Michael Fredo
Encyclopedia
Michael Fredo is an American
singer-songwriter
and the creative force behind Fame is Television. He is also the nephew of fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger
. He has collaborated with such producers as Quincy Jones
, Rudy Perez, David Foster
and performed original material opening for Norah Jones
and Lenny Kravitz
. He recently landed 3 songs on the Abercrombie and Fitch music network worldwide: "Popstar Lovelife", "Love all Over Again", and "This Time Around Remixes".
With an early passion for music, Michael moved from his hometown of Elmira, New York to Manhattan where he studied performing arts at the prestigious Professional Children’s School. Michael’s talents were soon noticed by fellow student Paul Ellington, grandson and heir to the famed Duke Ellington Orchestra, who encouraged Michael to audition for the orchestra’s upcoming worldwide tour. Subsequently, he was cast as the lead male vocalist where he performed for the next four years alongside the likes of Diana Krall, Winton Marsalis and many others.
A few years later, a chance encounter with Grammy Award-winning Producer Quincy Jones led to Michael’s first major record label deal with Warner Bros. Records. Under Jones’ guidance, Fredo’s music accompanied the first Tommy Jeans by Tommy Hilfiger ad campaign, which he became the model and spokesperson for. While modeling and filming an advertisement for Hilfiger, he met pop star Britney Spears and was recruited as her opening act on the "Baby One More Time Tour.” His hit single, "This Time Around," reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart while on tour with Spears, and his first album, “Introducing Michael Fredo,” sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Since then, he has collaborated with producers including Rudy Perez, Mark Ronson and David Foster and has performed original material opening for Norah Jones, Aaron Neville, and Lenny Kravitz.
Most recently, Michael Fredo was chosen as the first house band to perform at The Plaza Hotel since the 1960s. He has spent the last two years performing weekly shows with his jazz orchestra in the famed Rose Club, formerly known as The Persian Room. He also released the self-written song, "Who Said,” chosen as the theme song for the Tommy Girl Fragrance advertising campaign, and “Free” which was chosen as the theme song for James Toback's controversial film “Black and White” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Brooke Shields. Several of his original songs were also featured in MTV’s “The Real World,” “Rich Girls,” and “The Newly Weds.”
Though still a passionate musician, Fredo has parlayed his creative talents into the style and entrepreneurial industries. In June 2011 he celebrated the “soft-opening” for his newest venture, The Michael Fredo Salon. The Parisian-style salon features a team of gifted stylists and a wide range of services from cuts to make-up application. The salon also features Fredo’s prized Troll collection of 200 collectible Norfin Troll dolls, compiled since Fredo was six-years-old and a “serenity sculpture” featuring a waterfall, baby turtles and tropical fish. Already an asset as the salon’s owner, Fredo draws additional attention to his Upper East Side salon with live musical performances every hour. He plans to release a new album titled “Songs from The Salon” in the near future.
"I see creativity in every aspect of my life,” said Fredo. “It flows through my body and soul and is always executed with as much precision as I can possibly perform. It is what drives me every minute of the day. I'm very excited to translate my vision of beauty and elegance to The Michael Fredo Salon. It is my creative headquarters! Come see me and get my version of the Royal Treatment."
/Warner Bros. Records
by Quincy Jones
. His single, "This Time Around", reached # 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart while touring with Britney Spears
on her ...Baby One More Time Tour
. His first album, Introducing Michael Fredo, sold over 500,000 copies worldwide while his music videos played extensively on MTV
. In 2006, Fredo performed his song "Popstar Lovelife" live on the Fox News
morning show, Fox and Friends and New York
's CW11 morning show
inspired by his former tour mate.
as cofounder. He also shoots the music video for the theme song which he wrote and recorded for a guest appearance by singer/rapper Tokyo Diiva. He is also featured in the Hilfiger Sessions series of concerts held in LA, New York, and Miami in the Summer of 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and the creative force behind Fame is Television. He is also the nephew of fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger
Tommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
. He has collaborated with such producers as Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
, Rudy Perez, David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...
and performed original material opening for Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
and Lenny Kravitz
Lenny Kravitz
Leonard Albert "Lenny" Kravitz is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger, whose "retro" style incorporates elements of rock, soul, R&B, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk and ballads...
. He recently landed 3 songs on the Abercrombie and Fitch music network worldwide: "Popstar Lovelife", "Love all Over Again", and "This Time Around Remixes".
Preamble
Michael Fredo is a singer-songwriter, artist, and entrepreneur whose latest venture is the theatrically inspired Michael Fredo Salon, nestled in Manhattan’s Upper East Side and slated to celebrate it’s grand opening in September 2011. The nephew of fashion icon Tommy Hilfiger, Michael’s career has followed an upward trajectory of accomplishments in every creative industry he’s tackled.With an early passion for music, Michael moved from his hometown of Elmira, New York to Manhattan where he studied performing arts at the prestigious Professional Children’s School. Michael’s talents were soon noticed by fellow student Paul Ellington, grandson and heir to the famed Duke Ellington Orchestra, who encouraged Michael to audition for the orchestra’s upcoming worldwide tour. Subsequently, he was cast as the lead male vocalist where he performed for the next four years alongside the likes of Diana Krall, Winton Marsalis and many others.
