[Composer] Biographies & Profiles
Kelela
Kelela Mizanekristos is an American singer who made her debut in the music industry with the release of her 2013 mixtape Cut 4 Me. She then went on to release the critically acclaimed Hallucinogen EP in 2015 and made waves with her 2017 studio album Take Me Apart, which was praised for its reverse chronological exploration of the beginning, middle and end of a relationship.
Lalaine
Lalaine Vergara-Paras is an American actress, singer-songwriter and bassist who gained recognition for playing Miranda Sanchez in Lizzie McGuire, Abby Ramirez in You Wish! and Kate in the 1999 remake of Annie. She began her career as a child in a Broadway musical production of Les Misérables and later signed with Warner Bros. Records to pursue her music career after Lizzie McGuire. Although she released one studio album and an EP, they were not successful commercially.
Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre is a highly successful American rapper and record producer, known for his significant contributions to West Coast G-funk subgenre of hip hop, founding and heading Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, as well as co-founding and leading Death Row Records. He has earned six Grammy Awards and was named one of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by Rolling Stone Magazine. However, Dre's career is also marred in controversy due to his violent behaviour towards women, which include assault and domestic violence, for which he issued an apology to those he had hurt.
Anoushka Shankar
Anoushka Shankar is an accomplished musician and composer. Raised in London and in California, she is a child of the East-meets-West world, having been born to Indian sitar icon Ravi Shankar and Sukanya Shankar. She was the youngest and first woman to receive a British House of Commons Shield, and has seven Grammy nominations under her belt. Her works span multiple genres and styles, such as classical and contemporary, acoustic and electronic music. Shankar has performed live on multiple occasions and even served as presenter at the Grammy Awards.
Aaron Dessner
Aaron Brooking Dessner is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer well known for his involvement with the rock band The National and indie rock duo Big Red Machine. He has collaborated with artists such as Taylor Swift, Michael Stipe, Sharon Van Etten, and Local Natives; co-created charity compilations for the Red Hot Organization; and founded or curated three music festivals. On May 19, 2022, Dessner was awarded a Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa from The University of the Arts in recognition of his collaborative spirit and encouragement of students to explore new ideas.
Teresa Carreño
María Teresa Gertrudis de Jesús Carreño was an internationally acclaimed Venezuelan pianist, soprano, composer and conductor. Her 54-year career earned her the nickname "Valkyrie of the Piano". She was an early supporter of American composer and pianist Edward MacDowell, often premiering his works worldwide. She performed the works of Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and composed 75 original pieces for piano, voice and piano, choir, chamber orchestra and instrumental ensemble. She was also the recipient of several works dedicated to her by authors Amy Beach and Edward MacDowell.
Facundo Arana
Jorge Facundo Arana Tagle is an Argentine actor and musician. He is the winner of various awards for television and theater in Argentina. Arana is also noted for his charity work.
Eva Green
Eva Green is an acclaimed French actress and model known for her roles in films such as Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, Ridley Scott's Kingdom of Heaven, James Bond's Casino Royale, 300: Rise of an Empire, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Dark Shadows, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Dumbo, and Proxima, as well as the Starz series Camelot and the Showtime series Penny Dreadful. Her performance as the latter earned her a Golden Globe nomination.
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon Bridges is an acclaimed American actor who has received numerous awards, such as an Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the Critics Choice Lifetime Achievement Award, spanning over seven decades for his leading man roles in film and television. Coming from a prominent acting family, he appeared on the television series Sea Hunt alongside his father Lloyd and brother Beau. He is best known for his Oscar-winning role as an alcoholic singer in Crazy Heart and his other Oscar-nominated roles in The Last Picture Show, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Starman, The Contender, True Grit, and Hell or High Water. Other notable roles include The Fabulous Baker Boys, The Fisher King, The Big Lebowski, Bad Times at the El Royale, King Kong, Tron, Iron Man, and Tron: Legacy. His Primetime Emmy Award nomination was for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role in the HBO film A Dog Year and he returned to television for a role as a former CIA operative in the FX series The Old Man.
Idris Elba
Idrissa Akuna Elba OBE is an English actor, alumnus of the National Youth Theatre, and singer and DJ known for his roles in HBO's The Wire, BBC's Luther, Marvel Cinematic Universe films, and films such as American Gangster, Obsessed, Prometheus, Pacific Rim, Beasts of No Nation, Molly's Game, and The Harder They Fall. He has won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and was nominated four times for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for his work in Luther. He has also voiced characters in films such Zootopia, The Jungle Book, Finding Dory, and Sonic the Hedgehog 2, and made his directorial debut in 2018 with an adaptation of the 1992 novel Yardie. Elba's films have grossed over $9.8 billion at the global box office, making him one of the top 20 highest-grossing actors in North America. In 2016, he was included in Time 100 list of Most Influential People in the World.
