Michael Bublé
Michael Bublé |
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Michael Steven Bublé (IPA: [ˈbuːbleɪ]) (born 9 September 1975) is a critically acclaimed Grammy-winning, multiple Juno Award-winning Canadian-Italian crooner[1], big band singer and actor. While achieving modest chart success in the United States, his 2003 self-titled album has reached the top ten in Australia, the UK and his home country of Canada. In 2004, a live album and video called Come Fly with Me was listed on the Billboard music video charts and reached Australia's top 40 album charts. He found commercial success in the U.S. with It's Time. He currently lives in Vancouver and New York City. His third album, Call Me Irresponsible, was released on May 1, 2007, with the first single from that album, Everything, finding success on the adult contemporary charts. He has sold over 11 million albums.[5]
Early years
Bublé was born in Burnaby, British Columbia. He is of mostly Italian heritage [2]. Bublé's grandparents (Mihovil and Lucija Bublé) live in Trogir (Croatia). Bublé grew up listening to his grandfather's collection of jazz records, and on his website he highlights the importance of his grandfather in encouraging his musical tastes. "My grandfather was really my best friend growing up. He was the one who opened me up to a whole world of music that seemed to have been passed over by my generation. Although I like rock and roll and modern music, the first time my granddad played me the Mills Brothers, something magical happened. The lyrics were so romantic, so real... the way a song should be for me. It was like seeing my future flash before me. I wanted to be a singer and I knew that this was the music that I wanted to sing." He recorded three independent albums, one as a present to his grandfather. Bublé received two Genie Award-nominations in 2000 for both songs he wrote for the film Here's to Life starring fellow Canadian Eric McCormack.
Career breakthrough
Bublé's career breakthrough came when Michael McSweeney, associate to former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, saw his performance at a business party. McSweeney enjoyed Bublé's performance, and Bublé gave him an album, which McSweeney, in turn, gave to Mulroney and his wife. Bublé was then invited to sing at the wedding of Mulroney's daughter Caroline in 2000, where he sang Kurt Weill's "Mack the Knife". At the wedding, Brian Mulroney introduced Bublé to David Foster, a multi-Grammy award winning producer and a Warner Brothers record executive who had worked with Josh Groban previously. Foster signed Bublé to his '143' record label, producing the self-titled album Michael Bublé in 2000. The album features a range of standards from various eras including "Fever", "The Way You Look Tonight", "For Once in My Life", Van Morrison's "Moondance" and Lou Rawls's "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine". Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees sang back up vocals on Bublé's version of the group's "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?".
Michael Bublé was released in early 2003 and soon entered the Canadian album charts. Chart success in the UK, U.S., Australia and elsewhere soon followed with the album going Platinum and reaching the top ten of the album charts in the UK and Canada and going all the way to #1 in Australia. The album has reached the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts in the U.S. His version of George Michael's "Kissing a Fool" was released as a single from the album and reached the top 30 of the Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart. "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" reached the top 30 of the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart as well. His third single "Sway", originally performed by Dean Martin, also reached the top 30 of the Adult Contemporary chart, while a Junkie XL remix of the song reached the top 20 in Australia in May 2004.
Bublé won the "New Artist of the Year" award at the Juno Awards of 2004 and his self-titled album was nominated for "Album of the Year", but lost out to Sam Roberts.
Bublé released a Christmas EP Let it Snow in late 2003. The title track reached the top 40 of the Australia singles chart, ironically in mid-summer in that country. He released a live album and video in April 2004 with the video reaching the top 10 of the Billboard video charts. The album also reached the top 50 of the Australian album charts as at the end of April and the Billboard 200 album charts. Let it Snow will be re-released in the United States on October 9, 2007.
Bublé has also appeared in a variety of films in the past few years including his appearance as a karaoke singer in Duets opposite Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis. He also has appeared in, and sang several soundtrack songs for, Totally Blonde in 2001 and in The Snow Walker in 2003.
Songs from Bublé's debut album ("For Once in My Life", "Kissing a Fool") were released on the soundtrack for the Ewan McGregor/Renée Zellweger movie Down with Love, but the soundtrack also included a previously unreleased duet with Holly Palmer on the movie's title theme. The Junkie XL remix of "Spider-Man" from Bublé's Babalu album was played during the closing credits of Spider-Man 2, and this version was also released as a single.
It's Time: Bublé goes mainstream
Template:Sound sample box align rightTemplate:Sample box end Bublé's second studio album, It's Time, debuted as a hugely successful performance. The album reached number 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart and number 2 on the ARIA Album Charts in Australia. It's Time also debuted at number 4 on the UK Album Charts. The album features covers of Beatles and Ray Charles songs, and the hit single "Home".
Bublé can be seen in Starbucks commercials singing his cover of the Jimmy Van Heusen/Sammy Cahn swing standard, "Come Fly with Me" from his debut album, and more recently, ESPN has used "Feeling Good" in commercials for poker tournaments.
