Biography: Avril Lavigne

Followed By: Danielle McKee, Yui, Brie Larson, Aly & AJ, Hilary Duff, Busted
Genre: Pop
Followed By: Danielle McKee, Yui, Brie Larson, Aly & AJ, Hilary Duff, Busted
Similar Artists: Sara Nunes, Alyssa Atherton, Savvy & Mandy, Liz Phair, Alanis Morissette, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Tracy Bonham, Landon Pigg, Matt Willis, Nelly Furtado, Michelle Branch, Kelly Osbourne, Lillix, Fefe Dobson, Katy Rose, McFly, Sarah Hudson, Ana Johnsson, Belén Arjona, Danielle McKee

Avril Lavigne first appeared in summer 2002, touting an addictive debut single (the spunky pop/rock gem "Complicated") and a skatepunk image that purposely clashed with the polished glamour of mainstream pop. Lavigne, who was 17 at the time, quickly rose to teen idol status, selling several million copies of her debut album, Let Go (the best-selling album by a female artist in 2002), while inspiring a genuine fashion craze with her penchant for tank tops and neckties. As the decade progressed, so did Lavigne's marketable sound, which took a contemplative turn on the sophomore effort Under My Skin before reaching an aggressively upbeat tone for 2007's The Best Damn Thing.


Born into a devout Christian household in the small town of Napanee, Ontario, Lavigne sharpened her vocal talents in church choirs, local festivals, and county fairs. She began playing guitar and writing songs in her early teens, focusing her early efforts on country music and contributing vocals to several albums by local folk musician Steve Medd. Arista Records caught wind of the singer and brought her aboard at the age of 16, with CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid personally taking Lavigne under his wing. She quit high school, relocated to Manhattan, and set to work with a handful of prime songwriters and producers, but the partnerships only produced country songs -- not the rock music in which Lavigne had become increasingly interested. Arista relented and instead sent Lavigne to Los Angeles, where she fashioned her melodic, edgy debut alongside such writing teams as the Matrix. Released in 2002, Let Go was the polished product, and its four high-charting singles -- "Complicated," "Sk8er Boi," "I'm with You," and "Losing Grip" -- led the album to multi-platinum status within its second month of release. Lavigne became the youngest female musician ever to have a number one album in the U.K., and she supported the wildly popular disc (which eventually gained eight Grammy nominations) with a tour of Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia.

Compared with the skin-bearing antics of other teen idols -- Britney Spears chief among them -- Avril Lavigne was a new kind of superstar, one whose appeal didn't rely on sexy videos or suggestive music. She further distinguished herself by bypassing the assistance of professional writing teams during the creation of her second album, choosing instead to collaborate with singer/songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk, Evanescence's Ben Moody, and Evan Taubenfeld (who had previously worked with Lavigne as her touring guitarist). Released in May 2004, Under My Skin was more serious than its predecessor, dealing with such issues as premarital sex ("Don't Tell Me"), depression ("Nobody's Home"), and the death of Lavigne's grandfather ("Slipped Away"). The album debuted at number one in more than ten countries, went platinum within one month, and further established Lavigne as a pop icon. Incidentally, a song that was co-written by Lavigne and ultimately cut from the final track list -- "Breakaway" -- was later given to Kelly Clarkson, who used it as the title track and leadoff single for her Grammy-winning sophomore album.

Lavigne married her boyfriend of two years, Sum 41's Deryck Whibley, in July 2006, just one month after the animated film Over the Hedge announced her cinematic debut (Lavigne voiced the part of Heather, a hungry opossum). She also appeared in Richard Linklater's fictional adaptation of Fast Food Nation, which was released that November. Nevertheless, she spent most of the year working on her third album, enlisting former blink-182 drummer Travis Barker to play drums and cherry-picking a variety of producers (including her husband) to helm the recording sessions. The Best Damn Thing appeared in April 2007, and its leadoff single, "Girlfriend," marked a return to the bratty, spunky punk-pop of her first album. "Girlfriend" soon became the subject of controversy as the '70s power pop band the Rubinoos sued Lavigne, claiming that her tune reworked their 1979 song "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." No amount of bad publicity could hurt the singer, however, as "Girlfriend" became her biggest U.S. single ever and The Best Damn Thing topped album charts worldwide. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide

