STEFANO LANGONE BIOGRAPHY

Stefano Langone (born February 27, 1989) is an American singer from Kent, Washington. Langone placed seventh on the tenth season of American Idol.

Langone was born to Carrie and Ernie Langone in Bellevue, Washington. He is half Spanish and half Italian. His father works as a career advisor at The Art Institute of Seattle and is also a singer and musician. Langone has been singing and playing the piano since childhood. He attended Emerald Park Elementary School, Meridian Junior High, and Kentwood High School, as well as Bellevue College, where he was given a full ride scholarship. He performed with Bellevue College's 'Celebration!' vocal jazz ensemble while he was a student there.

On May 28, 2009, he was involved in a near-fatal accident after being hit by a drunk driver.The accident resulted in two broken arms, a fractured pelvis, and other serious injuries. In addition, Langone had to re-learn how to walk and has extensive scarring as a result of the accident.

It has also been reported that Langone was once arrested on suspicion of DUI a year after the accident. He was later only charged with a lesser crime of first-degree negligent driving for which he pleaded guilty.
Langone auditioned for the tenth season of American Idol in San Francisco, California. He advanced to the Top 13 through a wild card selection by Jennifer Lopez. Langone was voted off the show on April 21, 2011, finishing in 7th place| source|

JAMES DURBIN BIOGRAPHY

James Durbin (born January 6, 1989) is an American heavy metal singer and guitar player from Santa Cruz, California, who finished in fourth place on the tenth season of American Idol.

Durbin was born in 1989 to Judy Settle-Durbin and Willy Durbin. His father, a musician, died of a drug overdose when Durbin was nine. He announced during his aired audition on American Idol, he was upset he didn't get a chance to know his father well. He was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger syndrome shortly after his father died. He attended Musicscool, a music school run by Dale Ockerman in Santa Cruz.

In 2006, he performed in a Santa Cruz children's theater group called Kids on Broadway and played the lead role in Grease and Beauty and the Beast. In 2007, he played the leading roles of Tony in West Side Story and Oscar in Sweet Charity—both productions produced by All About Theatre, a Santa Cruz community theatre company. In 2008, Durbin appeared in Alan Parsons' "Art & Science of Sound Recording" educational video series, recording a version of Parsons' "We Play The Game" at Ex'pression College for Digital Arts.

He was the lead singer in a metal band called Hollywood Scars, where he went by the stage name of Jimmy Levox. Influenced by bands such as Metallica, Pantera, Judas Priest, Dream Theater, Guns N' Roses, Iron Maiden and Motley Crue, Hollywood Scars drew their inspiration from the glitz, glam, and decadence of Hollywood's Sunset Strip in the 80's and early 90's. The band released a single entitled "Under The Cherry Tree". He was also in a band called Whatever Fits. He has also sung country music.

Durbin had previously auditioned for American Idol in Season 8, but was not chosen.

Durbin was eliminated in the Top 4 on season 10, but despite his elimination, he received a homecoming previously reserved for Top 3 contestants the first time such an exception on the homecoming policy was made by the show.Footage of his homecoming, dubbed the "Durbin Day", was shown briefly on the Top 3 performance show.
He appeared on the American Idol Season 10 finale, singing "Livin' After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law" alongside British heavy metal band Judas Priest.

After his elimination Durbin appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Live with Regis and Kelly, Today,[citation needed] Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Along with the rest of the Top 11 finalists, he participated in the American Idol Tour that season.

He appeared in a documentary, Different Is The New Normal, that focused on a teen's effort to overcome Tourette syndrome.

Durbin is being managed by 19 Entertainment, alongside fellow contestants Pia Toscano and Haley Reinhart.[18] It was announced that he was signed to the independent music label Wind-up Records on September 5, 2011.

On May 28, 2011, Durbin and the other American Idol top 4 performed at the opening of the new Microsoft Store at Lenox Square Mall in Atlanta, Georgia.

Durbin, along with fellow contestants Scotty McCreery, Lauren Alaina, and Haley Reinhart, released a Walmart Exclusive EP with his highlights from season 10 on American Idol. The tracks feature some of his popular performances such as "Will you still Love me Tomorrow" and "Uprising" as well as a previously unreleased recording of "Good Riddance (Time of your life)".

