Kara Elizabeth DioGuardi (pronounced /'kær? di??'gw?rdi/; born December 9, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, music publisher, A&R executive, and TV personality. She writes music primarily in the light pop-rock, dance, and R&B genres. DioGuardi has worked with Adam Lambert, Allison Iraheta, Anastacia, Hannah Montana, Katharine McPhee, Kelly Clarkson, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Christina Aguilera, Leona Lewis, Santana, Billie Piper, Avril Lavigne, Enrique Iglesias, Thalía, Marc Anthony, Backstreet Boys, Celine Dion, Nicole Scherzinger, Paula Abdul, Pink, Cobra Starship, Carrie Underwood, Hilary Duff, Ashlee Simpson, Demi Lovato, Faith Hill, Amanda Overmyer, Jason Derülo and many other artists and is credited on over 120 album releases.
She is also a judge on American Idol, having joined the show in its eighth season and is now working with its winner, Kris Allen. DioGuardi currently serves as Executive Vice President of Talent Development, Office of the Chairman for Warner Bros. Records, where she was appointed in 2008 and has signed hit makers Jason Derulo and Iyaz.
Early life
DioGuardi was born in Ossining, New York. She is of Albanian (Arbëresh) and Italian descent. Her father is former Republican Congressman Joseph J. DioGuardi. She is a distant cousin of the veteran TV personality Regis Philbin. Her mother Carol died in 1997 after a 7-year battle with ovarian cancer.
Kara grew up in the Wilmot Woods section of suburban New Roch
elle, New York, and attended kindergarten at the Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Scarsdale, New York, followed by The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York, before earning a degree in political science at Duke University. After graduating from college, she worked for Billboard magazine selling advertising, and also at KVII-TV in Amarillo, Texas as the weekend sports anchor.
Career
Professional songwriter
DioGuardi has a songwriting catalog of several hundred songs, of which over 279 have been released on major labels worldwide, and over 169 have appeared on multi-platinum selling albums. She has had nearly 50 international charting singles over the course of her career, and her songs have helped propel 58 albums into the Top Ten of the Billboard 200. Her songs have been featured in major motion pictures, television shows, film soundtracks, and radio spots, as well as national and international commercial campaigns.
She collaborated with Christina Aguilera on her album Back To Basics in 2006, co-writing 12 of the 13 tracks on disc one of the album, among them being "Ain't No Other Man", and "Back in the Day".
In 2007, DioGuardi worked with many notable artists, one of which was Britney Spears. DioGuardi wrote and produced two songs ("Ooh Ooh Baby" and "Heaven on Earth") on Spears' album Blackout. DioGuardi also contributed a majority of songs on Hilary duff's third studio album, "Dignity (Hilary Duff album"
In 2008, DioGuardi co-wrote Believe in Me with up-coming Disney star Demi Lovato and wrote The Middle, both featured on Lovato's debut album Don't Forget
Since American Idol Season 8, DioGuardi returned to songwriting and producing, and has worked with number of artists, including Pink's "Sober," Kelly Clarkson'
s "I Do Not Hook Up," Cobra Starship ft./ Leighton Meester "Good Girls Go Bad," Katharine McPhee's "Had It All" and Theory of a Deadman's "Not Meant to Be" among other new releases.
Among DioGuardi's notable recent projects is the song "Not Meant To Be", which appears on Theory of a Deadman's 2008 album, Scars & Souvenirs. DioGuardi co-wrote the song with lead singer Tyler Connolly, and is also featured as the love interest in the music video which was released on March 10, 2009. This was her debut in the music video industry.
DioGuardi also wrote and sang the backup vocals for Demi Lovato's song "The Middle" for her first album, Don't Forget and co-wrote "Behind Enemy Lines" with Lovato for the album's re-release. Lovato also confirmed via Twitter that she co-wrote a track with DioGuardi for her upcoming third studio album.[citation needed]
In 2009, she co-wrote a song called "Temporary" with Nick Lachey and producer Mitch Allan for Lachey's upcoming CD, Coming Up for Air; the two recorded it as a duet. DioGuardi also co-wrote a song called "What If" with Ashley Tisdale for Tisdale's Guilty Pleasure release.
Kara has also collaborated on songs with Jason Reeves.
Music publishing
DioGuardi co-owns Arthouse Entertainment, a publishing company that is a resource business for record companies and other music entities seeking compositions, productions, artists, and related music services. Arthouse has been a part of many chart-topping hits including Cassie's "Me & U" (written and produced by Ryan Leslie), Jim Jones' "We Fly High" (produced by Zukhan Bey), Nick Lachey's "What's Left of Me", David Archuleta's single "Crush" (written and produced by Eman Kiriakou), Mika's "Grace Kelly", OneRepublic's "Apologize" and "Stop and Stare" (all produced by Greg Wells), Faith Hill's "Lost" (written and produced by Kara DioGuardi and Mitch Allan), "Sober" by P!nk, "Pieces of Me" by Ashlee Simpson, and "He Could Be The One" by Miley Cyrus. Reality television
In July 2006, DioGuardi was a judge in an "Idol"-like TV show called The One: Making a Music Star. The show debuted on ABC with the second-lowest rating ever for a 
premiere on a major American network and was abruptly canceled after just two weeks.