Snoop Dogg

Biography

Born: October 20, 1972 in Long Beach, CA
Years Active: 1994-2008
Member of: 213
Influenced by: Ice Cube, Zapp, Too $hort, Cameo, Parliament, N.W.A, Dr. Dre, George Clinton, Slick Rick, Scarface, Rick James, Gap Band, Barry White
Followed By: Akwid, Do or Die, 2Wice, T-Bone, Top Authority, Chingy, Ramiz Fataliyev, New Ridaz, Collie, The Total Package, Lord T & Eloise, Roscoe, Musab, Omar Cruz, Mia X, Crooked, Webbie, JoeyStarr, 40 Thevz, Da Unda Dogg, Bliss N Eso, Hot Dollar, La Fouine
Genre: Hip-Hop
Followed By: Akwid, Do or Die, 2Wice, T-Bone, Top Authority, Chingy, Ramiz Fataliyev, New Ridaz, Collie, The Total Package, Lord T & Eloise, Roscoe, Musab, Omar Cruz, Mia X, Crooked, Webbie, JoeyStarr, 40 Thevz, Da Unda Dogg, Bliss N Eso, Hot Dollar, La Fouine
Similar Artists: Above the Law, Cypress Hill, JT the Bigga Figga, Spice 1, B-Legit, E-40, Warren G., Rappin' 4-Tay, Dru Down, 2Pac, Ant Banks, DJ Quik, WC, Mack 10, Tha Dogg Pound, Celly Cel, MC Eiht, Xzibit, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt, Outlawz, The Relativez

As the embodiment of '90s gangsta rap, Snoop Dogg blurred the lines between reality and fiction. Introduced to the world through Dr. Dre's The Chronic, Snoop quickly became the most famous star in rap, partially because of his drawled, laconic rhyming and partially because the violence that his lyrics implied seemed real, especially after he was arrested on charges of being a murder accomplice. The arrest certainly strengthened his myth, and it helped his debut album, 1993's Doggystyle, become the first debut album to enter the charts at number one, but in the long run, it hurt his career. Snoop had to fight charges throughout 1994 and 1995, and while he was eventually cleared, it hurt his momentum. The Doggfather, his second album, wasn't released until November 1996, and by that time, pop and hip-hop had burned itself out on gangsta rap. The Doggfather sold half as well as its predecessor, which meant that Snoop remained a star, but he no longer had the influence he had just two years before.

Nicknamed Snoop by his mother because of his appearance, Calvin Broadus (born October 20, 1972) was raised in Long Beach, CA, where he frequently ran into trouble with the law. Not long after his high school graduation, he was arrested for possession of cocaine, beginning a period of three years where he was often imprisoned. He found escape from a life of crime through music. Snoop began recording homemade tapes with his friend Warren G, who happened to be the stepbrother of N.W.A's Dr. Dre. Warren G gave a tape to Dre, who was considerably impressed with Snoop's style and began collaborating with the rapper.

When Dre decided to make his tentative first stab at a solo career in 1992 with the theme song for the film Deep Cover, he had Snoop rap with him. "Deep Cover" started a buzz about Snoop that escalated into full-fledged mania when Dre released his own debut album, The Chronic, on Death Row Records late in 1992. Snoop rapped on The Chronic as much as Dre, and his drawled vocals were as important to the record's success as its P-Funk bass grooves. Dre's singles "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang" and "Dre Day," which prominently featured Snoop, became Top Ten pop crossover hits in the spring of 1993, setting the stage for Snoop's much-anticipated debut album, Doggystyle. While he was recording the album with Dre in August, Snoop was arrested in connection with the drive-by shooting death of Phillip Woldermarian. According to the charges, the rapper's bodyguard, McKinley Lee, shot Woldermarian as Snoop drove the vehicle; the rapper claimed it was self-defense, alleging that the victim was stalking Snoop. Following a performance at the MTV Music Awards in September 1993, he turned himself over to authorities.

