Live in Australia

Live in Australia

Live in Australia is a 2008 live album by American rock musician Chris Isaak. The album was recorded in Melbourne, Australia in 2006.

Track listing

Speak of the Devil - 4:15

Let Me Down Easy - 4:05

Intro (To "I'll Go Crazy") - 1:37

I'll Go Crazy - 3:13

Go Walkin' Down There - 3:43

Wicked Game - 5:02

Lonely with a Broken Heart - 2:49

Intro (To "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing") - 1:28

Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing - 4:26

This Love Will Last - 3:13

Waiting - 3:04

Blue Darlin' - 3:31

Intro (To "Only the Lonely") - 2:03

Only the Lonely - 2:51

One Day - 4:19

Somebody's Crying - 2:49

Blue Hotel - 3:14

San Francisco Days - 4:04

Dancin' - 4:08

Blue Spanish Sky - 3:57

American Boy (iTunes Store exclusive track) – 3:08

(source:wikipedia)

Litfiba

Litfiba, 

The Litfiba are a band of rock Italian, trained in Florence in 1980.

The name comes from the address telex room of the historical evidence used by the band since its inception, located in Florence Via de 'Bardi at number 32: "L" (prefix telex), "IT" (Italy), "FI" (Florence) , BA (Via de 'Bardi).

" I knew the equipment and system to compose Iricon address: among the many works of my life, I also telex operators. "L = fixed symbol system call Iricon, IT = Italy; FI = Firenze , BA = Bardi (Via dei Bardi, home of the legendary cellar Litfiba in Via dei Bardi 32). "

(Ghigo Renzulli)

The birth of the group is due to Frederick "Ghigo" Renzulli and Gianni Maroccolo encountered three other boys as their lovers like punk (at the time of the initial decline phase) 's hard rock (matrix seventy), but above the new wave. Their sound eighties is a personal interpretation of new wave and, in fact, the band creates a true "wave rock Mediterranean" which combines the charm of ethnic Mediterranean sounds with the sharpness of the dark atmosphere of English speakers.

In the nineties the first Litfiba are proposed with a gritty, wild rock latin, then with a pop-rock enjoying great success. In 1999 the historic entry Pelù moves away from the band for a solo career. After this twist, the band starts with the sounds rock that were temporarily shelved the album Infinite and recruiting two new singers before Gianluigi Cavallo (2000 to 2006) and Philip Margheri (2007 to 2009).

In December 2009 the reunion was announced between Ghigo Renzulli and Pelù through a statement on the band's official website.

Biography

Phase 1 (1980-1989)

The band five

The Litfiba in 1982: Ghigo Renzulli - Renzo Franks - Antonio Aiazzi - Pelù - Gianni Maroccolo

The band originally formed by five elements: Ghigo Renzulli on guitar, John Maroccolo to low, Antonio Aiazzi to keyboards, Francesco Calamai the battery and Pelù item. The group is heavily influenced by punk and the burgeoning new wave, very popular genre in the music scene at that time European and when Florence was a small Italian capital thanks to bands like Iris, Pankow, Neon and precisely the same Litfiba . The actual debut took place on 6 December 1980, the Rokkoteca Brighton (which is actually an extension of the house of the people of Settignano, near Florence).

In 1982 the band releases its first EP containing five songs entitled War, in the same year they won the second annual Italian Festival Rock, whose prize includes the publication of a 45. Meanwhile Calamai gives way to Renzo Franchi. In 1983 he released the 45 Moon / The preyin the same year Litfiba involved in the compilation Body Section with the song "TranSEA and publish Aeneid of Krypton, which is the soundtrack for the homonymous play. In 1984, Ringo De Palma (real name Luca de Benedictis) on drums, released the ep Yassassin which contains, besides the title track (which is a cover of David Bowie) in two different versions, including the ballad "Dance Electric . Also participate in the compilation with two new songs Catalogue Issue "east side" and "Wave Arab." At this time, the band also begins to be known and appreciated especially outside Italy.

The "trilogy of power"

The five in 1985 released their first proper LP, Desaparecido, which proposes to the general public and makes them out dall'underground. The main theme of the lyrics is the rejection of violence el'antimilitarismo. The sound combines new wave influences with a taste for melody typically Mediterranean. Desaparecido will be followed by TranSEA (ep of 1986) and second albums, the most ambitious: 17 King, recorded in just three months and seen by many as the best album of the band. They range from dark, rock, punk, all seasoned with visionary texts and folk influences.

Next tour will stretch from the live 12-05-87 Open your eyes, their first live album, recorded at Tenax in Florence.

The next album, Litfiba 3in 1988, is announced as the final chapter of the "trilogy of power," an ideal saga inspired by the rejection of all forms of totalitarianism, and which also belong conceptually " Desaparecido"and"17 Re". Less of the dreamy past, but equally impressive is the last work where prevailing influences and dark wave will still emerge timidly in the band's sound.

Dispensing with traditional forms of promotion, such as television, Litfiba can reach unimaginable levels of popularity for an Italian rock band and pirate, made live and study in 1989, consecrated them permanently.

At the same time, the creative differences between managers in Litfiba Alberto Pirelli and Gianni Maroccolo induce him to leave the group. Maroccolo, Francesco Magnelli and Ringo De Palma enter then in the CCCP Fedeli line[3], De Palma later, after recording Epica Etica Etnica Pathos, leave for an indefinite period for personal and health problems. His tragic death will occur in 1990.

Phase 2 (1990-1999)

The "elements of the tetralogy"

Ghigo Piero and in effect become the leader of the band. To them and to join Aiazzi Roberto Terzani on bass, Daniel Trambusti on drums and Candelo Cabezas to percussion. From Pirate Tour '90 , the band draws a VHS live.

Renzulli Pelù and then bring it to work on the equipment of the new disc was released in 1990: El Diablo. Again, the tour (which he sees as a second guitarist Federico Poggipollini), will address a VHS: El Diablo Tour. The new album celebrates the spirit element Fire and marks a stylistic evolution of the band, whose arrangements tend increasingly to rock. With this record Litfiba open to greater public consensus, not only Italian, enjoying great success. The title track remains one of rock anthem par excellence, "The Fly" is dedicated to the tragedy of drummer Ringo De Palma and "Forbidden" became an anthem all'antiproibizionismo.

Rebel Dream (1992) is proof of this new course is an anthology of the previous period as revised and corrected in a more rock. It also includes live cuts and unreleased "Shadow Line". It will also follow the VHS version: a collection of video clips, some live a long and already published and unpublished interview documenting the new style of Litfiba.

In 1993, with Franco Caforio on drums instead of confusion, the album more rock and "hard" group, Earthquake. The album reached the second place ranking of FIMI. Dedicated to the element Earth, the album is a concentration of solid rock, sometimes on the edge of metal and includes lyrics that deal with the theme of the mafia and television, the perverse charm of money, political and social changes underway in Italy and of anti yet. On the tour will not take part Poggipollini.

Passed by the CGD to EMI (with various legal troubles that will exit a number of compilations unauthorized) Litfiba released in 1994 tail strike, live testimony of the "Earthquake Tour," a double album with two new songs ("A clenched teeth" and "Africa") and the first edition, the booklet photos, created by Alex Maioli, "Novantanovefoto.

In 1995 Litfiba organic change again: the low pass by Terzani (which will fall on the tour following the second guitar) Daniele Bagni, and gives life to the band's third LP Ring of the elements: as El Diablo celebrated Fire and Earthquake Earth , Spirit is the Air. Produced by Litfiba themselves in collaboration with Rick Parashar, the producer who became famous for "Ten" by Pearl Jam, the album takes a different path from the most recent work, with songs more solar, imaginative and positive. "Spirit" became a single great success as "the show" and Gypsy "Lacio Drom."

