Michael Sembello American musician and composer Date of Birth: 17.04.1954 Country: USA

1. Biography of Michael Sembello
2. The Success of "Maniac"
3. Collaboration with Stevie Wonder
4. Solo Career and "Maniac"
5. Music for Films and Other Projects
6. Recent Work and Collaborations

Biography of Michael Sembello

Michael Sembello, an American musician and composer, is a talented guitarist, pianist, and keyboardist. He has released 6 studio albums and 8 singles, covering genres such as rhythm and blues, synth-pop, new wave, pop rock, and hi-energy. Sembello has worked with record labels such as Warner Bros., EMI, and Motown, collaborating with numerous music stars including Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Chaka Khan, George Benson, Barbra Streisand, Stanley Clarke, David Sanborn, and Donna Summer.

The Success of "Maniac"

Sembello's most well-known song is "Maniac," which reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song became popular even in the Soviet Union, where it was featured on the soundtrack of the film "Flashdance." "Maniac" became the third highest-grossing song from the soundtrack, which won a Grammy Award in 1984 for Best Album Soundtrack. Sembello's career in music began as a session musician, often working as a guitarist for more famous artists.

Collaboration with Stevie Wonder

Sembello collaborated extensively with Stevie Wonder, playing acoustic and electric guitars on the studio recording of "Fulfillingness' First Finale" in 1974. He continued working with Wonder on the ambitious conceptual album "Songs in the Key of Life," contributing as a solo and rhythm guitarist. Sembello's collaboration with Wonder lasted until 1979, but his list of notable collaborators extended beyond Wonder to include Miguel Mateos and New Edition.

Solo Career and "Maniac"

In September 1983, Sembello released his first solo album, "Bossa Nova Hotel," which included the hit song "Maniac." The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained there for two weeks. The album itself reached 80th place on the US Top 200 chart. "Maniac" was featured in the film "Flashdance," and its soundtrack became popular worldwide, including in the Soviet Union.

Music for Films and Other Projects

Sembello dedicated a significant portion of his career to composing music for films. Some of the successful films he worked on include "Cocoon" (1985), "Gremlins" (1984), "Summer Lovers" (1982), "The Monster Squad" (1987), and "Independence Day" (1996). His song "Gravity" from the film "Cocoon" was the only release from Sembello that had a music video, directed by Ron Howard, who also directed "Apollo 13," "A Beautiful Mind," and "The Da Vinci Code."

Recent Work and Collaborations

In 2008, Sembello collaborated with saxophonist Michael Lington on his album "Heat," which was nominated for the Jazztrax Award for Album of the Year. Sembello and his brother Danny Sembello co-wrote three songs for Lington's project.

Sembello continues to write and release albums, recording songs in six different languages. In May 2009, he released the album "Moon Island" on EMI Japan, featuring American pop songs with a Brazilian twist. He frequently visits Brazil and is friends with Daniel Jobim, the grandson of legendary composer Antonio Carlos Jobim.