RICK ASTLEY
In 1987, the world welcomed a new vocal talent. Fascinated by the power, maturity and the soul of the voice emanating from a young man of 21 years, the United Kingdom falls under the charm of his first single "Never Gonna Give You Up" that is propelled right to the top of the charts scarcely two weeks after its release. We're, of course, talking about, Rick Astley. In no time, the rest of the world is conquered by this single that attains No. 1 on the charts in 16 countries including Japan, the United States, Australia and several countries in Europe. The following two years we will see Rick dominate the charts around the globe. In the United Kingdom, Rick was in the Top 40, every week during the first six months of his career!
Rick Astley was born on February 6, 1966, in Northern England, in the small mining town of Newton-Le-Willows. Last child of a family of four, he inherits the passion for music from his mother. Rick sings within the local choir of his church, but quickly his love for the drums inevitably brings him to form a band in his hometown. After playing with a local group called "Give Way", he joins the ranks of "FBI" and it is from this moment that the talent of Rick begins to be recognized and takes flight.
In 1986, Rick Astley joins PWL Studios with its successful producers, Stock, Aitken & Waterman. It's there he will undertake his true apprenticeship in the music industry. In no time, Rick shows his interest in the studio and invests himself when he has the opportunity to the rudiments of recording and production from the biggest names in the industry. With all the practical experience obtained in studio, the first of the year 1987, he records "Never Gonna Give you Up". Nevertheless, the launch of Ricks first single will only be released the following August, the moment judged the most opportune to make his entry into the music industry market.
As early as its release, "Never Gonna give You Up" goes to No. 1 and there it remains for five consecutive weeks. "Whenever You Need Somebody", his next single, also goes to No. 1 in seven countries. The album of the same name goes directly to No. 1 of the sales charts in the United Kingdom and sells more than 15.2 million copies worldwide, while also being the British artist having sold the most copies that year. At the time of the BPI Awards in 1988, Rick wins the award for the best song of the year for "Never Gonna Give You Up". He offered up a performance of this track at the Gala in front of an audience estimated at close to 100 million people.
"Together Forever" is the next single to appear and hoists itself to No. 2 in his native country. The same "success story" repeats itself in the United States, when Rick becomes one of the rare British artists to integrate with as much success in the American music industry. The American success of Rick is reinforced with a second No. 1 for "Together Forever". "It Would Take a Strong Man" also gets to the top 10, as does his album. All these credits allow him to win a Grammy Award for the "Best New Artist of the Year" in 1988.
Unfortunately, a fire in the studios of PWL destroys the majority of Rick's new material, which will push back the release of his second album. The latter appears therefore in January 1989 under the name "Hold Me In Your Arms" and contains the single "She Wants to Dance with Me", a track that he has co-produced. This song also goes to the Top 10 and will be followed by "Take Me to Your Heart" and another track written by Rick "Hold Me in Your Arms". In December of this same year, Rick undertakes a worldwide tour. The United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan are part of the 15 countries visited.
At the end of the tour Rick considers himself happy with what he has accomplished at Stock, Aitken & Waterman, but he has a vision of his career that seems to take a new direction. Interested by all the aspects of the industry, Rick wants to explore other avenues as a musician. Not letting anything happen quietly, the press begins bothering him while considering his unique talents as a singer. He wants to prove to all that he can do a lot more than he has accomplished even then. He, therefore, directly signs with RCA/BMG, which will allow for him to have a more artistic control of his work. Rick's co-produced album, entitled "Free", appeared in 1991. Several artists contributed on this record such as Ann Dudley, Andrae Crouch (star of gospel music) that does the arrangements of the chorus for the first track "Cry For Help". Elton John also brings his contribution, while playing the piano on two tracks. Rick quiets the critics with "Cry For Help" and another album making the Top 10, which allows him be inscribed in the Guinness Book of World Records as becoming the first male artist to have 8 singles that went to the top 10 in the United Kingdom.
Since that time, Rick has not stopped recording records and is active on the musical scene.
In 2008, the singer gets renewed popularity, because of an Internet phenomenon allowing the worldwide broadcasting of the video of his song "Never Gonna Give You Up". This phenomenon is called RickRolling. RickRolling consists of sending the online users to the pop video in question through a link apparently related to the text in which it is located. The phenomenon has received a lot of publicity and was used by several medias. The video site YouTube participated in a virtual April Fool's prank by linking all the videos on its Home Page to Astley's pop video. As of September 3, 2008, the video was viewed more than 20 million times.
Last November 6th, Rick Astley was rewarded with the "Best Act Ever" award at the 2008 MTV Music Awards. An award which was reinstated following a popular vote by online users.
DEBBIE GIBSON
Deborah Gibson was born August 31, 1970. She literally explodes onto the pop music scene at the age of 16. She quickly thus becomes the youngest artist to have written, released and performed a No. 1 song on the American Billboard charts for "Foolish Beat", a record that she still holds. To date, Deborah has sold more than 16 million records around the world.
Her prolific career holds several Billboard No. 1s, numerous platinum records, "Songwriter of the Year" award from the ASCAP Music Awards, sold out shows around the world, as well as numerous excellent reviews for her first roles that she played on Broadway. Her journey allowed her to perform in front of Royals, Presidents and even to participate in concerts alongside her idols Billy Joel and Elton John, unique experiences having allowed her to trace herself an incomparable journey for a large number of her peers.
Deborah today lives in Brooklyn, but grew up in Long Island. As early as the age of 5, she devoted herself to community theatre with her sisters. It is at this age that she writes her first song. At 8 years old, she begins singing within the Children’s Chorus of the Metropolitan Opera House of New York where she there meets several big names in opera like Placindo Domingo. Scarcely 12 years old, Deborah already plays in musical comedies on Broadway while following her dream of a music contract. This is realized at the age of 16, the moment she signs with Atlantic Records. The first single, "Only in My Dreams" featured on her first album "Out of the Blue" lifts her directly to the top of the charts everywhere on the planet.