In the same year the band released Lacio Drom a CD with the singles "Spirit" and remixed various testimonies of live tracks, attached a number of VHS movies with behind the scenes of the "Spirit tour. A gem is the interview Pelù the Venerable Master of Masonic Lodge P2 Licio Gelli, one of the most controversial of Italian history, the singer has brazenly "pinched" at his villa in Arezzo.

The missing element, Water is the central theme and sound underwater worlds (1997), the album further triumph of the band (more than 700,000 copies in a short time), saw the release of Aiazzi while Terzani here plays the dual role of keyboardist and second guitarist. The biggest tour in the history of the group gives rise to two witnesses both outputs with the title Pain and delight: a double live album, dedicated to the memory of percussionist Candelo Cabezas died prematurely and a VHS tape, whose proceeds go to people affected by earthquake Umbria and Marche.

The last chapter in the history of Litfiba Pelù with vocals is Infinite published in 1999 (album dedicated to the element missing, the weather, but criticized by many for the very slight sound). Despite everything succeeds in attracting audiences and selling 900,000 copies. Very successful will also be on tour with sold out in arenas. But the artistic and personal tensions between the singer and guitarist on the band's management are becoming more pronounced. At the end of the tour Pelù decides to abandon the path Litfiba devoting himself to his solo career. The last concert of the singer with Litfiba is at Monza Rock Festival 1999 ". Pelù follow all components of recent years: Heads, and Terzani Caforio.

Phase 3 (2000-2006)

The era and the return of Cabo Aiazzi

Gianluigi Cavallo said "Cabo"

Ghigo Renzulli therefore remains proprietor Litfiba, that the rest belongs to him since 1983, as its name SIAE. The guitarist decides to immediately begin the journey with a band completely renovated and rejuvenated, the new vocalist is the Parma Gianluigi Cavallo, called "Cabo", unknown to the general public, bass and drums are the rhythm section instead of Malfunk: Gianluca Venier and Hugh Native.

The band then quit in early 2000 the album Elettromacumba that exceed 150,000 copies sold. The sound is decidedly more rock of recent work. Forced to face a bewildered public to see a band without what had been the man to cover for almost two decades, Litfiba embark in the 'Elettrotour "with Mauro Sabbione on keyboards (he worked for "El Diablo" ). The period following the tour sees the innovative idea of Live Online: 15 songs from recent tours are offered via the web portal Lycos in a way that anyone can download and listen to them freely, going to create a real full cd official cover.

Despite the difficulties, Litfiba they are then put to work on new album with yet another exchange between the members: Hugh Native leaves the band and instead replaces Gianmarco Colzi, former Galileo Rock. The new work is released in late 2001, is Insidia selling about 50,000 copies. This album shows a darker tone, with a strong symbolic texts, copious use of electronics, guitars and aggressive collaboration compositional Gianluca Venier. The disc will be the most appreciated of the post-separation despite sales certainly not repeat the successes of the recent past.

The band spent the following year on tour (the first part of the Never Ending Tour) at the end of which is contacted to create the soundtrack for the Italy game "Tomb Raider 6 - The Angel of Darkness" was born as the single " Larasong. At the completion of the track will bring them closer to the historic band keyboardist Antonio Aiazzi, which will remain in training within two years of touring that will follow: "Lara Tour" (in 2003) "04 Tour" (respectively second and third part of the Never Ending Tour) whose last date was chosen to run the dvd .. eastward Hundred Days, produced by the band's fan club.

In 2003 the band released The Platinum Collection, a triple CD containing the most successful carved between 1994 and 2001. Part of this best of seven live tracks also footage from the "Lara tour.

For the new disc is expected only in 2005when the band released To be or seemless inspired by the previous, perhaps for new artistic tensions once again in its history, the training should address. The end of the life cycle of the group not long in coming. In 2006 Cabo, Aiazzi, Venier Colzi and later left the band though, it leaked, so basically friendly.

Phase 4 (2007-2009)

Phase Margheri and the return of Terzani

The new project starts in 2007 and the first news is the return of multi-instrumentalist Roberto Terzani, a long time with the band in the 90s. A year later, is officially back in training activities, as well as bassist and Renzulli, suggests heading Margheri Philip, a young singer from a underground group Tuscan Florentine the Miir. Complete training drummer Pino Fidanza, former Scaramouche.

Litfiba I choose the network to recur and are publishing in 2008, the video of starvation "Side Effects" and in 2009 the Five online, an EP released only in digital format, consisting of five pieces recorded live in rehearsal room: three unpublished ("Premature Burial", "Side Effects 1.1" and "No Man's Land") and two register ("Pet Zone" and "Light trembling"). They are then published two other songs streaming: "Anger in the head" and "Premature Burial 2.0.

The band clashes with the indifference of the media and record companies, so the project set. After canceling the planned mini-summer tour, Litfiba are forced to finishing this new phase. In November 2009, the band's manager Pirelli announced the dissolution of the current band and a temporary suspension of the artistic group.

Stage 5 (2009 -)

Reunion Litfiba

On 11 December 2009 is officially on the band's official website, the reunion of Litfiba, with the return of Pelù item. The thrust back together artistically reveal themselves: "The desire to get on stage together and give concerts - announced after ten years of separation - is unstoppable." Complete the training keyboardist Federico Sagona who had worked in recent years with Pelù solo and bassist Daniele Bagni (back in the band after ten years), while the battery remains enrolled Pino Fidanza.

After a mini tour in April in Milan, Florence, Rome and Acireale (preceded by three concerts abroad in Lausanne, Zurich and Monaco of Bavaria) is announced a new summer tour that will visit major Italian places.

The new single Black Sun anticipates the release of a double live album Land of Litfiba concerts recorded in April, and released for the Sony 1 June 2010. The live, 24 songs composed by historical litfibiana history, is also accompanied by a second novel, "stagger". Both are produced by unpublished Pelù and Renzulli, see the return of the historic collaborator Francesco Magnelli on keyboards, and mixed by Tim Palmer at Electric Lady Studios in New York.

Training

Existing components

Ghigo Renzulli - guitar (1980 - present)

Pelù - voice (1980 - 1,999) - (2009 - present)

Daniele Bagni - low (the 1,994th - in 1999) - (2009 - present)

Frederick Sagona - keyboards (2009 - present)

Pino Fidanza - drums (2007 - present)

Former members

Francesco Calamai - drums (1 980-one thousand nine hundred eighty-two)

Ringo De Palma - drums (1 984-1989)

Gianni Maroccolo - low (the 1,980th-1,989)

Antonio Aiazzi - keyboards (in 1980-1,996th), (2,003-the 2006th)

Roberto Terzani - low (the 1,990th - in 1994), (2 007 - 2009th), guitar/keyboards (one thousand nine hundred ninety-five - the 1999th)

Franco Caforio - drums (one thousand nine hundred ninety-three-1,999)

Gianluigi Cavallo - voice (2 thousandth-2,006th)

Gianluca Venier - low (the 2 thousandth-2006)

Gianmarco Colzi - drums (the 2,001th-2,006th)

Philip Margheri - voice (2,007 - 2009)

Shift

Renzo Franchi - Battery (1,983th-the 1,984th)

Daniel Trambusti - drums (1987) - (1990-1992)

Frederick Poggipollini - guitar (one thousand nine hundred and ninety-1 993)

Candelo Cabezas - percussion (1,989-in 1992), (the 1994th-1,997)

Mauro Sabbione - keyboards (1990) (2000-2001)

Hugh Native - drums (the 2 thousandth-2001)

Collaborators

Francesco Magnelli - keyboards, arranger (1985-1,989th), (today)