After many delays, Doggystyle was finally released on Death Row in November of 1993, and it became the first debut album to enter the charts at number one. Despite reviews that claimed the album was a carbon copy of The Chronic, the Top Ten singles "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice" kept Doggystyle at the top of the charts during early 1994, as did the considerable controversy over Snoop's arrest and his lyrics, which were accused of being exceedingly violent and sexist. During an English tour in the spring of 1994, tabloids and a Tory minister pleaded for the government to kick the rapper out of the country, largely based on his arrest. Snoop exploited his impending trial by shooting a short film based on the Doggystyle song "Murder Was the Case" and releasing an accompanying soundtrack, which debuted at number one in 1994. By that time, Doggystyle had gone quadruple platinum.

Snoop spent much of 1995 preparing for the case, which finally went to trial in late 1995. In February of 1996, he was cleared of all charges and began working on his second album, this time without Dre as producer. Nevertheless, when The Doggfather was finally released in November 1996, it bore all the evidence of a Dre-produced G-funk record. The album was greeted with mixed reviews, and it initially sold well, but it failed to produce a hit along the lines of "What's My Name?" and "Gin & Juice." Part of the reason of the moderate success of The Doggfather was the decline of gangsta rap. 2Pac, who had become a friend of Snoop during 1996, died weeks before the release of The Doggfather, and Dre had left Death Row to his partner Suge Knight, who was indicted on racketeering charges by the end of 1996. Consequently, Snoop's second album got lost in the shuffle, stalling at sales of two million, which was disappointing for a superstar.

Perhaps sensing something was wrong, Snoop began to revamp his public image, moving away from his gangsta roots toward a calmer lyrical aesthetic. He also began making gestures toward the rock community, signing up to tour with Lollapalooza 1997 and talking about two separate collaborations with Beck and Marilyn Manson. The solo Da Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told, Snoop's first effort for No Limit, followed in 1998; No Limit Top Dogg appeared a year later and Dead Man Walkin' the year after that. Tha Last Meal followed in December of that same year. The heavy release schedule resulted in varying musical quality from album to album, but by the turn of the century, Snoop had become such a cultural phenomenon that his albums almost became secondary to the personality behind them. An autobiography appeared in 2001, followed by a stream of movie roles in several high-profile pictures. Late in 2002, Snoop released his first album for Capitol, Paid tha Cost to Be da Bo$. He then switched to Geffen for 2004's R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece. The hit album was followed a year later by Welcome to tha Chuuch: Da Album, a collection of tracks from the Welcome to the Chuuch mixtape series.

That same year he hosted a West Coast peace summit in hopes of squashing all beefs. In 2006, he appeared on Tha Dogg Pound's Cali Iz Active and Ice Cube's Laugh Now, Cry Later. Toward the end of the year the intentionally leaked "My Peoples" freestyle apppeared. The track paid tribute to many involved in Cali's Latin rap community, so it was no big surprise when "Vato" with Cypress Hill's B Real became his next album's leadoff single. The hard and very G-Funk Tha Blue Carpet Treatment triumphantly capped off a year of heavy West Coast activity. In late 2007 he recruited two hip-hop veterans -- New Jack Swing legend Teddy Riley and West Coast hero DJ Quik - and formed the production team QDT Muzic. The team oversaw Snoop's 2008 album Ego Trippin' which included the single "Sensual Seduction". ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Filmography

