Bonnie McKee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bonnie McKee
McKee in 2013
Background information
Birth name	Bonnie Leigh McKee
Born	(1984-01-20) January 20, 1984 (age 41) Vacaville, California, U.S.
Origin	Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres	Pop dance-pop synthpop pop rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Reprise Epic Kemosabe

Bonnie Leigh McKee (born January 20, 1984) is an American singer and songwriter. She is famous for writing many hit songs for other artists. She has helped create 10 number-one songs in the United States or United Kingdom. These songs have sold over 30 million copies around the world.

Bonnie McKee also releases her own music. Her first album, Trouble, came out in 2004. After a break, she returned in 2013 with her popular song "American Girl". In 2015, she released an EP called Bombastic.

In 2024, Bonnie McKee released Hot City. This album was originally planned for 2013 but was never released by her record label. Fans loved the songs that had leaked online. So, Bonnie decided to re-record them and release the album herself.

McKee is well-known for working with singer Katy Perry. They wrote many hits together, including "California Gurls" and "Roar". She also co-wrote "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz. This song became a huge hit. Bonnie has also written for stars like Britney Spears, Kesha, Cher, and Christina Aguilera.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Growing Up in Music

Bonnie McKee was born in Vacaville, California. She grew up in Seattle, Washington. She started playing classical piano at a young age. When she was 12, she joined the Seattle Girls Choir. She toured North America and Europe with the choir. She also recorded two albums with them.

At age 12, Bonnie's mom shared a demo CD of her singing. A co-founder of the Sub Pop music label heard it. He was impressed by her songwriting skills. This moment helped Bonnie realize she wanted to be a songwriter, not just a singer.

Music Career Journey

Starting Out and Trouble

By the time she was 15, Bonnie McKee was writing and performing songs in Seattle. Her demo tape caught the attention of Colin Filkow, a music executive. He saw her talent and signed her to his management company. When she was 17, he flew her to Los Angeles. He helped her get a record deal with Warner Bros. Records.

Her first album, Trouble, was released on September 28, 2004. The record label promoted her first song, "Somebody", online. The song became very popular with young girls. Bonnie performed "Somebody" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The song was also in the movie Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!.

Even though Trouble received good reviews, it did not sell many copies. Bonnie felt sad when the album was not a big success. She later left the record label.

Becoming a Hit Songwriter

After leaving her first label, Bonnie McKee focused on songwriting. She worked hard in the studio, learning new skills. In 2009, she met music producer Dr. Luke. He introduced her to Katy Perry. Katy Perry was looking for someone to write songs with. Bonnie and Katy became great songwriting partners.

Together, they wrote many hit songs for Katy Perry's album Teenage Dream. These included "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". All these songs reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Bonnie also co-wrote "Part of Me" and "Roar" for Katy Perry. "Roar" sold over 10 million copies.

McKee performing live in Commerce, California, on November 9, 2013

Bonnie also wrote hits for other artists. She co-wrote Britney Spears' "Hold It Against Me" and Taio Cruz's "Dynamite". Both songs were number-one hits. She also wrote for Rita Ora and Cheryl. In 2012, she wrote songs for Adam Lambert's album.

During this time, Bonnie signed a new record deal with Epic Records. She also gained attention for her unique fashion style.

McKee performing on the KIIS Jingle Ball Village Stage at Staples Center in Los Angeles in 2013

In 2013, Bonnie released "American Girl" as her first single with Epic Records. She put out a fun video for the song on YouTube. Later that year, she released another song called "Sleepwalker". She called it an "inbetweengle" because it was released between official singles. Bonnie planned to release her second album in 2014. However, she left Epic Records because she wanted more control over her music.

Independent Music and Bombastic

After leaving Epic Records, Bonnie McKee became an independent artist. This meant she could make music exactly how she wanted. In December 2014, she released a song called "California Winter".

In 2015, she announced her second extended play (EP) called Bombastic. She wanted it to be a "visual EP" with music videos for each song. The music video for the title track, "Bombastic", was released in May 2015. The Bombastic EP came out on June 30, 2015. This was her first album release since Trouble in 2004.

Bonnie continued to release music videos from the EP, including "Wasted Youth" and "I Want It All". She also released a cover of Prince's song "When Doves Cry" as a tribute to him. In 2016, she released "Stars In Your Heart" for her fans.

She continued to release new songs like "Thorns" in 2017 and "Mad Mad World" in 2018. She also collaborated with other artists like Kygo and Armin van Buuren. In 2020, Bonnie directed and starred in her first short film.

Hot City and Recent Music

In 2022 and 2023, Bonnie McKee started re-recording songs for her 2013 album. Fans had been asking about this unreleased project for years on social media. Bonnie found an online forum where fans had discussed the album for hundreds of pages. She learned the album was called Hot City.

In June 2023, she released "SLAY," a song originally from that project. She then released other songs from the Hot City era, like "Hot City" and "Don't Get Mad Get Famous." Finally, on May 31, 2024, she independently released the 16-track album Hot City. The album includes the original version of "American Girl" and a new song featuring drag queen artist Priyanka.

Bonnie McKee said she wanted to release Hot City because her fans kept asking for it. She also wanted to see her favorite songs from that time finally released. She said her old record label was supportive of her releasing the album independently.

To promote Hot City, Bonnie McKee will open for Kiesza's Dancing and Crying Tour in October 2024. She also released an EP for "American Girl" with a remix. In July 2024, she released a music video for the fan-favorite song "Forever 21." She also made Hot City available on CD and vinyl.

In late 2024, Bonnie released an EP for her song "Sleepwalker," which included a remix. She also released a Christmas EP called California Winter. This EP featured her song "California Winter" as a duet and other Christmas songs.

Influences

Bonnie McKee has said that many famous artists inspired her. These include Mariah Carey, Madonna, Tina Turner, Blondie, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Prince.

Discography

Studio albums

• Trouble (2004)
• Hot City (2024)

Extended plays

• Bonnie McKee (2003)
• Bombastic (2015)
• Sleepwalker (2024)
• California Winter (2024)

Tours

Opening act

• Ryan Cabrera (2005)
• Jonas Brothers Live (The Jonas Brothers) (2013)
• Pulses Tour (Karmin) (2014)
• Kids in Love Tour (Kygo) (2017–18)
• Dancing and Crying Tour (Kiesza) (2024)

Film and TV Appearances

Film

Television

Web series

See also

In Spanish: Bonnie McKee para niños

• List of songs written by Bonnie McKee