Katie Melua

Katie Melua (Georgian: ???? ?????) (born September 16 1984) is a singer and musician born in Georgia, but raised in Northern Ireland.

Recording career

Melua was performing at a Brit School showcase when she caught the eye of Mike Batt, an English songwriter and producer who was looking for an artist capable of singing "jazz and blues in an interesting way." He signed her to his Dramatico recording and management company and sent her into the studios.

Related Topics:
Mike Batt - Dramatico

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Call Off the Search was released in the UK in November 2003 and featured songs by John Mayall, Randy Newman ("I Think it's Going to Rain Today") and James Shelton ("Lilac Wine") as well as songs by Melua and Batt. It became an immediate hit reaching #1 on the UK album chart in January 2004 and the top 20 of the Australian album charts in June 2004. The first single "The Closest Thing to Crazy" has reached top 5 in Ireland, top 10 in the UK, Top 20 in Norway, top 30 in a composite European chart and top 50 in Australia. In the UK, the album had sold 1.2 million copies making it 4X platinum and spending 6 weeks at the top of the charts.

Related Topics:
John Mayall - Randy Newman - James Shelton

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She duetted with Jamie Cullum in a performance of "Love Cats" at the Brit Awards in February 2004 which added to her reputation.

Related Topics:
Jamie Cullum - Brit Awards - February - 2004

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Melua lent her talents to Band Aid 20 in November 2004 in which she joined a chorus of British pop stars to create a rendition of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" to raise money for famine relief in Africa. This was in celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the original Band Aid.

Related Topics:
Band Aid 20 - November - 2004 - Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid

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On March 19, 2005, she realised one of her childhood dreams by performing the song "Too Much Love Will Kill You" with Queen at the 46664 concert in George, South Africa.

Related Topics:
March 19 - 2005 - Too Much Love Will Kill You - Queen - 46664 - George, South Africa

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Her second album, Piece by Piece, was released on September 26 2005. It includes the singles "Spider's Web", "Just Like Heaven", and "Nine Million Bicycles", the latter being released on September 19 of the same year. The first UK airplay for the single was on the Terry Wogan show August 1. The album contains four more songs written by Melua herself, four more by Batt, one cooperation between the both and three more songs are new versions of "great songs". The band lineup is the same as on the first album. The album debuted at the #1 spot of the UK Albums Chart on the week of October 3, 2005.

Related Topics:
Piece by Piece - September 26 - September 19 - UK - August 1 - UK Albums Chart - 2005

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