2008 In Prison My Whole Life

2007 Katt Williams: American Hustle - The Movie

2007 Snoop Dogg's Father Hood [TV Series]

2006 Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror

2006 Arthur and the Invisibles

2006 Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable

2005 The Tenants (2006)

2005 The L.A. Riot Spectacular

2005 Racing Stripes

2005 Boss 'N' Up

2005 Boss'n Up

2005 John Legend: Live at the House of Blues

2005 Hip Hop 411

2005 Best of VIP Access

2004 Starsky & Hutch

2004 Soul Plane

2004 Letter to the President

2004 Hip Hop Immortals

2003 Malibu's Most Wanted

2003 The Real Cancun

2003 Old School

2003 Doggy Fizzle Televizzle [TV Series]

2003 C-Walk: It's a Way of Livin'

2003 Booth Blasters: Rip Up the Mic!

2003 Sex and the Studio

2002 Snoopadelic Films Presents: Welcome to tha House

2002 Hip-Hop VIPs

2002 Hip Hop Story: Tha Movie

2002 Tha Westside

2001 Baby Boy

2001 The Wash

2001 Bones

2001 Welcome to Death Row

2001 Training Day

2001 Crime Partners

2001 King of the Hill: Ho Yeah!

2001 Straight from the Streetz, Vol. 1

2001 Black Spring Break 2: The Sequel

2000 Tha Eastsidaz

2000 Master P Presents: No Limit Records Video Compilation, Vol. 1

2000 Death Row Uncut

2000 The Up in Smoke Tour

1999 Whiteboys

1999 The Wrecking Crew

1999 The Source: 1999 Hip-Hop Music Awards

1999 Urban Menace

1999 Hot Boyz

1998 Caught Up

1998 Half Baked

1998 Da Game of Life

1995 The Show

1994 Murder Was the Case: The Movie

Biography: Pussycat Dolls

Band Members: Jessica Sutta, Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts, Carmit Bachar, Melody Thornton, Nicole Scherzinger
Genre: Pop
Similar Artists: Kylie Minogue, Spice Girls, Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, Pearl, Fergie

Founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995, the Pussycat Dolls began as a burlesque dance revue based in Los Angeles, spawned a second revue in Las Vegas, grew into an A-list phenomena with a revolving cast of guest celebrities, and eventually became a recording act with a number one dance hit. It wasn't long after launching its revue that the troupe began attracting actresses and models who wanted to become a Pussycat Doll for a night. Christina Aguilera, Pamela Anderson, Kelly Osbourne, Pink, Britney Spears, Carmen Electra, and Gwen Stefani are just some of the names that donned lingerie and pin-up costumes and joined the Dolls for their flirtatious shows. An appearance in the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle was followed by numerous television appearances, most with Carmen Electra. Capitalizing on the nationwide attention and the addition of former Eden's Crush member Nicole Scherzinger as lead singer, the single "Don't Cha" with special guest Busta Rhymes appeared at the beginning of 2005 and climbed to number two on the pop chart, number one on the dance chart. With help from the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am and producer Timbaland, the Pussycat Dolls recorded their full-length debut. The A&M label released PCD, a Top Ten hit, in the summer of 2005. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Fergie

Birth name Stacy Ann Ferguson
Born March 27, 1975 (1975-03-27) (age 33)
Hacienda Heights, California, United States
Genre(s) Pop, dance-pop, R&B, hip hop, pop rap
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, rapper, actress, model
Label(s) A&M, Interscope, will.i.am music group
Associated acts Kids Incorporated (as a road act), Wild Orchid, Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am, Ciara, Ludacris, Polow da Don
Website www.fergie.com

Biography

Early life

Ferguson was born in Hacienda Heights, California, the daughter of Terri Jackson (née Gore) and Patrick Ferguson.She has one sister, Dana, who works at
Volcom. Her parents are Roman Catholics of Irish, Scottish and Mexican descent.The daughter of devout Catholic schoolteachers, she was raised in a suburban
area with strict Roman Catholic values while attending Glen A. Wilson High School and Mesa Robles Middle school.[5] She is quoted as saying that as a child
she was so hyperactive, doctors wanted to put her on Ritalin until her mom vetoed the idea. Through dance school, her mom found her an agent and voiceover
work, providing the voices for Lucy and Sally in Peanuts cartoons. From 1984 to 1989, she spent summers performing chart hits on the TV show Kids
Incorporated. All that time she was a straight-A student. She was even a spelling bee champion.She has struggled with drug addiction admitting to past use of
both ecstasy and crystal meth.