Carel Struycken
Carel Struycken is a Dutch actor, who is best known for playing the Giant/Fireman in the TV series Twin Peaks and for his guest-role in Star Trek: The Next Generation as Mr. Homn. His other roles include Lurch in the Addams Family films, Gerald's Game and Doctor Sleep. Struycken has had a long successful career in the entertainment industry, starring in many iconic roles and continues to do so. He has earned a huge fan base and is loved by many.
Erik Stocklin
Erik Stocklin is an American actor well-known for his recurring roles on television. He is best known for his part in the Netflix original series Haters Back Off, Mistresses, Stalker and Good Trouble. Stocklin has also played roles in films such as Hello Sister, Goodbye Life and The Sisters of Mercy. His versatility and commitment to his craft have made him a favorite among audiences. He has a strong appreciation for the craft of acting, and works hard to bring realism and emotion to each character he portrays. Stocklin continues to work hard on both the big and small screens, and it is sure that he will continue to make an impact in Hollywood for many years to come.
Devi Sri Prasad
Devi Sri Prasad is an Indian film composer, lyricist, singer-songwriter and performer, popularly known by his initials DSP. Having worked on over 100 films in the past 20 years, he is one of the highest paid music composers in Tollywood and a recipient of numerous awards, including ten Filmfare Awards (nine of which are Best Music Director – Telugu and one Special Award for Best Background Music), five CineMAA Awards, seven SIIMA Awards and one Nandi Award. He broke into Tollywood in 2001 with Anandam and his Tamil debut came shortly afterwards with Badri, for which he composed the film score and sang two songs. Devi also choreographed a song in the 2015 film Kumari 21F.
A. R. Rahman
A. S. Dileep Kumar, better known by his stage name A. R. Rahman, is an acclaimed Indian composer, record producer, singer, and songwriter popular for his works in Indian cinema, mostly in Tamil and Hindi films, as well as some international cinema. He has won multiple National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, fifteen Filmfare Awards and seventeen Filmfare Awards South. Rahman began his career composing soundtracks for advertisements and television channels. His breakthrough came with the Tamil film `Roja' and he went on to score the music for many Tamil language films, including Bombay, Kadhalan, Thiruda Thiruda and Gentleman. His music for Slumdog Millionaire earned him two Academy Awards in 2009. Rahman is also an active humanitarian and philanthropist who has been honoured by Stanford University and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rotary Club of Madras. He also introduced 7.1 surround sound technology to South Indian films, and made his debut as a director and writer in 2017 with the film Le Musk.
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is a multi-award winning Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States who has gained recognition for her versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos, and accents. She is one of the best-selling music artists, with over 100 million records sold worldwide, and holds the record for the most Hot 100 top 10 hits by a female rapper. Outside of music, Minaj has also starred in various films such as Ice Age: Continental Drift, The Other Woman, and Barbershop: The Next Cut, and earned recognition from Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Minaj has gained notoriety for her outspoken views and social media disputes, which have received significant media coverage.
Alexandra Stan
Alexandra Ioana Stan is a Romanian singer who achieved global fame with the 2010 single "Mr. Saxobeat", which reached number one on several charts and was written and produced by Marcel Prodan and Andrei Nemirschi. Stan's debut single, "Lollipop" had brought her moderate fame in Romania and other follow-up singles from her debut album Saxobeats, such as "Get Back" and "Lemonade" were moderately successful in Europe. Her second album "Unlocked" was preceded by an altercation with Prodan and a lawsuit and was released in 2014, followed by "Alesta" in 2016, featuring "We Wanna", Stan's collaboration with Inna and Daddy Yankee. In 2018 Stan released her fourth album, "Mami" and was featured on Manuel Riva's "Miami", which peaked within the top ten in Romania and on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart. Stan has been acknowledged with numerous awards, making her one of the most successful Romanian artists alongside Inna.
Kesha
Kesha Rose Sebert is an American singer and songwriter who rose to fame in 2005 after being signed to Kemosabe Records. She achieved major success with her feature in American rapper Flo Rida's number-one single "Right Round" and went on to produce a series of top-ten singles on the US Billboard Hot 100, including "Tik Tok", "Your Love Is My Drug", "Take It Off", "Blow", "Die Young", "My First Kiss" with 3OH!3, and more. Her 2009 single "Tik Tok" was the best-selling digital single in history, and as of 2013, she had sold over 55 million individual tracks and ringtones worldwide. Kesha has also won various awards and nominations, including winning the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act in 2010, and has co-written songs for other artists such as Britney Spears and Miranda Cosgrove. Her career has been temporarily paused due to an ongoing legal dispute with her former producer Dr. Luke, who has accused her of breach of contract and defamation by Kesha.