A few years later, a chance encounter with Grammy Award-winning Producer Quincy Jones led to Michael’s first major record label deal with Warner Bros. Records. Under Jones’ guidance, Fredo’s music accompanied the first Tommy Jeans by Tommy Hilfiger ad campaign, which he became the model and spokesperson for. While modeling and filming an advertisement for Hilfiger, he met pop star Britney Spears and was recruited as her opening act on the "Baby One More Time Tour.” His hit single, "This Time Around," reached #21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart while on tour with Spears, and his first album, “Introducing Michael Fredo,” sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. Since then, he has collaborated with producers including Rudy Perez, Mark Ronson and David Foster and has performed original material opening for Norah Jones, Aaron Neville, and Lenny Kravitz.
Most recently, Michael Fredo was chosen as the first house band to perform at The Plaza Hotel since the 1960s. He has spent the last two years performing weekly shows with his jazz orchestra in the famed Rose Club, formerly known as The Persian Room. He also released the self-written song, "Who Said,” chosen as the theme song for the Tommy Girl Fragrance advertising campaign, and “Free” which was chosen as the theme song for James Toback's controversial film “Black and White” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Brooke Shields. Several of his original songs were also featured in MTV’s “The Real World,” “Rich Girls,” and “The Newly Weds.”
Though still a passionate musician, Fredo has parlayed his creative talents into the style and entrepreneurial industries. In June 2011 he celebrated the “soft-opening” for his newest venture, The Michael Fredo Salon. The Parisian-style salon features a team of gifted stylists and a wide range of services from cuts to make-up application. The salon also features Fredo’s prized Troll collection of 200 collectible Norfin Troll dolls, compiled since Fredo was six-years-old and a “serenity sculpture” featuring a waterfall, baby turtles and tropical fish. Already an asset as the salon’s owner, Fredo draws additional attention to his Upper East Side salon with live musical performances every hour. He plans to release a new album titled “Songs from The Salon” in the near future.
"I see creativity in every aspect of my life,” said Fredo. “It flows through my body and soul and is always executed with as much precision as I can possibly perform. It is what drives me every minute of the day. I'm very excited to translate my vision of beauty and elegance to The Michael Fredo Salon. It is my creative headquarters! Come see me and get my version of the Royal Treatment."
The Quincy Jones Years
Fredo first came into the public eye after being signed to Qwest RecordsQwest Records
Qwest Records is the American record label started by Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, and owned byWarner Music Group. although Quincy was still under contract with A&M records through 1981. George Benson's 1980 Give Me the Night LP was the first release on Qwest,...
/Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
by Quincy Jones
Quincy Jones
Quincy Delightt Jones, Jr. is an American record producer and musician. A conductor, musical arranger, film composer, television producer, and trumpeter. His career spans five decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations, 27 Grammys, including a Grammy Legend...
. His single, "This Time Around", reached # 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Sales Chart while touring with Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
on her ...Baby One More Time Tour
...Baby One More Time Tour
The ...Baby One More Time Tour was the debut concert tour by American recording artist Britney Spears. It supported her debut studio album, ...Baby One More Time and visited United States and Canada. The tour was announced in March 1999, with dates released a month later. Tommy Hilfiger was chosen...
. His first album, Introducing Michael Fredo, sold over 500,000 copies worldwide while his music videos played extensively on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
. In 2006, Fredo performed his song "Popstar Lovelife" live on the Fox News
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
morning show, Fox and Friends and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
's CW11 morning show
CW11
CW11 may refer to:*CW11, a postcode district in the CW postcode areaThe CW Television Network affiliates:* KPLR-TV St. Louis* KSTW Tacoma/Seattle* WPIX New York City* WBXI Binghamton, New York...
inspired by his former tour mate.
The Fame is Television Experience
Between 2007 and 2008, Fredo becomes the producer and host for Fame is Television with Tommy HilfigerTommy Hilfiger
Thomas Jacob "Tommy" Hilfiger is an American fashion designer and founder of the premium lifestyle brand Tommy Hilfiger.-Early life:...
as cofounder. He also shoots the music video for the theme song which he wrote and recorded for a guest appearance by singer/rapper Tokyo Diiva. He is also featured in the Hilfiger Sessions series of concerts held in LA, New York, and Miami in the Summer of 2007.
The Michael Fredo Quintet (2009)
Michael Fredo is currently writing his new album titled 'Songs from The Salon' and will include performances by several guest stars.External links
- Michael Fredo.com. Official site.