The Veronicas
Encyclopedia
The Veronicas are an Australia
n electrorock, pop-punk and rock
band. Twin sisters Jessica
and Lisa Origliasso
formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane
. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007.
They have released two studio albums, the first being The Secret Life of...
in 2005. It peaked at #2 on the Australian charts
and gained an ARIA certification
of four times platinum, for 280,000+ sales. The Secret Life of... spawned five singles, including three top ten singles in Australia.
The Veronicas released their second album Hook Me Up
in 2007; it peaked at #2 on the Australian charts and earning a certification of two times platinum. The album has had four Australian top ten singles released from it to date. The album's title track, "Hook Me Up
", was The Veronicas' first number one single in Australia.
(BHMG), Hayden Bell
. After producing some demo recordings with the twins, Bell invited them to sign a publishing agreement with Excalibur Productions (a subsidiary of BHMG). In the process, Bell helped facilitate their progression in musical style from acoustic pop to the more rhythmic rock pop approach that is now their trademark. On the strength of these demos, Bell took them to meet the executives at Engine Room (a subsidiary of PBL (Packer) Group) and they were immediately signed to a production deal. To further develop their song writing skills, Bell connected them with several internationally acclaimed songwriters and producers including Clif Magness (who has written with Avril Lavigne
), Billy Steinberg
(Madonna
, Cyndi Lauper
), Max Martin
(Britney Spears
, Katy Perry
, P!nk
), Eric Nova, Dead Mono and Vince DeGiorgio, where they created a catalogue of over 50 songs.
Meetings were then arranged with Warner Bros. Records
in the USA. Seymour Stein
and senior executives recognised that Bell had indeed discovered and developed a musical talent, signing them quickly to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records/Sire America, for a reported sum of 2 million dollars.
Regarding how they chose their name, Jess Origliasso stated: "The name is something we thought about for a short time and we wanted it to be a girl's name, but we didn't want it to be 'the Jesses.' We were very conscious of not wanting to make it a twin thing, because we don't think that's really cool."
"We didn't want it to be called 'the Lisas,' either," singer Lisa Origliasso added. "So one day we saw the movie Heathers
, and there's a line where Christian Slater asks, 'Are you a Heather?' and Winona Ryder's character [Veronica] answers, 'No, I'm a Veronica,' and so we went with that, because she was this kind of cool, unique chick with an attitude."
However, some believe that Archie Comics
character Veronica Lodge
had some influence on the naming, including people at Archie Comics themselves, who launched legal action against the group for trademark infringement
, in an attempt to stop them from using the name. Archie comics had asked Warner Music Group
to hand over all publicity rights and to pay US$
200 million in damages. Of this amount $20 million was for damages and $180 million as a penalty against Warner. In a statement with New York Times Michael I. Silberkleit, chairman of Archie Comics Publications, Inc. stated,
A settlement was reached that included a cross-promotion
deal, including an appearance in an issue of Veronica Lodge's comic book. The issue (#167) featured a card with a code allowing a free download of their single "4ever" in MP3
form. A few months later, Archie and Friends (#100) featured The Archies meeting The Veronicas. The next issue of Archie and Friends (#101) also featured The Veronicas, with Archie as their biggest fan.
days before their debut album, entitled The Secret Life of...
, was released in Australia on 17 October 2005, entering the ARIA Album charts
at the position of #7. Since then, it has peaked at #2 and gone 4x Platinum. Due to the success of the album, five singles were released in Australia: "4ever", "Everything I'm Not
", "When It All Falls Apart
", "Revolution
" and "Leave Me Alone
".
The Secret Life of the Veronicas spent a year in the ARIA album charts without leaving the top 40. In September 2006, the album was nominated for three ARIA awards including; "Best Pop Release", "Highest Selling Album" and "Best Breakthrough Album". They won "Best Pop Release" but lost the other two to other nominees. The girls also performed their 2nd single "Everything I'm Not
" on the night.
The album was released in the US on 14 February 2006; it debuted at #133 on Billboard 200
and #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Only two singles were released in the United States off the album. A special DVD was released with the US version as a limited edition exclusive. The limited edition included two extra songs and videos, and was only available online. However, copies have been found to have been shipped to several stores in Australia as well. Other releases in the US include Sessions@AOL
which features their songs "Heavily Broken" and "Revolution" live in the AOL studios, also released was The Veronicas: Mtv.com Live EP
which also features live performances of their songs including a new song, entitled "Stay".
The album has also had success in other countries such as New Zealand where it debuted at #5, #75 on the Dutch Album Charts and #11 in Belgium. Due to their chart success in Belgium, they won the award for Best International New Artist at the TMF Awards of 2006. "When It All Falls Apart" spent a record of 17 weeks of MTV Asia's Pop 10 Chart, in which 7 of them were at the number 1 spot. The song was recorded in Simlish and is featured in the Sims 2 expansion pack Seasons.