Durbin started working on his debut album after appearing on American Idol, and wrote with a number of people, such as James Michael and Marti Frederiksen, as well as his favorite band Hardcore Superstar. The album, titled Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, is scheduled to be released in November 2011 and is produced by Howard Benson.

He recorded a track entitled "Stand Up" for the album Official Gameday Music of the NFL, Volume 2 and released on September 27, 2011.

The single "Love Me Bad" from his album, Memories of a Beautiful Disaster, was released on November 1, 2011
Durbin has a fiancée, Heidi and they have a son together named Hunter. He has a passion for pro wrestling.|source:wikipedia|

JAMES DURBIN PHOTOS

BELINDA PEREGRIN PROFILE

Belinda Peregrin Schull (born August 15, 1989 in Madrid, Spain), is a Latin Grammy Award nominated Mexican singer, songwriter and actress. She is best known for her dual role playing identical twins Mariana Cantú and Silvana Del Valle in popular Mexican children's telenovela, Cómplices Al Rescate.

Spanish Beauty Belinda Peregrin Wallpaper




Belinda Peregrin Hot Wallapaper


Sexy Actress Belinda Peregrin Wallpaper


Pop Singer Belinda Peregrin Wallpaper

MYRIAM FARES BIOGRAPHY

MYRIAM FARES BIOGRAPHY

Her Lebanese musician and entertainer. Myriam Fares born May 3, 1983. Myriam was born in Kafar Shlal, a small village in Southern Lebanon, near Kafarhata village, 5 miles east of Saida. Since her childhood, Myriam has been devoted and dedicated to arts which encouraged her to develop her talents and interests. She started learning classic ballet at the age of five which impelled her to develop her musical talents. She had a profound feeling of becoming a professional dancer which was accomplished at the age of nine when she was accepted in a TV program "Al Mawaheb Al Saghira" on Tele Liban and was awarded the first prize in oriental dancing.

As a brilliant student in arts, Myriam was encouraged by her impressed teachers to participate in the schools' events which were a motive to improve her dancing, singing and acting skills.

Inspired by her angelic strong voice, Myriam wanted to explore her talents further in singing. She joined the Lebanese National Conservatory and succeeded in learning the principles of oriental singing for four years.

At the age of sixteen, she participated in the Lebanese Festival for Songs and won the first prize as the best popular Lebanese singer.

Her seventeen was highlighted by her participation in the TV program on LBCI "Studio-El-Fann" 2000-2001 under the category of the Lebanese song. Myriam won the prize of best singer in the South of Lebanon which was followed by Dr. Walid Ghoulmiye's prize as best singer in South Lebanon, Beirut and Mount Lebanon.

Studio albums

Myriam
* Mastering : Tony Haddad
* Design : Kinda Mourani
* Year : 2004

1. Ana Wel Shoq
2. Ghmorni
3. La Tis'alni
4. Shou Badou
5. Inta el Hayat
6. Ahebbak Heil
7. Hal Gharam Mish Gharam
8. Ya Alem Bil Hal

Nadini

* Mastering : Tony Haddad
* Design : Kinda Mourani
* Photography : Carine & charbel
* Year : 2005

1. Nadini
2. Aanadiya
3. Hasisni Beek
4. Haklek Rahtak
5. Leh Habibi
6. Maarafsh Had Bel Esmida
7. Haset B Aman
8. Khalini Teer
9. Zaalan Menni
10. Waheshni Eih

Bet'oul Eih

* Year : 2008

1. Mouch Ananiya
2. Eih Yalli Byohsal
3. Bet'oul Eih
4. Betrouh
5. yyam El Chitti
6. Ana Albi Lik
7. Ala Khwana
8. Law Konte Radi
9. Moukanoh Wein

Min Oyouni

* Year : 2011

1. Min Oyouni
2. Khalani
3. Walaou
4. Ya Sariah
5. Ah Youma
6. Artah
7. Sid Al Koul
8. Atlah
9. Kether Al Khayel
10.
source:wikipedia

