Orianthi

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Biography

Orianthi Panagaris (born 22 January 1985), better known simply as Orianthi , is a Greek Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson 's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|This Is It concert series, and as the lead guitarist in Alice Cooper 's live band. Her debut single " According to You " has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8 in Australia and No. 17 in the US; her second album, Believe (Orianthi album)|Believe , received a worldwide release in late 2009. In 2009, Orianthi was named one of 12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists by Elle (magazine)|Elle magazine . She also won the award as "Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year" 2010 by Guitar International magazine.

Life and career

Early life

Orianthi Panagaris was born in Adelaide , South Australia , and is of Greeks|Greek and Australians|Australian descent. Orianthi first started learning piano and playing at the age of three and moving to acoustic guitar at the age of six. She learned to play the acoustic guitar at six at the encouragement of her father, started electric when she was eleven and left her school, Mercedes College (Adelaide)|Mercedes College , enrolling at Cabra Dominican College . At the age of 15, she turned her focus to writing songs and so began her professional career. Article: "Lady plays the blues: Santana among fans" Patrick Donovan 7 July 2007" She has been playing in bands since the age of 14 in England and in France, and performed in her first stage show for Steve Vai at the age of 15. Orianthi met and jammed with Carlos Santana when she was 18. He invited Orianthi to get up and jam with him at soundcheck then later asked if she would join him on stage that night to jam at his Adelaide concert, Memorial Drive on 30 March 2003.

Orianthi independently released her debut studio album, Violet Journey in 2005, composing all the material, contributing guitar, vocals and drums on most cuts. She produced and mixed the final product at her home studio. Carlos Santana brought Orianthi to Paul Reed Smith's attention which led to her endorsement. Orianthi relocated to Los Angeles, signed with Geffen Records in late 2006 and struck a management deal with 19 Entertainment .

Orianthi has played with Prince (musician)|Prince , made a commercial for Panasonic HD, featured in the song Now or Never for Bratz: The Movie , played at the Eric Clapton Crossroads Guitar Festival , appeared in The New York Times business section promoting eco-friendly acoustic guitars, and opened for Steve Vai in the US.

Breakthrough

Orianthi appeared at the 51st Grammy Awards|51st annual Grammy Awards as Carrie Underwood 's lead guitarist, with Underwood inviting Orianthi to become a member of her band. Following that performance in addition to recommendations from industry professionals Michael Jackson's management reached out to Orianthi for an audition for This Is It. Orianthi was hence Michael Jackson 's lead guitarist and was present on all rehearsals for his This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|This Is It concerts before his death. | publisher=Newsday.com | date=10 July 2009 | accessdate=25 December 2010 In regard to being handpicked by Jackson, she stated:

She played and sang at Jackson's memorial, globally televised live on 7 July 2009. She appears in the film '' Michael Jackson's This Is It , which chronicles the rehearsals for the tour and shows her and Michael on stage. She presented an award at the 2009 American Music Awards , which Jackson won posthumous recognition|posthumously . Orianthi also appears on " We Are the World: 25 for Haiti " – with the original co-written and partly performed by Jackson.
Orianthi started working on her major label debut Believe (Orianthi album)|Believe in 2007 which was released in October 2009. The album produced the worldwide hit " According to You ", which was the Single of the Week on iTunes on 27 October 2009, reached number 2 on US radio airplay and charted to number eight in Australia, three in Japan, and achieved platinum status in the US and Australia. The charismatic rock instrumental Highly Strung featuring Steve Vai became a popular YouTube video with millions of views and climbing, and her song Suffocated was featured on Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock as a playable song. Orianthi followed up with a four song EP including two singles Shut Up and Kiss Me and Courage.

Orianthi appeared on several late night shows most notably on American Idol results show 26 March 2010. In 2010 she toured extensively with headlining shows in the US, Japan, Australia and Malaysia. She also opened for other artists including: John Mayer, Mika, Kid Rock, Daughtry and over 30 dates for Adam Lambert’s Glam Nation Tour with former Idol contestant Allison Iraheta . Orianthi performed at various music festivals and charity functions most notably at the Stand Up to Cancer telethon.

She is featured on Iraheta's third single " Don't Waste The Pretty ".
and on Fefe Dobson 's song "Can't Breathe" which appears on Dobson's album Joy (Fefe Dobson album)|Joy released in November 2010. She has stated that the people she has collaborated with (i.e. Allison Iraheta and Lacey Mosley ) are some of her best friends.

Collaborations

On 29 August 2011, Orianthi was announced as Alice Cooper 's new guitarist. She replaces Damon Johnson , who is now a member of Thin Lizzy . She is the first female member of the Alice Cooper band. She recorded for the song Saadda Haq composed by Academy award winning composer A.R.Rahman 's for a Bollywood film Rockstar (soundtrack)|soundtrack Rockstar (2011 film)|Rockstar . The song became very popular and lot of media coverage in India came for Orianthi being cited for her time as Michael Jackson's lead guitarist.

On 12 October 2011, the 5 track EP "Fire", produced by David A. Stewart|Dave Stewart was released as an iTunes download.

