Most Popular Articles

• Katy Perry

  Feb 22, 2014 AVA 0 Comments

  

  Katheryn Elizabeth "Katy" Hudson (born October 25, 1984), better known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American recording artist, businesswoman, philanthropist, and actress. She was born near Santa Barbara, California and grew up there before moving to Los Angeles. Having had limited exposure to mainstream pop music in her childhood, she pursued a career in gospel music as a teen and released her debut studio album, Katy Hudson (2001). She later recorded a collaborative album with The Matrix and a solo album she worked on with Glen Ballard, the latter of which was never released.

  In April 2007, Perry signed a recording contract with Capitol Records. She rose to prominence with the release of her single "I Kissed a Girl" followed by her second album, One of the Boys (2008), which is predominantly pop rock. Perry's third record, Teenage Dream (2010), was preceded by the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream", and later produced the number-one singles "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". Teenage Dream became the first album recorded by a female artist in history to produce five number-one hits, and the second album overall after Michael Jackson's Bad (1987). The album features disco, electronic music, funk, and hip hop in addition to pop and rock. In March 2012, she re-released Teenage Dream as Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, which was preceded by the number-one single "Part of Me". Her fourth album, Prism (2013), was preceded by the number-one single "Roar". The album was originally planned to be "darker" than Perry's previous material, but ultimately became an album influenced by Swedish dance music and focusing heavily on self-empowerment. The album later produced the number-one single "Dark Horse".

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• Fast & Furious 6 (Top 10 2013 Movies)

  Nov 2, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Fast & Furious 6 (alternatively known as Fast Six or Furious 6)[5] is a 2013 American action film written by Chris Morgan and directed by Justin Lin. It is the sixth installment in the Fast and the Furious film series. The film stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Sung Kang, Luke Evans, Gina Carano and John Ortiz. Fast & Furious 6 follows a professional criminal gang led by Dominic Toretto (Diesel) who have retired following their successful heist in Fast Five (2011), but remain wanted fugitives. U.S. Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) offers to clear the group's criminal records and allow them to return home in exchange for helping him to take down a skilled mercenary organization led by Owen Shaw (Evans) and his second-in-command, Dominic's presumed-dead lover Letty Ortiz (Rodriguez).

  Fast & Furious 6 was in development by February 2010 as the first film in the series to move away from the underground car-racing theme of the series' previous films which was considered to have placed a barrier on audience numbers. Pre-production had begun by April 2011, and principal photography began in London, England in July 2012. Filming locations also included the Canary Islands, Glasgow, and Los Angeles. The film was first released in the United Kingdom, on May 17, 2013, followed by an international release on May 24, 2013. The film has grossed over $780 million worldwide, making it number 43 on the all-time worldwide list of highest-grossing films, in unadjusted dollars, and the third-highest-grossing film of 2013. A sequel began filming in September 2013.

  It doesn't seem like they'll stop making Fast and Furious any time soon.  And yeah, the storyline seems like it was patched together with duct tape just to showcase whatever cars/planes/and now tank they have at their disposal.  However, the trailer does look like it'll be fun ride as long as you throw logic out the window.

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• Shadmehr Aghili

  Jul 7, 2013 lily 0 Comments

  

  Shadmehr was a child prodigy with an innocent sensuality, one that seems to be of his own invention. At the age of (4), signs of artistic sensations appeared on his face every time he heard a song or a tender voice from the TV or radio, or even from his own parents. Young Shadmehr began studying music with the encouragement of his brother and mother. He learned to play the piano and the violin just before he was 18 years old. The guitar is also an instrument which Shadmehr learned to play in a dexterous manner. at age 17, he entered a school of arts in Tehran and in a short time showed great intelligence in composing and playing music. After receiving a music diploma, when pop music was forbidden in Iran, Aghili entered the “music school of television”. Aghili composed a great deal of music for other singers. Finally, in 1997, his first album was presented, Bahareman (“My spring”), which was a collection of classic and folkloric music played and arranged by Aghili (violin, guitar, piano, keyboard). In the same year his voice was heard in Mabood, his first vocal music, and afterward he continued work that resulted in Mosafer (“The traveler”), his first complete vocal album. In 1999 he created a revolutionary album, Dehati (“The villager”), with rock and roll, 6′n’8 and popular rhythms. However, none of his songs were permitted to be played on public media (i.e. TV). Shadmehr worked hard to get a permission for his Adam o Hava (Adam & Eve), an album that was supposed to be released in 2001. However, not only he did not, but also, he was banned to work as a singer, musician, or to appear on TV shows. Having left with no better choice, he decided to leave Iran in 2002, in order to continue his music in Canada , away from any restrictions. Khiali Nist (“No Worries”), Adamforoush (“Traitor”, 2004) and “Popcorn 2006″ and “Destiny 2009″ are his most recent albums released since his move to Canada and the United States. In addition, Shadmehr acted in two movies, namely, Pare Parvaz (2000) and Shabe Berahneh (2001). He is the first Iranian who entered Mandolin in Iranian musics in (Mashkook) and (Yekari kon) songs from his recent album Destiny. Shadmehr addicted to his work; he’s a perfectionist who spends hours in the studio.Shadmehr is definitely a promising star with an extra ordinary talent. We expect more success day after day for our extra ordinary star.

