Kara DioGuardi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kara DioGuardi
DioGuardi in 2007
Background information
Birth name	Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi
Born	(1970-12-09) December 9, 1970 (age 54) Ossining, New York, U.S.
Genres	Pop pop rock country
Occupation(s)	Record executive songwriter record producer music publisher singer television personality
Years active	1990–present
Labels	Interscope Rocket Warner Bros.

Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (born December 9, 1970) is an American songwriter, music producer, and television star. She is famous for writing hit songs for many popular artists. Albums with her songs have sold more than 160 million copies all over the world.

DioGuardi is a very successful songwriter. She has won many awards for her work, including 20 BMI Awards. These awards are given to the writers of the most-played songs on the radio.

Many people know her as a judge on the TV show American Idol. She was a judge for the eighth and ninth seasons. She also worked as an executive at Warner Bros. Records, where she helped discover and develop new artists like Jason Derulo and Iyaz. In 2011, she was the main judge on another music competition show called Platinum Hit.

Early Life and Education

Kara DioGuardi was born in Ossining, New York. Her father, Joe DioGuardi, was a Republican Congressman. Her mother, Carol, passed away in 1997 after a long illness.

DioGuardi grew up in New Rochelle, New York. She went to The Masters School and later graduated from Duke University with a degree in political science. After college, she got a job at Billboard magazine, a famous magazine all about music.

A Career in Music

DioGuardi in 2010

DioGuardi has become one of the most in-demand songwriters in the music industry. She has written hundreds of songs, and many of them have become huge hits.

Writing Hit Songs for Stars

DioGuardi has worked with some of the biggest names in music. She helped write songs for Kelly Clarkson's album Breakaway, including the hit "Walk Away". She also worked with Christina Aguilera on her album Back to Basics, co-writing the popular song "Ain't No Other Man".

Some of the other artists she has written for include:

• Pink ("Sober")
• Carrie Underwood ("Undo It")
• Celine Dion ("Taking Chances")
• Britney Spears ("Ooh Ooh Baby")
• Hilary Duff (songs on the album Dignity)
• Cobra Starship ("Good Girls Go Bad")

She also co-wrote and was featured in the music video for the song "Not Meant to Be" by the band Theory of a Deadman.

Writing for Movies and TV

DioGuardi's songs are not just on the radio. They have also been in movies and TV shows. She wrote songs for the Disney movie Camp Rock and its sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam. She also wrote songs for the TV shows Hannah Montana and One Tree Hill.

Helping Other Songwriters

DioGuardi co-owns a music publishing company called Arthouse Entertainment. A publishing company helps songwriters get their songs to artists and record labels. Arthouse has been involved with many number-one hits. These include "Just The Way You Are" by Bruno Mars and "Monster" by Eminem.

Appearing on Television

Many people first saw Kara DioGuardi on TV. She has been a judge and a guest star on several popular shows.

A Judge on American Idol

In 2009, DioGuardi joined American Idol as a fourth judge. She sat alongside Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, and Paula Abdul. She returned for the next season with a new judge, Ellen DeGeneres. DioGuardi was known for giving contestants helpful advice based on her experience as a songwriter.

She had connections to Idol even before she was a judge. She wrote songs for many former contestants, like Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, and Adam Lambert. She even co-wrote the final song for season eight, "No Boundaries".

Other TV Shows

After American Idol, DioGuardi was the head judge on a show called Platinum Hit. This show was a competition for songwriters. She also appeared as herself in an episode of Hannah Montana and voiced a character on The Simpsons.

Other Work and Personal Life

Besides music and TV, DioGuardi has been involved in many other projects. In 2011, she acted on Broadway in the musical Chicago. She also wrote a book about her life called A Helluva High Note.

She teaches a course at the famous Berklee College of Music. The class, called "Hitmaking with Kara DioGuardi," helps students learn how to write and produce hit songs. One of her former students was singer Charlie Puth.

DioGuardi married Mike McCuddy in 2009. They have one son, who was born in 2013. The family spends time in both Los Angeles, California, and York Harbor, Maine.

She also does charity work. She works with Phoenix House, a non-profit group that helps teenagers by providing music studios for them to learn and create.

Discography

As a Singer

With the band MaD DoLL:

• Mad Doll (1999)

With the band Platinum Weird:

• Make Believe (2006)
• Platinum Weird (2006)

As a featured artist:

• "If I Can't Have You" on Meat Loaf's album "Hang Cool Teddy Bear" (2010)
• "The Sun Will Rise" on Kelly Clarkson's album Stronger (2011)

Filmography

Television

Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

See also

In Spanish: Kara DioGuardi para niños