MYRIAM FARES IMAGES

BRUNO MARS BIOGRAPHY

Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), better known by his stage name Bruno Mars, is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii by a family of musicians, Mars began making music at a young age. After performing in various musical venues in his hometown throughout his childhood, he decided to pursue a musical career and moved to Los Angeles after graduating from high school. Mars began producing songs for other artists, joining production team The Smeezingtons.
After an unsuccessful stint with Motown Records, Mars signed with Atlantic Records in 2009. He became recognized as a solo artist after lending his vocals and co-writing the hooks for the songs "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B, and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy. He also co-wrote the hits "Right Round" by Flo Rida featuring Kesha, "Wavin' Flag" by K'naan, and "Fuck You!" by Cee Lo Green. In October 2010, he released his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Anchored by the worldwide number one singles "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade", the album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.He was nominated for seven Grammys at the 53rd Grammy Awards, winning Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Just the Way You Are".
Mars' music is noted for displaying a wide variety of styles and influences, and contains elements of many different musical genres. He has worked with an assortment of artists from different genres; Mars acknowledges the influences that his collaborations have had on his own music. As a child, he was highly influenced by artists such as Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson and would often impersonate these artists from a young age. Mars also incorporates reggae and Motown inspired sounds into his work. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times referred to Mars as "one of the most versatile and accessible singers in pop."
Mars was born Peter Gene Hernandez and raised in the Waikiki neighborhood of Honolulu, Hawaii, by parents Bernadette "Bernie" and Pete Hernandez, of Filipino and Puerto Rican descent. His mother emigrated to Hawaii from the Philippines as a child and his father moved to the island from Brooklyn, New York. Mars' parents met while performing in a show, where his mother was a hula dancer and his father played percussion. At the age of two, he was nicknamed "Bruno" by his father, because of his resemblance to chubby professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino.
Mars was one of six children and came from a musical family who exposed him to a diverse mix of reggae, rock, hip hop, and R&B. From a young age, he was impersonating and performing songs by artists such as Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, The Isley Brothers, and The Temptations. At age four, Mars began performing five days a week with his family's band, The Love Notes, in which he became known on the island for his impersonation of Presley.|source|

ADAM LOPEZ BIOGRAPHY

Birth name: Adam Lopez Costa

Born: 26 August 1972



Adam Lopez: born 26 August 1972 in Brisbane, Australia is a pop musician, vocal coach, and session vocalist. He is noted for his ability to produce extremely high notes in his whistle register and for his extensive vocal range. He is currently a Guinness World Record holder for singing the highest note by a male – a half step above the C in the 8th octave (C♯8), or a half-step above the highest note on a standard 88-key piano.



Lopez was the second of three boys, born to Spanish parents, Manuel Jesus Lopez Perez and Maria Del Rosario Costa Velasco. Both of his parents were musicians. Having started singing at the age of three, Lopez was a treble (boy soprano) by age ten. After finishing high school, Lopez studied voice at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music at Griffith University in Australia. He spent five years there studying opera although he spent a total of 10 years developing his distinctive vocal abilities.



In addition to solo work, Lopez has worked as a session vocalist, singing backing vocals for Mariah Carey, Debelah Morgan, Keith Urban, Vanessa Amorosi, and other Australian artists. He has also worked in television and radio.



His 2008 Latino album titled Till the end of Time features Australian jazz musician James Morrison on trumpet.



According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Lopez holds the world record for highest vocal note produced by a male. That pitch is designated C♯8 in note-octave notation; it is one semitone above the highest note on a standard grand piano or 4435 Hz. Before achieving this record, Lopez held the previous Guinness World Record for singing a D7 in 2003. He broke his own record in June 2005.



He is said to have the ability to pitch an A♭ below low C.His tessitura, however, lies in the tenor range.



Adam Lopez can be classified as a sopranist, because of his ability to sing like a soprano.

ALESHA DIXON

Alesha Anjanette Dixon born 7 October 1978 is an English singer-songwriter, dancer, model and television personality. She first found fame in the all-female R&B/garage trio Mis-Teeq, however, the trio separated in 2005 and Dixon continued pursuing her music career as a solo artist, signing to Polydor Records. Dixon began recording her debut solo album, Fired Up in 2006, but due to poor record sales of her first two singles, "Lipstick" and "Knockdown", she was dropped from Polydor.



In 2007 Dixon became a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing and eventually won. Her television exposure led to a successful comeback, which included her signing to Asylum Records, an offshoot of Warner Music Group. Dixon then released a second album, entitled The Alesha Show in 2008, which received platinum certification from BPI in the UK.