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• Iron Man 3 (Top 10 Movies)

  Nov 2, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Iron Man 3 (stylized onscreen as Iron Man Three) is a 2013 American superhero film featuring the Marvel Comics character Iron Man, produced by Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.1 It is the sequel to 2008's Iron Man and 2010's Iron Man 2, and the seventh installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, being the first major release in the franchise since the crossover film The Avengers. Shane Black directed a screenplay he co-wrote with Drew Pearce and which uses concepts from the "Extremis" story arc by Warren Ellis. Robert Downey, Jr. reprises his role as the title character, with Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle reprising their roles as Pepper Potts and James Rhodes, respectively.

  Jon Favreau, who directed the first two films, serves as an executive producer and reprises his role as Happy Hogan. Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, and Ben Kingsley round out the film's principal cast. The plot has Tony Stark trying to recover from posttraumatic stress disorder caused by the events of The Avengers, while researching the background to a terrorist organization led by the mysterious Mandarin after his head of security Happy Hogan is hospitalized following what appeared to be an attack.

  After the release of Iron Man 2 in May 2010, Favreau decided not to return as director, and in February 2011 Black was hired to rewrite and direct the film. Throughout April and May 2012, the film's supporting cast was filled out, with Kingsley, Pearce, and Hall brought in to portray key roles. Filming began on May 23, 2012 in Wilmington, North Carolina. The film was shot primarily in North Carolina, with additional shooting in Florida, China and Los Angeles. The film's visual effects were handled by 17 companies, including Scanline VFX, Digital Domain, and Weta Digital.

  Iron Man 3 was converted to 3D in post-production. The film premiered at the Grand Rex in Paris on April 14, 2013. It was internationally released on April 25, 2013 in IMAX and was released on May 3, 2013 in the United States. The film was both critically and commercially successful. As of June 2013, it has grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide, becoming the 16th film to gross over $1 billion. It currently ranks as the fifth-highest-grossing film of all time, ranks as sixth-highest-grossing openings for films and the highest-grossing 2013 film. It is the first Iron Man film to gross over $1 billion, the second Marvel film to do so after The Avengers. At 130 minutes, it is the longest stand-alone Iron Man film.

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• SIBEL CAN

  Feb 22, 2014 AVA 0 Comments

  

  Sibel Can (born August 1, 1970) is a popular Turkish folk pop singer. In recent years, she has also become popular in Azerbaijan. Sibel Can became a dancer at the age 14 and later started her singing career. She has been known as one of the most successful and powerful singers in Turkey. She is of Romani heritage.

  
  Rise to success and marriage
  Sibel first rose to fame as she started off as a professional belly-dancer hired by Fahrettin Aslan to perform at the Maksim Casino. Her little brother Ferhat was helping her with singing every day. Dancing was not the only activity she engaged in during her time at work, she had also been known to sing and so she would eventually shift her career direction into singing instead. Her first stage performance came at the age of 18, when she began singing songs from her first album, which had been produced by the help of Orhan Gencebay. These first stepping stones into the music industry would eventually make her be one of Turkey's most famous Arabesque artists. The achievements to her music would cause her to be a successful artist within this genre, as her voice has also become well familiar for Turks of all generations.
  Sibel was married to Sulhi Aksüt. They married on 24 March 2000 and filed for divorce in the summer of 2009. Together, they have a son named Emir. Her first marriage was to famous actor Hakan Ural, from 28 September 1988 until 18 February 1999. She has two children from her marriage with Hakan Ural, a son named Engincan and a daughter named Melisa.

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• Mohammad Reza Shajarian

  May 11, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Mohammad-Reza Shajarian (Persian: محمدرضا شجريان‎) (born 23 September 1940 in Mashhad, Iran) is an internationally and critically acclaimed Persian traditional singer, composer and ostad (master) of Persian music. He has been called "Iran's greatest living master of traditional Persian music." Shajarian is also known for his skills in Persian calligraphy, and humanitarian activities.

  Shajarian started singing at the age of five, under the supervision of his father, and at the age of twelve, he began studying the traditional classical repertoire known as the Radif. Shajarian started his singing career in 1959 at Radio Khorasan, rising to prominence in the 1960s with his distinct style of singing. His main teachers were Ahmad Ebadi, Esmaeil Mehrtash, Abdollah Davami, and Nour-Ali Boroumand. He also learned the vocal styles of singers from previous generations, including Reza Gholi Mirza Zelli, Fariborz Manouchehri, Ghamar Molouk Vaziri, Eghbal Azar, and Taj Isfahani. When giving a lecture at California State University, Sacramento on March 2, 2012, he was asked what teacher was most influential to his development, and he cited legendary Iranian tar musician Jalil Shahnaz, indicating that Shahnaz' playing style was what he most tried to mimic with his own singing style.

  Shajarian has collaborated with Parviz Meshkatian, Mohammad Reza Lotfi, Hossein Alizadeh, and Faramarz Payvar. He is recognised as skilled singer in the challenging traditional Dastgah style. In 1999 UNESCO in France presented him with the Picasso Award and in 2006 with the UNESCO Mozart Medal.

