InfoAnda - Kara DioGuardi balances songwriting, TV work |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Taiwan regulator meets AIG CEO on Nan Shan sale | 15 December 2010
Van Fan will be holding his concert in Taipei Arena | 21 November 2008
Russia faces 'systemic threat' from extremism: Medvedev | 6 February 2009

Thai car sales drop 26.2 pct in May | 13 June 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Kara DioGuardi balances songwriting, TV work |

Edition: U.S. Article Save Email Print Reprints Most Popular Most Shared Obama to unveil counterterrorism reforms | Video 1:03am EST Democrats in final push on U.S. healthcare overhaul 1:06am EST U.S. embassy reopens in Yemen after threat | Video 1:26am EST Report shows U.S. healthcare spending growth slows 12:26am EST Jordanian with Qaeda ties killed CIA workers: report 04 Jan 2010 Plunging home prices pull Manhattan buyers back in 12:31am EST U.S. growth prospects deemed bleak in new decade 03 Jan 2010 UPDATE 1-Casino stocks soar on strong Macau gambling revenues 04 Jan 2010 Credit Suisse sued over resorts, $24 billion sought 04 Jan 2010 Indebted Dubai puts on brave face for tower opening | Video 04 Jan 2010 Pictures Pictures of the year: Entertainment A look at the year's best entertainment photos. Slideshow Kara DioGuardi balances songwriting, TV work Ann Donahue Mon Jan 4, 2010 9:39pm EST Related News Persistence pays off for "Empire" songwriter Mon, Jan 4 2010 Rapper Game finds mentor, friend in Williams Mon, Jan 4 2010 Toby Keith tops decade-end country charts Fri, Dec 18 2009 Singer Blige feels "Stronger" with each challenge Fri, Dec 4 2009 Elvis Costello enjoys TV role as "carnival barker" Fri, Dec 4 2009 LOS ANGELES (Billboard) - It might be necessary to coin a new term to describe Kara DioGuardi: Rather than a multihyphenate, she's a mega-hyphenate. Entertainment | Television | Music | People | Media The songwriter-producer-publisher-A&R executive-"American Idol" judge starts 2010 with a slate of songs to write, artists to develop and exasperated sighs to give fellow "Idol" panelist Simon Cowell. In 2009, DioGuardi wrote songs for new albums from Carrie Underwood, Adam Lambert, Miley Cyrus and Cobra Starship; in addition, as senior vice president of A&R at Warner Bros. Records she added J.R. Rotem's Beluga Heights imprint to the Warner roster. All of this came on top of her ongoing duties as co-owner of music publisher/management shop Arthouse Entertainment, which just signed hitmaker Mike Elizondo. One reason for the stuffed-to-the-gills resume is DioGuardi's voracious interest in the music industry -- she started out as an administrative assistant at Billboard magazine 10 years ago -- but it's also a reflection of the ever-changing dynamics in the industry. Music executives now need vast reserves of business acumen to survive and a willingness to adapt to new opportunities. "Music has never been bigger," she says. "Music is huge. But the business is in trouble." Billboard: What are your songwriting sessions like? Kara DioGuardi: I have such a strange job. The other day I was in Nashville and I worked with Darius Rucker -- I'd never met him -- and we had that commonality because he's seen me on TV and he can be like, "Oh, you're cool," and I can be like, "I love your records." But it's basically, "Hey, nice to meet you, now take your clothes off." You have to look for where we can come together as two people who have experienced similar things. There isn't a person in this world that hasn't had their heart broken, or fallen in love, or been hurt by or helped a friend. So you find that common denominator and you build from that. Billboard: You went from writing songs for yourself to perform to writing songs for others to perform. What kind of transition was that? DioGuardi: When I first started writing it was not personalized. It was always kind of telling the person what they were doing instead of looking at what I was feeling. And as time went on, part of what drove me was that with music I could almost heal myself and figure out what I was going through in my life. My mom had been sick for years and my parents had kind of a wacky marriage. It really became my therapy. And that became a really important skill later on when I had to work with other people because what I would have to do is help them pull out their stuff. I'm not the greatest player -- I'm definitely not technically brilliant by any means in terms of the musicality, writing notes or anything like that. But I'm really good at the feel of it, knowing when it's right and knowing when somebody I'm working with isn't telling the truth. Billboard: Besides Darius Rucker, you've been in session with a lot of country acts recently: Rascal Flatts and Dierks Bentley among them. Is songwriting different for that genre compared with pop? DioGuardi: It's lyrically heavy in a way pop music isn't. It's got to be the perfect way to put it, but it's also got to have emotion (that resonates). It's poetic in a way that pop music isn't. It really tests me. It makes me go back to songwriting 101. It's not just describing an emotion at face value, it's more