Discography

Album,

1982 - War (EP),

1983 - Luna / The prey (45 laps),

1983 - Aeneid of Krypton,

1984 - Yassassin (EP),

1985 - Desaparecido,

1986 - TranSEA (EP),

1986 - 17 King,

1987 - 12-5-87 Open your eyes,

1988 - Litfiba 3,

1989 - Pirate,

1990 - El Diablo,

1992 - Rebel Dream,

1993 - Earthquake,

1994 - Dalmatians,

1994 - Spirit,

1995 - Lacio Drom,

1997 - Worlds submerged,

1998 - Cross and delight,

1999 - Infinity,

2000 - Elettromacumba,

2001 - Live Online,

2001 - Insidia,

2003 - The Platinum Collection,

2005 - To be or appear,

2009 - Five online (EP),

2010 - Free State Litfiba,

Single,

1985 - Istanbul / Tzigana (45 laps),

1986 - Tango / Apapaia (45 laps),

1988 - Panama / Prey (live) (45 laps),

1988 - X (45 laps),

1989 - Cangaçeiro (EP),

1990 - Tex 90 (45 laps),

1990 - El diablo (EP),

1991 - Mona Lisa / The Flight (45 laps),

1991 - Forbidden (EP),

1992 - Shadow Line (CD single),

1992 - Boys (CD single),

1993 - Maudit (CD single),

1993 - First call (cd single),

1993 - Under the Volcano (CD single),

1994 - A teeth (cd single),

1994 - Africa (CD single),

1995 - The show (cd single),

1995 - No Borders (CD single),

1995 - Spirit (CD single),

1995 - Lacio drom (CD single),

1996 - The show remix (cd single),

1997 - Ritmo # 2 (CD single),

1997 - Queen of Hearts (CD single),

1997 - Drip Drop (CD single),

1997 - Reina de corazones (cd single for the Spanish market),

1999 - My body is changing (cd single),

1999 - Front (cd single),

1999 - Living my time (cd single),

2000 - Elettromacumba (CD single),

2000 - The Garden of Madness (CD single),

2000 - Light (CD single),

2001 - The Gold Room (CD single),

2002 - Mr. Hyde (CD single),

2003 - Larasong (CD single),

2005 - Days of wind (CD single),

2008 - Side Effects (webclip),

2010 - Black Sun,

Unofficial Discography,

1984 - Live in Berlin (Live CD),

1994 - King of Silence,

1995 - Scream,

1997 - Viva Litfiba,

1998 - Viva Litfiba 2,

1999 - Viva Litfiba Live

2005 - The most beautiful songs

2005 - Live '99 (live unreleased product Pelù)

2007 - Anthology

2008 - Litfiba: The Great Successes

2010 - All Litfiba. Heroes in the wind 1984-1993

Videography Journal

1990 - Pirate Tour '90

1991 - El Diablo Tour

1992 - Rebel Dream

1995 - Lacio Drom (Buon Viaggio) (Annex eponymous live album)

1998 - Croce Delizia

2005 - Hundred Days eastward .. - 04. Live Tour 2004

Notes

^ a b (IT) Liftiba. Ondarock.it. Retrieved on 12/06/2009.

^ a b c Group Sheet on Allmusic.com

^ http://www.ondarock.it/italia/giovannilindoferretti.htm

References

(IT) official website Litfiba

(EN) Official page at MySpace Litfiba

Bibliography

Ronzani, S. (1990) Forbidden. The official biography of Litfiba, Rome, publisher Arcana | Arcana Editions. In '93 it was printed an updated version.

Ronzani, S. (1993) earthquake. The songs of Litfiba and their history, Rome, Arcana Editions

AA.VV. (1997) Myths Music: Litfiba, Milan, Mondadori

Cotto, M.; Pelù, P. (2000) Perfect defective, Milan, Mondadori,

Guglielmi, F. (2000) A clenched teeth. The true story of Litfiba, Florence, Giunti Editore | Giunti, ISBN 9788809017290

Casini B. (2009) "A Journey into the Litfiba" Area Editions.

(source:wikipedia)

Leona Lewis

Leona Louise Lewis, (born 3 April 1985) is a British pop and R&B singer–songwriter. Lewis rose to fame in 2006 as the winner of the third series of the British television series The X Factor.
Lewis has become a multi-platinum selling artist and three time Grammy Award nominee. She was proclaimed 'Top New Artist' by Billboard magazine in 2008. Lewis has released two albums to date, Spirit and Echo, in 2007 and 2009 respectively. Spirit became the fastest-selling debut album and the biggest seller of 2007 in both the United Kingdom and Ireland, and made Lewis the first British solo artist to top the Billboard 200 with a debut album. It has sold over 6.5 million copies worldwide.
Lewis's debut single "A Moment Like This" became the fastest selling UK single after being downloaded over 50,000 times within thirty minutes of its release. Her second single, "Bleeding Love", reached number one positions in over thirty singles charts around the world. In November 2008 she set a record in the UK for the fastest selling download-only release with her cover version of the Snow Patrol song "Run" which sold 69,244 copies in two days. In November 2009, the first set of dates for her 2010 debut world tour were announced.


Early life

Lewis was born in the London Borough of Islington, to Aural Josiah "Joe" Lewis of Afro-Guyanese descent and Maria Lewis of Welsh descent. Her parents enrolled her at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, and from there she attended the Italia Conti Academy and the BRIT School, where she learned to play instruments such as the guitar and piano, and began to write her own songs in the hope of becoming a singer-songwriter,writing her first full-length song at the age of 12. She initially trained in opera, but went on to singing jazz and blues, eventually leading to popular music, citing Minnie Riperton, Eva Cassidy and Stevie Wonder as her main influences. After leaving the BRIT School at 17,she took a number of jobs to fund studio time, recording a demo album called Twilight. The album, comprised almost exclusively of her own compositions, was recorded under Spiral Music, a production company based in Fulham. "I tried to secure a record deal by doing things my own way. I worked very hard but I never managed to land a contract", said Lewis. Other demos were recorded under licence from UEG Entertainment, later included on an album called Best Kept Secret. However, none of Lewis's demos were released and she considered taking a hiatus from her music career to attend university until her boyfriend persuaded her to enter The X Factor which subsequently severed her connections with UEG.




Music career

2006: The X Factor
The X Factor (UK series 3)


Lewis at the London premiere for Flushed Away, November 2006.
Lewis auditioned for the third series of The X Factor in 2006, singing "Over the Rainbow". She was mentored by Simon Cowell and was announced the winner on 16 December 2006, winning a £1 million recording contract.
Her debut single, a cover of Kelly Clarkson's "A Moment Like This", was released on CD on 20 December 2006, and was available as a digital download from midnight on 17 December. It broke a world record after it was downloaded 50,000 times in thirty minutes. On 24 December, "A Moment Like This" was crowned the 2006 UK Christmas number-one single, having sold 571,253 copies, outselling the rest of the Top 40's sales combined.The single became the most downloaded song in 2006; it stayed at number one for four weeks and stayed at the top spot in the Irish Singles Chart for six weeks.