Acting career

As a child actress, Ferguson appeared on the television program Kids Incorporated for several years with Renee Sandstrom, who became a fellow member of Wild
Orchid. On the show, the actress displayed her singing talents, singing Whitney Houston's "One Moment In Time". Ferguson was the voice of Sally Brown in two
Charlie Brown specials: It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown (1984), and Snoopy's Getting Married, Charlie Brown (1985).
In July 2003, Ferguson had a guest role on the Rocket Power special, Reggie's Big Beach Break, on Nickelodeon; she voiced a fictitious pop music star named
Shaffika. In March 2005, casting for Revolution Studios's big-budget remake of John Carpenter's The Fog was underway. Ferguson was set to return to acting in
the role of lighthouse radio deejay Stevie Wayne (a part originated by scream queen Adrienne Barbeau). A last minute conflict arose, preventing her contract
from closing and Ferguson left the project.The role eventually went to Selma Blair. Ferguson finally returned to acting in 2006, appearing as lounge singer
Gloria in Wolfgang Peterson's remake of The Poseidon Adventure. She later appeared in 2007's Grindhouse

Personal life

Ferguson is engaged to actor Josh Duhamel,who stars in the television show Las Vegas. They met, and began dating, in September 2004 when she and her band
appeared on Duhamel's show (in an episode titled "Montecito Lancers", which aired on November 1, 2004). Ferguson and Duhamel have recently purchased a house
together.
In April 2007, she gave an interview in which she admitted that she went on a sex and drugs spree when she turned 18, saying: "I have had lesbian experiences
in the past. I won't say how many men I've had sex with—but I am a very sexual person. In December 2007 when asked "Bisexuality and homosexuality are often
either frowned or mocked upon in certain circles. Does that bother you?", she replied "No, it doesn’t bother me. I’m just me".
Ferguson was featured on Maxim's Hot 100 Women of 2006, and voted in at position #36.In 2007, she was voted in at #10.

Music career

Ferguson was a member of the female trio Wild Orchid, which she fronted with Stefanie Ridel and fellow Kids Incorporated star Renee Sandstrom. Wild Orchid
released two albums, but after completing a third album, their record label declined to release it, and she left the group shortly thereafter. Her
disappointment with Wild Orchid led to an addiction to crystal methamphetamine. In September 2006, Ferguson talked with Time about quitting her crystal meth
addiction. "It was the hardest boyfriend I ever had to break up with," she says. "It's the drug that's addicting. But it's why you start doing it in the
first place that's interesting. A lot of it was being a child actor; I learned to suppress feelings.
In 2003, the Black Eyed Peas were recording their third album, 2003's Elephunk, when Will.i.am invited Fergie to try out for a song called Shut Up (Black

Eyed Peas song). She got the gig and instantly bonded with the trio to record five additional songs on the album.

In the following spring, shortly before Elephunk came out, Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine had offered Ferguson a permanent spot to take over vocal duties
and fill the spot left void by background singer Kim Hill, who had left the group in 2000. When Will of the group was asked to sum up his bandmates, he
called Fergie the "body" of the group.

In 2005, Ferguson inadvertently urinated on stage during a performance at San Diego's Street Scene festival. Ferguson later commented on the incident: "I had
a few drinks before the show, but I didn't think to go to the bathroom before we went onstage. We were jumping around...and my bladder just started.
In December 2007, Blender picked Ferguson as their woman of the year.[20]

During the 2008 Idol Gives Back, she performed a duet with Ann Wilson of Heart. The two (with Nancy Wilson on guitar) performed "Barracuda".

