Alex Gonzalez is a contributor to GRAMMY.com
When Eminem first released his single "Stan" — a fictional tale of a fan whose devotion takes a deadly turn — the concept of parasocial relationships with celebrities was nothing new. In the years before the 2000 track became a smash, celebrities like Rebecca Schaeffer, John Lennon, and Selena Quintanilla all fell victim to fans-turned-stalkers. In some cases, those fans…
When Christina Aguilera began working on her second album, Stripped, she had what every pop star dreams of: multiple No. 1 hits, a No. 1 album, a headlining tour. But she was unhappy, and Linda Perry could see that when they got in the studio together. Perry is the sole songwriter/producer of "Beautiful," which is not only one of Aguilera's…
When Mary Lambert recorded the chorus of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Same Love" in early 2012, she was working three jobs. An aspiring singer/songwriter on the side, Lambert landed the feature through her peer in Seattle's art scene, Hollis Wong-Wear, who had worked with Macklemore and Lewis on their track "White Walls." It was a big opportunity for Lambert, as…