2007–2009: Spirit and international breakthrough
Spirit (Leona Lewis album)
Wikinews has related news: British pop star Leona Lewis breaks US Billboard records
In February 2007, Lewis signed a £5 million ($9.7 million) five-album contract in the United States with Clive Davis's record label, J Records, and showcased for several American music executives. A press release was sent out revealing that Cowell and Davis would work together in a first-of-its-kind partnership on both the song and producer selection for Lewis's debut album, entitled Spirit.Lewis recorded tracks for the album in London, Miami, Los Angeles, New York City, and Atlanta, where she worked with several songwriters and record producers including Dallas Austin, Walter Afanasieff, Salaam Remi, Steve Mac, Stargateand Ne-Yo. It was released in November 2007 and entered both the Irish Albums Chart and the UK Albums Chart at number one, becoming the fastest-selling debut album in both countries, and the United Kingdom's fourth fastest selling album of all time. It was released in several other nations in January 2008, and went to number one in New Zealand, Australia, Austria, Germany, South Africa and Switzerland.Two further tracks were recorded in 2008 for the US release of the album: "Forgive Me", produced by Akon, and "Misses Glass", produced by Madd Scientist. It was released in the United States in April 2008 and entered the Billboard 200 at number one, making Lewis the first British artist to reach number one with a debut album. A special edition of Spirit was re-released in November 2008 in Europe, including the songs "Forgive Me", "Misses Glass" and a cover of the Snow Patrol song "Run". The album again went to number one in the UK Albums Chart. To date the album has sold over 6.5 million copies worldwide and has a 9× platinum certification in the UK.
Lewis's second single, "Bleeding Love", produced by Ryan Tedder and written by Tedder and Jesse McCartney, was released in October 2007 in the UK, where it sold 218,805 copies in its first week, giving it the biggest first-week sales of 2007 to date. It entered the UK Singles Chart at number one, where it stayed for seven weeks, and in the Irish Singles Chart it remained at number one for eight weeks. It reached number one in the singles charts of New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Austria, Canada and the United States. "Bleeding Love" won The Record of the Year in December 2007. In February 2008, "Bleeding Love" entered the Billboard Hot 100 at number 85 and then went on to peak at number one for four non-consecutive weeks. The song became the first track by a UK female to reach number one since Kim Wilde's "You Keep Me Hangin' On" in 1987. Lewis's third single, a double A-side featuring "Better in Time" and "Footprints in the Sand", was released in the United Kingdom in March 2008, in aid of Sport Relief, and she visited South Africa for the charity. The single reached a peak of number two in the UK singles chart selling over 40,000 copies in its first week of physical release. "Better in Time" was released as Lewis's second single in the US, where it peaked at number 11 in the Billboard Hot 100. "Forgive Me" was released as Lewis's fifth single in November 2008; it reached number five in the UK. "Run" was released as a download-only single in the UK, reaching number one, and becoming the UK's fastest-selling download-only single with 69,244 copies sold in two days. Lewis's last single from Spirit, "I Will Be", was released in January 2009, only in North America; it peaked at number 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In August 2008, she performed "Whole Lotta Love" with guitarist Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin at the 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in Beijing, representing the handover to London as the host of the 2012 Summer Olympics. In September 2008, she joined several female singers to perform a single for the anti-cancer campaign Stand Up to Cancer. The single, titled "Just Stand Up!", was performed live during the one-hour telethon that aired on all major US television networks. Lewis received three nominations for the 51st Grammy Awards in December 2008. "Bleeding Love" was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and Spirit was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. She was nominated for four BRIT Awards, in the categories British Female Solo Artist, British Breakthrough Act, British Album for Spirit, and British Single for "Bleeding Love", but despite being the favourite to win the most awards, she received none. She won two awards at the 2008 MOBO Awards: Best Album for Spirit and Best Video for "Bleeding Love". In December 2008 Lewis was named 'Top New Artist' by Billboard magazine.





2009–present: Echo and world tour
Echo (Leona Lewis album) and The Labyrinth (tour)

Leona Lewis performing in 2009.
Lewis's second album, Echo, was given a worldwide release in November 2009. Production took place throughout 2009, including work with Ryan Tedder, Justin Timberlake,[52] Max Martin, Arnthor Birgisson, Kevin Rudolf, and John Shanks.It was recorded in Los Angeles and took nine months to produce. Lewis described the album as "more guitar-driven" compared to Spirit.One of the albums's songs, "My Hands", appears as the theme song to Final Fantasy XIII's North American and European release. Lewis performed her first full UK show at the Hackney Empire in London on 2 November 2009, performing songs from Spirit and Echo. Echo reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and the top ten of Austria, Ireland and Switzerland.
Despite previous attempts from Lewis's lawyers to ban the release of Best Kept Secret by UEG Music, claiming that the singer had not given her consent, the album was released in January 2009 when the label insisted it owned the rights to the music and Lewis would receive a 50% share of the album's profits. However, a television advert for the album was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, who said in a statement: "We considered that the claim 'Leona Lewis's new album' misleadingly implied it was the singer's latest recording rather than a new CD of tracks recorded some years ago." The album was released to iTunes in standard and deluxe editions, and two EPs, "Private Party" and "Dip Down"/"Joy", were released in September 2009.
The first single released from Echo was "Happy", which was written by Lewis, Tedder and Evan Bogart and produced by Tedder  The single was released on 15 September 2009, peaking at number two in the UK, and reaching the top ten in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Japan and Switzerland.Lewis also recorded the theme song for the 2009 science fiction film Avatar, directed by James Cameron. The song, "I See You (Theme from Avatar)", was written by James Horner and Simon Franglen. It was nominated for Best Original Song at the 67th Golden Globe Awards. In January 2010, Lewis provided vocals on a cover of "Everybody Hurts", released to help raise money for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. The second single from Echo, "I Got You", was released in February 2010. In April 2010, she featured on a duet with Italian singer Biagio Antonacci, called "Inaspettata (Unexpected)", from his album Inaspettata.
Lewis plans to start her first world tour, titled The Labyrinth supporting Spirit and Echo in May 2010, which is reported to be lasting 14 months. It is said that Lewis has hired choreographer Travis Payne for the tour, which is reported to have a Labyrinth theme. Her label have apparently said that money is no object. Lewis will tour North America from July to August 2010 supporting Christina Aguilera on her Bionic Tour. In an interview named "Under the skin of Leona Lewis" with 4music, Lewis stated that she will be working on her third album after the tour.
Other activities

In October 2008, The Times reported that Lewis had turned down a $1 million deal with Mohamed Al Fayed to open a Harrods sale. Lewis commented in the press that she turned down the deal on the grounds that Harrods is the only UK department store which continues to stock clothing made from animal fur. She told The Big Issue, "I got a lot of flak for that. There were people who said I should have done it and given the money to charity, but that would have been such a contradiction." She announced in October 2008 that she was in the "bargaining period" of launching her own ethical line of accessories through Topshop,] and that she is in the late stages of releasing her own perfume for Europe.
Lewis signed a book deal in January 2009 to release an illustrated autobiography in October 2009. The book, entitled Dreams, contains mostly pictures taken by photographer Dean Freeman.
In 2010 she joined Cotton's Fabric of Our Lives campaign, recording a song and appearing in a television advert.




Personal life

Lewis lives in Hackney with her boyfriend Lou Al-Chamaa, an electrician, whom she has known since she was approximately ten years old. She has a tattoo of Hebrew letters on her left wrist, symbolising her relationship with Al-Chamaa. A vegetarian since she was 12, Lewis won PETA's Sexiest Vegetarian along with Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis in 2008, and again in 2009 with actor Scott Maslen. She also was named PETA's Person Of The Year for 2008. Lewis is a supporter of the World Society for the Protection of Animals.
Wikinews has related news:
Leona Lewis assaulted at book signing in London, England
Man charged with assaulting British singer Leona Lewis
At a book signing for Dreams on 14 October 2009 at the Piccadilly branch of Waterstone's book store in central London, Lewis received a punch to the head from Peter Kowalczyk, a 29-year-old man from south London. Eyewitnesses say Lewis ran out with her hand covering her face, whilst security wrestled the attacker, who was reportedly laughing, to the floor. The police were called immediately to the scene and Kowalczyk was arrested. Lewis suffered bruising and was taken to a private doctor as a precaution. She cancelled a scheduled appearance on the BBC's The One Show and a two-day promotional trip to Germany. She later released a statement, saying "Thank you so much for your support, it is truly overwhelming. Yesterday was a horrible shock and left me extremely hurt and upset. I'm very sorry to those I wasn't able to meet at the signing. Thank you again for all of the lovely messages. Love you all."Kowalczyk was subsequently sectioned under the Mental Health Act. He was charged with common assault, for which he was due to appear before City of Westminster magistrates on 26 October 2009. The case was adjourned as Kowalczyk was "not fit to attend court". It was reported that he had a history of mental health problems and may have attacked Lewis due to jealousy, as he had attempted to enter The X Factor but was rejected by producers.[96] On 14 December 2009, Kowalczyk admitted common assault and was ordered to remain in hospital for an indeterminate period.
Discography

Leona Lewis discography
Studio albums
Spirit (2007)
Echo (2009)
Tours

2010: The Labyrinth
Source:wikipedia

Martina Hingis

Martina Hingis,

Martina Hingis (born 30 September 1980 in Košice, Slovakia, then Czechoslovakia) is a retired professional tennis player who spent a total of 209 weeks as World No. 1. She won five Grand Slam singles titles (three Australian Opens, one Wimbledon, and one US Open). She also won nine Grand Slam women's doubles titles, winning a calendar year doubles Grand Slam in 1998, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title.

