Hans Uno Jonas Åkerlund is a Swedish film director, screenwriter, music video director, and drummer. His video for Madonna's song "Ray of Light" won a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form, and a record of five awards at 1998 MTV Video Music Awards, including the Video of the Year.
"Dream On" is a power ballad by Aerosmith from their 1973 eponymous debut album. Written by lead singer Steven Tyler, this song was their first major hit and became a classic rock radio staple. Released in June 1973, it peaked at number 59 on the Billboard Hot 100 but hit big in the band's native Boston, where it was the number one single of the year on WBZ-FM, number five for the year on WRKO and number 16 on WMEX (AM). The song also received immediate heavy airplay on the former WVBF (FM), often showing up in the #1 position on "The Top Five at Five" in June 1973.
"Get Me Bodied" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her second solo studio album B'Day (2006). It was written by Beyoncé, Kasseem "Swizz Beatz" Dean, Sean Garrett, Makeba Riddick, Angela Beyincé, and Solange Knowles, while the production was handled by Dean, Beyoncé and Garrett. Beyoncé was inspired by her sister Solange and former Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams for the writing process. Columbia Records and Music World Entertainment released "Get Me Bodied" as the album's fifth single in the United States on July 10, 2007.
"The Lady Is a Tramp" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes in Arms, in which it was introduced by former child star Mitzi Green. This song is a spoof of New York high society and its strict etiquette and phony social pretensions. It has become a popular music standard.
"Listen" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé. The song was written by Beyoncé, Henry Krieger, Scott Cutler, Samantha Worley and Anne Preven, and produced by The Underdogs, Matt Sullivan and Randy Spendlove for the 2006 musical film Dreamgirls, in which Beyoncé's character Deena Jones sings the song in an expression of independence from her controlling husband. Columbia Records released "Listen" as the lead single from the Dreamgirls: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack album on January 19, 2007. It additionally appeared as a hidden track on international editions, and on the deluxe edition of Beyoncé's second solo studio album, B'Day. The Spanish version of the song, "Oye", was released on the EP, Irreemplazable, and the Spanish deluxe edition of B'Day.
"Beautiful, Dirty, Rich" is a song by American singer–songwriter Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as a promotional single from the album on September 16, 2008. Written by the singer and its producer Rob Fusari in 2006, it is an uptempo dance-pop and disco-funk song that makes heavy use of synthesizers. The lyrics focus on Gaga's experiences as a struggling artist in the Lower East Side.
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé, from her third studio album, I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008). Columbia Records released "Single Ladies" as a single on October 8, 2008, as a double A-side alongside "If I Were a Boy", showcasing the contrast between Beyoncé and her aggressive onstage alter ego Sasha Fierce. It explores men's unwillingness to propose or commit. In the song, the female protagonist is in a club to celebrate her single status.
"Burn" is a song by Australian recording artist Jessica Mauboy. It was written by Taj Jackson, Jonas Jeberg, and Mich Hansen and was produced by Jeberg and Cutfather. "Burn" was released digitally on 17 November 2008 as the second single from Mauboy's debut studio album, Been Waiting (2008). Musically, "Burn" is an R&B-dance track that incorporates electronica influences. The song became Mauboy's first number-one on the ARIA Singles Chart and was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association for selling over 70,000 copies. "Burn" also became Mauboy's first charting single internationally, reaching number 92 on the Japan Hot 100.
"Paparazzi" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the album's fifth and final single by Interscope Records. Gaga wrote and produced the song with Rob Fusari. The song portrays Gaga's struggles in her quest for fame, as well as balancing success and love. Musically, it is an uptempo techno-pop and dance-pop ballad whose lyrics describe a stalker following somebody to grab attention and fame.
Miranda Sings is a fictional character, created and portrayed by American comedian, actress, singer and YouTube personality Colleen Ballinger, that first appeared on the Internet in 2008. Ballinger displays videos of the comically talentless, egotistical, misguided and quirky character on her YouTube channel. In these videos, the character sings and dances badly, gives inept "tutorials", recounts her daily activities, discusses current events that she often misunderstands, collaborates with other YouTubers, and rants about her critics, reading examples of hate mail directed at the character on social media; she responds to them with her catchphrase: "Haters Back Off!"
"Empire State of Mind" is a song performed by American rapper Jay-Z featuring American singer Alicia Keys from the former's 11th studio album, The Blueprint 3 (2009). It was released on October 20, 2009. Produced by Al Shux, the song features a music sample of "Love on a Two-Way Street" performed by The Moments. It was originally written by Angela Hunte and Janet Sewell-Ulepic as a tribute to their hometown, New York City. The following month, they submitted it to Jay-Z's label Roc Nation, whose reviews were a discouragement. They later took the suggestion of an associate of EMI Music Publishing and resubmitted it to Jay-Z, who kept the "New York" singing part on the hook, changed the verses, and recorded it. The song's title, similar to "New York State of Mind" by Billy Joel and "N.Y. State of Mind" by Nas, is a wordplay and tribute to New York's nickname "Empire State" and could also be a reference to the Empire State Building in Manhattan.
The Monster Ball Tour was the second worldwide concert tour by American singer Lady Gaga. Staged in support of her first EP, The Fame Monster (2009) and comprising a set list of songs mostly from that and her debut studio album, The Fame (2008), the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 2009 through 2011. It is the highest-grossing tour for a debut headlining artist in history. Described as "the first-ever pop electro opera" by Gaga, the tour was announced in October 2009 after an intended joint concert tour with rapper Kanye West was suddenly cancelled. The Monster Ball Tour commenced four days after the release of The Fame Monster in November 2009.
"Bad Romance" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third extended play (EP), The Fame Monster (2009)—the reissue of her debut studio album, The Fame (2008). Gaga wrote and produced the song with RedOne. Following an illegal demo leak, Gaga premiered the song's final version during the finale of Alexander McQueen's 2010 Paris Fashion Week show in October 2009 and released it as the lead single from The Fame Monster later that month. Musically, it is an electropop and dance-pop song with a spoken bridge. Inspired by German house and techno, the song was developed as an experimental pop record. Lyrically, Gaga drew from the paranoia she experienced while on tour and wrote about her attraction to unhealthy romantic relationships.
"Baby" is a song by Canadian singer Justin Bieber featuring American rapper Ludacris. It was released as the lead single on Bieber's debut studio album, My World 2.0. The track was written by the artists alongside Christina Milian and producers Tricky Stewart and The-Dream.
Born This Way is the second studio album by American singer Lady Gaga, released by Interscope Records on May 23, 2011. It was co-written and co-produced by Gaga with other producers, including Fernando Garibay and RedOne, who had previously worked with her. She also worked with artists such as E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons and Queen guitarist Brian May. Gaga and Garibay are the album's musical directors.
"You and I" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga, taken from her second studio album, Born This Way (2011). She also co-produced it with Robert John "Mutt" Lange. The track samples Queen's "We Will Rock You" (1977) and features electric guitar by Queen's Brian May. Gaga debuted "You and I" in June 2010 during her performance at Elton John's White Tie and Tiara Ball. Footage of the performance appeared on the Internet, and positive response encouraged her to include the song on her setlist for The Monster Ball Tour. She later performed the song on Today to a record crowd in July 2010, and on The Oprah Winfrey Show in May 2011. On August 23, 2011, Interscope Records released the song as the fourth single from the album.
Maria Aragon is a Canadian singer. Aragon gained fame after a YouTube video of her performing Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" went viral.
The Other Guys (TOG) are an all-male a cappella ensemble from the University of St Andrews, Scotland and reigning Scottish champions after winning the Scottish A Cappella Championships (SACC) for two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023. The group was founded in 2004 and has been one of the groups responsible for the rise of collegiate a cappella in Scotland.
A Very Gaga Holiday is a live EP released by American singer Lady Gaga, containing songs performed on the ABC holiday television special A Very Gaga Thanksgiving. It was made available for purchase in the United States on November 22, 2011, exclusively on the iTunes Store and Amazon, and on November 26 in the rest of the world. The EP is made up of jazz covers of the songs "Orange Colored Sky" and "White Christmas", the latter featuring an extra verse added by Gaga herself, and acoustic versions of "You and I" and "The Edge of Glory", both songs originally from the singer's second studio album, Born This Way (2011). A recurring theme on the EP is Gaga stopping midway through singing to talk about background information on the songs with her listeners.
Denise Bestman is an American singer-songwriter from Staten Island, New York.
