Artist info:
Also known asCarly Hennessy
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Albums1
Songs16
AboutCarly Smithson (real name Carly Sarah Hennessy), formerly known as Carly Hennessy, is an Irish singer, born on September 12, 1983 in Dublin, Ireland to parents Marie Murray & Luke Hennessy. After living 6 months in Dublin, Smithson & her parents moved to Johannesburg, South Africa. She lived there till they moved back to Dublin when she was 4 years old. She started singing at the age of around 4 & also has some experience with acting. She was featured in advertisements for Denny's Sausage (a product of England) for 3 years, starting at the age of 5. In 1990 she played Young Marianne in Fools of Fortune. 2 years later in 1992 she joined the cast of Les Misérables & starred as Little Cosette in Ireland. When Smithson was 10, she released her an independent CD: Carly's Christmas Album in the UK. When she was 14, her parents separated. A year later, Carly & her father moved to the United States in order for Carly to pursue a career in music.
Musical background
Before her marriage to Todd Smithson, Carly Smithson (as Carly Hennessy) released an album for MCA Records called Ultimate High in 2001. Smithson has stated that the album didn't have the opportunity to find an audience, due to the record company's merger with a parent company. Though some established artists like Sheryl Crow survived the merger, yet-to-be-released artists did not : Carly's album was released, but with limited promotion. Consequently, it sold just 300 copies in the first 3 months. There were reports that MCA Records spent over $2 million on the production & promotion of Carly's album. However, this $2 million dollar figure included production & publishing costs for songwriters & artists already being paid by MCA & not specifically relevant to Carly's album. The album was released on November 13, 2001. Smithson recorded "Just Missed the Train" on her 2001 album & Kelly Clarkson recorded the same song on her 2003 release, Thankful.
Following her success as Carly Smithson on American Idol, copies of Ultimate High are popping up on shelves of Borders Bookstores & Virgin Records stores. The album & the music video for "I'm Gonna Blow Your Mind", is also available as a download on iTunes. For a brief period of time after Carly's elimination, the album made a peak in the Top 10 of Amazon's Top Selling Digital Albums, as well as being featured on the MP3 homepage.
Post-Idol
After she was eliminated from American Idol, Smithson appeared on talk shows, including Live with Regis and Kelly, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Access Hollywood, Today and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Smithson completed the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008, which ran from July 1, 2008 to September 12, 2008. She performed "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence, "Crazy on You" by Heart, and "I Drove All Night" by Cyndi Lauper. Smithson returned to Idol during its eighth season, as a mentor to contestants taking part in Boot Camp Training during "Hollywood Week". This footage ended on the cutting room floor. Later, during the February 18, 2009 live semifinals results show, Smithson and fellow season 7 contestant Michael Johns performed "The Letter", a song they had also performed for the Idol finale the previous season. She also appeared in the season 8 Grand Finale, where she served as a correspondent covering the events of the celebration in San Diego, Adam Lambert's hometown.
Two of Smithson's own original songs, called "Lie With Me" and "Let Me Fall", have been recorded and are also in a LA Times Interview video of Carly recording songs for her album. In the interview, Smithson reveals that "pop rock" is what she wants to do and she adds "I don't want to go too hard rock or too pop". Smithson was putting the finishing touches on her post-Idol album when it was announced on June 18, 2009, that she would be joining forces with Evanescence co-founder Ben Moody in a new band called We Are The Fallen, thought to be named after Evanescence's first album. The solo album Smithson had been recording was reportedly scrapped.
On October 28, 2009, it was announced that We Are The Fallen, along with Smithson, have signed with Universal Republic. The band has finished recording their first album and it was released on May 11, 2010. After touring and releasing two singles, it was announced that the band was dropped by Universal Republic on May 27, 2011 but they would not be disbanding.
Musical background
Before her marriage to Todd Smithson, Carly Smithson (as Carly Hennessy) released an album for MCA Records called Ultimate High in 2001. Smithson has stated that the album didn't have the opportunity to find an audience, due to the record company's merger with a parent company. Though some established artists like Sheryl Crow survived the merger, yet-to-be-released artists did not : Carly's album was released, but with limited promotion. Consequently, it sold just 300 copies in the first 3 months. There were reports that MCA Records spent over $2 million on the production & promotion of Carly's album. However, this $2 million dollar figure included production & publishing costs for songwriters & artists already being paid by MCA & not specifically relevant to Carly's album. The album was released on November 13, 2001. Smithson recorded "Just Missed the Train" on her 2001 album & Kelly Clarkson recorded the same song on her 2003 release, Thankful.
Following her success as Carly Smithson on American Idol, copies of Ultimate High are popping up on shelves of Borders Bookstores & Virgin Records stores. The album & the music video for "I'm Gonna Blow Your Mind", is also available as a download on iTunes. For a brief period of time after Carly's elimination, the album made a peak in the Top 10 of Amazon's Top Selling Digital Albums, as well as being featured on the MP3 homepage.
Post-Idol
After she was eliminated from American Idol, Smithson appeared on talk shows, including Live with Regis and Kelly, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Access Hollywood, Today and The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Smithson completed the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2008, which ran from July 1, 2008 to September 12, 2008. She performed "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence, "Crazy on You" by Heart, and "I Drove All Night" by Cyndi Lauper. Smithson returned to Idol during its eighth season, as a mentor to contestants taking part in Boot Camp Training during "Hollywood Week". This footage ended on the cutting room floor. Later, during the February 18, 2009 live semifinals results show, Smithson and fellow season 7 contestant Michael Johns performed "The Letter", a song they had also performed for the Idol finale the previous season. She also appeared in the season 8 Grand Finale, where she served as a correspondent covering the events of the celebration in San Diego, Adam Lambert's hometown.
Two of Smithson's own original songs, called "Lie With Me" and "Let Me Fall", have been recorded and are also in a LA Times Interview video of Carly recording songs for her album. In the interview, Smithson reveals that "pop rock" is what she wants to do and she adds "I don't want to go too hard rock or too pop". Smithson was putting the finishing touches on her post-Idol album when it was announced on June 18, 2009, that she would be joining forces with Evanescence co-founder Ben Moody in a new band called We Are The Fallen, thought to be named after Evanescence's first album. The solo album Smithson had been recording was reportedly scrapped.
On October 28, 2009, it was announced that We Are The Fallen, along with Smithson, have signed with Universal Republic. The band has finished recording their first album and it was released on May 11, 2010. After touring and releasing two singles, it was announced that the band was dropped by Universal Republic on May 27, 2011 but they would not be disbanding.
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