Artists - Biography and discography, all albums and songs | Pages: 4

Ellie Goulding (Elena Jane Goulding; born 30 December 1986, Hereford, England) is a British singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, and one of the key figures of the UK pop mainstream of the 2010s–2020s. A BRIT Awards winner with multiple platinum certifications and a UK Singles Chart No. 1, she’s recognized for her airy, “breathy” soprano, layered backing vocals, and a blend of synth-pop/electropop with the folk roots of her early work. Early years and beginnings Raised in Herefordshire (Lyonshall/Kington), she played clarinet and guitar from childhood and began writing songs at 15. She studied drama and theatre at the University of Kent, where she won a singer-songwriter competition. Through BBC Introducing she was connected with manager Jamie Lillywhite…

Todd Edwards (Todd Edward Imperatrice; born December 9, 1972, Bloomfield, New Jersey) is an American producer, DJ, singer, and songwriter—one of the key architects of garage house and the British UK garage sound. Nicknamed “The Godfather of UKG,” he pioneered a unique “vocal collage” technique: stitching micro-samples of syllables and breaths into new melodies and rhythms over a springy 4/4 groove—a method that became the DNA of mid-’90s speed garage and influenced French house, 2-step, and 2000s pop production. Edwards is also widely known as a longtime collaborator and vocalist for Daft Punk. Early years and career start Growing up in the New York City suburbs, Todd fell in love with house music and the early New York school of sample editing.…

ANNA ASTI (Anna Anatolyevna Dzyuba; born June 24, 1990, Cherkasy) is a pop singer and songwriter, one of the most in-demand and streamed artists on the Russian-language scene of the 2020s. She is known both as the former lead vocalist of the duo Artik & Asti (2010–2021) and as a solo performer with a run of hits that topped digital and radio charts. Early years and development Anna grew up in a musical environment: she studied vocals from her teens, performed on local stages, and took part in studio projects. Moving to a major city gave her access to professional studios, session writers, and live infrastructure. Her early repertoire—lyrical pop ballads and dance tracks with a focus on melody and a conversational delivery—anticipated the singer’s later style.…

E-Type (real name — Bo Martin Erik Eriksson, born August 27, 1965, Uppsala, Sweden) is a Swedish musician, songwriter, and producer, one of the key figures of classic eurodance in the mid-1990s to early 2000s. He is the author of the international hits “This Is the Way,” “Set the World on Fire,” “Russian Lullaby,” “Angels Crying,” “Life,” and the official anthem of the UEFA European Football Championship UEFA Euro 2000 — “Campione 2000.” He worked with the Cheiron production team (Denniz Pop, Max Martin), whose methods defined the “Swedish” pop sound for years to come. His stage name is taken from the sports car Jaguar E-Type. Early years and career beginnings As a teenager, Eriksson was…

Judas Priest — a British heavy metal band from Birmingham and one of the genre’s cornerstones. Alongside Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Uriah Heep, the group shaped the sound of 1970s hard rock and then spent decades expanding its vocabulary — from anthemic heavy to high-velocity speed/power and modern arena metal. Over their career, the band has sold around 50 million records worldwide and in 2022 was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Their “code”: dual lead guitars, a “steel” image, the dramaturgy of stadium anthems, and the unique vocal range of Rob Halford. Formation and early years (1969–1975) The story begins with school friends from industrial Birmingham — guitarist K.K. Downing and bassist Ian…

Robert Miles (birth name — Roberto Concina, November 3, 1969, Fleurier, Switzerland — May 9, 2017, Ibiza, Spain) was an Italo-Swiss composer, DJ, and producer, a pioneer of dream house. He is the author of the epoch-defining single “Children” (1995/96), a cultural phenomenon of 1990s Europe that sold in the millions and brought the piano lead into mainstream dance music. Miles’s career spans platinum releases, world tours, and a radical pivot from dance-pop to experimental electronics, ambient, and crossovers with jazz and world music. Early years and career start Born in Switzerland to Italian parents, Roberto grew up between two cultural worlds and, from his teens, played in bands, exploring synthesizers and recording. In the early 1990s he performed as a…

Sash! is a German studio project and live-act outfit at the crossroads of eurotrance, progressive house, and dance-pop. The project is fronted by DJ and producer Sascha Lappessen (born June 10, 1970), who has long worked in the studio with producers and songwriters Ralf Kappmeier and Thomas “Alisson” Lüdke. The team is one of the rare European acts of the ’90s that not only forged a recognizable “continental” sound, but turned it into a global pop language — from clubs in Germany and the Benelux to the UK charts and worldwide radio playlists. Formation and early years The future Sash! grew up amid techno, acid, and the heyday of German dance labels. In the first half of the 1990s he honed a sound built on tough drum patterns, leading synths,…