Michael Bublé has now sold in excess of ten million recordings worldwide. His popularity continues to grow as he has a massive following across Europe, North America, Australia, Southeast Asia, South Africa and Brazil.
Michael Bublé won four Juno Awards (equivalent of the American Grammy Awards) at the 2006 Juno Awards in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, including "Pop Album of the Year" (It's Time), "Single of the Year" ("Home"), Album of the Year (It's Time), and Artist of the Year. He was also nominated for the Juno Fan Choice Award, but did not win. Overall, Michael Bublé took away the most awards at the 2006 Junos.
He is managed by Bruce Allen, who also manages Martina McBride and Bryan Adams.
On 2006, American Idol season 5 contestant Elliott Yamin gave a rendition of "Home" during Songs from the Top 10 Billboard Charts night. His rendition was well received by the judges and Bublé himself.
On April 4, 2007, Bublé appeared on American Idol, as a last minute replacement to Tony Bennett, singing Frank Sinatra's "Call Me Irresponsible." He later joked with Ryan Seacrest asking, "Am I wasting my votes still voting for Antonella Barba?"
As of summer 2007, Bublé's new song "Everything" can be heard on various music channels, as well as the radio.
Recently Bublé appeared on the UK's show "Strictly Come Dancing" singing "It Had Better Be Tonight" with slightly altered lyrics for British release.
In October 2007, Irish pop group Westlife will release a cover version of "Home".
Recently, R&B star Toni Braxton said that she wants to work with Bublé on her upcoming album. He also appeared as a guest host on The Paul O'Grady Show.
In December 2007, Bublé appeared as a guest on The X Factor, performing his new single Lost, and mentoring the Final 4 contestants for their upcoming performances. Bublé invited eventual X Factor 4 winner Leon Jackson to perform with him on stage in Wembley, as Leon idolises Bublé.
He appeared in the television movie Da Kath & Kim Code where he played himself and performed at a concert.
Personal life
Michael Bublé was engaged to long-time girlfriend Debbie Timuss, a stage actress, dancer, and singer. Both were in the musicals Red Rock Diner in 1996[3] and Dean Regan's Forever Swing in 1998.[4][5] Timuss was listed as one of the dedicatees in Bublé's self-titled album Michael Bublé and It's Time, and as background vocalist on It's Time. While away in Italy, Bublé co-wrote the hit single "Home" for Timuss.[6][7] Timuss was also featured in his music video for "Home" [8]. Their engagement ended in November 2005. Bublé co-wrote the hit original song "Lost" inspired by their breakup.[9] During an appearance at Australian television's Logie Awards in 2005, he met British actress, Emily Blunt backstage. He thought she was a BBC television producer. [6] They are now dating. Bublé has, during an interview with Australia's channel 10, jokingly expressed his concern for her fast becoming more famous than himself. She also provided background vocals on the cover of "Me and Mrs. Jones" on the album Call Me Irresponsible. The hit original song "Everything" was penned by Bublé for Blunt.[10]
Bublé is a huge fan of the Vancouver Canucks. He has even arranged concert dates to avoid performing on the days of Canucks games.
Discography
Studio albums
| Year | Album | U.S. | UK | CAN | AUS | ITA | GER | AUT | SWI | NE | SWE | EU | UWC | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Michael Bublé | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | It's Time | |||||||||||||
| 2007 | Call Me Irresponsible |
Live albums
| Year | Album | U.S. | UK | CAN | AUS | ITA | GER | AUT | SWI | NE | SWE | EU | UWC | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Come Fly with Me (Live CD and DVD) | |||||||||||||
| 2005 | Caught in the Act (Live CD and DVD) |
EPs and other albums
| Album | Sales | |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | First Dance | |
| 2001 | Babalu | |
| 2002 | Dream | |
| 2003 | Totally Bublé |
|
| 2003 | Let It Snow! (EP) |
|
| 2006 | With Love (EP) |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | U.S.[11] | UK | CAN[12] | AUS | Italy | GER | AUT | SWI | NL | SWE | EU | UWC | POL | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot | AC | Pop | Dig | Dance | |||||||||||||||
| 2003 | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?" | Michael Bublé | |||||||||||||||||
| "Kissing a Fool" | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Let It Snow!" 4, 6 | Let It Snow! | ||||||||||||||||||
| "The Christmas Song" | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | "Spider-Man Theme (Junkie XL Remix)" 1, 5 | Spider-Man 2 / Babalu | |||||||||||||||||
| "Sway" | Michael Bublé | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | "Feeling Good" 6 | It's Time | |||||||||||||||||
| "Home" 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Home" / "Song for You" 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2006 | "Save the Last Dance for Me" | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | "Everything" | Call Me Irresponsible | |||||||||||||||||
| "Me and Mrs. Jones" | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Lost"7 | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Home" / "Song for You" 3 | It's Time | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Moondance" 6 | Michael Bublé | ||||||||||||||||||
1 Chart positions in Canada are the peak positions on the Canadian Singles Chart.
2 Charted as a double A-side in the UK.
3 Charted as a double A-side in the UK. Re-entered the chart in 2007 on the strength of the download sales of "Home".
4 "Let It Snow!" didn't chart in Germany, Austria and Switzerland until December 2005. UK chart position from 2007.