On April 23, 2008, her song "Labels or Love" leaked onto the internet. The song was recorded for the upcoming Sex and the City: The Movie soundtrack. In an
Entertainment Weekly interview, director and writer Michael Patrick King stated that "it’s an entirely new song with lyrics, but it has the Sex and the City
theme as the DNA — on steroids.”

Fergie is doing a collaboration with Jpop superstar Kumi Koda. The two have been reported to be very close friends and are featured together in many
photoshoots, such as in the popular Japanese style magazine S-Cawaii,[21] and more recently, a photoshoot taken in Atlantic Station, Atlanta. The
collaboration is titled "That Ain't Cool", and will be featured on Kumi's 40th single "MOON".It is due to be released in Japan on June 11th.

Solo career

The Dutchess

After two successful Black Eyed Peas albums, Ferguson began pursuing a solo career. Her first album, released on September 19, 2006, was entitled The
Dutchess. The album's name is a misspelled variant of the former title of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, with whom Ferguson shares a surname and
popular nickname. The solo deal does not mean the demise of the Black Eyed Peas, as Ferguson intends to remain with the group, alternating between the two
duties. The Dutchess is similar in style to that of the Black Eyed Peas, as fellow Peas member will.i.am is the album's executive producer.

Ferguson has had six hit songs from The Dutchess, with "London Bridge", "Fergalicious", "Glamorous", "Big Girls Don't Cry" ,"Clumsy", and "Finally" becoming
number one singles. Her second single, "Fergalicious", peaked at #2. "London Bridge" reached #2 on the United World Chart, while "Fergalicious" and
"Glamorous" both made it to #4. "Big Girls Don't Cry" became Ferguson's first worldwide #1 single, and is her most successful single to date. "Clumsy" was
announced as the fifth single from The Dutchess after the major international success of "Big Girls Don't Cry". Ferguson has received her fifth Top 5 solo
track from The Dutchess after "Clumsy" earned at #5 position on the Billboard Hot 100, on 22 December 2007. "Here I Come" also charted on the Australian ARIA
and New Zealand RIANZ official charts.

On November 18, 2007, Ferguson won the Pop or Rock "Favorite Female Artist" at the American Music Awards

Concert for Diana

Ferguson appeared at Wembley Stadium on 1 July 2007, performing "Glamorous" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" in a concert for the late Princess Diana put on by her
two sons Prince William and Prince Harry; the DVD of the concert was released 5 November 2007.

Ashlee Simpson

Biography

Born: October 03, 1984 in Waco, TX
Years Active: 1996-2005
Influenced by: Green Day, Alanis Morissette
Followed By: Yui
Genre: Pop
Followed By: Yui
Similar Artists: Saving Jane, Paris Hilton, Everlife, Miley Cyrus, Gia Farrell, Lynne Timmes, Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Christy Carlson Romano, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Osbourne, Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan, JoJo, Hope Partlow, The Veronicas

She might be the younger sister of superstar Jessica Simpson, but don't confuse their tastes or style when it comes to music. Waco, Texas-born Ashlee Simpson always loved music. At age 11 she was the youngest person ever admitted into the School of American Ballet. At 14 she moved with her parents and older sister to Los Angeles and spent time dancing in Jessica's stage show. Appearances on Malcolm in the Middle and The View led to a regular role on the television show Seventh Heaven but Ashlee's heart was set on a music career. One of her songs, "Just Let Me Cry," landed on the Freaky Friday soundtrack in 2003, and Ashlee continued work on her rocking and punky demos when Seventh Heaven wasn't in production. Geffen was impressed and released her debut album, Autobiography, in 2004 as MTV was debuting Ashlee's own reality show. During its first week of release, Autobiography went to number one on the Billboard album charts with sales of 398,000 copies. Her sophomore effort, I Am Me, which was also produced by John Shanks, was issued in October 2005. After touring to support the album, Simpson appeared as Roxie Hart in the London production of Chicago. In April of 2008 she announced her engagement to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz. That same month her third album, Bittersweet World, landed featuring the singles "Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" and "Little Miss Obsessive." ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Filmography