In September 2009 Dixon became a judge on the seventh series of Strictly Come Dancing, replacing fellow judge Arlene Phillips. The replacement of Phillips by Dixon attracted criticism, as some questioned the extent of Dixon's dancing knowledge. Dixon herself dismissed the criticism, describing it as a "storm in a teacup", and refused to stand down as judge. In 2010 Dixon returned for the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing and released her third studio album, The Entertainer.

JOSS STONE BIOGRAPHY

Joss Stone born Jocelyn Eve Stoker 11 April 1987 is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist. Her second album, the equally multiplatinum Mind Body & Soul, topped the UK Albums Chart for one week and spawned the top ten hit "You Had Me", Stone's most successful single on the UK Singles Chart to date. Both album and single each received one nomination at the 2005 Grammy Awards, while Stone herself was nominated for Best New Artist, and in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2004 was ranked fifth as a predicted breakthrough act of 2004. She became the youngest British female singer to top the UK Albums Chart in history to have her first album at number one.



Stone's third album, Introducing Joss Stone, released in March 2007, achieved gold record status by the RIAA and yielded the second-ever highest debut for a British female solo artist on the Billboard 200, which became Stone' first Top 5 album in the United States and first non-Top 10 album in the United Kingdom. Stone released her fourth album, Colour Me Free!, on 20 October 2009, which did reach Top 10 on Billboard. Stone released her fifth album, LP1, on 22 July 2011, which did reach Top 10 on Billboard. Throughout her career, Stone has sold eleven million albums, establishing herself as one of the best-selling artists of her time, best-selling soul artists of the 2000s and best-selling British artists of her time.Her first three albums have sold over 2,722,000 copies in the United States, while her first two albums have sold over 2,000,000 copies in United Kingdom. Stone has won two BRIT Awards and one Grammy Award. She also made her film acting debut in late 2006 with the fantasy adventure film Eragon, and made her television debut portraying Anne of Cleves in the Showtime series The Tudors in 2009.Stone was the youngest woman on the 2006 Sunday Times Rich List—an annual list of the UK's wealthiest people—with £6 million.

JOSS STONE IMAGES

JOSS STONE PROFILE



Birth name: Jocelyn Eve Stoker

Born: 11 April 1987 Dover, Kent, England,

United: Kingdom

Genres: Soul, R&B, blues

Occupations: Singer-songwriter, actress

Years active: 2001–present

Labels: Relentless, S-Curve, Virgin, Stone'd Records www.stoned-Records.com

Associated acts: SuperHeavy

Website: jossstone.com



Discography



* The Soul Sessions (2003)

* Mind Body & Soul (2004)

* Introducing Joss Stone (2007)

* Colour Me Free! (2009)

* LP1 (2011)

* Super Duper Hits: The Best of Joss Stone (2011) [A]

* SuperHeavy (2011) [B]



source

HAIFA WEHBE BIOGRAPHY

Haifa Wehbe was born in Mahrouna, in Southern Lebanon. She is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer.

Biography and Career

Haifa Wehbe was born in Mahrouna, in Southern Lebanon. She is a Lebanese model, actress, and singer who rose to fame in the Arab world as runner up for Miss Lebanon and later through the release of her debut album Houwa El Zaman.

She grew up listening to jazz and R&B. She began to work as a model at a young age and won the title of Miss South Lebanon at the age of sixteen. She won an ancillary title at the Miss Lebanon competition, which she had to relinquish when it was discovered that she had already been married and had a baby girl called Zeineb, disqualifying her.

She also made a name for herself when she starred in a music video clip for the singer George Wassouf. By 1996, she had appeared on over a hundred magazine covers. She is married to Ahmed Abu Hashima and is currently living in Egypt with him.

In 2002, Wehbe released her first album named, Houwa El Zaman which became a commercial success in part thanks to the popularity of her first single Agoul Ahwak.

Her second album Baddi Eesh, was released in 2005 and lived up to expectations due to the success of its lead single Ya Hayat Albi. Released after the assassination of Lebanese politician Rafik Hariri, the title single of the album is about freedom, considered to be among the most basic of human rights. Her follow-up single became her biggest hit to date, Ana Haifa, which became her novelty song..

