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Grammys - Best new artist04/02/2008
Amy Winehouse is going head-to-head with a bright new group of American musicians for the best new artist award at this year's Grammys. We size up the contenders.
:: Feist
Real Name: Leslie Feist
Image: Free-spirited Canadian songstress
Early Life: Feist was born to artist parents in Nova Scotia, Canada. Her parents split and she lived with her mum in Calgary.
She sang in choirs throughout her childhood and, at the age of 15, she founded, and was the lead vocalist for, a Calgary punk band called Placebo.
They won a local Battle of the Bands competition and were awarded the opening slot at the festival Infest 1993 where she met Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, with whom she formed Broken Social Scene 10 years later.
Feist's solo debut album Monarch (Lay Your Jewelled Head Down) was released as Leslie Feist in 1999.
Career High: Being nominated for four Grammy awards this year including Best Female Pop Vocal
Don't Mention: In 1995, Feist was forced to take time off from music to recover from vocal damage, but it meant she time to learn the guitar.
Words of Wisdom: "I don't come from a single driven world. I don't think there's just one song that sums me up and I hope that people are realising that as well."
:: Ledisi
Real Name: Ledisi Anibade Young
Image: Beautiful soul singer
Early Life: Ledisi was born in New Orleans to a musical family. She first started performing when she was just eight with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra, before moving to California, where performed with the San Francisco cabaret troupe, Beach Blanket Babylon.
Ledisi also studied opera and piano for five years at University of California Berkeley in their Young Musicians Program.
Career High: Being nominated for two Grammy awards this year for Best New Artist and Best R&B Album for Lost & Found.
Don't Mention: Television. Ledisi hates the way it has come to rule children's lives these days.
Words of Wisdom: "Nowadays, certain artists are more concerned with their look instead of their music. Nothing's wrong with that, but I prefer an artist to back it up with the music."
:: Paramore
Real Names: Hayley Williams, Josh Farro, Zac Farro and Jeremy Davis
Image: Brightly-dressed young American pop rock band
Early Life: Frontwoman Hayley moved from her hometown in Mississippi to Tennessee, when she was just 13 in 2002.
She met brothers Josh and Zac Farro at private school. Along with bassist Jeremy Davis, Hayley formed a funk cover band called the Factory.
Paramore was formed soon after and their first song was Conspiracy, which was later used on their debut album All We Know Is Falling.
Over the following years, Paramore performed at venues around the Nashville area and they were signed to the label Fueled by Ramen in 2005.
Career High: Their nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammys
Don't Mention: Members. The band's line up has changed numerous times over the years, with members leaving to get married or for 'personal reasons'.
Words of Wisdom: Zac: "Sometimes I want to do what normal kids do, like skateboarding or whatever. But I am out on the road playing for 400 kids a night."
:: Taylor Swift
Real Name: Taylor Alison Swift
Image: Teenage country music singer
Early Life: Taylor was born in Pennsylvania and lives with her parents in Tennessee.
Her grandmother was a professional opera singer, but Taylor preferred the likes of Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton from an early age.
She started writing songs and performing around her hometown when she was just 10, singing at karaoke contests and festivals.
At 11, Taylor made her first trip to Nashville handed out a demo tape of her singing along to karaoke tracks to receptionists at every label.
She soon caught the attention of music mogul Scott Borchetta, who signed her to his newly-formed record label, Big Machine Records.
Career High: Her Best New Artist Grammy nomination and being the highest ranking country artist on MySpace
Don't Mention: She apparently wrote her first single Tim McGraw for her childhood sweetheart, who she knew she had to split up with when she moved away.
Words of Wisdom: "It was pretty cool to see that the album came out and people actually bought it. For people to spend their hard earned money and support me - that's really something that I appreciate."
:: Amy Winehouse
Real Name: Amy Jade Winehouse
Image: Award-winning English singer-songwriter
Early Life: Amy was born into a family with a history of jazz musicians, and grew up in north London with her taxi driver dad and pharmacist mum.
She formed her own group when she was a child and later said the band, named Sweet'n'Sour, was a sort of "Jewish Salt'n'Pepa".
After primary school Amy enrolled at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School but was reportedly booted out for failing to work hard enough. She later attended the BRIT School in Croydon.
By the time she was 16, Amy was singing professionally and soon bagged a deal with record label Island/Universal.
Career High: Scooping the the Best British Female Artist award at last year's Brit Awards
Don't Mention: Drinking - her song Rehab hit out at people suggesting she had an alcohol problem.
Words of Wisdom: [On her eating disorders] "A little bit of anorexia, a little bit of bulimia. I'm not totally OK now but I don't think any woman is."
© 2008 The Press Association Limited
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