Ferreck Dawn (real name — Freek Coppens) is a Dutch DJ and producer, one of the most consistently reliable hitmakers on the modern house scene. His signature style blends a “heavy” rhythm section, hooky grooves, and warm soul vocals; that balance of drive and melody has made him in demand on dancefloors from Ibiza to North America and Asia. Over two decades in music, he has repeatedly topped the Beatport charts, released on leading labels, and built a reputation as an artist equally confident in clubs, at festivals, and on radio airwaves. Early years and formation Born and raised in the Netherlands, he grew up amid a tough dance landscape — from gabber to early techno. His first experiments behind the decks were under the alias DJ Dusk, but he soon pivoted to a…

Franky Rizardo — a Dutch DJ, producer, and label owner, and one of the most influential figures in the modern house scene. His name has become synonymous with high-quality sound, club energy, and genuine groove. Early Years and Beginnings Franky Rizardo was born on June 1, 1988, in the Netherlands. From a young age, he was fascinated by electronic music and began experimenting with DJ software and creating remixes during his teenage years. His first performances took place in small clubs in Amsterdam and Utrecht, where his signature deep, rhythmic sets combining elements of house, tech, and soulful grooves quickly gained attention. Over time, Franky developed his own musical identity — light melodic lines, tight rhythm sections, and a warm groove that became his trademark.…

No Doubt is an American rock band formed in Anaheim, California, in 1986. They rose to fame in the 1990s with hits such as Just a Girl, Don’t Speak, and Spiderwebs, becoming known for their distinctive blend of ska-punk, pop rock, and new wave. The classic lineup includes vocalist Gwen Stefani, bassist Tony Kanal, guitarist Tom Dumont, and drummer Adrian Young. Formation and Early Years The band began when siblings Eric and Gwen Stefani, together with vocalist John Spence, decided to create a project inspired by ska and punk music. Working together at a Dairy Queen in Orange County, they dreamed of performing live and started rehearsing in the Stefani family garage. After the tragic passing of John Spence in late 1987, Gwen Stefani took over as lead vocalist. In 1988–89, Tom…

Roksana Rubenovna Babayan — Soviet and Russian pop singer, actress, and TV presenter, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation. Her name has been associated for decades with sincerity, warmth, and Eastern emotionality, while her voice is recognized for its depth and expressiveness, blending the traditions of the Armenian musical school with Soviet pop culture. Early Years Roksana Babayan was born on May 30, 1946 in Tashkent, into an educated Armenian family. Her father, Ruben Mikhailovich, was a civil engineer, and her mother, Seda Grigoryevna, was a pianist and singer. Her mother became Roksana’s first music teacher: she began singing and playing the piano early, and the family’s home music evenings shaped her artistic personality. Despite her natural talent,…

MØ (real name — Karen Marie Aagaard Ørsted Andersen) MØ is a Danish singer, songwriter, and producer whose music has become a symbol of modern Nordic pop sound. Her style combines electropop, indie synth, punk energy, and the emotional lyricism of the Scandinavian school. Over more than a decade, MØ has gone from the DIY punk scene of Odense to global charts and major festival stages. Early Life and Beginnings Karen Marie Ørsted was born on August 13, 1988, in the small town of Ubberud near Odense, Denmark. She grew up in a family of teachers and psychologists, surrounded by music — from classical jazz to punk. At seven, she began writing her own melodies inspired by Spice Girls and No Doubt, and as a teenager she became passionate about…

A-ha — the legendary Norwegian pop-rock band formed in Oslo in 1982. The trio of Morten Harket (vocals), Magne Furuholmen (keyboards), and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (guitar) became one of the defining icons of the 1980s with their unique sound — a fusion of synth-pop, romance, and the melancholic tone of Scandinavian music. Early years and breakthrough The idea for the band came from Magne and Paul, childhood friends and members of small local groups, who decided to create an international project. Soon they were joined by vocalist Morten Harket, whose rare tone and vocal range gave the trio its identity. In 1983, they moved to London to work in studios and find a sound that could appeal to the British audience. The breakthrough came with the single «Take On Me»,…

