Kara DioGuardi

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 that is in a light pop-rock genre. She will be a judge on the eighth season of American Idol.

Professional songwriter

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

Kara DioGuardi's songs have been recorded by artists including Celine Dion, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Avril Lavigne, Hannah Montana, the Jonas Brothers, Paris Hilton, Faith Hill, Santana, Ashlee Simpson, Jewel, Christina Aguilera, and 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 and Carlos Santana. DioGuardi can also be heard performing backup vocals on some of these recordings.

Notable writing collaborations include Dr Dre, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Polow Da Don, will.i.am, Marti Frederiksen, Chad Kroeger, Danja, John Shanks, Rodney Jerkins, Jeffrey Steele, Greg Wells, Eman Kiriakou, The Underdogs, John Fields, Mitch Allan, James Fauntleroy and David Hodges.

Senior VP of A&R at Warner Bros. Records, Kara has recently signed arists Jason Reeves, Laze & Royal, Atozzio and David Hodges to the label.

DioGuardi's forthcoming releases and collaborations include cuts from artists David Cook, Britney Spears, Esmee Denters, Pink, Martina McBride, Hannah Montana, Demi Lovato, Diego, Menudo, Tom Jones, Amie Miriello, The Pussycat Dolls, Nick Lachey, Daniel Powter, Crosby Loggins, Tyler Hilton, Halestorm, Jesse Lee, and Clique. She also has songs featured in the upcoming Camp Rock movie, The Cheetah Girls 3 and the Hannah Montana movie.

[edit] 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 abums 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-writer's Belinda, Mitch Allan, Ben Moody and Nacho Peregrin.

[edit] Other activities

Kara co-owns Arthouse Entertainment, a unique and diverse publishing company that seeks to be the top resource company for record companies and other music entities seeking outstanding 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" and 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.

Kara continues to work with the Phoenix House, which is the nation's largest non-profit substance abuse service organization. They treat some 6,000 men, women and teens each day in more than 100 drug and alcohol treatment programs at close to 60 locations in nine states. Kara contributes to building recording studios in the facilities and helps teach the teens how to operate the equipment to accentuate their creative ability and production outlets. (www.phoenixhouse.org)

She will join the hit FOX television show American Idol as a fourth judge starting in the show's 8th season (January 2009).^[1] In 2000, DioGuardi co-wrote (with fellow Idol judge Paula Abdul) the UK number-one single "Spinning Around," performed by Kylie Minogue.