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Katie MeluaPop singer
Date of Birth: 16.09.1984
Country: ![]() |
Content:
- Biography of Katie Melua
- Discovering Music and Signing a Contract
- Early Success and International Recognition
- International Success and Humanitarian Work
Biography of Katie Melua
Katie Melua, the pop singer, didn't always aspire to be a performer and songwriter. At the age of 13, she had ambitions of becoming a politician or historian. Born in Georgia (formerly part of the USSR) in 1984, she grew up in the cities of Tbilisi and later Batumi (Adjara). Her family left Georgia and settled in Belfast, Northern Ireland when she was only 8 years old. The move was connected to her father's profession as a practicing surgeon. Despite describing the move to a teacher in England as "from the frying pan into the fire," she had a happy childhood both in Georgia and Northern Ireland. Katie realized that the people in Northern Ireland were very friendly and soon made good friends at St. Catherine's Primary School and Dominican College in Fort William. While Katie attended Catholic schools in Northern Ireland, her younger brother went to a Protestant school. Her family lived in Belfast for another 5 years before moving to southeast London.
Discovering Music and Signing a Contract
At the age of 15, Katie took part in a TV talent show called "Stars in Their Eyes," performing Mariah Carey's "Without You." Although her participation was meant as a joke, she ended up winning the competition and gaining valuable experience performing live on Irish TV. After completing her General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams, Katie enrolled in the BRIT School for Performing Arts, where she received a diploma in music with distinction. During her time at the school, she discovered various music styles and genres, including Queen, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Irish folk, and Indian music. She was particularly moved by the song of Eva Cassidy, who had a deep impression on her. When she learned that Eva had passed away, she wrote a tribute song called "Faraway Voice."
Composer and producer Mike Batt had already planned a visit to the school to find musicians for a jazz band. At the last minute, Katie decided to perform "Faraway Voice," and Mike realized he had found a unique artist: "People like Katie don't come along very often; she's a true original!" Katie signed a contract with the record label Dramatico but remained in school to complete her studies. She graduated with honors in July 2003. Katie and Mike then began working together in the studio, combining Mike's extensive experience in songwriting with Katie's fresh approach and unique voice. Their resulting album consisted of original compositions from both Mike and Katie, as well as carefully selected covers.
Early Success and International Recognition
Katie's sensational voice caught the attention of Terry Wogan, who, like with Eva Cassidy, decided to introduce Katie and her debut single "The Closest Thing To Crazy" to the public in the summer of 2003. Michael Parkinson also supported the idea and frequently invited the young Katie to perform on his show. Alongside the release of her single, Katie achieved a top 10 chart position. Music, both in creation and performance, was clearly a passion for Katie: "I started writing songs in 2001 and have a little home studio that my parents helped me create. I firmly believe music should be performed live, and great musicians are original and talented in their live performances. I always feel a warm feeling when I see someone carrying a guitar or violin case on the street. It's like I know I could be friends with that person. I always smile and say hi!"
International Success and Humanitarian Work
The end of 2003 was an exciting time for 19-year-old Katie. She was invited to perform at the annual Royal Variety Performance, where she met Queen, who praised her work. In November 2003, Katie's debut album "Call Off the Search" was released in the UK, reaching the top of the album charts in January 2004, knocking Dido off the top spot. Katie's album remained in the top spot for three weeks. In late February 2004, she embarked on a live tour across the UK, consisting of 14 performances. More singles followed, and she went on tours in America and Europe. She even visited Moscow, although she was not widely known at the time. "Call Off the Search" achieved top 10 chart positions across Europe and went gold in the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Switzerland, platinum in Denmark, New Zealand, and Australia, double platinum in Germany, Ireland, Norway, and South Africa. In 2005, the album became the best-selling album in Japan and was certified six times platinum in the UK.
In March 2005, Katie was invited by Nelson Mandela to perform at his charity concert, which aimed to raise funds for fighting HIV/AIDS. The concert, titled "46664", gathered 46664 people. Katie not only performed all the songs from her album but also joined Queen in a new version of "Too Much Love Will Kill You." From South Africa, Katie traveled to Sri Lanka, where she witnessed the serious work being done by the organization "Save the Children" and actively participated in it. In between her travels, Katie recorded her new album "Piece By Piece," once again showcasing her exceptional talent. The lead single, "Nine Million Bicycles," was included in numerous jazz compilation albums. Katie also recorded a cover of The Cure's song "Just Like Heaven" (1987) for a DreamWorks film featuring Reese Witherspoon, which premiered in September 2005 in the US and November in the UK.