Wehbe was the first Arab artist appears on the Italian TV channel Rai Uno at Piazza Navona in Rome, performing in front of celebrities and fashion designers. She has also performed with artists from outside the Arab world. On June, 2006, she became the first artist in the Arab world to perform with rapper 50 Cent when she performed the opening act for his first concert in Lebanon, at BIEL in Beirut.

Wehbe will release a children's album titled Baby Haifa with Rotana. The release date for the album has yet to be announced. Wehbe is a Shiite Muslim, and has three sisters, though Haifa's mother is Egyptian. Her brother died at the age of 24 during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon.

Discography
Studio albums

* Houwa El-Zaman (2002)
* Baddi Eesh (2005)
* Habibi Ana (2008)

Other albums
* Baby Haifa (2010)

Soundtracks
* 2008: Sea of Stars

Singles
* " 80 Million Ehsas"
* "Enta Tany"
* "Yama Layali"
* "Samaani"

Concert Tours

2011
* January 29- Amsterdam, Netherlands (TBA)

2010
* November 18- Al Massa Hotel, Cairo
* November 17- Movempic Hotel, Beirut, Lebanon
* July 31 - Movempic Hotel, Beirut, Lebanon
* July 24 - Chouf, Lebanon
* July 22 - Batroun, Lebanon
* July 16–19 - Casablanca, Morocco
* July 4 - PRIVATE CONCERT, Monaco
* July 2 - Zahle Festival, Zahle, Lebanon
* May 8 - Phoenicia Hotel, Beirut
* March 13 - Houston, Texas

Filmography

Films
* Sea of Stars (produced by Pepsi) - released July, 2008
* Dokkan Shihata - June 2009

Television
* Al Wadi (2005) - reality television show based on the French reality show La Ferme Célébrités.

ref: wikipedia and people.famouswhy

EDURNE GARCIA ALMAGRO

Edurne García Almagro better known as Edurne is a Spanish pop singer. Born December 22, 1985 (1985-12-22) in Madrid, Spain. She came sixth in the fourth edition of the Spanish television series Operación Triunfo in 2005.

At present, she is the girlfriend of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea.

Discography

Her record label is Sony Bmg Spain and her debut album "Edurne", whose first single is "Despierta", was released on 2006. "Edurne" is Edurne's debut album, and has 12 tracks. It mixes many different rhythms and styles, including "Amores Dormidos", a song composed for Edurne by the popular Spanish pop group La Oreja De Van Gogh. In the re-release of the Edurne's debut album included "Te Falta Veneno", the theme song for "Yo Soy Bea" (Spanish adaptation of the Colombian soap opera "Betty La Fea" aired by Telecinco) and 2 remixes from her debut single "Despierta". Also, Edurne recorded "Don't Tell Me Tonight", a duet with the Iranian singer Cameron Cartio for his album "Borderless".

Edurne's second album is called "Ilusión", and it was released on June 19 anticipated by the single "Ven por mi", a cover of Sita's "Come With Me". The album peaked at #11 position in the official iTunes albums chart. "Ilusión" includes the track "Fue para los dos", a Spanish-language adaptation of a song originally written in English by Hanne Sørvaag and Harry Sommerdahl under the title "Brief and Beautiful"; this English version was also recorded by Norwegian artist Maria Arredondo and released as a single in 2007.

In 2008, Edurne released an album of songs from musicals called Premiere. The first single is a Spanish version of the Queen song "Somebody to Love". The album has received good reviews from the Spanish press, and has got to number 5 in the Spanish iTunes charts (Number 3 in the Spanish pop chart). The reason of doing an album of songs from musicals is that Edurne is working in the musical Grease in Spain, acting as Sandy. Edurne released a new album on March 23, 2010 named Nueva Piel. The first single of the album is called "Soy Como Soy (Girls Will Be Girls)" and it is available to listen on Edurne's official website and MySpace.

