Maria Lawson
Maria Lawson (born 24 May 1979) is an English singer. She recorded several singles with Ti.Pi.Cal. Lawson finished in eighth place in the second UK series of television talent show ''The X Factor'' in 2005. She released her debut self-titled album in 2006. Her self-help/autobiography entitled ''Life Starts Now'' was released in November 2008. Lawson appeared in the female lead role in the West End production of ''Thriller – Live'' from 14 April 2009 to March 2010. She released her second studio album, ''Emotional Rollercoaster'' in 2014. Lawson lives in London with her husband Lawrence and their two children. Early life Lawson was born and raised in London. She is the youngest in a family of five, with three brothers and one sister. She is of Jamaican, Chinese and Cuban descent. Her mother is Jamaican, her father has Cuban heritage and her grandfather is Chinese from a family descending from the name Chang. Before appearing as a contestant on ''The X Factor'' finishing i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Contemporary R&B
Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, pitch corrected vocals, and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Electronic influences are becoming an increasing trend and the use of hip hop or dance-inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop may be reduced and smoothed out. Contemporary R&B vocalists often use melisma, and since the mid-1980s, R&B rhythms have been combined with elements of hip hop culture and music and pop culture and pop music. Pre-history According to Geoffrey Himes speaking in 1989, the progressive soul movement of the early 1970s "expanded the musical and lyrical boundaries of &Bin ways that haven't been equaled since". This movement was led by soul singer-songwriter/producers such as Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stop! (Sam Brown Song)
"Stop!" is a song by English singer-songwriter Sam Brown from her debut studio album of the same name (1988). It was written by Brown, Gregg Sutton and Bruce Brody. "Stop!" reached number 52 on the UK Singles Chart when it was first released. Following its re-release in 1989, the song peaked at number four, becoming Brown's highest-charting single to date, and spending 12 weeks on the chart. Additionally, "Stop" topped the charts in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway, while reaching the top five in Australia, Austria, Finland, France, Ireland and Switzerland. The song was featured in the soundtrack to the 1992 film '' Bitter Moon''. Critical reception Pan-European magazine ''Music & Media'' picked "Stop!" as Single of the Week, complimenting "an impressive new talent whose striking debut single leaves us with no doubts about her future." They added that "her commanding vocals fare well in this emotional and powerful ballad, suitable for all types of radio formats." U ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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James Blunt
James Blunt (born James Hillier Blount; 22 February 1974) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. A former reconnaissance officer in the Life Guards regiment of the British Army, he served under NATO during the 1999 Kosovo War. After leaving the military, he rose to fame in 2004 with the release of his debut album '' Back to Bedlam'', achieving worldwide fame with the singles "You're Beautiful" and "Goodbye My Lover". Blunt's first album has sold over 11 million copies worldwide, topping the UK Albums Chart and peaking at number two in the US. "You're Beautiful" was number one in the UK, the US and a dozen other countries. ''Back to Bedlam'' was the best-selling album of the 2000s in the UK, and is one of the best-selling albums in UK chart history. By 2013, Blunt had sold over 20 million albums worldwide. He has received several awards, including two Brit Awards—winning Best British Male in 2006—two MTV Video Music Awards, and two Ivor Novello Awards, as well as ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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You're Beautiful
"You're Beautiful" is a song by English singer-songwriter James Blunt. It was written by Blunt, Sacha Skarbek and Amanda Ghost for Blunt's debut album, ''Back to Bedlam'' (2004). It was released as the third single of the album in 2005. In the United Kingdom and Australia, the song reached number one and number two respectively. When released as the debut single from ''Back to Bedlam'' in Canada and the United States, it reached number one on both charts and received widespread airplay. In 2006, the song won an Ivor Novello Award for airplay. The song has sold 625,000 copies in the United Kingdom as stated by the Official Charts Company, and by October 2012 over three million in the United States. It remains Blunt's biggest hit single in the United States to date, and his only one to reach the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 2012, a new version of the single was issued in Japan. The Q;indivi+ Remix, featuring Japanese performer Keri, was issued on 28 March 2012. The ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Piece Of My Heart
"Piece of My Heart" is a romantic soul love song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns, originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967. Franklin's single peaked in December 1967 at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles chart in the United States. The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company (featuring Janis Joplin on lead vocals) covered the song in 1968 and had a much bigger hit with it, after which Franklin's version was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. The song has since been remade by several singers, including Dusty Springfield also in 1968, Faith Hill in 1994 and duet version by Melissa Etheridge and Joss Stone in 2005. In 2004, the Big Brother and the Holding Company version was ranked No. 353 on ''Rolling Stone'' list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is also included among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Erma Franklin ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sharon Osbourne
Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952) is a British-American television personality, music manager and author. She is married to heavy metal singer-songwriter Ozzy Osbourne and came to prominence while appearing on ''The Osbournes'' (2002–2005), a reality television show that aired on MTV, which followed her family's daily life. Osbourne later became a talent show judge on television shows, such as ''The X Factor'' (2004–2007, 2013, 2016–2017) and '' America's Got Talent'' (2007–2012). Osbourne is credited with reviving her husband's heavy metal career by founding the summer Ozzfest tour, which was held almost annually between 1996 and 2018. From 2003 to 2006, she hosted her own television talk show ''The Sharon Osbourne Show.'' In 2010, Osbourne was a contestant on NBC's ''The Celebrity Apprentice'', and became a co-host on the CBS talk show '' The Talk,'' appearing until her termination in 2021. In 2022, she joined TalkTV, hosting a pr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sam Brown (singer)
Samantha Brown (born 7 October 1964) is an English singer, musician and songwriter. Brown is a blue-eyed soul and jazz singer, and ukulele and piano player. She came to prominence in the late 1980s as a solo artist, and released six singles that entered the UK Singles Chart during the 1980s and 1990s. Her solo singles, sometimes dealing with lost love, include " Stop!", " This Feeling", "Can I Get a Witness", "Kissing Gate", " With a Little Love" and "Just Good Friends". She worked as a session backing vocalist, working with artists such as Gary Moore, George Harrison, Small Faces, Spandau Ballet, Adam Ant, Jon Lord (of Deep Purple), Pink Floyd (also David Gilmour), The Firm, Dodgy and Nick Cave. Brown released her debut album '' Stop!'' in 1988 and in total has released six studio albums, one EP, one live album, and three compilation albums, as well as three albums as part of the group Homespun. She developed serious problems with her singing voice in 2007 after which she ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stop (Sam Brown Song)
"Stop!" is a song by English singer-songwriter Sam Brown from her debut studio album of the same name (1988). It was written by Brown, Gregg Sutton and Bruce Brody. "Stop!" reached number 52 on the UK Singles Chart when it was first released. Following its re-release in 1989, the song peaked at number four, becoming Brown's highest-charting single to date, and spending 12 weeks on the chart. Additionally, "Stop" topped the charts in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands and Norway, while reaching the top five in Australia, Austria, Finland, France, Ireland and Switzerland. The song was featured in the soundtrack to the 1992 film ''Bitter Moon''. Critical reception Pan-European magazine ''Music & Media'' picked "Stop!" as Single of the Week, complimenting "an impressive new talent whose striking debut single leaves us with no doubts about her future." They added that "her commanding vocals fare well in this emotional and powerful ballad, suitable for all types of radio formats." Up ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Simon Cowell
Simon Phillip Cowell (; born 7 October 1959) is an English television personality, entrepreneur and record executive. He is the creator of ''The X Factor'' and ''Got Talent'' franchises which have been sold around the world. He has judged on the British television talent competition series ''Pop Idol'' (2001–2003), ''The X Factor (British TV series), The X Factor UK'' (2004–2010, 2014–2018) and ''Britain's Got Talent'' (2007–present), and the American television talent competition series ''American Idol'' (2002–2010), ''The X Factor (American TV series), The X Factor US'' (2011–2013), and ''America's Got Talent'' (2006–present). Cowell is the founder and sole owner of the British entertainment company Syco. After some success in the 1980s and 1990s as a record producer, talent scout and consultant in the UK music industry, Cowell came to public prominence in 2001 as a judge on ''Pop Idol'', a talent television show which he and its creator Simon Fuller successfull ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The X Factor (UK Series 1)
''The X Factor'' is a British television music competition to find new singing talent; the winner of which receives a £1 million recording contract with the Syco Music record label. The first series was broadcast from 4 September to 11 December 2004. The competition was split into several stages: auditions, bootcamp, judges' homes and live shows, with Louis Walsh, Sharon Osbourne and Simon Cowell as judges. Kate Thornton presented the show on ITV (TV network), ITV, whilst Ben Shephard presented the spin-off show ''The Xtra Factor (British TV series), The Xtra Factor'' on ITV2. Auditions were held in Dublin, Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle, London, Leeds, Birmingham and Glasgow. Steve Brookstein won the series, with Cowell as the winning mentor. Brookstein went on to have some chart success, with runner-up group G4 (band), G4 achieving two platinum albums before splitting up in 2007, but reuniting in 2014. Selection process Applications and auditions Before the auditions, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Lemar
Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978), known as Lemar, is an English singer, songwriter and record producer. Initially rising to fame after finishing third on the first series of British talent show ''Fame Academy'', he was later signed to Sony BMG, where he has gone on to release five studio albums, three of which are certified platinum or double platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Lemar's double-platinum debut album '' Dedicated'' was released in November 2003 and contained the successful singles "Dance (With U)", " 50/50" and " Another Day", all of which charted in the top 10 of the UK Singles Chart. His second effort, ''Time to Grow'', saw similar success, again achieving double platinum certification and spawning his most successful single, "If There's Any Justice", which peaked at number 3 and spent four months in the UK Singles Chart. Lemar has seen considerable chart success in the UK and Ireland, releasing ten top 20 singles, seven of which peaked in the t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |