Kara DioGuardi is a Grammy-nominated hit songwriter, producer, Warner Brothers Records executive, music publisher, author, broadway performer, and TV personality. Her honors include BMI Pop Songwriter of the Year Award, NAMM Music For Life Award, NMPA Songwriter Icon Award, and she’s received more than 20 other Awards for co-writing the most performed songs on the radio.
As one of the most successful contemporary songwriters in the world, Kara’s songs have appeared on more than 160 million albums. She has had over 50 charting singles with artists such as Pink, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Rascal Flatts, Gwen Stefani, Enrique Iglesias, Celine Dion, The Band Perry, Leona Lewis, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Natasha Bedingfield, Avril Lavigne, Santana, Meatloaf, and Darius Rucker, to name a few. Kara was also a judge on seasons 8 and 9 of the hit FOX show “American Idol.” Her book, “A Helluva High Note: Surviving Life, Love & American Idol”, was released in 2011. Later that year, she also made her Broadway debut as Roxy Hart, in Chicago.
Her company Arthouse Entertainment, remains one of the most successful boutique publishers in the world, with hits by Bruno Mars, Eminem, Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, and Cee Lo Green.
In 2007, Kara partnered with the Phoenix House, a national drug rehabilitation center, to create recording studios in five of their facilities and allow their residents an emotional safe haven to help them in their recovery. She also works closely with the Columbus Citizen’s Foundation and has funded a scholarship in her family’s name to help financially challenged students from Italian descent attend college.
Kara is also a Herb Alpert visiting scholar at the renowned Berklee College of Music, where she teaches a hit songwriting class each fall semester.