Discography

Studio albums

Year	Album details	Peak chart positions					Certifications ( List of best-selling music artists
Year	Album details	AUS cite web	JPN	US cite web	US Rock cite web	US Heat cite web	Certifications ( List of best-selling music artists
2007	Violet Journey Released: 4 June 2007 Label: Self-released	—	—	—	—	—
2009	Believe (Orianthi album) Released: 29 October 2009 Label: Geffen Records\|Geffen	88	4	77	19	1	style="text-align:left;" Recording Industry Association of Japan\|JPN : Gold
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended play|EP s

Year	EP details
2011	Fire Released: 12 October 2011 Label: Self-released

Singles

Year	Song	Peak chart positions							Certifications	Album
Year	Song	AUS	JPN cite web	NZL cite web	UK	US cite web	US Adult cite web	CAN cite web	Certifications	Album
2009	" According to You "	8	3	39	cite web>first=Tobias	17	6	22	style="text-align:left;" Australian Recording Industry Association\|AUS : Platinum Recording Industry Association of America\|US : Platinum	Believe (and Believe (II) )
2010	" Shut Up and Kiss Me (Orianthi song)	85	11	—	—	—	38	—
2010	"Courage" (with Lacey Sturm )	—	—	—	—	—	33	—
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Featured songs

Year	Song	Artist	Peak chart	Album
Year	Song	Artist	CAN	Album
2009	"Les Paul Tribute"cite news	Brian Ray	—	Non-album single
2010	" Don't Waste the Pretty "	Allison Iraheta	—	Just Like You (Allison Iraheta album)
2010	" Walk This Way "	David Garrett (violinist)	—	Rock Symphonies
2011	" Can't Breathe (song)	Fefe Dobson	Breathe Chart">	Joy (Fefe Dobson album)
	"Steel Bars"	Michael Bolton	—	Gems (Michael Bolton album)
	"Little Sister"	Tokyo Police Club	—	10x10x10
	" Saadda Haq "	A. R. Rahman	—	Rockstar (2011 film)
	"Brand New Wave"	Kylee	—	17 (Kylee album)
2012	"Girl in a Catsuit"	Dave Stewart	—	Non-album single
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Studio work

Year	Song	Artist	Peak chart		Album
Year	Song	Artist	UK	CAN	Album
2010	" Stairway to Heaven "	Mary J. Blige	—	—	Stronger with Each Tear
	"Set It on Fire"	My Darkest Days	—	—	My Darkest Days (album)
	" Monster (Michael Jackson song)	Michael Jackson	cite web>first=Tobias	—	Michael (album)
	"Sleepwalker"	Adam Lambert	—	90	For Your Entertainment (album)
"—" denotes releases that did not chart

Songs in other media

Year	Song	Album	Type
2007	"Now or Never"	Bratz: The Movie	Movie soundtrack
2010	"According to You"		Music game
			Mobile game
			Music game
			Music game
		CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	TV series episode: Lost and Found and World's End
		Dancing with the Stars (U.S. season 11)	TV series episode: Week 6
			Music game
		U-Sing 2 Wii Australian Edition	Music game
	"Suffocated"		Music game
	"Sunshine of Your Love"	Nissan Juke	TV commercial
2011	"Believe"	American Idol Season 10	TV series episode: Hollywood Week round 2
2011	"All Right Now"	Hyundai	TV commercial

Music videos

Year	Song	Director
2007	"Now or Never" (promotional video)	Unknown
2009	" According to You "	Marc Klasfeld
2010	"Highly Strung" (with Steve Vai )	Marc Klasfeld
	" We Are the World 25 for Haiti " (with Artists for Haiti)	Paul Haggis
	"Shut Up and Kiss Me"	Ray Kay
	"Courage" (with Lacey Sturm)	Scott Speer

Filmography

Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2009	Rock Prophecies	Herself	Brief Appearance
2009	'' Michael Jackson's This Is It	Herself	Jackson's guitarist

Awards and nominations

Year	Type	Award	Result
2009	Elle Magazine		Won
2010	Nickelodeon Australian Kids Choice Awards 2010	Fresh Aussie MusosKnox, David (16 August 2010).. tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 16 August 2010.	nom
	Billboard Japan Music Awards 2010	Top Pop Artist 2010	nom
	Guitar International Magazine	Breakthrough Guitarist of the Year 2010	Won
2011	25th Japan Gold Disc Award 2010		Won
	Tokio Hot 100 Awards 2010		nom
	2011 BMI Pop Music Awards		Won
	Gibson Guitars		Won

Equipment

Guitars

Paul Reed Smith|PRS Custom 22

Paul Reed Smith|PRS Custom 24

Paul Reed Smith|PRS SE Custom 24

Paul Reed Smith|PRS SE Singlecut

Jackson Guitars|Jackson KV2& KV5 (Discontinued)

Jackson Guitars|Jackson DX10 (Discontinued)

Ibanez|Ibanez RG Series (Discontinued)

Gibson Les Paul (Early)

Gibson SG (Early)

Garrison & Taylor Guitars|Taylor Acoustics

Paul Reed Smith|PRS SE Orianthi (her own signature SE model)

She also has a special private stock PRS Custom 24 guitar, nicknamed "MJ", made for the This Is It (concerts)|"This Is It" concerts . This one of a kind guitar is decorated with Swarovski crystals. Quote: "Orianthi posed for the cover of “Believe” holding a whale blue Custom 24 completely covered in Swarovski crystals. The guitar was custom made for the Michael Jackson tour and was nicknamed “MJ” by Orianthi.

Amps

EVH 5150III

Engl ( This Is It (Michael Jackson concerts)|This Is It )

Mesa Boogie

Marshall Amplification|Marshall Amplifiers

Copyright Citations

This article is licensed under the GNU License
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