Technotronic — a Belgian music project that laid the foundation for Eurodance and Hip House. Founded in 1988 in Brussels by producer and musician Jo Bogaert (also known as Thomas de Quincey / Manuela D), Technotronic became one of the first acts to combine house rhythms, rap vocals, and club electronic music, opening the door to the dance era of the 1990s. Formation and Early Years (1987–1989) Jo Bogaert, a musician and producer inspired by Chicago house and the European synth scene, initially conceived Technotronic as a studio instrumental project. The idea evolved when he collaborated with MC Eric (Éric Martin) and model-rapper Ya Kid K (Manuela Kamosi). In 1989, the single was released: “Pump Up the Jam” — an explosive fusion of hip-hop,…

DJ EZ (real name — Otis Roberts) is a British DJ, producer, and one of the most influential figures in the UK Garage scene. Born on November 10, 1973, in London, and raised in the northern district of Tottenham, DJ EZ became a key figure in shaping the sound of UK Garage, Speed Garage, and 2-step in the late 1990s. Today, his name stands as a symbol of technical mastery and live mixing — performed “in real time” without digital pre-recording. Early Years and Path to Music As a child, he was fascinated by hip-hop and electro-funk, recording homemade mixes on cassette tapes. His first DJ alias was “Easy O”, later shortened to DJ EZ. Between 1989 and 1991, he began performing on London’s pirate radio stations, including Dance 93 FM…

The Cure — a British rock band formed in 1976 in Crawley, Sussex. The group is regarded as one of the key pioneers of gothic rock, post-punk, and darkwave, as well as one of the most influential alternative rock bands of the 20th and 21st centuries. The founder, vocalist, songwriter, and constant leader of the band is Robert Smith. His image — messy black hair, heavy eyeliner, smudged lipstick, and melancholic voice — became a symbol of gothic culture. The Beginning (1976–1979) The band started as a school project called Easy Cure. In 1978, the name was shortened to The Cure, and they signed with Fiction Records. In 1979, they released their debut album “Three Imaginary Boys” followed by the breakthrough single “Boys Don’t…

Bauhaus — a British band that became one of the pioneers of the gothic rock genre and helped shape the aesthetic foundations of darkwave, post-punk, and alternative music of the 1980s. The group was formed in 1978 in Northampton, England. Members: Peter Murphy — vocals, Daniel Ash — guitar, David J (David John Haskins) — bass, Kevin Haskins — drums. The band took its name from the German school of architecture and design, Bauhaus — a symbol of minimalism, industrial aesthetics, and cold modernist beauty, which later became a reflection of their music. Early Days and Breakthrough Bauhaus began rehearsing in small clubs and garages, combining punk energy with a dark, theatrical atmosphere. In August 1979, they recorded…

Culture Beat is a German Eurodance project founded in 1989 by producer Torsten Fenslau in Frankfurt am Main. The group became one of the leading acts of the 1990s European dance scene, blending club house, rap elements and vocals into their signature Eurodance sound. Culture Beat achieved worldwide fame with the hits “Mr. Vain”, “Got to Get It” and “Anything”, which topped the European charts and became classics of dance music. Formation and Early Years (1989–1992) The project was launched in 1989. The first MC and co-writer was Jay Supreme, an American rapper who had moved to Germany. The first vocalist was Lana E. Together they released the debut album “Horizon” (1991) and the single “No Deeper Meaning”, which…

PPK is a Russian trance project founded in 1998 in Rostov-on-Don. The name comes from the first letters of the founders’ surnames: Pimenov – Polyakov – Korzhov. Just a few years later, the group became one of the most famous electronic music projects from Russia on the global dance scene, paving the way for trance music from Russia to enter international dancefloors. Formation and Early Years The group was formed by Sergey Pimenov, an experienced DJ, and Alexander Polyakov, musician and sound engineer. Roman Korzhov was initially part of PPK, but left the project shortly afterwards — PPK continued as a duo. Their first live performance took place on 21 February 1998 at the “Syndicate DJ 2000” festival in front of 6,500 people. In…

Lay Zhang (birth name — 张艺兴 / Zhāng Yìxīng; born October 7, 1991 in Changsha, Hunan Province, China) is a singer, songwriter, dancer, actor, and producer, and one of the most prominent figures in the Asian pop and multi-genre music scene. He combines K-pop idol experience with Chinese solo artistry and global ambitions. Early Life and First Steps Lay grew up in Changsha in a family that supported his interest in performing arts. From a young age, he showed passion for singing and dancing: he appeared in TV programs and competitions as a child. His journey in the entertainment industry began with school performances and vocal and choreography training. At the age of sixteen, he successfully passed an audition for a South Korean entertainment company and moved to Korea to…