Lisa and Jessica are the faces of Choice Calvin Klein
and Australian hair product company nu:u. Blender
magazine named included them in their list of hottest women in rock in 2006. The sisters sang the title song on the short-lived television show Related which had featured songs from their debut album. They appeared in an episode that aired 6 February 2006. In March 2006, their debut single "4ever" was featured in the Amanda Bynes
comedy She's the Man
. It was featured in the promotional television spots, the film itself and the soundtrack. Their song "Revolution" appeared in another Amanda Bynes film, "Sydney White
", in 2007.
The girls also appeared on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody episode "The Suite Life Goes Hollywood" as guest stars and performed their song "Cry". The twins have also created a fashion line called "The Veronicas for Target
" which was released in stores on 25 August 2007 in Australia.
On 2 December 2006 The Veronicas released a CD/DVD, entitled Exposed... The Secret Life of The Veronicas
in Australia which features live performances from their Australian 2006 Revolution Tour and a DVD featuring parts of the sisters' live performances throughout 2005–2006, including footage that had previously not been seen, and their music videos. The album debuted at #6 on the ARIA DVD Charts accrediting platinum in its first week. The second week it rose to its peak of #3 and was accredited Double Platinum.
, Billy Steinberg
and John Feldmann
.
Hook Me Up
was released in Australia on 3 November 2007. The album debuted at number two on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart with sales of 9,531 copies in its first week, and was certified Gold. It has since gone 2x platinum. The album became the twenty-eighth highest selling album in Australia for 2007. Hook Me Up was released in the UK on 12 October 2009 and has peaked at number thirty-five.
The lead single from the album, "Hook Me Up
", was added to Australian radio on 27 August 2007, but was physically released on 22 September 2007. It debuted at number five, eventually reaching number one after seven weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, making it their first number one hit in Australia.
"Untouched
" was the first single to be released from their album in the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. The song reached number 2 in Australia eventually reaching platinum accredation. The song became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
first debuting at number sixty-two and eventually peaking at number seventeen making it their first top twenty hit in the United States. They became the first Australian artists to have a single Certified Platinum in the U.S. with over 1,000,000 paid downloads. It was also their debut single in the UK, peaking at number eight and in Ireland peaking at number one, their first international number-one single
Their third and fourth singles "This Love
" and "Take Me on the Floor
" were both top ten hits hits in Australia and were both certified Gold. "Take Me on the Floor" was released as their second single in the U.S. but only peaked at number eighty-one.
On 11 October, their fifth single, "Popular
" was released digitally in Australia. It has only gained heavy airplay and peaked at #11 on the Australian Airplay Chart.
Their debut single "4ever" was rereleased as their second single in the UK and Ireland on 21 September 2009 and has peaked at number 17 in the UK and twenty in Ireland.
In support of the album, The Veronicas embarked on their third Australian tour The Hook Me Up Tour in 2007. The tour, which began on 30 November and concluded on 12 December, was held in eight major cities around Australia.
On 16 October 2008 The Veronicas announced their second tour for the album, Revenge Is Sweeter tour
, which was their first tour to extend into New Zealand, United States, Canada, UK and Japan beginning on 13 February 2009 in Newcastle
, Australia and ending on 25 September 2009 in Manchester
, UK as well as a European promotional tour which included France, Germany and Italy.
As part of their tour in Japan they released a two disc compilation album called The Veronicas Complete
featuring all their songs from their first and second albums as well as three bonus tracks on 18 March 2009. On September 2008 the nominees for the 22nd annual ARIA Awards
were announced, with The Veronicas receiving four nominations. Hook Me Up received 2 nominations for Best Pop Release and Highest Selling Album and Untouched and Hook Me Up (single) received a nomination for Highest Selling Single each. The Veronicas performed their hit single "Untouched
" at the event, but left with no awards.
, and recording in January 2010
. The album, which cites influences by classical music
, classical rock and pop
genres, will be their first release in over three years. Jessica Origliasso stated that the album will be inspired by artists The Subways
, The Dead Weather
, Mazzy Star
, Ladytron
and Peaches
. Lisa and Jessica Origliasso have described the album as "[...] a little different from [...] the last two records" and "[...] a pop record [with] different undertones."
Lending their vocals elsewhere, Lisa and Jessica also collaborated with Michael Paynter
to record a song called "Love the Fall
" for his homonymous EP
. The song peaked at number nineteen on the ARIA Charts
. They also revealed in February 2011 that they had recorded backing vocals for Cherie Currie's
new album. Additionally The Veronicas recorded a cover version of the song "Grown-Up Christmas List
", by singer Amy Grant
, for the Christmas compilation album The Spirit of Christmas 2010
.
's Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a charity that deals with the protection of animals and their natural environments. The band was also featured in an Australian public service announcement campaign against music piracy
targeting schools, labeled Australian Music In Tune. Other successful Australian artists included were Powderfinger
, Jimmy Barnes
and Silverchair
.
Work for this charity has included a texting competition to reach two-thousand text messages in the hopes of raising one thousand dollars.
In January 2009, it was announced Jess would pose nude for PETA
after getting attention from a member of the organization.
Lisa also marched alongside Drew Barrymore
, Pete Wentz, Janice Dickinson
and other celebrities in support of gay marriage in California at a May 2009 march in Los Angeles protesting the 26 May 2009 decision of the California Supreme Court ruling upholding Proposition 8
.
They also joined a "Wear it with Pride" campaign to reform same-sex laws in Australia for the 85 legislative changes made in 2010 to overturn discrimination against same-sex couples and their families. The campaign involved them wearing numbered T-shirts representing each legislative change. In 2010 Lisa and Jessica were honoured as Wildlife Warriors of the year for their efforts in publicizing animal protection and conservation on a worldwide scale.
range. In 2006 they entered into a co-marketing deal with shoe brand Keds
for their first US tour. The deal included web promotions and in-store acoustic performances at selected stores.
On 27 January 2010 they announced via twitter
that they had signed a deal with cosmetic
brand Flirt!, a division of Estée Lauder
, to be the faces of their "Rock-n-Rebel" fragrance. They became ambassador
s for the fragrance with the deal to including a multi-million dollar
promotion during mid-2010 which also included giving make-up tips via the Rock-n-Rebel website
and judged a beauty contest where young women were asked to submit photos of their "ultimate rock star style".
On 25 August 2007, The Veronicas launched their self-titled fashion line at Target Miranda store and is available in stores around Australia. According to the girls the fashion line was created to reflect their style which had been sought after by their younger fans and what they would like to see younger girls wear. Aimed at seven-fourteen year old girls Lisa described the fashion line as "[...]punk princess, mixed with rock 'n' roll," and Jess described it as "[...] princess and cute." The colours used for their fashion line include black and white and also features cherries, pirate motifs and love heart details. The current clothing range includes day-wear and pyjamas.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n electrorock, pop-punk and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band. Twin sisters Jessica
Jessica Origliasso
Jessica Louise Origliasso is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Born and raised in Albany Creek, Queensland she, along side twin sister Lisa Origliasso, performed in show business at a young age. Origliasso rose to fame in 2000's when she and her sister formed a pop duo...
and Lisa Origliasso
Lisa Origliasso
Lisa Marie Origliasso is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress and fashion designer. Born and raised in Albany Creek, Queensland she, along side twin sister Jessica Origliasso, performed in show business at a young age. Origliasso rose to fame in 2000's when she and her sister formed a pop duo...
formed the band in 1999 in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. They have their own line of clothing which was released in 2007.
They have released two studio albums, the first being The Secret Life of...
The Secret Life Of... (album)
The Secret Life of... is the debut studio album by Australian pop rock band The Veronicas, released on 17 October 2005 on Sire Records. It reached #2 in Australia and is certified 4x platinum. The album also reached #5 in New Zealand and #3 in the Billboard Top Heatseekers. The Secret Life of......
in 2005. It peaked at #2 on the Australian charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
and gained an ARIA certification
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
of four times platinum, for 280,000+ sales. The Secret Life of... spawned five singles, including three top ten singles in Australia.
The Veronicas released their second album Hook Me Up
Hook Me Up
Hook Me Up is the second studio album by Australian band The Veronicas, which was released on 3 November 2007 by Rhino Entertainment, Sire Records and London Records. The album shows a new direction in music for the duo – exploring a New Wave/electro-pop sound which was influenced by Los Angeles...
in 2007; it peaked at #2 on the Australian charts and earning a certification of two times platinum. The album has had four Australian top ten singles released from it to date. The album's title track, "Hook Me Up
Hook Me Up (song)
"Hook Me Up" is a song by Australian duo The Veronicas for their second album, Hook Me Up. Produced by Greg Wells, it was released as the albums lead single in late 2007 in Australia. The downtempo, electropop-dance song is a change in direction from the pop rock sound from their previous album,...
", was The Veronicas' first number one single in Australia.
Background
In 2004, Lisa Origliasso and Jessica Origliasso were introduced to the Music Director of The Bell Hughes Music GroupBell Hughes Music Group
The Bell Hughes Music Group is an Australian based Music company. The BHMG directs and oversees Excalibur Productions Australia, Multiplay Music Australia, Multiplay International & CJM Songs Australia...
(BHMG), Hayden Bell
Hayden Bell
Hayden Bell is a music executive and entrepreneur. Based in Queensland, Australia, he is Creative Director of the Bell Hughes Music Group that he established with his co-partner Dr Charles Margerison....
. After producing some demo recordings with the twins, Bell invited them to sign a publishing agreement with Excalibur Productions (a subsidiary of BHMG). In the process, Bell helped facilitate their progression in musical style from acoustic pop to the more rhythmic rock pop approach that is now their trademark. On the strength of these demos, Bell took them to meet the executives at Engine Room (a subsidiary of PBL (Packer) Group) and they were immediately signed to a production deal. To further develop their song writing skills, Bell connected them with several internationally acclaimed songwriters and producers including Clif Magness (who has written with Avril Lavigne
Avril Lavigne
Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more...
), Billy Steinberg
Billy Steinberg
William Endfield "Billy" Steinberg is an American songwriter. He has achieved most of his success as part of a song writing team, most notably with Tom Kelly. He has also co-written several hit songs with Rick Nowels.-Biography:...
(Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
), Max Martin
Max Martin
Martin Karl Sandberg, known professionally as Max Martin, is a Swedish music producer and songwriter. Raised in Stenhamra, a suburb of Stockholm, Sweden, he broke through as a producer and songwriter in the mid to late 1990s after crafting a string of hits for pop artists like the Backstreet Boys,...
(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...
, Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
, P!nk
P!nk
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
), Eric Nova, Dead Mono and Vince DeGiorgio, where they created a catalogue of over 50 songs.
Meetings were then arranged with 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...
in the USA. Seymour Stein
Seymour Stein
Seymour Stein is an entrepreneur in the music industry who has been a part of the business since getting his first job as a clerk for Billboard magazine in 1958. Stein is a vice president of Warner Bros...
and senior executives recognised that Bell had indeed discovered and developed a musical talent, signing them quickly to a recording contract with Warner Bros. Records/Sire America, for a reported sum of 2 million dollars.
Band name
"We didn't want it to be called 'the Lisas,' either," singer Lisa Origliasso added. "So one day we saw the movie Heathers
Heathers
Heathers is a 1989 black comedy film starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater and Shannen Doherty. The film portrays four girls in a trend-setting clique at a fictional Ohio high school...
, and there's a line where Christian Slater asks, 'Are you a Heather?' and Winona Ryder's character [Veronica] answers, 'No, I'm a Veronica,' and so we went with that, because she was this kind of cool, unique chick with an attitude."
However, some believe that Archie Comics
Archie Comics
Archie Comics is an American comic book publisher headquartered in the Village of Mamaroneck, Town of Mamaroneck, New York, known for its many series featuring the fictional teenagers Archie Andrews, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, Reggie Mantle and Jughead Jones. The characters were created by...
character Veronica Lodge
Veronica Lodge
Veronica Lodge is a fictional character in the Archie Comics books series.-Fictional history and character:She is called both by her name Veronica and her nickname Ronnie...
had some influence on the naming, including people at Archie Comics themselves, who launched legal action against the group for trademark infringement
Trademark infringement
Trademark infringement is a violation of the exclusive rights attaching to a trademark without the authorization of the trademark owner or any licensees...
, in an attempt to stop them from using the name. Archie comics had asked Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
to hand over all publicity rights and to pay US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
200 million in damages. Of this amount $20 million was for damages and $180 million as a penalty against Warner. In a statement with New York Times Michael I. Silberkleit, chairman of Archie Comics Publications, Inc. stated,
The importance is the image of Archie, which everybody knows is good, clean, wholesome stuff,[...] Preventing unauthorized use of the name will protect both the characters and customers who have paid for licensing rights[...]"
A settlement was reached that included a cross-promotion
Cross-promotion
Cross-promotion is a form of marketing promotion where customers of one product or service are targeted with promotion of a related product. A typical example is cross-media marketing of a brand, for example Oprah Winfrey's promotion on her television show of her books, magazines and website...
deal, including an appearance in an issue of Veronica Lodge's comic book. The issue (#167) featured a card with a code allowing a free download of their single "4ever" in MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
form. A few months later, Archie and Friends (#100) featured The Archies meeting The Veronicas. The next issue of Archie and Friends (#101) also featured The Veronicas, with Archie as their biggest fan.
2005–2007: The Secret Life of...
The Veronicas performed at the 2005 NRL Grand Final2005 NRL Grand Final
The 2005 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2005 National Rugby League season. It was played on the night of Sunday, 2 October at Sydney's Telstra Stadium between 4th-placed Wests Tigers and 5th-placed North Queensland Cowboys, the only two clubs in the...
days before their debut album, entitled The Secret Life of...
The Secret Life Of... (album)
The Secret Life of... is the debut studio album by Australian pop rock band The Veronicas, released on 17 October 2005 on Sire Records. It reached #2 in Australia and is certified 4x platinum. The album also reached #5 in New Zealand and #3 in the Billboard Top Heatseekers. The Secret Life of......
, was released in Australia on 17 October 2005, entering the ARIA Album charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
at the position of #7. Since then, it has peaked at #2 and gone 4x Platinum. Due to the success of the album, five singles were released in Australia: "4ever", "Everything I'm Not
Everything I'm Not
"Everything I'm Not" is the second single released in 2005 from The Veronicas' album The Secret Life of.... It reached #7 on the ARIA Singles Charts and has been certified Gold ....
", "When It All Falls Apart
When It All Falls Apart
"When It All Falls Apart" is the third single released from The Veronicas' debut album The Secret Life of... on 21 March 2006. It has been certified Gold for sales over 35,000 units in Australia. "When It All Falls Apart" charted within the ARIA Top 20 for 14 weeks. It was to be released in the UK...
", "Revolution
Revolution (The Veronicas song)
"Revolution" is a pop rock song and the fourth single written and produced by Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida for The Veronicas' debut album The Secret Life of... . On 7 August 2006, in conjunction with their 'The Revolution Tour' of Australia, which commenced on 4 August 2006. It was a modest...
" and "Leave Me Alone
Leave Me Alone (The Veronicas song)
"Leave Me Alone" is a pop rock song written by Josh Alexander, Jessica Origliasso, Lisa Origliasso and Billy Steinberg, produced by Alexander and Steinberg for The Veronicas' debut album The Secret Life of... ....
".
The Secret Life of the Veronicas spent a year in the ARIA album charts without leaving the top 40. In September 2006, the album was nominated for three ARIA awards including; "Best Pop Release", "Highest Selling Album" and "Best Breakthrough Album". They won "Best Pop Release" but lost the other two to other nominees. The girls also performed their 2nd single "Everything I'm Not
Everything I'm Not
"Everything I'm Not" is the second single released in 2005 from The Veronicas' album The Secret Life of.... It reached #7 on the ARIA Singles Charts and has been certified Gold ....
" on the night.
The album was released in the US on 14 February 2006; it debuted at #133 on Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
and #3 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart. Only two singles were released in the United States off the album. A special DVD was released with the US version as a limited edition exclusive. The limited edition included two extra songs and videos, and was only available online. However, copies have been found to have been shipped to several stores in Australia as well. Other releases in the US include Sessions@AOL
Sessions@AOL (The Veronicas EP)
Sessions@AOL is an EP released by The Veronicas. It also include a digital booklet, which is an Archie Comic that featured the girls.-Track listing:#"Heavily Broken" #"Revolution" #"Everything I'm Not" #"Mouth Shut"...
which features their songs "Heavily Broken" and "Revolution" live in the AOL studios, also released was The Veronicas: Mtv.com Live EP
The Veronicas: Mtv.com Live EP
The Veronicas: Mtv.com Live EP is an EP by the Australian pop rock duo The Veronicas. It was released on 1 August 2006 through the Urge website. It is only available for download and contains 4 live tracks including a new track, "Stay".-Track listing:...
which also features live performances of their songs including a new song, entitled "Stay".
The album has also had success in other countries such as New Zealand where it debuted at #5, #75 on the Dutch Album Charts and #11 in Belgium. Due to their chart success in Belgium, they won the award for Best International New Artist at the TMF Awards of 2006. "When It All Falls Apart" spent a record of 17 weeks of MTV Asia's Pop 10 Chart, in which 7 of them were at the number 1 spot. The song was recorded in Simlish and is featured in the Sims 2 expansion pack Seasons.
Lisa and Jessica are the faces of Choice Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
and Australian hair product company nu:u. Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine named included them in their list of hottest women in rock in 2006. The sisters sang the title song on the short-lived television show Related which had featured songs from their debut album. They appeared in an episode that aired 6 February 2006. In March 2006, their debut single "4ever" was featured in the Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Laura Bynes is an American actress, comedian, singer, and fashion designer. Bynes appeared in several successful television series, such as All That and The Amanda Show, on Nickelodeon in the mid to late 1990s and early 2000s, and in 2002, she starred in the TV series, What I Like About You...
comedy She's the Man
She's the Man
She's the Man is a 2006 American romantic comedy film directed by Andy Fickman, based on Twelfth Night, a play by William Shakespeare. The film stars Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, Laura Ramsey and Vinnie Jones....
. It was featured in the promotional television spots, the film itself and the soundtrack. Their song "Revolution" appeared in another Amanda Bynes film, "Sydney White
Sydney White
Sydney White is a 2007 teen comedy film starring Amanda Bynes, Sara Paxton, and Matt Long, and based on the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.-Plot:...
", in 2007.
The girls also appeared on The Suite Life of Zack & Cody episode "The Suite Life Goes Hollywood" as guest stars and performed their song "Cry". The twins have also created a fashion line called "The Veronicas for Target
Target (Australia)
Target Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian department store chain owned by Wesfarmers . It operates 172 Target stores and 119 Target Country stores making 291 combined stores with its head office located in North Geelong, Victoria. It sells clothing, cosmetics, toys, homewares, electrical and...
" which was released in stores on 25 August 2007 in Australia.
On 2 December 2006 The Veronicas released a CD/DVD, entitled Exposed... The Secret Life of The Veronicas
Exposed... The Secret Life of The Veronicas
Exposed... The Secret Life of The Veronicas is a CD/DVD release from the Australian Pop rock duo, The Veronicas released in Australian on December 2, 2006 ....
in Australia which features live performances from their Australian 2006 Revolution Tour and a DVD featuring parts of the sisters' live performances throughout 2005–2006, including footage that had previously not been seen, and their music videos. The album debuted at #6 on the ARIA DVD Charts accrediting platinum in its first week. The second week it rose to its peak of #3 and was accredited Double Platinum.
2007–2009: Hook Me Up
In 2007, the Veronicas began work on their second album. The album was written and recorded in Los Angeles with Toby GadToby Gad
Tobias "Toby" Gad is a Los Angeles-based hit producer and songwriter from Germany, perhaps best known for co-writing Fergie's Grammy nominated hit song "Big Girls Don't Cry" as well as co-writing and producing Beyoncé's worldwide #1 hit "If I Were a Boy", and The Veronicas multi-platinum #1...
, Billy Steinberg
Billy Steinberg
William Endfield "Billy" Steinberg is an American songwriter. He has achieved most of his success as part of a song writing team, most notably with Tom Kelly. He has also co-written several hit songs with Rick Nowels.-Biography:...
and John Feldmann
John Feldmann
John William Feldmann is an American musician and producer who is the lead singer/guitarist of the band Goldfinger. He is known as an animal rights advocate.- Music :...
.
Hook Me Up
Hook Me Up
Hook Me Up is the second studio album by Australian band The Veronicas, which was released on 3 November 2007 by Rhino Entertainment, Sire Records and London Records. The album shows a new direction in music for the duo – exploring a New Wave/electro-pop sound which was influenced by Los Angeles...
was released in Australia on 3 November 2007. The album debuted at number two on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart with sales of 9,531 copies in its first week, and was certified Gold. It has since gone 2x platinum. The album became the twenty-eighth highest selling album in Australia for 2007. Hook Me Up was released in the UK on 12 October 2009 and has peaked at number thirty-five.
The lead single from the album, "Hook Me Up
Hook Me Up (song)
"Hook Me Up" is a song by Australian duo The Veronicas for their second album, Hook Me Up. Produced by Greg Wells, it was released as the albums lead single in late 2007 in Australia. The downtempo, electropop-dance song is a change in direction from the pop rock sound from their previous album,...
", was added to Australian radio on 27 August 2007, but was physically released on 22 September 2007. It debuted at number five, eventually reaching number one after seven weeks on the ARIA Singles Chart, making it their first number one hit in Australia.
Untouched (song)
"Untouched" is an electropop song written by Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, and Toby Gad, produced by Gad for The Veronicas' second album Hook Me Up . It was released as the album's second single in Australia on 10 December 2007. The song is notable for becoming the band's breakout hit in the United...
" was the first single to be released from their album in the United States, Canada, Europe and New Zealand. The song reached number 2 in Australia eventually reaching platinum accredation. The song became their first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
first debuting at number sixty-two and eventually peaking at number seventeen making it their first top twenty hit in the United States. They became the first Australian artists to have a single Certified Platinum in the U.S. with over 1,000,000 paid downloads. It was also their debut single in the UK, peaking at number eight and in Ireland peaking at number one, their first international number-one single
Their third and fourth singles "This Love
This Love (The Veronicas song)
"This Love" is a dance-rock song written by Toby Gad and then-unknown pop singer Kesha, produced by Gad for The Veronicas second album Hook Me Up...
" and "Take Me on the Floor
Take Me on the Floor
"Take Me on the Floor" is a song by The Veronicas from their second album Hook Me Up. It was released to radio stations as their second single in the United States on 24 March 2009.. The song was used in promotional ads for the 2008 season of Australia's Dancing with the Stars...
" were both top ten hits hits in Australia and were both certified Gold. "Take Me on the Floor" was released as their second single in the U.S. but only peaked at number eighty-one.
On 11 October, their fifth single, "Popular
Popular (The Veronicas song)
"Popular" is the fifth single from Australian pop band The Veronicas' second studio album, Hook Me Up.-Writing and inspiration:"Popular" is a midtempo techno-house song that talks about being privileged. The Veronicas themselves said to Cameron Adams of Herald Sun that there is even a rap done by...
" was released digitally in Australia. It has only gained heavy airplay and peaked at #11 on the Australian Airplay Chart.
Their debut single "4ever" was rereleased as their second single in the UK and Ireland on 21 September 2009 and has peaked at number 17 in the UK and twenty in Ireland.
In support of the album, The Veronicas embarked on their third Australian tour The Hook Me Up Tour in 2007. The tour, which began on 30 November and concluded on 12 December, was held in eight major cities around Australia.
On 16 October 2008 The Veronicas announced their second tour for the album, Revenge Is Sweeter tour
Revenge Is Sweeter tour
The Revenge Is Sweeter tour is a tour by The Veronicas which was announced in November 2008.-Tour information:The sixteen date tour was their first to extend outside of Australia into New Zealand. The tour will begin on 13 February 2009 in Newcastle and conclude on 7 March 2009 in Dunedin, New...
, which was their first tour to extend into New Zealand, United States, Canada, UK and Japan beginning on 13 February 2009 in Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
, Australia and ending on 25 September 2009 in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, UK as well as a European promotional tour which included France, Germany and Italy.
As part of their tour in Japan they released a two disc compilation album called The Veronicas Complete
The Veronicas Complete
Complete is a compilation album by Australian band The Veronicas which was released in Japan on 18 March 2009 by Pony Canyon, and Latin America on 11 August 2009.-Information:...
featuring all their songs from their first and second albums as well as three bonus tracks on 18 March 2009. On September 2008 the nominees for the 22nd annual ARIA Awards
ARIA Music Awards of 2008
The 22nd Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards took place on 19 October 2008...
were announced, with The Veronicas receiving four nominations. Hook Me Up received 2 nominations for Best Pop Release and Highest Selling Album and Untouched and Hook Me Up (single) received a nomination for Highest Selling Single each. The Veronicas performed their hit single "Untouched
Untouched (song)
"Untouched" is an electropop song written by Jessica and Lisa Origliasso, and Toby Gad, produced by Gad for The Veronicas' second album Hook Me Up . It was released as the album's second single in Australia on 10 December 2007. The song is notable for becoming the band's breakout hit in the United...
" at the event, but left with no awards.
2010–present: Third studio album
Writing for their third studio album had begun in December 20092009 in music
The following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
, and recording in January 2010
2010 in music
2010 in music may refer to:*2010 in American music*2010 in Australian music*2010 in British music*2010 in Canadian music*2010 in European music *2010 in Irish music*2010 in Japanese music*2010 in New Zealand music...
. The album, which cites influences by classical music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
, classical rock and pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
genres, will be their first release in over three years. Jessica Origliasso stated that the album will be inspired by artists The Subways
The Subways
The Subways are an English alternative rock / indie rock band. Their debut album, Young For Eternity, was released on 4 July 2005 in the UK and February 14, 2006 in the U.S. Their second album, All or Nothing, was released on 30 June 2008 and their third album Money and Celebrity debuted on the...
, The Dead Weather
The Dead Weather
The Dead Weather is an American alternative rock supergroup, formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 2009. Composed of Alison Mosshart , Jack White , Dean Fertita and Jack Lawrence , The Dead Weather debuted at the opening of Third Man Records' Nashville...
, Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith...
, Ladytron
Ladytron
Ladytron are an English electronic band formed in 1999 in Liverpool, Merseyside. The group consists of Helen Marnie , Mira Aroyo , Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu .Their sound blends electropop with New Wave and shoegazing elements. Ladytron described their sound as "electronic pop"...
and Peaches
Peaches (musician)
Merrill Beth Nisker , better known by her stage name Peaches, is a Canadian electronic musician and performance artist who lives in Berlin, Germany. Her songs are noted for disregarding traditional gender norms and their use of sexually explicit lyrics...
. Lisa and Jessica Origliasso have described the album as "[...] a little different from [...] the last two records" and "[...] a pop record [with] different undertones."
Lending their vocals elsewhere, Lisa and Jessica also collaborated with Michael Paynter
Michael Paynter
Michael Paynter , is an Australian singer-songwriter. Paynter has released four singles, "Closer", "A Victim Song", "Love the Fall" and "How Sweet It Is", from his upcoming debut studio album, This Welcome Diversion is set for a release in 2011.-Early life:Paynter began playing instruments from a...
to record a song called "Love the Fall
Love the Fall
"Love The Fall" is the third single released from Australian singer Michael Paynter's upcoming debut studio album, This Welcome Diversion. The single features backing vocals of The Veronicas, who Paynter had met at the 2008 ARIA Music Awards, and became "best friends ever since". The single was...
" for his homonymous EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. The song peaked at number nineteen on the ARIA Charts
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
. They also revealed in February 2011 that they had recorded backing vocals for Cherie Currie's
Cherie Currie
Cherie Currie is an American singer, actress and chainsaw artist. Currie was the lead vocalist of The Runaways, a hard rock band from Los Angeles in the mid-to-late 1970s.-Life and career:...
new album. Additionally The Veronicas recorded a cover version of the song "Grown-Up Christmas List
Grown-Up Christmas List
"Grown-Up Christmas List" is a Christmas song composed by David Foster and Linda Thompson-Jenner , and originally recorded by Foster for his 1990 non-holiday album River of Love. Though it was also released as a single, the song was not a hit upon its first appearance...
", by singer Amy Grant
Amy Grant
Amy Lee Grant is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, media personality and actress, best known for her Christian music. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christian Pop"...
