Kara DioGuardi

Infobox musical artist
Name = Kara DioGuardi


Img_capt = Kara DioGuardi (right) & Dave Stewart (left)
Img_size = Albanian
Landscape =
Background = non_performing_personnel
Birth_name = Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1970|12|9

Died =
Origin = New York
Instrument =
Voice_type =
Genre = Pop-rock/R&B
Occupation = Songwriter, record producer and singer
Years_active =
Label =
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.karadioguardi.com KaraDioGuardi.com]
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, and singer who has contributed to a long list of internationally successful popular songs. She writes music of the light pop-rock genre. She will be a judge on the eighth season of "American Idol". DioGuardi has worked with Celine Dion, David Archuleta, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and many others.

Early life

DioGuardi grew up in the "Wilmot Woods" section of suburban New Rochelle, New York. [citeweb|author=Carlson, Erin |url=http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080829/ENTERTAINMENT/808290303/1164/RSS07|title=Table for four: New Rochelle's Kara DioGuardi joins 'Idol' judges|publisher=Associated Press / lohud.com|date=29 August 2008] After completing a political science degree at Duke University, worked in the publishing and marketing departments of "Billboard Magazine". She is of Albanian (Arbëresh) descent and the daughter of former Republican Rep. Joseph J. DioGuardi.

She attended The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York.

Professional songwriter

She is a multi-Grammy nominated songwriter, having written or co-written many international hit songs from 1999 to today (see discography below).

Kara DioGuardi's songs have been recorded by artists including The Pussycat Dolls, Celine Dion, David Archuleta, Delta Goodrem, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Pink, Avril Lavigne, Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale, Faith Hill, Santana, Ashlee Simpson, Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff, Kylie Minogue, and many others. DioGuardi has also had much success with major Latin music artists including RBD, Laura Pausini, Enrique Iglesias, Marc Anthony, Thalía, Ricky Martin, Belinda, and Carlos Santana. DioGuardi can also be heard performing backup vocals on some of these recordings.

As Senior VP of A&R at Warner Bros. Records, DioGuardi has recently signed artists Jason Reeves, Laze & Royal, Atozzio, and David Hodges to the label. DioGuardi's forthcoming releases include cuts from artists Tynisha Keli, David Cook, Martina McBride, Esmee Denters, Pink, Britney Spears, Ashley Tisdale, Miley Cyrus, Jordyn Taylor, Diego, Menudo, Tom Jones, Amie Miriello, Nick Lachey, Daniel Powter, Crosby Loggins, Tyler Hilton, Halestorm, Jesse Lee, and the Clique Girlz. She also has a song featured in the upcoming and Hanna Montana TV series.

Awards and nominations

In 2003, DioGuardi won a BMI Cable Award for cowriting and performing, "Somethin' To Say", the theme to the now-cancelled Lifetime Television series "For the People", which starred Lea Thompson, Debbi Morgan, A. Martinez and Cecilia Suarez. In 2007, she was named BMI's "Pop Songwriter of the Year" for 2006, as she had accumulated 10 BMI awards in the previous four years for having written the "most performed songs on the radio". To date, she has had over 46 albums in the Top 10 on Billboard magazine's 200 album chart. Her songs are on over 100 million records.

In 2007, DioGuardi was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category of Best Song for her writing on the Belinda single, "Bella Tracion" along with co-writers Belinda, Mitch Allan, Ben Moody and Nacho Peregrin.

Other activities

DioGuardi co-owns Arthouse Entertainment, a publishing company that is a resource business for record companies and other music entities seeking compositions, productions, artists, and related music services. Arthouse has been a part of many chart-topping hits including Cassie's "Me & U" (written and produced by Ryan Leslie), Jim Jones' "We Fly High" (written and produced by Zukhan Bey), Nick Lachey's "What's Left of Me", David Archuleta's hit single "Crush" (written and produced by Eman Kiriakou), Mika's "Grace Kelly" (produced by Greg Wells), and Faith Hill's "Lost" (written and produced by Kara DioGuardi and Mitch Allan).

DioGuardi continues to work with the Phoenix House, a non-profit substance abuse service organization. She contributes to recording studios in the facilities and helps teach the teens how to operate the equipment. (www.phoenixhouse.org)

In July 2006, DioGuardi was a judge in an "Idol"-like show called "." The show debuted on ABC with the second-lowest rating ever for a premiere on a major American network and was abruptly canceled after just two weeks. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/25/AR2006072501591.html 'One' Miserable Showing: 'Idol' Knockoff Sets a Record] , John Maynard, "The Washington Post", July 26, 2006]

She will join the hit FOX television show "American Idol" as a fourth judge starting in the show's 8th season (January 2009). [citeweb|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iwXD4BoO2HF6nbttn2FU7Cw_ZtowD92PCML81|title=`American Idol' adds DioGuardi as fourth judge|publisher=Associated Press|date=29 August 2008] In 2000, DioGuardi co-wrote (with fellow "Idol" judge Paula Abdul) the UK number-one single "Spinning Around," performed by Kylie Minogue. She has written many songs sung by Idol winners and alumni such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks, and Katharine McPhee.

Production discography

Discography as vocalist

With MaD DoLL:
* "Mad Doll" [http://www.daz.com/releases/Mad%20Doll/mad%20doll.html]

With Platinum Weird:
* "Make Believe (Platinum Weird album)" (2006)
* "Platinum Weird (Platinum Weird album)" (2006)

References

*cite web | author=Widran, Jonathan | url=http://www.songwriteruniverse.com/dioguardi.htm | title=Kara DioGuardi Co-Writes Top Hits for Ashlee Simpson, Hilary Duff and Enrique Iglesias | work=SongwriterUniverse Magazine | accessdate=2004-12-14
*cite web | author=Reynolds, J.R. | url=http://www.bmi.com/musicworld/onthescene/200203/kdioguardi.asp | title=On the Scene: Kara DioGuardi | work=BMI MusicWorld | month=March | year=2002 | accessdate=2004-12-14
*cite news | author=Lee, Chris | title=Spinning all that angst into pop gold. Lindsay. Hilary. Celine. Pink. Kara DioGuardi's first-person songs pushed them all up the charts. And now it's her turn to shout. | work=Los Angeles Times | page=E1 | date=2005-12-25

Interviews

* [http://entertainment-news-network-archive.blogspot.com/2006/09/interview-platinum-weirds-dave-stewart.html LiveDaily - Platinum Weird's Dave Stewart and Kara DioGuardi]

External links

* [http://www.karadioguardi.com/ Official website]
*imdb name|id=1291934|name=Kara DioGuardi
* [http://www.celisee.com/kara-dioguardi/2008/08.html Kara dioguardi] 's biography