Olly Murs
Oliver Stanley Murs is a British singer, songwriter, and television presenter. He rose to fame after being the runner-up on the sixth series of The X Factor in 2009 and was subsequently signed to RCA Records, Sony Music, and Columbia Records. He has released seven studio albums, with two of them debuting at number one in the UK Albums Chart. His singles “Please Don't Let Me Go” and “Thinking of Me” became popular in 2010 and his follow up albums resulted in two number-one singles with “Heart Skips a Beat” and “Dance with Me Tonight”. In 2011, Murs returned to The X Factor to co-present its spin-off show The Xtra Factor with Caroline Flack. In 2015, it was announced that Murs would be reunited with Flack to replace Dermot O'Leary as co-presenters of The X Factor series 12. Since 2018, Murs has been a coach on The Voice UK.
Bruno Mars
Bruno Mars is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer known for his stage performances, retro showmanship, and performing in a wide range of musical styles. He moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to pursue a musical career and rose to fame in 2009 with the success of hits like "Nothin' on You" and "Billionaire". His debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans spawned international number-one singles and his second studio album Unorthodox Jukebox had two Billboard Hot 100 number-one songs. His third album 24K Magic won seven Grammy Awards and achieved top-five singles, while his collaboration with Mark Ronson, "Uptown Funk", topped various music charts. He has sold over 130 million records worldwide, has fifteen Grammy Awards, four Brit Awards, eleven American Music Awards, and thirteen Soul Train Awards, among other accolades. Mars has been regarded as a pop icon due to his influential career, having appeared in lists such as Time 100, Forbes Celebrity 100, and Billboard's Greatest of All Time Artists.
Becky G
Becky G, who is professionally known as Rebecca Marie Gomez, is an award-winning American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2011 when she began posting videos of herself covering popular songs online and caught the attention of producer Dr. Luke, who offered her a joint record deal with Kemosabe Records and RCA Records. She covered various genres and collaborated with renowned figures such as Daddy Yankee, Christina Aguilera, and David Guetta. She has achieved awards such as two American Music Awards, four ASCAP Latin Awards, four Latin American Music Awards and an honorary Extraordinary Evolution Award. Gomez has also received nominations from the Latin Grammy Awards and six Premios Juventud. Her success has propelled her to the top of the charts, with her most successful single "Mami" peaking at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Tori Kelly
Victoria Loren Kelly is an American singer-songwriter and voice actress who rose to fame after posting videos on YouTube as a teenager, leading to a successful run on the ninth season of American Idol in 2010. She has since released several self-produced EPs and studio albums, including Unbreakable Smile (2015), Hiding Place (2018) and Inspired by True Events (2019). Her lead single "Nobody Love" peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and she was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Grammy Awards. Kelly is also known for her voice acting work, most notably voicing Meena in the 2016 animated film Sing and reprising the role in the 2021 sequel, Sing 2.
Courtney Love
Courtney Love is an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actress who rose to prominence in the 1990s as the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for the alternative rock band Hole. She gained public attention for her vivid live performances and confrontational lyrics, as well as living an hectic personal life with late husband Kurt Cobain. Over four decades, Love has experimented and excelled in music, acting, writing and manga, being praised as one of the most influential singers in alternative culture. Following a troubled childhood, Love began an acting career before forming Hole and releasing her debut album which was met with critical acclaim. Going on to earn a Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance in The People vs. Larry Flynt , Love then wrote a memoir and released a second solo album, again receiving praise and multi-platinum sales. After some personal ups and downs, Love is back making music and writing, cementing her status as an iconic figure in the world of alternative music.
Charli XCX
Charli XCX is an English singer and songwriter who rose to prominence in 2012 with the Icona Pop collaboration, "I Love It". Following the release of her debut studio album, True Romance, she scored international hits with rapper Iggy Azalea's "Fancy" and her own solo single "Boom Clap". She has since developed a more experimental sound and image, releasing the Vroom Vroom EP, the mixtapes Number 1 Angel and Pop 2, and singles such as "After the Afterparty" and "1999". Her third and fourth albums, Charli and How I'm Feeling Now, were also critically acclaimed. In 2021, Charli XCX co-wrote and provided vocals on the Jax Jones and Joel Corry single "Out Out". In addition to her solo work, she has written songs for other artists such as Selena Gomez, Blondie, Shawn Mendes & Camila Cabello, and Sigala & Rita Ora.
Bill Kaulitz
Bill Kaulitz , also known mononymously as Billy for his solo act, is a German singer and songwriter. He is best known for his work as the lead singer of pop rock band Tokio Hotel.
Bryan Adams
Bryan Guy Adams is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and photographer who has sold between 75 million and 100 million records and singles worldwide. His 1983 album "Cuts Like a Knife" and 1984 album "Reckless" propelled him to global fame, and his 1991 single "I Do It for You" held the record for being number one in 19 different countries for 16 and 18 weeks respectively. His 1993 compilation album "So Far So Good" sold 13 million copies, and he achieved further success with hits like "Please Forgive Me", "All for Love", and "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?". Adams has received numerous awards, including a Grammy Award and five Golden Globe nominations, and has been inducted into several Halls of Fame.
Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes is a Canadian pop singer-songwriter who rose to fame in 2013 when he started posting song covers on Vine. In the following year, he was signed to Island Records by Andrew Gertler and Ziggy Chareton. Since then, he has released four studio albums, with each reaching number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. He has earned numerous awards and accolades, including 13 SOCAN awards, 10 MTV Europe Music Awards and eight Juno Awards, as well as being named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.
Jess Glynne
Jessica Glynne is an English singer-songwriter who has achieved great success in her career. After signing with Atlantic Records she was featured on the singles "Rather Be" and "My Love" which both reached number one in the UK. In 2019, she was named one of Forbes magazine's Most Influential People Under 30. Her two studio albums, I Cry When I Laugh and Always in Between, both debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and had successful singles such as "Hold My Hand", "Don't Be So Hard on Yourself", "I'll Be There", "These Days", "All I Am", "Thursday", and "One Touch". With this she became the first British female solo artist to have seven number one singles on the UK Singles Chart, winning her multiple accolades including a Grammy Award.
Jack Black
Thomas Jacob Black is an American actor, comedian, musician, and voice actor best known for his roles in films such as High Fidelity, Shallow Hal, Orange County, School of Rock, King Kong, The Holiday, Gulliver's Travels, Bernie, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, and the Jumanji franchise. He also serves as lead vocalist for the Grammy Award-winning comedy rock duo Tenacious D with long-time friend Kyle Gass, which has released four studio albums and starred in a television series and film. Additionally, Black has gained multiple Golden Globe nominations and has a Hollywood Walk of Fame star since 2018. In 2018, he also started a YouTube channel entitled Jablinski Games.
Solange Knowles
Solange Piaget Knowles is an American singer, songwriter, performance artist, and actress. At age 16, she released her first studio album Solo Star and has since appeared in films such as Johnson Family Vacation and Bring It On: All or Nothing. Her second studio album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams peaked at number nine on the US Billboard 200, and her third studio album, A Seat at the Table, became her first number-one album in the United States. She has been compared to her sister Beyoncé and frequently appears in the media, and was honored with the "Impact Award" at the Billboard Women in Music event in 2017. Additionally, Knowles has ventured into performance art, composing a score for the New York City Ballet in 2022, and she has an endorsement deal with Rimmel London and a line of hip-hop-oriented merchandise for young children.
Avicii
Avicii, born Tim Bergling, was a Swedish DJ, remixer and music producer who achieved international fame in 2011 with his single "Levels". His debut studio album, True, blended electronic music with other genres, topping international charts and earning generally positive reviews. His catalog also featured hit singles like "Wake Me Up", "I Could Be the One" and "Hey Brother". He was nominated for two Grammy Awards and credited for helping popularise electronic music in the early 2010s. Bergling retired from touring in 2016 due to poor mental health and died by suicide in 2018. His posthumous third album, Tim, was released in 2019.
2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps, professionally known as 2 Chainz, is an American rapper from College Park, Georgia. He is best known as one-half of the hip hop duo Playaz Circle and for his solo studio albums Based on a T.R.U. Story (2012) and B.O.A.T.S. II: Me Time (2013). His singles "No Lie," "Birthday Song," and "I'm Different" were certified Gold or higher by the RIAA and charted in the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. In 2017, he began a show with Viceland called Most Expensivest, which aired for three seasons.
Alexa Ray Joel
Alexa Ray Joel is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Her parents are singer-songwriter Billy Joel and model Christie Brinkley. Joel released an EP Sketches and several singles on independent record labels. She has performed at numerous charity events and New York City fashion events.
Jay McGuiness
James "Jay" McGuiness is a British singer, songwriter, actor, and former member of the pop boy band The Wanted. In 2015, he won BBC's Strictly Come Dancing partnered with Aliona Vilani. His musical theatre career includes starring roles in BIG! The Musical, Sleepless - A Musical Romance, and Rip It Up. In 2022, he will take the lead role of Bob Wallace in the touring musical version of the classic movie White Christmas. McGuiness is also a committed conservationist who believes in protecting the environment.