Hingis set a series of "youngest-ever" records before ligament injuries in both ankles forced her to withdraw temporarily from professional tennis in 2002 at the age of 22. After several surgeries and long recuperations, Hingis returned to the WTA tour in 2006. She then climbed to world number 6 and won three singles titles. On 1 November 2007, Hingis announced her retirement from tennis while admitting she had tested positive for cocaine during Wimbledon in 2007. She denied using the drug. On 4 January 2008, she was banned from tennis for two years after both cocaine tests (samples A and B) turned positive.She has stated that she will not return to professional tennis when this ban expires. She participated in the seventh (2009) series of the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, partnering Matthew Cutler, where she was the first contestant to be voted out.

Childhood and early career

Hingis was born to accomplished tennis players: a Czech mother, Melanie Molitorova, and a Hungarian[8][9] father living in Košice (Slovakia), Károly Hingis. Molitorova was a professional tennis player, who was once ranked tenth among women in Czechoslovakia, and was determined to develop Hingis into a top player as early as pregnancy. Her father was ranked as high as nineteenth in the Czechoslovakian tennis rankings. She was named after tennis legend Martina Navratilova. Hingis's parents divorced when she was six, and she and her mother relocated around a year later to Trübbach in Switzerland. Her father, who continued to live in Košice as a tennis coach, said in 1997 that he had seen little of his daughter after the split.

Hingis began playing tennis when she was two years old and entered her first tournament at age four. In 1993, 12-year-old Hingis became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam junior title: the girls' singles at the French Open. In 1994, she retained her French Open junior title, won the girls' singles title at Wimbledon, and reached the final of the US Open.

She made her professional debut in October 1994, two weeks after her 14th birthday. She ended the year ranked World No. 87, and in January 1995, she became the youngest player to win a match at a Grand Slam tournament when she advanced to the second round of the Australian Open.

[edit]Grand Slam success and period of dominance

In 1996, Hingis became the youngest Grand Slam champion of all time, when she teamed with Helena Suková at Wimbledon to win the women's doubles title at age 15 years and 9 months. She also won her first professional singles title that year at Filderstadt, Germany. She reached the singles quarterfinals at the 1996 Australian Open and the singles semifinals of the 1996 US Open. Following her win at Filderstadt, Hingis defeated the reigning Australian Open champion and co-top ranked (with Steffi Graf) Monica Seles in the final at Oakland. Hingis then lost to Graf at the year-end WTA Tour Championships.

In 1997, Hingis became the undisputed World No. 1 women's tennis player. She started the year by winning the warm-up tournament in Sydney. She then became the youngest Grand Slam singles winner in the 20th century by winning the Australian Open at age 16 years and 3 months (beating former champion Mary Pierce in the final). In March, she became the youngest top ranked player in history. In July, she became the youngest singles champion at Wimbledon since Lottie Dod in 1887 by beating Jana Novotná in the final. She then defeated another up-and-coming player, Venus Williams, in the final of the US Open. The only Grand Slam singles title that Hingis failed to win in 1997 was the French Open, where she lost in the final to Iva Majoli.

In 1998, Hingis won all four of the Grand Slam women's doubles titles, only the fourth in women's tennis history to do so, (the Australian Open with Mirjana Lučić and the other three events with Novotná), and she became only the third woman to simultaneously hold the No. 1 ranking in both singles and doubles. She also retained her Australian Open singles title by beating Conchita Martínez in straight sets in the final. Hingis, however, lost in the final of the US Open to Lindsay Davenport. Davenport ended an 80-week stretch Hingis had enjoyed as the No. 1 singles player in October 1998, but Hingis finished the year by beating Davenport in the final of the WTA Tour Championships.

1999 saw Hingis win her third successive Australian Open singles crown as well as the doubles title (with Anna Kournikova). She then reached the French Open final and was three points away from victory in the second set before losing to Steffi Graf. During the match, Hingis had infuriated an already partisan crowd by arguing with the umpire over several line calls (crossing the net in one instance), taking a bathroom break early in the final set, and twice delivering a underhands serve on match point. In tears after the match, Hingis was comforted by her mother as she returned to the court for the trophy ceremony. Following the French Open, Martina revealed at Wimbledon that her mother was no longer her coach. After a shock first-round 6–2, 6–0 loss to Jelena Dokić at Wimbledon, Hingis bounced back to reach her third consecutive US Open final, where she lost to Serena Williams. Hingis won a total of seven singles titles that year and reclaimed the No. 1 singles ranking. She also reached the final of the WTA Tour Championships, where she lost to Lindsay Davenport.

In 2000, Hingis again found herself in both the singles and doubles finals at the Australian Open. This time, however, she lost both. Her three-year hold on the singles championship ended when she lost to Davenport. Later, Hingis and Mary Pierce, her new doubles partner, lost to Lisa Raymond and Rennae Stubbs. Hingis captured the French Open women's doubles title with Pierce and produced consistent results in singles tournaments throughout the year. She reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon before losing to Venus Williams. Although she did not win a Grand Slam singles tournament, she kept the year end No. 1 ranking because of nine tournament championships, including the WTA Tour Championships where she won the singles and doubles titles.

Injuries and hiatus from tennis

In 2001, Switzerland, with Hingis and Roger Federer on its team, won the Hopman Cup. Hingis was undefeated in singles during the event, defeating Tamarine Tanasugarn, Nicole Pratt, Amanda Coetzer, and Monica Seles.

Hingis reached her fifth consecutive Australian Open final in 2001, defeating both of the Williams sisters en route, before losing to Jennifer Capriati. She briefly ended her coaching relationship with her mother Melanie early in the year but had a change of heart two months later just before the French Open. Hingis underwent surgery on her right ankle in October 2001.

Coming back from injury, Hingis won the Australian Open doubles final at the start of 2002 (again teaming with Anna Kournikova) and reached a sixth straight Australian Open final in singles, again facing Capriati. Hingis led by a set and 4–0 and had four match points but lost 4–6, 7–6, 6–2. In May 2002, she needed another ankle ligament operation, this time on her left ankle. After that, she continued to struggle with injuries and was not able to recapture her best form.

In Feburay 2003, at the age of 22, Hingis announced her retirement from tennis, due to her injuries and being in pain. "I want to play tennis only for fun and concentrate more on horse riding and finish my studies"In several interviews, she indicated she wanted to go back to her country and coach full time.[citation needed]

During this segment of her tennis career, Hingis won 40 singles titles and 36 doubles events. She held the World No. 1 singles ranking for a total of 209 weeks (fourth most following Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert). In 2005, Tennis magazine put her in 22nd place in its list of 40 Greatest Players of the TENNIS era.