5 "Spider-Man Theme (Junkie XL Remix)" charted in Australia after "Sway".
6 "Let It Snow", "Feeling Good" and "Moondance" charted on download sales in UK in December 2007.
7 "Lost first charted on AC charts in 2008.
Guest songs
| Year | Song | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Kissing a Fool" "For Once in My Life" "Down with Love" (with Holly Palmer) |
Down with Love Soundtrack |
| 2004 | "I Won't Dance" | Taking a Chance on Love |
| 2004 | "Elf's Lament" | Barenaked for the Holidays |
| 2005 | "Let There Be Love" | To Love Again |
| 2006 | "Just in Time" "Steppin' Out With My Baby" |
Duets: An American Classic |
| 2007 | "(You Are My) Destiny" | Classic Songs, My Way |
| 2007 | "L-O-V-E" | Why Did I Get Married Soundtrack |
| 2008 | "Untitled Track" (with Styles of Beyond) | Reseda Beach |
Filmography
- Duets (2000)
- Totally Blonde (2001)
- The Snow Walker (2003)
- Las Vegas (2005)
- Da Kath & Kim Code (2005)
Awards and achievements
| Year | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Juno | Best New Artist | Won |
| 2004 | Juno | Album of the Year - Michael Bublé | Nom. |
| 2006 | Juno | Pop Album of the Year - It's Time | Won |
| 2006 | Juno | Single of the Year - Home | Won |
| 2006 | Juno | Album of the Year - It's Time | Won |
| 2006 | Juno | Artist of the Year | Won |
| 2006 | Juno | Juno Fan Choice Award | Nom. |
| 2006 | ECHO | Jazz Production of the Year - It's Time | Won |
| 2006 | Grammy | Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album - It's Time | Nom. |
| 2006 | MuchMusic Video Awards | MuchMoreMusic Award - Home | Won |
| 2007 | Grammy | Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album - Caught in the Act | Nom. |
| 2007 | People's Choice Awards | Favorite Remake - "Save the Last Dance for Me" | Nom. |
| 2008 | Grammy | Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album - Call me Irresponsible | Won |
| 2008 | Grammy | Best Male Pop Vocal Performance - Everything | Nom. |
- 2007 Me and Mrs. Jones - Song of the Year in The Annual 2007 Résumé of Polish Radio Channel 3
Touring band members
- Alan Chang - Piano
- Robert Perkins - Drums
- Craig Polasko - Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass
- Justin Ray - Trumpet
- Mark Small - Tenor saxophone
- Jumaane Smith - Lead Trumpet
- Nick Vayenas - Trombone
- Rob Wilkerson - Alto saxophone
- Jacob Rodriguez - Baritone Saxophone
- Frank Basile - Baritone saxophone
- Josh Brown - Trombone
- Bryan Lipps - Trumpet
- Rob Castillo - Keyboards, Guitar, and Percussion
Former touring band members
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (February 2008) |
- Frank Basile - Baritone saxophone
- Massimo Biolcati - Bass
- Lyman Medeiros - Bass
- Jason Goldman - Alto Saxophone
- Randy Napoleon - guitar
- Peter Van Nostrand - Drums
- Bill Wysaske - Drums
- Paul Beattie - Accordion
- George Kavoukis - Cowbell
- Sam Dechenne - Trumpet
References
- ^ Singer Bublé Tours Italy as New Citizen
- ^ Singer Bublé Tours Italy as New Citizen
- ^ Hayes, David (April 2005). "The Making of Pop Sensation Michael Bublé". Saturday Night Magazine.
- ^ "In the mood for jazz joy". North Shore News. 1998-11-16.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Armstrong, Denis (2001-02-01). "Swinging to great heights". Ottowa Sun.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Adams, Cameron (2005-04-28). "Cameron Adams discovers singer Michael Bublé really enjoys bad reviews". Q&A. Herald Sun HiT, p.3.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ MacQueen, Ken (2005-02-04). "Break Out the Bublé". Macleans.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "The Voice of Jazz". FACES Spotlight. 2007-June-01.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Perusse, Bernard (2007-April-30). "Michael Buble does it his way". Edmonton Journal.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Adams, Cameron (2007-May-03). "Buble rapt". Herald Sun.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ [1][2]
- ^ [3][4]
External links
- Official Michael Bublé site
- Michael Bublé at IMDb
- Michael Bublé at Northern Stars
- Template:Last.fm
- VH1 Michael Bublé artist page
- Michael Bublé now on rehearsals.com and Comcast On Demand Music - rehearsals TV
- CTV article
- Michael Bublé's Exclusive performance on AOL Sessions
- Michael Bublé on The Hour
- Michael Bublé UK Tribute Band - 'Going Home'
- [http://www.michaelbuble-tribute.com/ Tribute Act with Big Band - Shane Hampsheir