Kara DioGuardi
By on
January 13th, 2009
Kara DioGuardi (born December 9, 1970) is a living legend in the music industry. She is an American songwriter, record producer, and singer who has contributed to a long list of internationally successful popular songs in the light pop-rock genre. Besides, she is a new and fourth on the eighth season of American Idol. DioGuardi has worked with Celine Dion, David Archuleta, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, and Paula Abdul, American Idol’s other female judge.
She was born Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi on December 9, 1970, grew up in the Wilmot Woods section of suburban New Rochelle, New York. She attended The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York. After completing a political science degree at Duke University, she worked in the publishing and marketing departments of Billboard Magazine. She is of Italian and Albanian (Arbëresh) descent and the daughter of former Republican Rep. Joseph J. DioGuardi.
As a Professional songwriter
While her early solo and band efforts did not result in commercial successes, she became a much sought after songwriter, writing or co-writing many international hit songs from 1999 to today (see discographies and awards below). To date, She has had over 39 albums in the Top 10 on Billboard’s 200 album chart. Her songs are on over 100 million records. The majority of her songs have been recorded by American females in the pop/rock genre, with a significant minority of songs recorded by Australian females, and Latin music artists. DioGuardi can be heard performing backup vocals on some of these recordings.
Music Publishing
DioGuardi co-owns Arthouse Entertainment, a publishing company that is a resource business for record companies and other music entities seeking 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”, David Archuleta’s hit single “Crush” (written and produced by Eman Kiriakou), Mika’s “Grace Kelly” and also OneRepublic’s “Apologize” and “Stop and Stare” (all produced by Greg Wells), and Faith Hill’s “Lost” (written and produced by Kara DioGuardi and Mitch Allan).
Reality Television
In July 2006, DioGuardi was a judge in an “Idol”-like TV show called The One: Making a Music Star. The show debuted on ABC with the second-lowest rating ever for a premiere on a major American network and was abruptly canceled after just two weeks.
She joined the hit FOX television show American Idol as a fourth Judge starting in the show’s eighth season (January 13, 2009). In 2000, DioGuardi co-wrote (with fellow Idol judge Paula Abdul) the UK number-one single “Spinning Around”, performed by Kylie Minogue. She has written many songs sung by Idol winners and alumni such as Kelly Clarkson, David Archuleta, Carrie Underwood, and Katharine McPhee.
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 albums in the Top 10 on Billboard magazine’s 200 album chart. Her songs are on various hit albums that have altogether sold over 100 million copies.
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-writers Belinda, Mitch Allan, Ben Moody and Nacho Peregrin. In November of 2007, Kara was awarded the TAXI A&R award for Humanitarian of the Year at their annual Road Rally Convention.
Personal Life
She is engaged to general contractor Mike McCuddy; no wedding date has yet been set.
DioGuardi works with the Phoenix House, a non-profit substance abuse service organization; she contributes to recording studios in the facilities and helps teach the teens how to operate the equipment.
Kara DioGuardi production discography
- As songwriter
2000
Billie Piper - Walk of Life
* 05. “Bring It On”
Kylie Minogue - Light Years
* 01. “Spinning Around”
Ricky Martin - Sound Loaded
* 09. “One Night Man”
2001
Jessica Simpson - Irresistible
* 02. “A Little Bit”
Eden’s Crush - Popstars
* 10. “Two Way”
Bardot - Bardot
* 10. “Girls Do, Boy’s Don’t”
Kylie Minogue - Fever
* 00. “Good Like That”
Enrique Iglesias - Escape
* 01. “Escape”
* 02. “Don’t Turn Off The Lights”
* 05. “I Will Survive”
* 06. “Love 4 Fun”
* 07. “Maybe”
2002
Celine Dion - A New Day Has Come
* 02. “Right in Front of You”
Kelly Osbourne - Shut Up
* 01. “Disconnected”
* 03. “Contradiction”
* 04. “Coolhead”
* 05. “Right Here”
* 06. “On the Run”
* 07. “On Your Own”
* 08. “Too Much of You”
* 09. “Everything’s Alright”
* 10. “More Than Life Itself”
Laura Pausini - From the Inside
* 01. “I Need Love”
* 10. “I Do To Be”
2003
Play - Replay
* 07. “What Is Love?”
Thalía - Thalía
* 02. “Baby, I’m in Love”
Hilary Duff - Metamorphosis
* 02. “Come Clean”
* 04. “Little Voice”
Celine Dion - One Heart
* 05. “One Heart”
* 08. “Sorry for Love”
Rachel Stevens - Funky Dory
* 00. “Queen”
Clay Aiken - Measure of a Man
* 03. “The Way”
Britney Spears - In the Zone
* 11. “Brave New Girl”
Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes
* 6. “Predictable”
2004
Lara Fabian - A Wonderful Life
* 12. “Walk Away”
Ryan Cabrera - Take It All Away
* 09. “She’s”
Lisa Stansfield - The Moment
* 02. “Treat Me Like a Woman”
Cherie - Cherie
* 01. “I’m Ready”
Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
* 13. “Peace of Me”
Raven-Symoné - This Is My Time
* 02. “Backflip”
Hilary Duff - Hilary Duff
* 01. “Fly”
* 02. “Do You Want Me?”
* 06. “Underneath This Smile”
* 09. “Shine”
* 15. “Someone’s Watching over Me”
Anastacia - Anastacia
* 01. “Seasons Change”
* 06. “I Do”
* 07. “Welcome to My Truth”
* 08. “Pretty Little Dum Dum”
* 09. “Rearview”
* 10. “Where Do I Belong”
Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
* 05. “Gone”
* 07. “Where Is Your Heart”
* 08. “Walk Away”
* 09. “You Found Me”
* 10. “I Hate Myself for Losing You”
Becky Baeling - Ultra Dance 04
* 02. “Take It Away”
Ashlee Simpson - Autobiography
* 01. “Autobiography”
* 02. “Pieces of Me”
* 03. “Shadow”
* 04. “La La”
* 06. “Better Off”
* 08. “Surrender”
* 10. “Nothing New”
Diana DeGarmo - Blue Skies
* 02. “Blue Skies”
* 04. “Then I Woke Up”
* 07. “The Difference in Me”
* 08. “Till You Want Me”
* 10. “Boy Like You”
* 11. “Dream, Dream, Dream”
Gwen Stefani - Love. Angel. Music. Baby.
* 02. “Rich Girl” (featuring Eve)
The Veronicas - The Secret Life of…
* 11. “Nobody Wins”
Lindsay Lohan - Speak
* 01. “First”
* 02. “Nobody ‘Til You”
* 04. “Speak”
* 05. “Over”
* 07. “Anything But Me”
* 11. “Magnet”
2005
Natalie Imbruglia - Counting Down the Days
* 01. “Starting Today”
* 09. “On the Run”
Hilary Duff - Most Wanted
* 15. “Supergirl”
Ryan Cabrera - Take It All Away
* 05. “Photo”
Ashlee Simpson - I Am Me
* 01. “Boyfriend”
* 02. “In Another Life”
* 03. “Beautifully Broken”
* 04. “L.O.V.E.”
* 05. “Coming Back For More”
* 06. “Dancing Alone”
* 07. “Burnin Up”
* 08. “Catch Me When I Fall”
* 09. “I Am Me”
* 10. “Eyes Wide Open”
* 11. “Say Goodbye”
Ricki-Lee Coulter - Ricki-Lee
* 02. “Sunshine”
Pussycat Dolls - PCD
* 02. “Beep” (featuring Will.i.am)
* 06. “I Don’t Need a Man”
* 00. “Flirt”
Bo Bice - The Real Thing
* 01. “The Real Thing”
* 06. “Remember Me”
* 09. “It’s My Life”
Santana - All That I Am
* 03. “I’m Feeling You” (featuring Michelle Branch and The Wreckers)
Kate DeAraugo - A Place I’ve Never Been
* 06. “If This Is Love”
2006
RBD - Live In Hollywood
* 15. “Me Voy”
Pink- I’m Not Dead
* 15. “Heartbreaker”
Jewel - Goodbye Alice in Wonderland
* 04. “Good Day”
Jesse McCartney - Right Where You Want Me
* 05. “Anybody”
Paris Hilton - Paris
* 04. “I Want You”
* 05. “Jealousy”
* 08. “Screwed”
* 09. “Not Leaving without You”
Christina Aguilera - Back to Basics
* 01. “Intro (Back to Basics)”
* 02. “Makes Me Wanna Pray”
* 03. “Back in the Day”
* 04. “Ain’t No Other Man”
* 05. “Understand”
* 06. “Slow Down Baby”
* 07. “Oh Mother”
* 08. “F.U.S.S.”
* 09. “On Our Way”
* 10. “Without You”
* 11. “Still Dirrty”
* 13. “Thank You (Dedication to Fans…)”
Belinda - Utopía
* 04. “Bella Traición”
* 06. “Alguien Más”
* 09. “Noche Cool”
Delta Goodrem - Innocent Eyes
* 09. “Not Me, Not I”
* 11. “Predictable”
Eva Avila - Somewhere Else
* 02. “Not So Different”
RBD - Celestial
* 01. “Tal Vez Después”
* 07. “Tu Dulce Voz”
2007
Katharine McPhee - Katharine McPhee
* 01. “Love Story”
* 03. “Open Toes”
* 04. “Home”
* 05. “Not Ur Girl”
* 06. “Each Other”
* 08. “Ordinary World”
* 11. “Neglected”
Ashley Tisdale - Headstrong
* 04. “Be Good to Me”
* 00. “Hurry Up” (Unreleased)
Hilary Duff - Dignity
* 01. “Stranger”
* 02. “Dignity”
* 03. “With Love”
* 04. “Danger”
* 06. “Never Stop”
* 07. “No Work, All Play”
* 08. “Between You and Me”
* 09. “Dreamer”
* 10. “Happy”
* 11. “Burned”
* 13. “I Wish”
* 14. “Play with Fire”
Suzie McNeil - Broken & Beautiful
* 01. “Lonely (Are You Coming Home?)
* 02. “Believe”
* 10. “The One”
Avril Lavigne - The Best Damn Thing
* 03. “Runaway”
Kelly Clarkson - My December
* 02. “One Minute”
Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana - Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus
* 01. “We Got the Party” (featuring Jonas Brothers)
Puffy AmiYumi - Honeycreeper
* 09. “Closet Full Of Love”
Faith Hill - The Hits
* 04. “Lost”
Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable
* 04. “Something That I Already Know”
Britney Spears - Blackout
* 05. “Heaven on Earth”
* 10. “Ooh Ooh Baby”
Celine Dion - Taking Chances
* 01. “Taking Chances”
* 06. “Surprise Surprise”
Leona Lewis - Spirit
* 15. “Forgiveness”
Camp Rock - Camp Rock Soundtrack
* 01. “We Rock”
* 02. “Play My Music”
Vanessa Hudgens - Identified
* 12. “Gone with the Wind”
Denise Rosenthal - El Blog de la Feña
* 10. “Bye Bye”
* 11. “Déjate Llevar”
Diego Gonzalez - Indigo
* 12. “Losing Me”
Demi Lovato - Don’t Forget
* 09. “The Middle”
* 11. “Believe in Me”
Pussycat Dolls - Doll Domination
* 07. “Who`s Gonna Love You”
* 14. “Love The Way You Love Me”
P!nk - Funhouse
* 02. “Sober”
Theory of a Deadman - Scars & Souvenirs
* 04. “Not Meant to Be”
David Archuleta - David Archuleta
* 09. “To Be With You”
Anna Vissi - Apagorevmeno
* 01. “Apagorevmeno”
TBA
Nicole Scherzinger - Her Name Is Nicole
* 02. “Baby Love” (featuring Will.i.am)
Ali Lohan - Ali Lohan’s forthcoming studio album
* 00. “All the Way Around”
* 00. “Close That Door”
As producer/co-producer
* Ashley Tisdale (”Be Good to Me,” unreleased track “Hurry Up”)
* Britney Spears (”Heaven on Earth”, “Ooh Ooh Baby”)
* Celine Dion (”Surprise Surprise”, “One Heart”)
* Kelly Clarkson (”Walk Away”)
* Santana (”Feeling You”)
* Lindsay Lohan (”Over”, “First”)
* Paris Hilton (”Not Leaving You”, “Jealousy”, “Screwed”)
* Hannah Montana (”We Got the Party”)
* Katharine McPhee (”Love Story”, “Home”)
* Raven-Symoné (”Backflip”, “What Is Love”)
* Kylie Minogue (”Good Like That”)
* Backstreet Boys (”Something That I Already Know”)
* Hilary Duff (debut album Metamorphosis)
* Genta Ismajli (”Planet Me”)
As vocalist
With MaD DoLL:
* Mad Doll (1990)
With Platinum Weird:
* Make Believe (Platinum Weird album) (2006)
* Platinum Weird (Platinum Weird album) (2006)
Watch video :
“Lost” (Faith Hill) Kara DioGuardi, Mitch Allan David Hodges
Celine Dion & Kara DioGuardi - Taking Chances
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