Several others of its tracks slide themselves to the top 5, without forgetting, one of its No. 1s "Foolish Beat". Her first album "Out of the Blue" sold more than 5 million copies. Graced with this success, Deborah quickly positions herself as a prow face in her domain and confirms this position with triple platinum for her album "Electric Youth" of which track "Lost in Your Eyes" also attains the no 1 position on the charts. The musical baggage of Deborah Gibson includes, Anything is Possible (1990), Leotard Mind Soul (1993), Think with Your Heart (1997), M.Y.O.B (2001), and recently Colored Lights, a collection of her Broadway pieces.
In 1992, Deborah returns to her “theatrical” roots on Broadway while interpreting the role of Éponine in "Les Misérables". She also smashes London box office records thanks to a 9-month performance in the principal role of "Sandy" in the production of Grease. Upon returning to the United States, Deborah plays the role of Rizzo in Grease and of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl. She follows this on Broadway with a production of Disney’s "Beauty and the Beast" in the role of Belle, followed next with her brilliant performance of "Gypsy Rose Lee", acclaimed by the critics. Deborah participates in several other shows around the country while holding principal roles within large theatre troops, without forgetting roles in independent films and television. She’s attached to the big roles while playing in Chicago, Cinderella, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream and South Pacific. Her favourite role so far remains nevertheless the one of Sally Bowles, in the big musical comedy Cabaret, that she had the luck to interpret on two occasions.
In January 2006, she participates in the television show Skating with Celebrities on FOX, paired with the Canadian former champion of artistic skating, Kurt Browning, proving as well that one is never too "tested" to attempt new experiences. The same year, the track "Say Goodbye", in duet with Jordan Knight, makes a good impression with adult contemporary radio stations throughout the United States becoming the third title most broadcast on the stations of this type during the summer.
2007 marked the twentieth anniversary of her first album "Out Of The Blue". Deborah mentioned in an interview for the magazine "Exclusive" that she sees herself granted a budget from a record company for the recording of three songs and possibly an entire album. In the same breath, she’s negotiating the placement of a show in Las Vegas. She also envisions the publication of a second autobiography, the first one "Between The Lines" having been published in 1989.
SAMANTHA FOX
Samantha Karen Fox was born on April 15, 1966, in Mile End, London, England. When the press announced who were the British women most photographed, featured on this list were: Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana and Samantha Fox. Since the Beatles, no British personality was known to transcend age groups, sex, race or religion. One then compares Samantha Fox to nothing less than Marylin Monroe and Madonna, of which she possesses the same allure and fascinating vitality.
As early as the age of 15, she obtains her first music contract with Lamborghini Records but as she makes her debut her modelling career literally "took off" and her musical career is put on hold.
During the 4 years where she honours her extremely lucrative modelling contract, Samantha Fox becomes quickly the darling of the British nation.
Nevertheless, at the end of her contract, Sam immediately wants to concentrate all her attention on her music. In 1986, at the age of 20, she starts her career as a pop singer with her first release "Touch me".
"Touch Me" wins a unbelievable amount of awards, platinum records, and all the while obtaining recognition everywhere on the globe. The album "Touch Me" as well as three others could be found at No. 1 of national charts in more than 15 countries and in the top 5 of several others including the United States.
During this time, Samantha performs in shows everywhere around the world, scarcely catching her breath between performances. At the time, she will arrive to stadiums filled closely with 30,000 people, in Canada, the United States, Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore and Korea. In Montreal, she will beat box office records.
In South America, she beats sales records and her shows are sold out at all the stops of her tour sponsored by Pepsi, in amphitheatres of at least 20,000 seats. 50,000 fans await her arrival at the airport in Colombia. She is invited by the Minister of the Tourism of Brazil to the Carnival in Rio. In Equator, she participates in a friendly game of tennis together with celebrities to raise funds for hospitals.
In only one year, Sam performed in front of more than 1 million fans. She spends the following year in New York where she appears in a sitcom and records with famous producers.
Sam decides to visit and perform in several countries not very visited such as the Bosnia, Russia, the Ukraine and Siberia. In India, Sam performs in front of more than 70,000 people on the consecutive evenings, breaking thus a record formerly held by Bruce Springsteen.
Her last album, "Angel with an Attitude" is released in November 2005 in Canada. Then re-released in 2007 in Australia with a title bonus. The realization of the album is signed Joe Barrucco. Samantha Fox becomes again very active while working with many DJs. She signs with Superchumbo the very fiery Sugar, a true fad in the clubs in the United States. Ditto with Solar City that remixes the hit "Naughty Girls" completely re-sung by Samantha. In 2007, she meets Santiago Cortes, a very renowned DJ with whom she newly remixes his leading title "Touch Me". She also works with John Dahlback, City Zen, Punch Exciter and Zante Dilemma that will produce her last release "Midnight Lover" edited in July 2008.
A new version of the album "Angel with an Attitude" should be marketed in 2009 for the European market. It will completely bring back the taste of the day with new tones.
TIFFANY
Tiffany knew her hours of glory in 1987 when she hoists herself to the top of the HOT 100 Billboard Chart with the song "I Think We’re Alone Now".
This instantaneous success propels the international career of the singer that will distribute more than 4.1 million albums in a few weeks. She thus becomes the youngest female artist to get to the top of the American Billboards with a first album.
In 1988, she attains once again the number one position with her ballad "Could’ve Been". The return of the Beatles "I Saw Her Standing There" and "All This Time" will also position themselves in the top 10 of the different charts around the world.
