Artists - Biography and discography, all albums and songs

Charli XCX (birth name — Charlotte Emma Aitchison, born 2 August 1992, Cambridge, England) is a British singer, songwriter, and producer, one of the central figures of contemporary pop music at the crossroads of the mainstream and the avant-garde “hyperpop.” Her trajectory is a rare example of an artist who both shapes the sound of tomorrow’s pop and confidently tops the charts today. Early years and career beginnings Charlotte grew up in suburban London, fell in love with songwriting early, and performed in local nightclubs. As a teen she recorded her first DIY tracks and videos, building the core of the future “Angels” fan community. The early releases blended dark synth-pop, electro, and a hands-on DIY aesthetic. Breakthrough as writer and…

Sigala (Bruce Fielder) — a British DJ, producer, and songwriter, and one of the key architects of the sun-drenched UK dance-pop / house sound of the 2015–2020s. His style blends radio-friendly melody, nu-disco and funk textures, piano house, and finely tuned vocal dramaturgy. His catalog features a run of multi-platform hits and collaborations that secured a steady presence in the charts and on festival stages. Early years and musical formation Bruce Fielder was born and raised in Norfolk, England. From childhood he played keyboards in school and university bands while learning sequencers and recording. Classical and jazz training, a love of live harmonies, and a springy bass feel formed the core of his future signature: bright chord progressions, nu-disco-style guitar…

Chris Liebing is a German DJ, producer, and one of the key engineers of the techno sound of the past three decades: from the hard industrial groove and loop-driven thrust of the late 1990s to the atmospheric, song-oriented work on Mute in the 2010s and 2020s. Founder of the CLR label, host of the weekly show AM/FM, a fixture at major festivals, and a resident at leading techno venues across Europe and the Americas. He was born on 11 December 1968 in Gießen (Hesse, Germany). Early years and formation In the late 1980s–early 1990s, Liebing began his DJ career in central Germany. His taste was shaped by Frankfurt’s techno school and the era’s “heavy” Ruhr scene. Alongside DJing, he moved into promotion: organizing his own nights and building a…

Disclosure — a British electronic duo of brothers Guy (Guy Lawrence) and Howard (Howard Lawrence) from Reigate, Surrey. Their name has become synonymous with modern UK house/garage infused with pop sensibility, strong songcraft, and a live club-ready sound. Disclosure are one of the key bridges between the UK’s underground dance scene and the global mainstream of the 2010s–2020s. Early years and formation The brothers grew up in a musical family and played in school bands from their teens. Howard’s love for jazz, funk, and soul met Guy’s passion for the rhythms of UK garage, 2-step, and early house. Their first releases arrived in the late 2000s and early 2010s: remixes and mini-EPs with a signature springy swing, crisp drums, and warm bass. Breakthrough:…

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…