Lindsay Belle

Lindsay Elizabeth Belle, known simply as Lindsay Belle, (born on August 4, 1980) is a American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for her work in country music, and her transition to pop music.

Belle made her breakthrough into country music in 2006. Her signature hit, (I Wannabe Your) Spice Girl, reached #2 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and was certified multi-platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America. With the initial success of her debut album Bittersweet, Belle attained widespread national acclaim for her similarities to vocal style of country legend Patsy Cline. When Belle released her sophomore studio effort in 2007, Lindsey, she went more towards country pop material as compared to the country folk genre she recorded with her debut.

Belle went on to release two successful albums, Sunset Next To Oklahoma (2008) and Free (2009), both which claimed the top spot on Billboard Top 200 and the UK charts. The two albums churned some of Lindsay's most memorable songs on her catalogue - including "Think Twice, Think Thrice" duet with Elice Claire, "Don't Mess With The Woman In A Truck" and "Wonder Why".

Since her debut, Belle has won many major industry awards, which include three Grammys, four American Country Music awards, two Country Music Awards and, three Urapopstar Awards, six Billboard Music Awards. She has sold over 15 million albums worldwide, including 7 million in UK.

Lindsay took a break in 2010 and appeared in several indie films to very little commercial success.

After nearly 3 years of musical hiatus, she release her fifth folk-rock studio album, Words That Never Were (2013) which enjoyed success in the UK. The sixth studio album, Sound Of Mayhem (2015), which sees a full transition to pop, was released in 2015 to breakthrough commercial success. The lead single of the same title was number one in 13 countries.

Early Life
Belle was born Lindsay Elizabeth Belle in Oklahoma City in 1980 to Randall Tex Belle and Trisha Cusack. Her family lived in Nashville, where Belle was raised. As an only child, Belle was showered with attention by her parents. She was singing by the age of five, was enrolled into vocal and dance training, and by the age of eight was performing at local talent shows such as Star Search. At the age of eleven, Cusack died of breast cance and Belle lost her motivation and drive to become a singer like she always dream to be. In 1997, Randall re-married to hairdresser Daisy Faye.

By the age of twenty-four, Belle graduated with Masters in Veterinary Science from Oklahoma State University. Even though she had a vet license, Belle decided to move on and pursue a singing career instead. Belle work odd jobs and spent time recording demos in Nashville, where she was discovered by independent label CountriSoul representative Liam Fowler.

Beginnings: Bittersweet (2006 - 2007)
After signing with Countrisoul Records in 2006, Belle recorded her debut single "Watch Me Go". The single stalled at #24 on US Billboard Hot Country Songs, despite having minimal airplay and promotion budget. The country-folk guitar-ridden track found similarity to the musical style of KT Tunstall, leading Belle to perform at CD:UK, the only televised appearance of the song in the UK. Shortly after the release of the single, Fowler was involved in financial embezzlement with the label, Belle was subsequently dropped and signed to Lemon Records. It wasn't long until Lemon fold up yet again, leaving Belle in devastation. At that time, singer-songwriter Arwyn Knight, who also owns Wired Records, discovered Belle and signed her to her UK label. Lindsay worked with several country hit-makers on her debut album "Bittersweet", including Mark Bright and country legend Travis Tritt. The US album release was distributed by Berryville Records, a sublet from major recording label RCA.

"Bittersweet" was followed by few other singles, one of which "(I Wannabe Your) Spice Girl" became her signature song and reached Top 5 in both US and UK charts. That year, she won the Billboard Award for New Female Artist.

The album also propelled Belle as the newest and most current country act on Urapopstar.

Transition to country-pop: Lindsey (2007 - 2008)
During her debut festival tour, Lindsay reported to be working on her sophomore album, and hints the album will be "country with a pop twist".

In late 2007, Belle released her second eponymous album "Lindsey". On this album, Lindsay work with likes of Max Martin, Dr Luke and Red One, creating a completely different sound from her debut - with elements of country-sounding instruments used on few tracks. The album found moderate success in UK, selling over 600,000 copies with three singles released. Even though she received mainly positive reviews on the album, the shift in genre confused her followers and fans of the debut album.

It was later reported that Lindsay did not initiate the pop sound of this album, and was mainly her management's decision.

Back to country and breakthrough success: Sunset Next To Oklahoma (2008 - 2009)
As her success continued in UK, Lindsay performed to crowds of thousands on the Lindsey tour. She spent months in London working on her third studio album, going back to her country roots on this record. She work with Mark Bright once again, pop rock artist Luke Ramada as well as Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland on this album.

"Sunset Next To Oklahoma" was released a year later in 2008, to positive reviews from critics and fans alike. Country Weekly calls it "The classic country record with a modern twist. This is homecoming, the Lindsay we knew". The lead single "It's Good, It's Beautiful and It's Funny" made Top 5 on both UK and US charts - her first since "(I Wannabe Your) Spice Girl" 2 years ago. The song also won her her first Grammy award - for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

The album went on to produce hit after hit. The collaboration with pop star Elice Claire, "Think Twice, Think Thrice" became one of her best selling single. The song also won Best Collaboration at Urapopstar Awards 17 and Video Music Awards. All the 5 singles on this album went straight to Top 5. She also released two airplay singles "Anymore" and "Baby, Please Don't Break My Heart Slow".

The album sold over 7,000,000 copies worldwide, becoming Belle's best selling album of her career. In the UK, she became a household name when she joined the judges panel for URAPS Idol in 2008 and 2009.

Continued success and first UK number one: Free (2009 - 2010)
Lindsay spent the whole of 2009 working on Uraps Idol and being on the Sunset Next To Oklahoma tour. Whilst on tour, Lindsay wrote and produced her fourth album, "Free", in completion of her three-album contract with Wired.

On this album, she work with Mark Bright, Alicia B, Elice Claire, Esmeralda Dimuzio as well as Uraps Idol alumni Mark Charlie Wilson, whom she finds herself mentoring the budding country singer.

The lead single "Don't Mess With The Woman In A Truck" becomes Belle's first US #1 single, topping the Billboard Hot Country Songs. However, it reached #4 on the UK charts, to much disappointment to Lindsay. The single went on to be one of her best selling singles, and was one of the first few Uraps music video to be made into a short film, directed by Ken Kwapis. The controversial move stars Lindsay as herself, and her series of misadventure in love and relationships she had. It also starred Elice Claire and ten other male pop singers. It became an instant hit after being released online through Payperview, and a shorter version was released to coincide with the actual music release. The video won the Best Video award at Urapopstar Awards 18, her first-ever Uraps Award.

The second single, the Alicia B-penned country rock track, "I'd Rather Have A Cigarette", marks the first single to be released not written by the singer herself. Fans were cheering on Lindsay in hopes for her first UK number single then but it wasn't until two singles later, "Now All That's Left (What's Going On?)", a duet with latina superstar Esmeralda Dimuzio and the ballad "Wonder Why" - as a celebration of her 4-year music career, the latter single finally charted at #1 on the UK charts. At that time, she broke the record for the longest time for an act to get to number one, the record has since been broken once again by Kazimiera (2011; with a cover of Lindsay's "Hey Lucy!") and Lady Lou (2014).

"Free" went on to sell over 5,000,000 copies worldwide, and over 1 million alone in the UK.

During her promotion of "Wonder Why", Lindsay announced of hiatus, and a break from music "until further notice". She did not tour with the album. In 2011, she worked on several independent films, in which some she co-directed.

Transition to folk-rock and other genre shifts: Words That Never Were (2013)
After a two and half year break from music and Lindsay returned with her fifth studio album, Words That Never Were, in 2013. As her contract with UK label Wired expired and the label no longer exist, Lindsay signed a rumoured £3,000,000 contract with Fusion Records. The label CEO, Syd Wolfe also work with Lindsay on a track for Wolfe's album The Scientist, the album became the best-selling album of all times on Uraps.

On this album she work with David Baerwald (Sheryl Crow), Phil Thornalley (Natalie Imbruglia), William Orbit (Madonna, Blur) and up-and-coming Uraps-based producers The Mad Scientist, as well as Victor Strong from Phoenix Rising.

"Words That Were Never" spawned her second UK number one single, "The Foxtrot". It was also met with favourable reviews, applauding Belle for steering from the formulaic country pop sound and taking on folk-rock and elements of rock-and-roll, dance, soul and pop. For this album, Lindsay had very few televised appearances, and her only source of promoting the album was a gig in London's Royal Vauxhall Tavern. "The Foxtrot", the guitar-ridden, folk-rock lead single also became her best selling single of her entire career in UK.

The second single, "Damn Middle Name" was also a Top 10 hit. The album sold 580,000 copies in UK alone, and did not have an official US release, the first for Belle. Lindsay did however, promote the album in the US.

Pop comeback: Sound Of Mayhem (2015)
In 2015, Lindsay announced that she is working on a "happy, pop" album according to an update on a her official site. "Sound Of Mayhem" is announced as the lead single for the album of the same title. The song first premiered on The Uraps Factor to a standing ovation from the judges and audiences. On this album, she work with Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), Alesha, Paulo Araujo, Persephone and UK indie pop act Belle & Sebastian and their producer Ben H. Allen III, whom co-produced the album with Lindsay.

Pop critics gave Lindsay the stamp of approval, as well as pop fans. This led to a commercial breakthrough success when the single charted at #1 in thirteen countries, including the UK and her first US Billboard Hot 100 number one. The album topped the UK charts, with the biggest first-week numbers as an artist - selling over 100,000 copies on its first week. On the same week, she announced her first worldwide tour, aptly titled "The Vision Of Mayhem" which begins in August 2015.

The second single "1987" reached #3 in the UK charts and Top 10 in several countries, the music video which stars Lindsay in as a cancer-stricken student, won the "Best Female Video" award at Urapopstar Awards 2016. The obvious choice of Christmas single "Dancing Grammar" off the album was released in bid of the coveted Christmas number one, it charted in Top 5.

The rock-theme "Southbound" which features friend and RnB star Paulo Araujo was released as the fourth single in March 2016, it went to Top 3. The final and fifth single "Sick Sad World", yet another collaboration, with Alesha credited as the writer, will be released in May.

Vocal ability
Since her debut in 2006, Belle voice and vocal style was often compared to the late Patsy Cline. Cline was known for her distinctive and expressive vocal stylings. In 2008, Belle released the single "Patsy Cline" as a tribute to Cline.

During her comeback in 2013, fans noticed a change in her voice and a huskyness is audible. Fans blamed it on the singer's smoking habits. At the Royal Vauxhall Tavern gig, where Belle performed songs from her catalogue and "Words That Never Were", fans were blown away with her newly found vocal-range, though the huskyness is still audible.

Musical Styling
Through her career in country music, Lindsay is known for her honest songwriting, and story-telling lyrics. Metaphors are used in many contexts of her songs. Elements of violins, banjos and steel guitar were used in many of her songs.

In her latest releases Words That Never Were (2013) and Sound Of Mayhem (2015) constitute other genres such as funk, rock-and-roll, pop, dance, soul, folk-rock, in particular the latter which sees a full transition to pop.

Personal life
Little is known about Lindsay's personal life, but her relationship with husband Italian-American actor Mark Scavo was much publicized in the US media. The couple filed a divorce in 2012 only after two years of marriage. Belle held the custody to their adopted daughter Emma-Lee Scavo. In 2013, she revealed her miscarriage and ailing acting career during her musical hiatus caused the separation.

Since 2013, Lindsay has been living in a rented apartment in Shepherd's Bush, London.

In the pop music industry, she considers herself close friends with Elice Claire and Paulo Araujo.

Advocacy
Lindsay is also known for her philanthropy and her strong advocacy for Breast Cancer Awareness.

In 2007, she created her own charity foundation - Lindsay Belle's Home Sweet Home - a self-funded organization, working with orphanages.

She was elected to be a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2009.

In 2010, Lindsay organized the first televised charity show "Women Who Rock" to raise money for the Women Abuse Prevention Association to raise awareness and help victims of domestic violence and physical abuse. The show featured Lindsay as the host and performer, alongside fellow female artists such as Loretta Lambert, China, Elice Claire, Violetta DiNozzo and a few others.

Discography
ALBUMS
 * 2006 Bittersweet
 * 2007 Lindsey
 * 2008 Sunset Next To Oklahoma
 * 2009 Free
 * 2013 Words That Were Were
 * 2015 Sound Of Mayhem

SINGLES
 * 2006 Watch Me Go
 * 2006 Hey Lucy/Remember
 * 2006 (I Wanna Be Your) Spice Girl
 * 2007 Country Girls
 * 2007 Beautiful Hands
 * 2007 Showstopper
 * 2008 Hail Me Like A Queen
 * 2008 Patsy Cline
 * 2009 It's Good, It's Funny And It's Beautiful
 * 2009 Six Penny Ain't Worth A Pence
 * 2009 Let Freedom Ring
 * 2009 Think Twice, Think Thrice (with Elice Claire)
 * 2009 Heart of Mine
 * 2009 Don't Mess With The Woman In A Truck
 * 2010 I'd Rather Have A Cigarette
 * 2010 Now All That's Left (What's Going On?) (with Esmeralda Dimuzio)
 * 2010 Wonder Why
 * 2013 The Foxtrot
 * 2013 Damn Middle Name
 * 2015 Sound Of Mayhem
 * 2015 1987
 * 2015 Dancing Grammar
 * 2016 Southbound (feat. Paulo Araujo)
 * 2016 Sick Sad World

Tours

 * 2006: Bittersweet Tour (UK)
 * 2007: Bittersweet Tour (US)
 * 2007: The Lindsey tour (UK)
 * 2009: Sunset Next To Oklahoma Tour (US)
 * 2015: The Vision Of Mayhem Tour (Worldwide)