Josie Aiello

Josie Aiello is an American singer-songwriter originally from Chicago, Illinois. Her albums include Unkunvenshunal Girl, Where I Am, and Ashes to Beauty. She is known for her pop vocals on Music & Songs from Starlight Express, including the duet "Only You" with Peter Hewlett. She has recorded background vocals for numerous film soundtracks including Dinosaur, The Thing You Do, and The Guardian, and for musical artists such as Kenny Loggins, Cheryl Cole, Jennifer Lopez, and Ciara.

Early life and education Aiello got her start as a performer singing at her family's Sicilian restaurant, Cas and Lou's, in the north side of Chicago, where she worked from the age of nine. In 1978, she was featured in the Chicago Tribune, which described her as a "polished entertainer" at the age of twelve: "Josie's powerful singing voice – à la Barbra Streisand, her idol – is perfectly on key, filled with emotion and depth." She graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts in 1984, with honors from the arts department, and attended DePaul University. In 1987, Aiello recorded five songs for the MCA Records release of the Andrew Lloyd Webber original cast recording album Music & Songs from Starlight Express, She also recorded vocals for the soundtrack of the Francis Ford Coppola film Dear Me and a duet with Plácido Domingo. her unique take on contemporary dance-pop. featuring R&B-influences.

Critical reception Qwest positioned Aiello as "a nice fit between Tori Amos and Alanis Morissette, with the soul of Chaka Khan". Her debut album, Unkunvenshunal Girl, was noted for its "too cute title", Unrated Magazine said that her second album, Where I Am, had the intensity of her first album, but "chills out vocals with music and incorporates neo-soul with hip-hop, Latin and world beat rhythms". Sarah Brightman – Love Changes Everything (2005) Connie Fisher – Secret Love (2009)

Filmography Year Title Notes 1984 Body Rock Vocals / singing 1985 Seven Minutes in Heaven Vocals / singing 1996 That Thing You Do! Vocalist 1999 The Out-of-Towners Vocals / singing 2000 To the Max Vocalist 2006 The Guardian Singer – Chicago Catz