, for the Christmas compilation album The Spirit of Christmas 2010
The Spirit of Christmas 2010
The Spirit of Christmas 2010 is part of the Spirit of Christmas album series.-Track listing:#"Joy to the World" - Christine Anu featuring Casey Donovan & Hollie Andrew#"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Troy Cassar Daley...
.
Philanthropy
In 2006, The Veronicas joined Steve IrwinSteve Irwin
Stephen Robert "Steve" Irwin , nicknamed "The Crocodile Hunter", was an Australian television personality, wildlife expert, and conservationist. Irwin achieved worldwide fame from the television series The Crocodile Hunter, an internationally broadcast wildlife documentary series which he co-hosted...
's Wildlife Warriors Worldwide, a charity that deals with the protection of animals and their natural environments. The band was also featured in an Australian public service announcement campaign against music piracy
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
targeting schools, labeled Australian Music In Tune. Other successful Australian artists included were Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
, Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
and Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
.
Work for this charity has included a texting competition to reach two-thousand text messages in the hopes of raising one thousand dollars.
In January 2009, it was announced Jess would pose nude for PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
after getting attention from a member of the organization.
Lisa also marched alongside Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore
Drew Blyth Barrymore is an American actress, film director, screenwriter, producer and model. She is a member of the Barrymore family of American actors and granddaughter of John Barrymore. She first appeared in an advertisement when she was 11 months old. Barrymore made her film debut in Altered...
, Pete Wentz, Janice Dickinson
Janice Dickinson
Janice Doreen Dickinson is an American actress, author, fashion photographer, model and talent agent.Initially notable as a model, she has described herself as the first supermodel. One of the most successful models throughout the 1970s and 1980s, she expanded her profession to reality television...
and other celebrities in support of gay marriage in California at a May 2009 march in Los Angeles protesting the 26 May 2009 decision of the California Supreme Court ruling upholding Proposition 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
.
They also joined a "Wear it with Pride" campaign to reform same-sex laws in Australia for the 85 legislative changes made in 2010 to overturn discrimination against same-sex couples and their families. The campaign involved them wearing numbered T-shirts representing each legislative change. In 2010 Lisa and Jessica were honoured as Wildlife Warriors of the year for their efforts in publicizing animal protection and conservation on a worldwide scale.
Products and endorsements
The Veronicas range of endorsements have included Australian hair products Nu:U and were also chosen to be the faces of the fall 2005 promotional campaign for Choice Calvin KleinCalvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc. in 1968. In addition to clothing, Klein has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewelry....
range. In 2006 they entered into a co-marketing deal with shoe brand Keds
Keds
Keds is a brand of canvas shoe with rubber soles, introduced in 1916 by U.S. Rubber , later acquired by Stride Rite, and currently owned by Collective Brands....
for their first US tour. The deal included web promotions and in-store acoustic performances at selected stores.
On 27 January 2010 they announced via twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that they had signed a deal with cosmetic
Cosmetics
Cosmetics are substances used to enhance the appearance or odor of the human body. Cosmetics include skin-care creams, lotions, powders, perfumes, lipsticks, fingernail and toe nail polish, eye and facial makeup, towelettes, permanent waves, colored contact lenses, hair colors, hair sprays and...
brand Flirt!, a division of Estée Lauder
Estée Lauder Companies
Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The company has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
, to be the faces of their "Rock-n-Rebel" fragrance. They became ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s for the fragrance with the deal to including a multi-million dollar
Dollar
The dollar is the name of the official currency of many countries, including Australia, Belize, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, and the United States.-Etymology:...
promotion during mid-2010 which also included giving make-up tips via the Rock-n-Rebel website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
and judged a beauty contest where young women were asked to submit photos of their "ultimate rock star style".
On 25 August 2007, The Veronicas launched their self-titled fashion line at Target Miranda store and is available in stores around Australia. According to the girls the fashion line was created to reflect their style which had been sought after by their younger fans and what they would like to see younger girls wear. Aimed at seven-fourteen year old girls Lisa described the fashion line as "[...]punk princess, mixed with rock 'n' roll," and Jess described it as "[...] princess and cute." The colours used for their fashion line include black and white and also features cherries, pirate motifs and love heart details. The current clothing range includes day-wear and pyjamas.
Studio albums
- The Secret Life of...The Secret Life Of... (album)The Secret Life of... is the debut studio album by Australian pop rock band The Veronicas, released on 17 October 2005 on Sire Records. It reached #2 in Australia and is certified 4x platinum. The album also reached #5 in New Zealand and #3 in the Billboard Top Heatseekers. The Secret Life of......
(2005) - Hook Me UpHook Me UpHook Me Up is the second studio album by Australian band The Veronicas, which was released on 3 November 2007 by Rhino Entertainment, Sire Records and London Records. The album shows a new direction in music for the duo – exploring a New Wave/electro-pop sound which was influenced by Los Angeles...
(2007) - Awakening (2012)