2005 Undiscovered

2004 Raise Your Voice

2004 The Ashlee Simpson Show [TV Series]

2004 Nick & Jessica's Family Christmas

1996 7th Heaven [TV Series]

Chris Brown

Biography

Born: May 05, 1989 in Tappahannock, VA
Years Active: 2006-2008
Influenced by: New Edition, Tevin Campbell, Michael Jackson, Usher
Genre: R & B
Similar Artists: Keke Palmer, Shawn Emanuel, Corbin Bleu, NLT, Ray J, Kuk Harrell, Mario, Tiffany Evans, Bobby Valentino, Ne-Yo

Pop-oriented R&B vocalist Chris Brown debuted with the Scott Storch-produced "Run It!" and became the first male solo artist to release a single that went straight to the top of the Billboard singles chart. Only 16 at the time, Brown came from a small town in Virginia called Tappahannock and, like a lot of kids born since the early '80s, was initially into his parents' favorites but eventually fell under the spell of hip-hop. Around the time he reached puberty, he discovered his singing voice. Within a couple years, he had a recording contract with Jive and was lined up with several production and songwriting heavyweights (Jermaine Dupri, Bryan-Michael Cox, Dre & Vidal, Sean Garrett, Storch) for his eponymous first album, an immediate Top Ten hit released in November of 2005. Exclusive, featuring the number one pop single "Kiss Kiss," followed in 2007. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Filmography

2008 Phenom

2007 This Christmas

2007 Stomp the Yard

2006 Chris Brown's Journey

biography: Miley Cyrus

Genre: Pop
Similar Artists: Zac Efron, Ashley Tisdale, Ali Lohan, Lynne Timmes, Corbin Bleu, T-Squad, Emily Osment, Raven-Symoné, Hilary Duff, The Cheetah Girls, Ashlee Simpson

Young Miley Cyrus became an overnight sensation in 2006 as the star of the Disney Channel television series Hannah Montana, but fortunately her family has had some experience with that sort of thing -- her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, went from obscurity to stardom in a few short months when the song "Achy Breaky Heart" hit the charts in 1992. The success of "Achy Breaky Heart" was hardly the only memorable event for Billy Ray that year -- on November 23, 1992, he and his wife welcomed their daughter Destiny Hope Cyrus into the world. Destiny's cheerful disposition as a child earned her the nickname Smiley, which stuck when it was shortened to Miley. Miley's career as a professional actress began in 2003, when she appeared in an episode of the television series Doc, which starred her father; the same year, she landed a small role in the Tim Burton film Big Fish. Miley developed an interest in music early on, writing songs and learning to sing while still a preteen, and in 2005 she landed a role that allowed her to put her skills in acting and music to work. Miley was cast in the title role of Hannah Montana, in which she played a teenage girl leading a double life -- by day, she's Miley Stewart, an ordinary kid dealing with school, her friends, her siblings, and all the other foibles of life for a 14-year-old, while a night she dons a wig and becomes Hannah Montana, a multi-platinum pop star whose career is guided by her dad Robby Stewart, a successful songwriter. However, Miley's friends don't know she's also Hannah, and keeping this a secret is no simple matter. Debuting in March 2006, Hannah Montana became an immediate success with young viewers, and in October, a soundtrack CD was released, featuring Miley singing eight songs from the show along with five related tracks, including a duet between Miley and her father Billy Ray on "I Learned from You." That fall, Miley hit the road, wowing audiences as the opening act for another Disney-spawned pop act, the Cheetah Girls, and in March 2007, the Hannah Montana album was reissued in a special edition featuring a bonus DVD, not long after the show's theme song, "The Best of Both Worlds," was released as a single. A second Hannah Montana album, Hannah Montana, Vol. 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, is scheduled for release on June 26, 2007. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide