Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American singer, songwriter, actress, author, and television personality. She rose to fame for winning the first season of American Idol in 2002, which earned her a record deal with RCA. Her debut single, "A Moment Like This", topped the US Billboard Hot 100 and became the country's best selling single of 2002. It was included on her debut studio album, Thankful (2003), which debuted atop the Billboard 200. Trying to reinvent her image, Clarkson parted ways with Idol management and shifted to pop rock for her second studio album, Breakaway (2004). Supported by four US top-ten singles: "Breakaway", "Since U Been Gone", "Behind These Hazel Eyes", and "Because of You", Breakaway sold over 12 million copies worldwide and won two Grammy Awards.
Xenomania is an English songwriting and production team founded by Brian Higgins and based in Kent, England. Formed by Higgins with his Creative Director Miranda Cooper and Business Director Sarah Stennett of First Access Entertainment, Xenomania has written and produced for renowned artists such as Cher, Kylie Minogue, Dannii Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Pet Shop Boys, The Saturdays and Sugababes. In particular, all but one of Girls Aloud's studio albums have been entirely written and produced by Xenomania. Sugababes' "Round Round" and Girls Aloud's "Sound of the Underground" have been credited with reshaping British pop music for the 2000s. Gabriella Cilmi's "Sweet About Me" and Girls Aloud's "The Promise" were named Best Single at the ARIA Music Awards of 2008 and the 2009 BRIT Awards, respectively.
"Passion" is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer Utada Hikaru, taken as the fourth single from their studio album Ultra Blue (2006). It premiered on December 14, 2005, in two physical formats and for digital consumption, distributed by EMI Japan and EastWorld. "Passion", alongside its English counterpart "Sanctuary", were used as the national and international theme songs to the Square Enix video game Kingdom Hearts II (2005); the tracks serve as the successors to "Hikari" and its English counterpart, "Simple and Clean", which are found on Kingdom Hearts.
Fascination Records is a United Kingdom-based record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as an imprint of Polydor Records. The label was launched in spring of 2006, and is managed by former TOTP Magazine editor Peter Loraine.
"That I Would Be Good" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette that was first included on her fourth studio album, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie (1998). An acoustic live version of the song was recorded during a session for MTV Unplugged on September 18, 1999. The live version was released as a single in Europe in 1999 and in Canada on February 8, 2000.
All I Ever Wanted is the fourth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on March 6, 2009, by RCA Records. After the controversies that surrounded her previous studio album, My December (2007), which was seen as much darker than her other two albums, Clarkson went on to record a more pop-oriented album. In order to do so, she enlisted her previous collaborators Max Martin, Dr. Luke,, Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello, and new collaborators, Ryan Tedder, Howard Benson and Dre & Vidal.
"So Happy I Could Die" is a song from American singer Lady Gaga, taken from her second major release and her third EP, The Fame Monster (2009). It was written by herself, Nadir "RedOne" Khayat, and Nicolas "Space Cowboy" Dresti, with production helmed by RedOne. Inspired by Gaga's fear of what she described as the "Alcohol Monster", the song is about the influences of alcoholism, and also explores several sexual themes in its lyrics as well as liberalism.
Simon Curtis is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actor. Born in Michigan and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he first gained recognition for his role as Royce Du Lac in the 2009 film Spectacular! before venturing into pop music, during which he released his debut extended play Alter Boy in 2008, his debut full-length studio album, 8Bit Heart in 2010, and in 2011, he released his second studio album RA; the two later releases were released through his independent label, BoyRobot Records.
"All I Ever Wanted" is a song by American rock band Aranda, from their debut studio album, Aranda (2008). The song was written and produced by Sam Watters and Louis Biancaniello and Dameon Aranda. In 2009, the song was covered by American singer Kelly Clarkson, for her album of the same name, and it was released as a single on March 9, 2010.
"Aphrodite" is a song by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, taken from her eleventh studio album of the same name (2010). Written and produced by Nerina Pallot and Andy Chatterley, the song was included as the title track on the album, which was released on 5 July 2010. It was later included in the track list of Minogue's seventh extended play, A Christmas Gift, which was released on 1 December 2010. The song is a dance-pop track in which Minogue personifies herself as Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.
As If! is the debut extended play (EP) by American singer and songwriter Sky Ferreira. It was released on March 22, 2011 by Capitol Records, in place of her frequently delayed debut studio album, which eventually became Night Time, My Time (2013). Its lead single "Sex Rules" was released on March 1, 2011.
RA is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter and record producer Simon Curtis. It was released independently on June 7, 2011. The album peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart.
Stronger is the fifth studio album by American singer Kelly Clarkson, released on October 21, 2011 by RCA Records. The thirteen-song track-list features Clarkson collaborating with various new producers as well as with Howard Benson, whom she collaborated with on her previous album, All I Ever Wanted (2009). Wanting to stray away sonically from her previous albums, Clarkson's main objective was to record her vocal performances as it is heard in her live sets, and used as little auto-tune processing as possible. The album also marked the first release by Clarkson that did not cause a conflict with RCA; her previous records, most notably My December (2007), were released amidst conflict and controversy.
"King of Hearts" is a song recorded by American singer Cassie. It was written by Jay Singh, John J. Conte Jr. and Raelene Arreguin. "King of Hearts" is an uptempo electronic dance song that features jungle beats and escalating synths. The song is lyrically centered on the theme of seduction. Music critics praised it for the musical structure, many writing that it differs from most dance-pop music on the radio.
In Case We Die is the debut mixtape by American recording artist Tinashe, first released on February 1, 2012 via her official website. The mixtape was released following a four-year stint as lead singer of girl group The Stunners and her array of non-album singles, including a collaboration with producers OFM, "Artificial People", in 2011.
"Power & Control" is a song by Welsh singer Marina Diamandis, professionally known as Marina, from her second studio album, Electra Heart (2012). It was released on 20 July 2012 by 679 Artists and Atlantic Records as the second single from the record. Diamandis collaborated with former Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello while writing the track, and enlisted Greg Kurstin to oversee its production. An electropop, power pop, and dance-pop track, "Power & Control" describes the struggle between romantic partners in achieving superiority in their relationship.
"Get Up " is a song by American recording artist Kelly Clarkson. It was written by Clarkson and Ryan Williams, and co-written and produced by Josh Abraham and Oligee. It was originally released on August 13, 2012 as a free recording by Pepsi as part of their Pepsi NFL Anthems, an advertisement campaign with the National Football League to promote the Dallas Cowboys football team. It was re-released on October 2, 2012 by RCA Records.
"On the Metro" is a song by British all-female pop group Girls Aloud, recorded and taken from their second greatest hits compilation Ten (2012). The song was written by Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts, along with Jason Pebworth, George Astasio, Shave and Dan Stein, while production was handled by The Invisible Men and DJ Fresh.
Zendaya is the eponymous debut studio album by American singer and actress Zendaya, released on September 17, 2013, by Hollywood Records. After acting in the Disney Channel series Shake It Up, Zendaya signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records, in which she began recording her debut in late 2012. Zendaya consists of 12 songs; musically, the album is an electropop album that incorporates urban pop, R&B and dubstep. Lyrically, the album discusses issues of heartbreak and love.
"Wings" is a #1 song by Australian singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, released as the lead single from her fifth studio album Wings of the Wild. It was written by Goodrem with Anthony Egizii and David Musumeci, the song's producers known as DNA Songs. Sony Music released it as a digital download and CD single on 24 July 2015. "Wings" is a pop song, with heavy drums, keyboards, piano, guitar riff and strings as its mains instrumentation. Lyrically, "Wings" has a focus on self-empowerment, where Goodrem uses "the extended metaphor of flight to explore feelings of catharsis and one’s ability to overcome adversity".
