ABBA are a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's name is an acronym of the first letters of their first names. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1983. In 1974 ABBA were Sweden's first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song "Waterloo", which in 2005 was chosen as the best song in the competition's history as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the contest.
Country is a genre of popular music that originated with blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, old-time, and American folk music forms including Appalachian, Cajun, Creole, and the cowboy Western music styles of New Mexico, Red Dirt, Tejano, and Texas country. Its popularized roots originate in the Southern and Southwestern United States of the early 1920s.
Melissa Gaboriau Auf der Maur is a Canadian musician, singer-songwriter, photographer and actress.
Indigenous music of Canada encompasses a wide variety of musical genres created by Aboriginal Canadians. Before European settlers came to what is now Canada, the region was occupied by many First Nations, including the West Coast Salish and Haida, the centrally located Iroquois, Blackfoot and Huron, the Dene to the North, and the Innu and Mi'kmaq in the East and the Cree in the North. Each of the indigenous communities had their own unique musical traditions. Chanting – singing is widely popular and most use a variety of musical instruments.
Martha and the Muffins are a Canadian rock band, active from 1977 to the present. Although they only had one major international hit single "Echo Beach" under their original band name, they had a number of hits in their native Canada, and the core members of the band also charted in Canada and internationally as M + M.
Deborah Cox is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before becoming a professional backing vocalist for Celine Dion. In 1994, Cox relocated to the United States and was signed to Arista Records by Clive Davis, releasing her self-titled debut album the following year. Her second studio album, One Wish (1998), was certified platinum in the United States. It was marked by the commercial success of the pop crossover single "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", which would become her most successful entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number two and remaining there for eight consecutive weeks. Cox signed with J Records for her third studio album The Morning After (2002), which saw moderate commercial success.
Judy Kay "Juice" Newton is an American pop and country singer, songwriter, and musician. To date, Newton has received five Grammy Award nominations in the Pop and Country Best Female Vocalist categories – winning once in 1983 – as well as an ACM Award for Top New Female Artist and two Billboard Female Album Artist of the Year awards. Newton's other awards include a People's Choice Award for "Best Female Vocalist" and the Australian Music Media's "Number One International Country Artist."
"Crazy" is a ballad composed by Willie Nelson. It has been recorded by several artists, most notably by Patsy Cline, whose version was a No. 2 country hit in 1962.
Nicholas George Gilder is a British-Canadian musician who first came to prominence as the frontman for the glam rock band Sweeney Todd. He later had a successful solo career as a singer/songwriter.
"I Wanna Love You" is a song written and recorded by Akon featuring Snoop Dogg. It was released in October 2006 as the second single from his second studio album, Konvicted. It is also featured on Snoop Dogg's eighth album, Tha Blue Carpet Treatment. This song was Akon's first #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also Snoop's second #1 on the same chart. It also reached a peak of #3 on the UK Singles Chart. The track originally had Akon as a featured artist and was performed by Plies, then an up-and-coming rapper from Fort Myers, Florida, but his verse was replaced by Snoop's and his name has been left out from the writers' credits. This song was #88 on MTV Asia's list of Top 100 Hits of 2007. The song was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration at the 50th Grammy Awards in 2008.
"The Sweet Escape" is a song by American singer and songwriter Gwen Stefani from her second studio album of the same name (2006). It was written by Stefani, Akon, and Giorgio Tuinfort. Akon, who is also a featured artist, developed the song's beat before collaborating with Stefani. He designed it based on her previous work with No Doubt, and Stefani later commented that it put her "on the yellow brick road to the No Doubt record I might do". "The Sweet Escape" is an apology for a fight between two lovers and describes a dream of a pleasant life for them. As the album's title track, its title was chosen to help market Stefani's music and fashion lines.
Carl Sturken and Evan Rogers are New York-based songwriters and record producers who are business partners and friends. They have produced hits for Ruben Studdard, Wild Orchid, Christina Aguilera, Evelyn Champagne King, and Rihanna. They helped build the career of Rihanna, and are the principals of her production company SRP Music Group. As songwriters and record producers, Rogers and Sturken have achieved more than twenty top 40 hits, twelve top 5 hits and six BMI Awards. Their songs have sold more than 60 million albums around the world.
Kathleen Emperatriz Amell DeLuna is an American singer, songwriter and dancer. DeLuna began pursuing a career as a singer when she was a teenager. After signing with Epic Records, she released her debut single "Whine Up" in 2007. The single went on to become a commercial success, entering the Top 40 in numerous countries and topping the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Her debut studio album, 9 Lives (2007), failed to see the success of its lead single. The album's third single, "Run the Show", became a hit in various territories, and reached number two on the Hot Dance Club Play chart.
Brick & Lace were a Jamaican-American dancehall/R&B musical duo consisting of sisters Nyanda and Nailah Thorbourne. According to Billboard, their name reflects the tough and the soft sides of femininity. Signed to the Geffen label, Brick & Lace originally consisted of three performing sisters Tasha, Nailah, and Nyanda. Tasha left the stage to work behind the scenes and co-write songs for the group. Their first Geffen Records' single "Get That Clear" and their first album Love Is Wicked were both released in 2006.
Issa is a singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Dakar, Senegal, his musical style blends various styles, including contemporary R&B, pop, and reggae.
"Sexy Bitch" is a song by French DJ David Guetta recorded for his fourth studio album One Love (2009). The song features vocals from Senegalese-American recording artist Akon. It was released as the second single from One Love internationally. The song was serviced to mainstream and rhythmic crossover radios on 1 September 2009 in the United States, through Astralwerks, together with Capitol Records.
Karim Kharbouch, better known by his stage name French Montana, is a Moroccan-American rapper managed by SAL&CO. Born and raised in Morocco, he emigrated to the United States with his family when he was 13. He is the founder of Coke Boys Records and its predecessor Cocaine City Records. After years of independent material, he was signed as joint-venture record deal with Puff Daddy's Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group in 2012.
"Oh Africa" is a song performed by the artist Akon featuring Keri Hilson from the compilation Listen Up! The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Album. The song is a charity single and was released to raise funds for Akon's charity 'Konfidence' to aid underprivileged children in Africa. The song was released as a digital download on 52nd Grammy Awards night, January 31, 2010, along with the video. The Soweto Gospel Choir and young singers from many countries are also featured on the single. The footballers Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba, Kaká, Fernando Torres, Lionel Messi, Frank Lampard, Michael Ballack and Andrei Arshavin make cameo appearances in the music video.
Kelly-Anne Smith is a voice-over artist and presenter based in London. Smith is a continuity announcer for Channel 5 in the UK. She started as a radio presenter and was the Drivetime DJ on national station Virgin Radio.
Mihai Răzvan Preda, better known by his stage name Sonny Flame, is a reggae, dance hall, and R&B Romanian singer. He is signed by Red Clover Media.
