwide hit and a No. 1 hit in over twenty different countries. The single occupied the No. 1 slot in the US for four consecutive weeks. In March, she embarked on her fourth world tour, "The Onyx Hotel Tour", which grossed over $34 million dollars and was seen by over 600,000 fans in North America and Europe. Meanwhile, the album's third single, "Everytime", was starting to receive radio play. While the song only reached No. 15 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, it was a No. 1 hit overseas in such countries as the UK and Australia. In June, she cancelled the remaining dates of her tour after injuring her knee during the filming of a video for her fourth single, "Outrageous". Shortly after returning from hospital, Spears, 22, announced her engagement to dancer Kevin Federline, 26. Federline was formerly linked with actress Shar Jackson, with whom he has two small children. In August, Spears won the Choice Single award for "Toxic" at the Teen Choice Awards. She has also been nominated for four Video Music Awards, including Best Female Video and Best Video Of The Year. Since its release In the Zone has sold close to three million copies in the United States, and over six million copies worldwide. In September 2004, Forbes estimated Spears' net worth at $123 million. On the night of September 18, 2004, Spears married Federline before 20-30 guests in a private non-denominational ceremony at a residence in Studio City, California. Spears wore an off-white dress and Federline wore an off-white tuxedo. The men and women attending the ceremony wore light blue and pink sweatsuits respectively. The legitimacy of the marriage was initially questioned, but on November 18, 2004 a representative of the Los Angeles County registrar's office confirmed that Spears and Federline did file their marriage license with the county within ten days of their ceremony and were therefore legally married. Curious Fragrance Line Spears released her first fragrance, "Curious" in September 2004. The fragrance is doing very well so far, reputedly out-selling many big names. Greatest Hits: My Prerogative Spears released her first greatest hits collection, Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, on November 9, 2004. The album debuted at #4 in the US charts, selling 255,000 copies in its first week. Spears also notched up the biggest selling first week for a greatest hits compilation by a female artist in UK chart history (115,341 copies), smashing the first week sales of previous high profile collections from Whitney Houston, Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Janet Jackson and Shania Twain. The collection includes "...Baby One More Time", "Oops...I Did It Again" and "Toxic", as well as two new songs and a cover of Bobby Brown's "My Prerogative". Controversy Spears' success has rested on a mixed fanbase. Millions of prepubescent girls became enthusiasts for her work, adopting her as an idol. It also appears that many young adult males are also fans. Writers on popular music for the mainstream press, however, have generally been dismissive of Spears' music, considering it to be commercial and shallow. Some parents of young daughters have ambivalent or even negative feelings towards Britney Spears. To many critics, the singer has combined a very "sexy" public image with a major marketing "play" for the hearts, minds and pockets of prepubescent girls, often as young as seven or eight. The sexualization of such girls is arguably a trend that is visible elsewhere in popular culture, for example in the film and fashion industries. Some parents take the view that their daughters deserve a chance to participate fully and happily in the pleasures of childhood before being led into an early emotional adolescence. There is also an open question as to whether young children are ready for the often complicated feelings that come with sexual maturity. Lastly, parents may worry that Britney Spears provides an unrealistic role model for their daughters' life and career plans. In October 2003, Maryland First Lady Kendel Ehrlich, the wife of Governor Robert Ehrlich, was criticized for saying that she would like to "shoot Britney Spears" in an address to a domestic violence conference. After her comments made national headlines, she was forced to apologize. The sexual iconography of Britney Spears once again became a topic of debate as a result of her 2003 semi-nude photo spread for the men's magazine, Esquire. Prompted by this, Playboy reportedly offered the star over a million dollars to pose nude for their magazine. Spears has publicly declined the offer. While young girls seldom address this debate in the