She joined the hit Fox television show American Idol as a fourth judge for the show's eighth season, and appeared in the season finale in a bikini to sing alongside contestant Katrina Darrell, better known as "Bikini Girl", who had appeared during the audition rounds.
She has returned to Idol for its ninth season. She has had Idol connections in the past: in 2000, DioGuardi and former Idol judge Paula Abdul co-wrote the UK number-one single "Spinning Around", performed by Kylie Minogue. She has written many songs sung by Idol winners and alumni such as Kelly Clarkson, Allison Iraheta, David Archuleta, Carrie Underwood, Diana DeGarmo, Katharine McPhee, Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, and Adam Lambert. She co-wrote the American Idol season 8 single, No Boundaries, which was performed by both finalists during the competition.
The song "No Boundaries" was dropped from the set list of the American Idol tour. She also co-wrote with Jason Reeves a song called "Terrified" for Katharine McPhee's album Terrified", which was covered by Didi Benami, an American Idol contestant from Season 9, during Hollywood week.
Awards and nominations
In 2003, DioGuardi won a BMI Cable Award for co-writing and performing, Somethin' To Say, the theme to the now-canceled Lifetime Television series For the People, which starred Lea Thompson, Debbi Morgan, A. Martinez and Cecilia Suárez. Kara has been awarded 11 BMI Awards for having co-written the most performed songs on the radio. One of the industry's most highly sought after songwriters and producers, DioGuardi's songs have appeared on records that have sold more than 100 million copies combined.
In 2007, DioGuardi was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the category of Song of the Year for her writing on the Belinda single, "Bella Traición" along with co-writers Belinda, Ben Moody, Nacho Peregrin and producer Mitch Allan. In November 2007, Kara was awarded the TAXI A&R award for Humanitarian of the Year at their annual Road Rally Convention.
Television
DioGuardi appeared on an episode of Hannah Montana called "Judge Me Tender".
Kara DioGuardi facts - Freebase
Facts and figures about Kara DioGuardi, taken from Freebase, the world's database.www.freebase.com/view/en/kara_dioguardi -
American Idol Judge Kara DioGuardi Weds in Maine - Weddings, Kara ...
6 Jul 2009 ... The songwriter marries her beau Mike McCuddy in a Sunday ceremony.www.people.com/people/article/0,,20289365,00.html
American Idol's Kara DioGuardi: How I got my hot bikini body
23 Mar 2010 ... American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi maintains her sexy bikini body by working out four times a week. (Photos/Women's Health, Fox) American ...www.examiner.com/x-14380-Celebrity-Fitness-and-Health-Examiner~y2010m3d23-American-Idols-Kara-DioGuardi-How-I-g... -
Kara DioGuardi and the “New Eating Disorder” Psychology Today
11 Mar 2010 ... If you are an American Idol fan, you are familiar with the talented Kara DioGuardi, one of the judges. Last night, she was moved to tears by ...www.psychologytoday.com/.../kara-dioguardi-and-the-new-eating-disorder -
Emmanuelle Chriqui, Kara DioGuardi: Nude in Allure - The Hollywood ...
13 Apr 2010 ... Emmanuelle Chriqui and Kara DioGuardi are naked in the latest edition of Allure. They aren't the only stars showing it all off.www.thehollywoodgossip.com/
.../emmanuelle-chriqui-kara-dioguardi-nude-in-allure/ -
Kara DioGuardi: Maxim Bikini Girl! Bikini, Kara DioGuardi : Just ...
10 Feb 2010 ... Kara DioGuardi: Maxim Bikini Girl! American Idol judge Kara DioGuardi strips down to a bikini in the latest issue of Maxim. ...justjared.buzznet.com/2010/02/10/kara-dioguardi-maxim-bikini/ -
'American Idol': Elliott Yamin, Kara DioGuardi in Angola for 'Idol ...
9 Apr 2010 ... Elliott Yamin and Kara DioGuardi recently traveled to Angola for the upcoming “Idol Gives Back” show for “American Idol.blog.zap2it.com/.../american-idol-elliott-yamin-kara-dioguardi-in-angola-for-idol-gives-back.html -
Live at American Idol: What Had Kara DioGuardi Up in Arms? - E! Online
24 Mar 2010 ... Plus, scoop on what went down between real-life loves Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato.www.eonline.com/.../b173350_live_american_idol_what_had_kara.html -
Kara DioGuardi Songs!
14 Jan 2009 ... Here is a HUGE list of Kara DioGuardi songs. Kara DioGuardi is the new American Idol judge with a list of songs is enormous.news.lalate.com/2009/01/14/kara-dioguardi-songs/ -
Sexy Kara DioGuardi In A Bikini vs. Katrina Darrell (Photos ...
21 May 2009 ... 'Bikini Girl' Katrina Darrell returned to the show to receive the Best Attitude award and showed off her talent on the eighth season finale ...bumpshack.com/.../sexy-kara-dioguardi-in-a-bikini-vs-katrina-darrell-photos/
L. Kara's and then-bandmate Jon Wolfson's one and only album can still be found at mp3.com to this day.
st powerful court, and we hereby plead guilty to a first-degree obsession.www.maxim.com/girls/girls-of-maxim/86220/kara-dioguardi.html -