Return to the game

2005

In February 2005, Hingis made an unsuccessful return to competition at an event in Pattaya, Thailand, where she lost to Germany's Marlene Weingartner in the first round. After the loss, she claimed that she had no further plans for a comeback.

Hingis, however, resurfaced in July, playing singles, doubles, and mixed doubles in World Team Tennis and notching up singles victories over two top 100 players and shutting out Martina Navratilova in singles on 7 July. With these promising results behind her, Hingis announced on 29 November her return to the WTA Tour in 2006.

2006

Martina Hingis in the Australian Open, 2006.

At the Australian Open, Hingis lost in the quarterfinals to second-seeded Kim Clijsters. However, Hingis won the mixed doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi of India. This was her first career Grand Slam mixed doubles title and fifteenth overall (5 singles, 9 women's doubles, 1 mixed doubles).

The week after the Australian Open, Hingis defeated World No. 4 Maria Sharapova in the semifinals of the Tier I Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo before losing in the final to World No. 9 Elena Dementieva. Hingis competed in Dubai then, reaching the quarter-finals before falling to Sharapova. At the Tier I Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, California, Hingis defeated World No. 4 Lindsay Davenport in the fourth round before again losing to Sharapova in the semifinals.

At the Tier I Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, Hingis posted her 500th career singles match victory in the quarterfinals, beating World No. 18 Flavia Pennetta, and subsequently won the tournament with wins over Venus Williams in the semifinals and Dinara Safina in the final. This was her 41st Women's Tennis Association tour singles title and first in more than four years. Hingis then reached the quarterfinals of the French Open before losing to Kim Clijsters.

At Wimbledon, Hingis lost in the third round to Ai Sugiyama.

Hingis's return to the US Open was short lived, however, as she was upset in the second round by World No. 112 Virginie Razzano of France.

In her first tournament after the US Open, Hingis won the second title of her comeback at the Tier III Sunfeast Open in Kolkata, India. She defeated unseeded Russian Olga Poutchkova in the final. The following week in Seoul, Hingis notched her 50th match win of the year before losing in the second round to Sania Mirza.

Hingis qualified for the year-ending WTA Tour Championships in Madrid as the eighth seed. In her round robin matches, she lost in three sets to both Justine Henin and Amelie Mauresmo but defeated Nadia Petrova.

Hingis ended the year ranked World No. 7. She also finished eighth in prize money earnings (U.S.$1,159,537).

2007

At the Australian Open, Hingis won her first three rounds without losing a set before defeating China's Na Li in the fourth round. Hingis then lost a quarterfinal match to Kim Clijsters. This was the second consecutive year that Hingis had lost to Clijsters in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and the third time in the last five Grand Slam tournaments that Clijsters had eliminated Hingis in the quarterfinals.

Hingis won her next tournament, the Tier I Toray Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo, defeating Ana Ivanović in the final. This was Hingis's record fifth singles title at this event.

A hip injury that troubled her at the German Open caused her to withdraw from the Internazionali BNL d'Italia, where she was the defending champion, and the French Open, the only Grand Slam singles title that eluded her.

In her first round match at Wimbledon, Hingis saved two match points to defeat British wildcard Naomi Cavaday, apparently not having fully recovered from the hip injury that prevented her from playing the French Open. In the third round, Hingis lost to Laura Granville of the United States, and stated afterwards she should not have entered the tournament.

Hingis's next tournament was the last Grand Slam tournament of the year, the US Open, which she had won ten years ago for the first time. Hingis lost in the third round to Belarussian teenager Victoria Azarenka.

Hingis did not play any tournaments after the China Open, as she was beset by injuries for the rest of the year.In November Hingis, admitted that she was under investigation for testing positive. She decided to retire. Hingis was handed a 2 year ban by the ITF for testing positive for Cocaine at Wimbledon, back dated to October at the start of 2008.

But Hingis maintained her innocence, saying, "I have tested positive but I have never taken drugs and I feel 100 percent innocent." She also said, "I would personally be terrified of taking drugs. When I was informed [about the test] I was shocked and appalled." She is not planning to contest the positive drug test because it could take years. "Because of my age and my health problems, I have also decided to retire from professional tennis." The drug test results were released to Hingis after her third round loss to Laura Granville at Wimbledon, with both "A" and "B" urine samples failing the tests. Hingis then underwent a private drug test on a hair sample, which came back negative.

Retirement

Hingis played an exhibition match at the Liverpool International tournament on 13 June 2008. Although this event was a warm-up for Wimbledon, it was not part of the WTA Tour. This allowed Hingis to participate without breaching the rules of her ban.In a rematch of their 1997 Wimbledon final, Hingis defeated Jana Novotná.

In 2009 Hingis partook in the BBC's dancing competition, Strictly Come Dancing. She was the bookies favourite for the competition. But she went out in the first week after performing a Waltz and a Rumba. Despite vowing to win the competition. 'She promised to apply the same gritty approach to the dance show that had taken her to five grand slams on the tennis court. “Everything I do I do to win. I am very competitive.”

2010

At the start of the year Hingis defeated former world number one Lindsay Davenport, and hinted at a possible return to tennis. In February, Martina announced she has commmitted to a full year with the World TeamTennis Tour in 2010. She had previously played for World Team Tennis in 2005 to assist her first comeback. Sparking thoughts that she was trying to comeback to the WTA tour. Fuel was added to the fire as she committed to playing at the Nottingham Masters . On the 5th May 2010 it was announced that Anna Kournikova would reunite with her doubles partner Hingis. With Kournikova participating in competitve tennis for the 1st time in 7 years, in the Invertational Ladies Doubles event at Wimbledon.

Controversies

Hingis is also well known for usually being outspoken. During her career, Hingis has made a number of statements about her fellow players that have subsequently become the focus of attention and the source of controversy, such as:

Referring to Amélie Mauresmo's lesbianism on the eve of their 1999 Australian Open final, Hingis told reporters, "She's here with her girlfriend. She's half a man already."

When asked in the late 1990s how she felt about the budding rivalry between herself and the then-up-and-coming Anna Kournikova, Hingis responded, "What rivalry? I win all the matches."

After the Williams sisters (Venus and Serena) had complained of discrimination against them, Hingis told Time magazine in 2001: "Being black only helps them. Many times they get sponsors because they are black. And they have had a lot of advantages because they can always say, 'It's racism.' They can always come back and say, 'Because we are this color, things happen.'"

At the peak of the Williams sisters' and Hingis' competitive and fierce rivalry, Hingis stated in a press conference during the 1999 US Open referring to the sisters' remarks, "They always have big mouths. They always talk a lot. It's happened before, so it's gonna happen again. I don't really worry about that."

On the long-dominant player, Steffi Graf, Hingis said, "Steffi has had some results in the past, but it's a faster, more athletic game now than when she played. She is old now. Her time has passed." (Hingis made this comment in 1998 while Graf was on an injury-related hiatus from tennis, and before she lost against the German player in the 1999 French Open final).

Responding in a 1999 press conference on why she terminated her doubles partnership with former Wimbledon champion Jana Novotná, Hingis remarked, "She's old and slow."

Record against other top players

As of 30 October 2008, Hingis win-loss record against players who have been ranked World No. 10 or higher is as follows:Players who have been ranked World No. 1 are in boldface.