like, "Here's the emotion -- how do I say it in a way that's interesting, so that someone gets what I'm trying to put across but it's also a twist on it?" (For instance), "I Hope You Dance"? What an incredible metaphor. I hope you take that risk, I hope you take that chance, I hope you live life to the fullest. The way they paint that picture, when they get to the chorus you know exactly what they're talking about. I'm very drawn to the genre because I feel like I've become a better writer by going down there, and I'm always learning in the sessions. Billboard: What was your big break in songwriting? DioGuardi: I went through years of rejection, and my first thing was Kylie (Minogue recording "Spinning Around" in 2000). I didn't know who Kylie was, and I was heartbroken that Paula Abdul wasn't going to do it. I was thinking, "Kylie Minogue? Who's Kylie Minogue? I've got to make some money or I'm going to have to go back to my real job." And then I saw her ass in the video -- she had these hot pants on ... and I was like, "OK, I like Kylie Minogue. I'm going to make some money here." Billboard: You kept your own publishing instead of signing a deal with an outside company. Why? DioGuardi: The key was that I had enough money to live. If I hadn't, I probably would have done a publishing deal. I saved up money from Billboard to leave my job -- I calculated (it would take) about two years so I think at the time I left I had $150,000. Because my mother was ill, I lived at home with her and my grandmother, and I'd been working there almost six years and I really saved money. What I didn't know was that "Spinning Around" would become a hit, so I had that money too, so I had some security. Since I had worked at Billboard I had some understanding of the business, and I thought, "I'm not going to do a publishing deal. I'm just going to do this myself." It just sort of seeped into my brain through osmosis from being in the magazine. Back in the day, publishing was very unsexy. It's not as unsexy now because you have record labels doing (360 deals) where they are taking a piece. (But then) it was very much a pennies game and record labels pooh-poohed it, but I figured out very quickly that I was not going to be an artist because I was getting more traction on my songs than I was on my voice. Billboard: Are record labels willing to take risks now? DioGuardi: The only risks they will take are very calculated -- and that's going to be a problem for music in the long run if they don't take risks. What's going to happen is that you're going to have every song sound like a single. And when you really think back to those records you love, the more obscure songs, the songs maybe where the melody wasn't as mainstream -- those are the ones that you fall in love with. It's very dangerous, to me, to have that (singles) mentality. You want to have the balance. The (singles strategy) may be a reaction to the fact that record sales are so down. You had the industry sending the message, "We only have to put two or three good songs on a record, the rest can be s--t, but we're going to charge you $16." And people went, "You know what? F--k you. We're not doing that. Why am I paying $16 for crap when I just want those two songs that I like?" Billboard: Overarching all your work in the music business is the little thing called "American Idol." DioGuardi: It's an honor to be on that judging panel. It's kind of like winning a Grammy. Of all the people they could have picked, I can't believe they picked me. Last year was really difficult. I don't think people understood what it took to go from the back of the studio, writing, to "Lights! Camera! Action!" I was wearing Gap sweat pants and a wife beater up until six months ago. I look back on last year and I see bad hair and the wrong accessories. I was moving as fast as anyone could move and learning as I went. You know, "Maybe I'll try a ponytail this week?" Oh, no. "Maybe I'll tease it up like Peg Bundy?" Uh, that doesn't look good. There were moments when we were doing the show and I'd forget I was on television. I remember some guy was heckling me and I said, "You know, shut the F ... oh, wait a minute, I'm on national television." I think toward the end I got more feisty and opinionated. In the beginning I was like, "That's great! Paula? What do you think?" Because I wanted the camera off me. This year I got to really engage and do more with the contestants and really concentrate on them, whereas last year they'd be speaking or singing and I would be, "Holy s--t. What am I going to say?" Billboard: What are the contestants like this year? DioGuardi: I would say that there were more than a few times this season that someone walked in and sang and I was shocked that they didn't have the appearance to have that voice. It was just kind of a "Whoa, where did that come from? Hold up." It's like Susan Boyle. Billboard: Do you ever have any qualms about the water-cooler elements of the show? Do you think it's the best way to find a recording artist? DioGuardi: I can remember when I was trying to break in, and I knew nobody until I got to Billboard. What this does is (it) bypasses a bunch of that footwork that you would have to do. It says to somebody, "If you're great, we're going to find out." And let's be honest -- traditional A&R (artists and repertoire, the division of a label that scouts for and develops performers) is not what it was, especially with the way the economy is. People are not going out into the middle of the country. This show is picking up where A&R from record labels is not being able to do it right now because they can't hire the scouts. It's able to go into a small town and find Carrie Underwood or to Arkansas where Kris (Allen) was from. Is it a TV show? One hundred percent it is a TV show. You can be a big celebrity on the show, but at the end of the day, you're entering into the music business afterward. You're going to compete with Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Dierks Bentley -- whatever genre you're in. So yes, there's a water-cooler thing going on because it's a TV show, but it's also enabling people who would never have the opportunity to showcase their voice. It's giving them that chance, and I think that's why people respond to it. It's that American dream -- if you have it, someone will recognize it. Entertainment Television Music People Media More from Reuters Obama to unveil counterterrorism reforms WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday plans to unveil reforms aimed at thwarting future attacks like the attempted Christmas Day airliner bombing, as he seeks to limit political fallout from the incident. | Video Democrats in final push on U.S. healthcare overhaul Big U.S. fund group divests over Sudan U.S. embassy reopens in Yemen after threat | Video Report shows U.S. healthcare spending growth slows Asia stocks hit fresh peaks, dollar steadies | Video » More Top News Analysis: Falling asleep at the wheel Investors and Chinese policymakers who ignore warnings about inflation do so at their own peril. Full Article China automakers face tougher 2010 Asia exits crisis, risk of unrest lingers China Just another smartphone? Gadget lovers around the world are waiting with baited breath for Google's highly anticipated Nexus One smartphone, so why isn't Wall Street getting excited too? Full Article | Quote Google to steal CES spotlight Apple to unveil tablet this month Technology © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Analyst Research Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Labs Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts.com Buyouts Europe: Buyouts Conferences: Venture Capital Journal ECVJ International Financing Review International Securitisation Report Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Tuesday, 5 January 2010
Abbas weighs summit to revive stalled peace talks
Huge tomb found at Egypt's Saqqara pyramid
Karzai orders parliament to delay recess for cabinet
UK may ban Islamist march in military memorial town |
UK parties launch election race, promise lean times |
Iraq will file lawsuits against Blackwater
U.S. seeks to pressure Iran, Revolutionary Guards |
Five killed and three missing in Swiss avalanches |
Nigerian opposition demands proof of Yar'Adua's health |
Malawi denies bail to men arrested for gay wedding |
Tech showcase looks to regain wow factor |
US 'militants' deny planning Pakistan attack
Justice Department urges FCC to free spectrum |
Ex-Ga. state senator takes office as Atlanta mayor
Afghan attacks kill 4 US troops, British soldier
Destructive tsunami crashes over Solomon Islands
Houston mayor calls swearing-in milestone for gays
Spain's EU webpage hijacked by Mr Bean |
Karzai to lawmakers: Stay on job for Cabinet vote
Top China dissident appeals subversion conviction
Court officer, gunman killed in Las Vegas shootout
Malaysia appeals 'Allah' for Christians ruling
Agency seeks investor for ground zero tower
Watch lists grow; more screening on flights to US
Security breach at Newark airport investigated
Obama ends Hawaiian holiday, returns to Washington
Staff quits after Ala. congressman switches to GOP
US officially lifts HIV/AIDS travel ban
Threats against U.S. judges, prosecutors jump
GM launches new small car in India, eyes growth
German retailer Metro unveils China plans
India's Reliance raises $574m via share sale
Engineering giant Bosch to invest $400m in India
Pakistani rupee at new record low, stocks end higher
Blagojevich to appear on TV's Celebrity Apprentice |
CBS morning host Rodriguez expecting second child
Dubai ruler officially opens world's tallest building
Knightley and Waltz to star in Freud movie
Emile Hirsch joins celeb climb of Kilimanjaro
UK PM Brown named GQ's worst-dressed man of year
Dubai to inaugurate world's tallest skyscraper
U.S. seeks to pressure Iran, Revolutionary Guards
French rocker Hallyday's daughter hospitalised
US-TECH Summary
U.S. embassy reopens in Yemen after threat |
NASA's Kepler space telescope finds 5 new planets
Afghanistan's NATO force needs top civilian: UN
Lenovo, Qualcomm team up on Skylight "smartbook"
New Year freeze, avalanches leave trail of death across Europe
U.N. can't back more Afghan elections without reform |
Iraq: Key figures since the war began
Tiger Still In The Game: EA Sports Keeps Woods For Online 'Course'
Skype to offer video service on LG, Panasonic TVs
'Google phone' fever high on eve of Android event
Philippine massacre suspect pleads not guilty to murder |
Abbas says peace talks depend on Israel ending settlements
US manufacturing sector sees acceleration
Artie Lange Taken To The Hospital For Undisclosed Ailment
Freescale promises bargain-price tablet this year
Tehran professors denounce violence on protesters
Facebook blocks social network 'suicide' website
Apple to unveil tablet in January: report
Apple tablet computer may ship in March: WSJ
Justice Department urges FCC to free spectrum
Germany knows nothing of alleged CIA murder plot |
Mr Bean 'invades' Spain's EU website
Skype to offer video service on LG, Panasonic TVs
NATO official: US spy work lacking in Afghanistan
Wall Street cool on rumored Google phone launch |
Taiwan lawmakers ban some US beef imports
Obama poised to unveil counterterrorism reforms
Lavish Chinese police wedding sparks outrage
US overhauls terror watchlists
Skype to offer video service on LG, Panasonic TVs |
Philippine massacre suspect pleads not guilty to murder
Lenovo, Qualcomm team up on Skylight smartbook |
Vietnam condemns China's island tourism plans
EA Sports moves forward with Tiger game rollout |
Pandas headed to Shanghai for 2010 Expo
Americans' job satisfaction falls to record low
Global Weather-Celsius
Apple to unveil tablet in January: report |
US health spending grew to $2.3 trillion in 2008
China river oil spill pollution 'serious': govt
Court upholds Moussaoui's 9/11 life prison term
Destructive tsunami crashes over Solomon Islands
US uncovers third gatecrasher at India state dinner
Winter system drops record snow, chills the South
Manhattan's new top prosecutor promises humility
Seoul shares end lower on autos, Kumho issues
S.Korea won posts biggest daily pct rise in 6 mths
Pakistani c.bank sells 15.7 bln rupees of T-bills
China pulls out of $40 billion Australia gas deal
S.Korean auto issues tumble on stronger won
Philippine inflation rises to 4.4 pct in December
South Korean won extends gain to more than 1 pct
Taiwan to meet banks over FX mkt activity -dealers
US rally boosts Asian markets
PREVIEW-Taiwan Dec exports may have climbed more than 45 pct y/y
Avatar headed to No. 2 at all-time box office |
Rapper Game finds mentor, friend in Williams |
Films overcome obstacles on way to awards spotlight |
Film box office overtakes 2009 DVD, Blu-ray sales |
Kara DioGuardi balances songwriting, TV work |
Rockers Lifehouse try new slant with Mirrors |
"Avatar" headed to No. 2 at all-time box office
Persistence pays off for Empire songwriter |
Billion-dollar 'Avatar' strikes box office paydirt
Welsh band Los Campesinos! grows up, finds Romance |
Billboard CD reviews: Susan Boyle, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen |
Films overcome obstacles on way to awards spotlight
Billboard CD reviews: Susan Boyle, Adam Lambert, Kris Allen
China book heroine a role model for ambitious women
Entertainment producer, composer William May dies
"Gossip Girl" actor cast in "Apparition" horror
Kara DioGuardi balances songwriting, TV work
Rockers Lifehouse try new slant with "Mirrors"
Singer Sandro, the 'Argentine Elvis,' dies at 64
Quake in Atlantic near S.Sandwich Islands: USGS
Nestle buys Kraft N. American pizza unit
Karzai to try again with new cabinet line-up |
Japan finance minister wants to go after budget battle |
Israel to build more homes in East Jerusalem |
Iraqi militant leader linked to hostages freed |
Iran renews execution threat against protesters |
WFP suspends operations in much of southern Somalia |
Greece vows tougher deficit cuts as EU visit looms |
Berlusconi backs spy chief in espionage scandal |
South Sudan vote could lead to war, says top adviser |
Microsoft announces retail prices for Office 2010 |
NATO official: US spy work lacking in Afghanistan
Iran accepts Clinton non-deadline on nuclear talks
Authorities assess damage after Solomons quake
Italy class-action suit planned against Microsoft |
1,000 people homeless on Solomons after tsunami
GOP's Steele: Obama terrorism policy inconsistent
Tuna nets 176,000 dollars in Tokyo new year auction
Nokia files new patent suit against Apple |
Tech showcase looks to regain wow factor |
Suspect in Philippine massacre pleads not guilty
AP sources: Bomber at CIA base was a double agent
China zoo keeper killed by lion: state media
Obama to announce new airline safety measures
Deep freeze brings travel chaos to north China
Polycom teams with IBM in consumer videoconference |
Ore. man accused of snipping bus passenger's hair
Basketball star Yao Ming to become a father
Japan finance minister quiet on resignation rumour
Speculation builds Japan finance minister may quit
Exit strategy still premature -S.Korea fin min
Agricultural Bank of China plans IPOs: state media
Oscar contenders raise some questions |
ESPN to launch 3D TV network in June |
Oscar contenders raise some questions
Producer settles suit over crime drama
Producer settles suit over crime drama |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01