Folksinger Stephen Medd first discovered Avril when she performed at a community theater. Medd invited her to collaborate with him on his song, “Touch the Sky” and she also contributed her vocals to a few more of his songs. In 1999, she was finally noticed by industry professional, Cliff Fabri. After working to make a name for herself, she eventually caught lasting attention with the release of her song, “Complicated.”
Lavigne was not the typical, bubbly pop star, but her earthy, emotionally driven lyrics produced devoted fans and she went on to create hits like “Sk8er Boi” and “My Happy Ending.” She has continued to release seven albums over the years and she is still actively songwriting and performing.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson started out as part of a sibling, singing group called “The Jackson 5” in 1964. Though only six at the time, Michael quickly began to stand out from the rest with his powerful, melodic voice. The group’s song, “I Want You Back” became the number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and many hits followed, such as “I’ll Be There” and “It’s Your Thing.”
Michael’s talent only grew with him and he eventually went solo, creating hits like “Thriller,” “Bad,” and “Man in the Mirror.” The glamor, fame, and publicity surrounding Jackson became larger-than-life which led to some extreme, personal struggles and disturbing accusations of inappropriate behavior. Sadly, Jackson died in 2009 from cardiac arrest but this has only served to immortalize his stardom.
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen
As toddler twins, both Mary-Kate and Ashley starred in “Full House,” sharing the role of Michelle Tanner. During “Full House,” the twins also appeared in other tv shows and films, and, at just seven years old, the girls became media moguls, establishing the production company, “Dualstar.” The company produced their future projects, including a short, video series called “The Adventures of Mary-Kate and Ashley.”
When they reached their teens, the Olsens were most remembered for their sitcom, “So Little Time” and the film “New York Minute.” Today, the two have shifted their focus away from acting entirely to making a name for themselves in the fashion world.
Lindsay Lohan
Child star Lindsay Lohan began modeling at age three for big-name brands, but it wasn’t long before her precociousness and comfort in front of the camera led her to her breakout role in the film, “The Parent Trap.” Lohan continued acting through her teens, and her most famous roles were that of Anna Coleman in “Freaky Friday” and Cady Heron in “Mean Girls.” It was also discovered that Lohan had vocal talent, and in her teens, she released a debut album in 2004 called “Speak.”
Into adulthood, Lohan continued to primarily find her success as an actress and starred in a handful of tv shows and movies like “Labor Pains” and “Just My Luck. In recent years, after a series of personal and substance abuse problems, Lohan has quietly tried to rebuild her career. Fingers crossed that she makes a comeback!
The Jonas Brothers
Nick, Joe, and Kevin Jonas hit the music scene with their catchy song “Please Be Mine” in 2005 which got the attention of Columbia Records president, Steve Greenberg. After touring and awaiting the release of their first official album, their single “Mandy” was featured on the Nickelodeon show “Zoey: 101.” In 2007, the Jonas Brothers were dropped by Columbia but then were signed by Hollywood Records.
They released their second, self-titled album in 2007 which reached number five on the Billboard Hot 200. From here, the Jonas Brothers really took off, recording, performing, and acting; primarily in Disney shows and movies like “Camp Rock” and “Jonas.” After a few more hits like “Paranoid” and “Send It On” the brothers went silent and it was discovered that they had split. Nick, Joe, and Kevin each attempted to go solo in their careers but they ultimately reunited in 2019.