Edurne And David De Gea

Albums
Album Information

Edurne

* Released: March 21, 2006 (SPN)
* Re-Released: September 26, 2006
* Peak Position: #3
* Spanish Sales: 50,000+ (Gold)
* Label: Sony BMG
* Official Singles:
o 2006: "Despierta"
o 2006: "Amores Dormidos"
o 2006: "Te Falta Veneno" ("Yo Soy Bea" Theme Song)
* Other Singles:
o 2006: "Don't Tell Me Tonight" (Feat. Cameron Cartio)

Ilusion

* Released: June 19, 2007 (SPN)
* Peak Positions: #13
* Label: Sony BMG
* Official Singles:
o 2007: "Ven Por Mí"
o 2007: "Fue Para los Dos"
* Other Singles:
o 2007: "No Quiero Más" (promo only)

Premiere

* Released: June 3, 2008 (SPN)
* Peak Positions: #39
* Label: Sony BMG
* Official Singles:
o 2008: "Un Poco de Amor (Somebody To Love)"
o 2008: "Sigo Enamorada De Tí (Hopelessly Devoted To You)"
o 2008: "Tú Serás Para Mí (You're the One That I Want)"

Nueva Piel

* Released: March 23, 2010 (SPN)
* Peak Positions: #16
* Spanish Sales: TBA
* Label: Sony BMG
* Official Singles:
o 2010: "Soy Como Soy (I am like I am)"
o 2011: "Oigo Mi Corazón (I hear my heart)"

ref:wikipedia

AMY WINEHOUSE PROFILE

Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was a British singer-songwriter known for her powerful contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz.

Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British singer to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 14 February 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist; she had also been nominated for Best British Album. She won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (musically and lyrically) for "Stronger Than Me", one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for "Rehab", and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game", among other prestigious distinctions. The album was the third biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom.

Winehouse was credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music. Winehouse's distinctive style made her a muse for fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld. The singer's problems with drug and alcohol abuse, as well as self-destructive behaviour, were regular tabloid news from 2007 until her death. She and her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were plagued by legal troubles that left him serving prison time. In 2008, Winehouse faced a series of health complications that threatened both her career and her life.

Winehouse died at the age of 27 on 23 July 2011 at her home in London; police have said that the cause of her death was "as yet unexplained".

Singer, performer. Born Amy Jade Winehouse on September 14, 1983, in the suburb of Southgate, North London. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, worked as a cab driver, while mother Janis was employed as a pharmacist. Winehouse's upbringing was surrounded by jazz; many of her uncles on her mother's side were professional jazz musicians, and her grandmother was once romantically involved with British jazz legend Ronnie Scott. Because of this musical background, Winehouse grew up listening to a diverse range of music, from James Taylor to Sarah Vaughan. At the age of 10, she became drawn to the rebellious spirit of TLC, Salt-N-Pepa, and other American R&B and hip-hop acts, and founded a short-lived amateur rap group called Sweet 'n Sour.

At 12, Winehouse was accepted into the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School, and a year later she received her first guitar. But by the age of 16, Winehouse was expelled for "not applying herself" and piercing her nose. That same year, she caught her first big break when a schoolmate and close friend, pop singer Tyler James, passed her demo tape to his label, A&R, who was searching for a jazz vocalist. The opportunity led her to a record deal with Island/Universal.

Her debut album, Frank (2003), was a critically acclaimed mixture of jazz, pop, soul, and hip-hop. The album was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize as well as two BRIT awards for Best Female Solo Artist and Best Urban Act. The debut single on the album, "Stronger Than Me," earned the new artist an Ivor Novello award. Frank also hit double platinum status.

During this time, Winehouse began developing a reputation as an unstable party girl, often showing up to her club or TV performances too drunk to sing a whole set. She also started a tumultuos, on-again-off-again relationship with music video assistant, Blake Fielder-Civil, who admitted to introducing Winehouse to hard drugs. In public, the couples' arguments often devolved into fist-fights and dramatic scenes. In private, their romance centered around drugs, alcohol, physical abuse, and even self-harm.

By 2006, her management company finally suggested that Winehouse enter rehab for alcohol abuse. Instead, she dumped the company and turned the experience into the lead single for her second, critically acclaimed album, Back to Black (2006). The song "Rehab," which discussed her refusal to receive treatment for substance abuse, became an instant Top 10 hit in the U.K. and earned the artist another Ivor Novello award for Best Contemporary Song. The album was also a critical success, winning the artist a BRIT award for Best Female Solo Artist and a BRIT nomination for Best British Album in 2007. Less than a month after her BRIT win, Back to Black made its American debut. It was an instant smash, hitting higher on the Billboard music charts than any other American debut by a British female recording artist in history. The album stayed in the Top 10 for several months, selling 1 million copies by the end of that summer.

source:wikipedia