   

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• Kourosh Yaghmaei

  May 11, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Kourosh Yaghmaei was 10 when his father gave him a gift that revealed his talent for music. It was a Santour (The Persian Traditional string-percussive /Dulcimer). According to his mother, when he opened his present, after a few tries, he started to play a tune. Not to mention that he had never touched a Santour before. After 5 years of practice he gained precious knowledge of Iranian traditional music along with excellent skills in playing Santour.

  At the age of 15 he chose to play the guitar, which he has always loved. He gathered his own Pop/Rock bands which he both composed for and played in. He mostly played the lead guitar. In fact Kourosh introduced Rock music to Iran with a Pop formation of songs. At that time he received several tempting offers from Western musicians and bands’ managers to join them. In his senior year as a Social Science student at the Iran National University (DANESHGHAH-e MELLI-e IRAN), Kourosh released his first single hit GOL-e YAKH. The poem was written by his classmate, now-famous poet Mahdi Akhavan Langeroudi. This memorable love song led him to worldwide fame. He orchestrated, composed, played and sang the song. The song received international attention. It was re-played and sang in several other languages by their local musicians.

  His voice was banned for 17 years after 1979. In these years he published children stories on books and cassettes. He released an instrumental album called DIYAAR (Homeland). It was an orchestration of endemic songs for Grand National Orchestra. He also took some guitar students. His first album SIB-e NOGHRE’EE (Silvery Apple) was released after the ban was lifted. His picture was only allowed to be printed in his albums after 24 years. It has to be noted that Kourosh has learnt all different aspects of music without having any music teacher or instructor.

   

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• ANDY WILLIAMS

  May 10, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Andy Williams began his amazing career in his hometown of Wall Lake, Iowa. It was there he began singing with his three brothers in a local Presbyterian church choir that was established by his parents. 

  At the tender age of 8, Andy made his professional singing debut as part of the Williams Brothers Quartet. The brothers became regulars on radio station WHO’s “Iowa’s Barn Dance Show” in Des Moines, Iowa. From there, the brothers continued their radio days being prominently featured on national stations like WLS in Chicago and WLW in Cincinnati.The widespread radio exposure brought the boys a considerable following which eventually caught the attention of Bing Crosby. With Crosby, Andy and his brothers made their first professional recording, Swinging on a Star” which became a tremendous hit in 1944.

       In 1947, Andy and his brothers teamed up with comedienne Kay Thompson ( who also wrote the popular children’s book series “Eloise”) for a successful, trend setting nightclub act. Thompson  and the brothers spend the next few years performing all over the United States and in London.But it all came to an end in 1951 as the group disbanded and each brother went their own way.Andy chose to move to New York and continued to pursue his vocal career.While in New York, Andy became a regular performer on Steve Allen’s “Tonight Show”. For  2 ½ years he appeared on the “Tonight Show” which led to his first recording contract with Cadence Records.​

       It wasn’t long before Andy had his first top 10 hit with “Canadian Sunset”. What followed was a string of hits that included “Butterfly”, “Lonely Street”, “The Village of St. Bernadette”, and “The Hawaiian Wedding Song” for which he received the first of his five Grammy Awards nominations.

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• Elvis Presley

  May 10, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953. 

  
  Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. 
  
  In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture. 
  
  He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges, his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army. 
  
  His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977. 
  
  For a fun, interactive walk through Elvis’ life, visit the 75 years of Elvis Timeline developed in celebration of Elvis’ 75th Birthday Celebration.

   

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• Julie Andrews

  May 10, 2013 AVA 0 Comments

  Julie Andrews is one of the most recognized figures in the entertainment industry. Her legendary career encompasses the Broadway and London stages, blockbuster Hollywood films, award-winning television shows, multiple album releases and concert tours and the world of children’s publishing.

  Born Julia Elizabeth Wells in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, Julie was a child star of the British vaudeville circuit. Her mother, Barbara Wells, was a concert pianist, and her step-father, Ted Andrews, was a tenor, and together the two had a popular double act which toured the country.

  Julie made her stage debut in their act, and at the age of twelve began to perform on her own in variety shows, music hall performances, holiday pantomimes, and on British radio and television. Her school-teacher father, Ted Wells, fostered Julie’s love of reading and writing from an early age – gifts which served her well during her touring years, when her academic education was curtailed by her professional commitments.

  At the age of 19, Julie was pegged to star as Polly Browne in Sandy Wilson’s The Boyfriend on Broadway. She subsequently received critical acclaim for her legendary stage performances starring as Eliza Doolittle (opposite Rex Harrison) in My Fair Lady, and as Queen Guenevere (opposite Richard Burton) in Camelot. She made her motion picture debut in Mary Poppins (which won her an Oscar), and her extensive film career since encompasses such screen classics as The Sound of Music (the highest grossing film of all time), Thoroughly Modern Millie, 10, Victor/Victoria (which she also performed on Broadway a decade later, and which earned her a TonyÒ nomination for Best Actress) and most recently The Princess Diaries and Shrek films.

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