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario 18–2

Monica Seles 15–5

Barbara Schett 11–0

Anna Kournikova 11–1

Conchita Martínez 11–3

Venus Williams 11–10

Lindsay Davenport 11–14

Amanda Coetzer 10–2

Mary Pierce 10–6

Jana Novotná 9–3

Chanda Rubin 8–2

Iva Majoli 8–2

Amélie Mauresmo 7–7

Irina Spîrlea 6–0

Ai Sugiyama 6–2

Serena Williams 6–7

Julie Halard-Decugis 5–0

Jennifer Capriati 5–4

Brenda Schultz-McCarthy 4-0

Elena Dementieva 4–3

Kim Clijsters 4–5

Mary Joe Fernandez 3–0

Jelena Dokić 3–2

Alicia Molik 2–0

Caroline Wozniacki 2-0

Dinara Safina 2–1

Nadia Petrova 2–1

Anastasia Myskina 2–1

Justine Henin 2–2

Svetlana Kuznetsova 2–2

Daniela Hantuchová 2–3

Patty Schnyder 2–3

Steffi Graf 2–7

Kimiko Date Krumm 1–0

Vera Zvonareva 1–0

Anna Chakvetadze 1–0

Nicole Vaidišová 1–0

Gabriela Sabatini 1–1

Ana Ivanović 1–1

Maria Sharapova 1–2

Agnieszka Radwańska 0–1

Victoria Azarenka 0–1

Jelena Janković 0–2

Playing style

Hingis was renowned for her tactical approach to the game of tennis and for her technical skills, enabling her to produce a wide array of shots with finesse. She lacked the power possessed by many of her contemporaries; therefore, she relied on low error-rates and good shot selection to keep opponents off-balance. She often used change of direction and pace to catch opponents off guard and sharp angles to open up the court. She was also well known for her ability to break long rallies by hitting accurate drop shots and coming to the net, where she was a skilled volleyer. A signature play of Hingis was the drop shot followed by a lob, often resulting in an easy volley or overhead to finish the point. Hingis often hit the ball extremely early by standing close to the baseline (or inside it) in order to take reaction time away from her opponent.

Hingis's strongest groundstroke was her two-handed backhand, which had an extremely low error-rate and great variety. Her backhand down-the-line was among her signature shots and often the shot she chose to hit with greater pace to surprise opponents during a rally.

Personal life

Hingis has dated Spanish golf player Sergio García and British footballer Sol Campbell. She was briefly engaged to Czech tennis player Radek Štěpánek, but split from him in August 2007. She has also dated former tennis players Magnus Norman, Ivo Heuberger and Julian Alonso. In March 2010, Hingis announced that she was engaged to marry Andreas Bieri, a Swiss Attorney.

Career statistics

Records

These records were attained in Open Era of tennis.

Grand Slam Years Record accomplished Player tied

Australian Open 1997-02 6 consecutive finals Evonne Goolagong Cawley

Australian Open 1997-99 3 consecutive wins Margaret Court,

Evonne Goolagong Cawley,

Steffi Graf,

Monica Seles

By winning Wimbledon doubles title in 1996 with Helena Sukova became youngest doubles winner at 15 years, 282 days and youngest ever Grand Slam winner in the Open era.

By winning Australian singles title in 1997, became youngest winner there in tennis history at 16 years and 3 months.

By defeating Monica Seles 6-2, 6-1 in 1997 at Key Biscayne, ascended the no. 1 spot as the youngest ever in tennis history.

By winning the US Open against Venus Williams in 1997, Hingis contended all Grand Slam tournament finals that year; second youngest winner in the US Open at 16 years, 11 months and 8 days.

Won the Australian and US Open in 1997 without losing a set.

In 1997, from Sydney to the final of Roland Garros created a 37-match winning streak, best from 1995 until present.

By Winning the US Open doubles title in 1998 with Jana Novotna, completed a doubles Grand Slam third in the Open Era.

Held simultaneously the no. 1 position for singles and doubles in 1998.

Most successful player to play the Toray Pan-Pacific Tournament with 5 wins in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2007, and reached 8 finals in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007.

Ended her career with 103 top-10 wins (behind Lindsay Davenport at 129), 43 singles titles, 37 doubles titles, 1 mixed title, and 209 weeks at no.1 (4th behind Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, and Chris Evert).

Awards and accolades

1994

ITF Junior Girls Singles World Champion. Won Wimbledon junior singles title (youngest junior champion there at 13 years, 276 days). Won French Open junior singles and doubles titles. Runner-up at US Open junior singles tournament.

1995

Tennis magazine. Female Rookie of the Year.

1996

Women's Tennis Association (WTA) Tour Most Improved Player. WTA Tour Most Impressive Newcomer Award.

1997

Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.

Selected as the Player of the Year by the WTA Tour, the International Tennis Federation, and Tennis magazine.

BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year.

1998

First female athlete to be on the cover of the American men's magazine GQ in June 1998.[

WTA Tour Doubles Team of the Year with Jana Novotná.

1999

WTA Tour Doubles Team of the Year with Anna Kournikova.

2000

One of five female tennis players named to the 2000 Forbes magazine Power 100 in Fame and Fortune list at No. 51.[58]

WTA Tour Diamond ACES Award.

2002

Elected to Tour Players' Council.

2006

World Comeback of the Year Award at the 2006 Laureus World Sports Awards.

2007

Surpassed U.S.$20 million in career earnings at the Sony Ericsson Open in Key Biscayne, Florida, the fourth female player to do so (after Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova, and Lindsay Davenport). She was fourth in the all-time money list at $20,033,600 after the tournament.

Meredith Inspiration Award for inspiring women around the world - Family Circle Cup/Family Circle magazine [2]

Others

Except for the French Open, has won every major WTA Tour singles title at least once during her career (Grand Slam tournaments, WTA Tour Championships, and Tier I tournaments).

Except for Berlin, has won every major WTA Tour doubles title at least once during her career (Grand Slam tournaments, WTA Tour Championships, and Tier I tournaments).

1999 French Open final (Graf d. Hingis 4–6, 7–5, 6–2) was voted by worldwide fans as the Greatest Match in 30-Year History of the Tour (online voting spanned two months and included a ballot of 16 memorable matches).

To celebrate the WTA Tour's 30th Anniversary, attended on-court ceremony at 2003 season-ending WTA Tour Championships that honored 13 world No. 1 champions (past and present), and founding members of the tour.

(source:wikipedia)

Katrina Kaif

Katrina Kaif,

Katrina Kaif (Kashmiri: कैटरीना कैफ़ (Devanagari)) (born Katrina Turquotte on 16 July 1984) is a British Indian actress and model who has appeared in Bollywood, Telugu and Malayalam films.

Early life

Kaif was born in Hong Kong to a Muslim Kashmiri father, Mohammed Kaif, and a British mother, Suzzane Turquotte.. Her parents separated when Kaif was very young. Kaif has seven siblings. She was raised in Hawaii, United States and later moved to her mother's home country, England.

Career

At the age of fourteen she was approached by an agent and she began modeling; her first job was for a jewelry campaign. She continued modeling in London, under a contract with the Models 1 Agency and did campaigns for houses, such as La Senza and Arcadius and even walked on the London Fashion Week.

Kaif's London modeling-work led her to discover by London-based filmmaker Kaizad Gustad, who gave her a part in his film Boom (2003). She moved to Mumbai and was offered a number of modeling assignments. However, filmmakers were initially hesitant to sign her because she could not speak Hindi.

Kaif saw success with the 2005 film Sarkar where she played the bit part of Abhishek Bachchan's girlfriend. Her next release, Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya (2005), where she was paired opposite Salman Khan, earned her the Stardust Breakthrough Performance Award.

In 2007, Kaif appeared in the hit movie Namastey London, wherein she starred as a British-Indian girl alongside Akshay Kumar for the second time after the box office dud Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006). Her hit films stride continued with Apne, Partner and Welcome.

In 2008, she played a negative role for the first time in Abbas-Mustan's hit action thriller Race. She played the role of Saif Ali Khan's secretary who is secretly in love with his hostile stepbrother played by Akshay Khanna. Kaif's second release of the year was Anees Bazmee's production Singh Is Kinng, opposite Akshay Kumar. Upon release the film was a big success at the box office. Kaif's final release of the year, Subhash Ghai's Yuvvraaj, was a commercial failure, but its script has made its way into the Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for artistic merits, original screenplay with a substance and the film as a whole.