same terms as their parents, many are divided on whether they consider Britney Spears appealing, especially in the light of more recent developments in her career. For her part, Spears has responded to their concerns by stating that she is "not their babysitter. It's the parents' responsibility. If you don't like it, turn the T.V. off. The only person I want to be a role model is to my sister, Jamie Lynn." (From ABC's Primetime interview with Diane Sawyer). The criticisms leveled against Spears are similar to those Madonna received at the start of her career. Indeed, Madonna's early fans belonged to a similar demographic to Spears' current fanbase. Spears' show-stealing kiss with Madonna received much media attention, as have her her recent marriages. Her provocative image and seemingly down-to-earth personality have contributed greatly to her success. In common with a number of other popular female figures in show business, Britney Spears' private life has attracted considerable media attention. Indeed, some people feel that she has courted it by cultivating, in her early years at least, a chaste, God-fearing and "wholesome" image somewhat at odds not only with the traditional pressures, temptations and opportunities of "pop 'n' roll" but with the increasingly sexualized content of her own songs. Regardless of where the responsibility for the gossip industry surrounding the pop star lies, Spears' public response has been to repeatedly express regret and resentment at the intrusive media coverage. Trivia Britney Spears' sister, Jamie Lynn or simply Jamie Spears, is currently starting a career as an entertainer in the Nickelodeon show, All That. Her brother, Bryan Spears, is her co-manager. Britney's parents, Lynne and Jamie, have divorced. One of Spears' best friends, Jenny, was in the unsuccessful girl-group Innosense. Spears was also a member of the group, but left and debuted as a solo artist before the band released their first record. One of her closest friends is Felicia Culotta, her assistant. In May 2004 Spears had a Hebrew tattoo (???) inked into the nape of her neck. She was under the impression that it meant "new era", while a more scholarly reading would be "protection". A source said, "She's taken Kabbalah pretty seriously and this was a big deal for her." This echoes a similar incident in 2003 when Spears was informed by her friend, actress Taryn Manning, that her hip tattoo (the Japanese Kanji character ?) read "strange" rather than "mysterious". Spears publicly declared that she was a virgin early in her career, but after her split from Justin Timberlake he revealed that this was no longer true. Spears has been quoted as saying, "I thought he was the one". "...Baby One More Time" is the 24th best selling single of all time in the UK. Her favorite colors are baby blue and pink. Lists Albums 1999: ...Baby One More Time #1 US, #4 UK 2000: Oops!...I Did It Again #1 US, #2 UK 2001: Britney #1 US, #4 UK 2003: In the Zone #1 US, #13 UK 2004: Greatest Hits: My Prerogative #4 US, #2 UK Singles ...Baby One More Time  "... Baby One More Time" — December 1998; #1 US, #1 UK  "Sometimes" — June 1999; #21 US, #3 UK  "(You Drive Me) Crazy" (The Stop Remix) — September 1999; #10 US, #5 UK  "Born To Make You Happy" — January 2000 (Europe only); #1 UK  "From The Bottom Of My Broken Heart" — January 2000 (U.S. only); #14 US Oops!...I Did It Again  "Oops!...I Did It Again" — April 2000; #9 US, #1 UK  "Lucky" — August 2000; #23 US, #5 UK  "Stronger" — November 2000; #11 US, #7 UK  "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know" — March 2001; #12 UK Britney  "I'm A Slave 4 U" — September 2001; #27 US, #4 UK  "I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman" — December 2001; #2 UK  "Overprotected" (Europe — Album Version) — December 2001; #4 UK  "Overprotected" (U.S. — Darkchild Remix) — March 2002  "Boys" (Co-Ed Remix featuring Pharrell Williams) — July 2002; #7 UK  "I Love Rock 'N Roll" (Europe only) — November 2002; #13 UK In the Zone  "Me Against The Music" (featuring Madonna) — October 2003; #35 US, #2 UK  "Toxic" — January 2004; #9 US, #1 UK  "Everytime" — April 2004; #15 US, #1 UK  "Outrageous" — June 2004 Greatest Hits: My Prerogative  "My Prerogative" — September 2004; #3 UK Acting 1990s: Ruthless! (Off-Broadway) 1993/1994: The New Mickey Mouse Club (Television) 1999: Longshot (Movie/Cameo) 2000: The Simpsons "The Mansion Family" (Television) (Herself) 2002: Crossroads (Movie/Lead Actress) 2002: Austin Powers in Goldmember (Movie/Cameo) Computer game Britney's Dance Beat is a dance game featuring five of her songs, for the PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance.