Bonnie McKee

McKee is particularly known for collaborating with pop singer Katy Perry, and the duo has written the hits "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)", "Part of Me", "Wide Awake", and "Roar" together. McKee also co-wrote "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz, which became the second-best selling song by a British artist in the digital era. McKee also co-wrote other hits such as "Hold It Against Me" by Britney Spears and "C\'Mon" by Kesha, and has also written for Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, and Adam Lambert.\n', ' Bonnie Leigh McKee was born in Vacaville, California, and raised in Seattle, Washington. She studied classical piano and became a member of the Seattle Girls Choir Prime Voci at age 12, and toured with the choir throughout North America and Europe. She recorded two albums with the choir, titled Jackson Berkey Meets The Seattle Girls\' Choir and Cantate 2000. She briefly attended the Bush School, where she recorded a demonstration piece as part of a class project, before being kicked out soon after. At age 12, McKee\'s mother gave a demonstration CD featuring her singing Bette Midler and Fiona Apple songs to a friend of hers, the co-founder of the Sub Pop label, Jonathan Poneman, who was intrigued by her songwriting talents. According to McKee, this was the moment when she realized she had to be "more than just a singer," but a songwriter, as well.\n', ' By age 15, McKee was writing songs and performing in the Seattle area. McKee\'s raw demonstration tape got to Colin Filkow, an ex-Priority Records label executive. Filkow recognized that she was a rare talent and signed her to his management company, Platinum Partners Artist Management in Beverly Hills. He flew her to Los Angeles, and welcomed her into his family; she was only 17 at the time. He inspired her to sing and write songs and to trust her instincts. Filkow took Bonnie\'s demonstration to dozens of labels, publishers, agents, and entertainment lawyers. After more than a year, Filkow signed Bonnie to Warner Bros. Records in one of the most lucrative signings ever for a new artist.\n', '