Kaif's first release for 2009, New York, with John Abraham was a critical and commercial success.[10] Kaif's performance was highly appreciated with the critic Taran Adarsh writing, "Katrina gives you the biggest surprise. Known for her glamour roles, Katrina proves that she can deliver if the director and writer offer her a role of substance. She's outstanding. In fact, people will see a new, different Katrina this time." She next appeared in a bit role as a biker chick in the multi starrer action film Blue, popularly known as India's first underwater thriller, performed averagely at the box office. At the year's end, she appeared in Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani with Ranbir Kapoor and De Dana Dan with Akshay Kumar. Both films were commercial successes.

In the year 2010, she is set to appear in the multi starrer film Raajneeti that opens on 4 June 2010. She is currently filming for Farah Khan's Tees Maar Khan along with Akshay Kumar, which is set to release on 24 December 2010.

Awards

Nominated

2005: Zee Cine Award for Most Promising Debut, Sarkar

2008: IIFA Award for Best Actress, Race

2009: Apsara Award for Best Actress In Supporting Role, Race

2009: IIFA Award for Best Actress, Singh Is Kinng

2009: Stardust Award for Star Of The Year, Singh Is Kinng

2009: Stardust Award for Best Actress In A Negative Role, Race

2010: Screen Award for Best Actor In Popular Category, New York

2010: Stardust Star of the Year Award – Female for New York & Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

2010: Filmfare Best Actress Award for New York

Winner

2006: Stardust Breakthrough Performance Award (Female), Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya

2006: Idea Zee F Awards, Fashion Diva of the Year

2008: Zee Cine Awards, British Indian Actor Award

2008: IIFA Awards, Style Diva of the Year

2008: Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards, Sabsey Favourite Heroine, Singh Is Kinng

2008: Apsara Film Producers Guild of India Awards, Style Diva of the Year

2009: Rajiv Gandhi Award

2009: Golden Kela Awards, Dara Singh Award for the Worst Accent

2009: Sabsey Favourite Kaun Awards, Sabsey Favourite Heroine

2009: ASSOCHAM Award, Performing Excellence

2010: Star Screen Awards, Entertainer of the year

2010: Stardust Awards, Best Actress - Popular Award for New York & Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes

2003 Boom Rina Kaif/Popdi Chinchpokli

2004 Malliswari Princess Malliswari Telugu film

2005 Sarkar Pooja

Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya Sonia

Allari Pidugu Shwetha Telugu film

2006 Hum Ko Deewana Kar Gaye Jia A. Yashvardhan

Balram vs. Taradas Supriya Malayalam film

2007 Namastey London Jasmeet Malhotra (Jazz)

Apne Nandini

Partner Priya Jaisingh

Welcome Sanjana Shetty

2008 Race Sophia

Singh Is Kinng Sonia

Hello The Storyteller/God Cameo

Yuvvraaj Anushka Banton

2009 New York Maya Nominated, Filmfare Best Actress Award

Blue Nikki Cameo

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani Jennifer (Jenny)

De Dana Dan Anjali Kakkad

2010 Raajneeti Indu Pratap Post-production

Tees Maar Khan Filming

Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara Pre-production

2011

Untitled Anurag Basu Project Pre-production

Aarakshan Pre-production

(source:wikipedia)

Lisandro López

Lisandro López, (born 2 March 1983 in Buenos Aires), commonly known simply as Lisandro, is an Argentine football player who currently plays for Olympique Lyonnais in Ligue 1. He primarily plays as a striker, but is also capable of playing on the wings. Lisandro is also an Argentine international having earned caps under former coaches José Pekerman and Alfio Basile and current coach Diego Maradona.

Club career

Racing Club

Lisandro started his career at Racing Club de Avellaneda, in the Argentine first division. He was the league's top scorer in the Apertura tournament of 2004. Lopez scored 26 goals in 70 appearances for Racing Club de Avellaneda.

Porto

López eventually made the switch to F.C. Porto for a transfer fee of €2.35 million, likes Lucho González, his agent Global Soccer Agencies retained 50% right.After a first season in which he netted 7 league goals in 26 appearances, he became a key player for Porto, scoring vital goals for the team, including the first goal in the UEFA Champions League against Rangers, and two goals in the home game against Hamburg in the competition's following season.

In 2007-08, as Porto were crowned league champions for the third consecutive time, López was the competition's top scorer, scoring 24 in 27 games (adding three in Champions League).

In mid of 2007-08 season, Porto rejected the offer from Zenit, thus activated the clause with Global Soccer Agencies, Porto bought the remain economic rights for €4.429M.

His eye for the goal is not solely restricted to the Liga Sagres as he finished fourth in the leading scorers table with six goals for the UEFA Champions League 2008-09 campaign, behind Barcelona winger Lionel Messi, Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose. Lopez scored 49 goals in 106 league appearances for F.C. Porto.

Lyon

After the sale of Karim Benzema, on 7 July 2009, López transferred to Lyon for a fee of €24 million, plus €4 million bonus subject to sporting performance. On 8 August 2009, Lisandro scored on his debut from a free-kick in the 90th minute away at Le Mans. The final score was 2-2. Lopéz also scored a penalty in a Champions League play-off round qualifier against Anderlecht. In the second leg away to Anderlecht, he netted a first half hat trick.

On 4 November 2009, López scored a decisive equaliser in a Champions League group game against Liverpool to ensure Lyon qualified for the knockout stage. Seven days later on 11 November 2009, Lisandro scored two goals in three minutes in a classic 5-5 draw with Ligue 1 rivals Olympique Marseille. Through his first 21 league games for Lyon Lisandro scored 11 goals, a average of more than one goal per every two games. On 30 March 2010, Lisandro "Licha" Lopez scored two goals, in the victory over French club FC Girondins de Bordeaux, at UEFA Champions League Quarter Finals, in Lyon. He was also named Ligue 1 Player Of The Year in his first season at the club.

International career

In 2005, Lisandro was called up to the Argentine national team by José Pekerman, made his debut against Mexico on 10 March 2005. The friendly ended in 1-1 draw. After fantastic Porto performances, he was summoned three years later by Alfio Basile, for friendly games against Egypt, Mexico, United States[9] and Belarus. On 12 August 2009, Lisandro scored a goal in Argentina's 3-2 victory over Russia at the Lokomotiv Stadium in Moscow. On 21 August 2009, he was called up by Diego Maradona for the decisive encounters against Brazil on 5 September and Paraguay on 9 September 2009 counting towards the 2010 World Cup qualification.

Club statistics

Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total

Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals

Racing Club 2002–03 3 0 – – – 3 0

2003–04 30 8 – – – 30 8

2004-05 37 18 – – – 37 18

Total 70 26 – – – 70 26

FC Porto 2005–06 26 7 1 0 – 2 1 29 8

2006–07 25 8 0 0 – 8 3 33 11

2007–08 27 24 4 0 0 0 8 3 39 27

2008–09 28 10 4 1 0 0 10 6 42 17

Total 106 49 9 1 0 0 28 13 143 63

Lyon 2009–10 30 14 2 0 2 2 12 7 46 23

Total 30 14 2 0 2 2 12 7 46 23

Career total 199 87 11 1 2 2 37 18 249 108

International goals

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first.

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition

1 12 August 2009 Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia Russia 2-1 3-2 Friendly

Honours

Club

Porto

Portuguese League (4): 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09

Portuguese Cup (2): 2005-06, 2008-09

Portuguese Supercup (1): 2006

Individual

Primera División Argentina 2004–05 Topscorer Apertura

Portuguese League: Topscorer 2007-08

Portuguese Liga Player of the Year: 2007-08

Ligue 1: Player of the Year 2009-10

Source:wikipedia