Brianna Taylor

Brianna Taylor (born May 30, 1987) is a reality show personality, singer and songwriter, having appeared on both the fifth season of "American Idol" and "", the twentieth season of MTV's long-running reality television series, "The Real World". She also released her debut, self-titled EP, "Brianna Taylor", in 2008, [cite news| last =Tady| first =Scott| title =Surprise, surprise| page =| publisher ="Beaver County Times"| date =2008-06-08| url =http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/news/article.asp?docKey=600-200806081310KRTRIB__BUSNEWS_37889-2VHOQF9CDEKQB75IEGTSET8DOI&timestamp=06/08/2008%201:10%20PM%20ET&headline=Beaver%20County%20Times%2C%20Pa.%2C%20Scott%20Tady%20column%3A%20Sarah%20smiles%20%5BBeaver%20County%20Times%2C%20Pa.%5D&docSource=Knight%20Ridder/Tribune&provider=ACQUIREMEDIA&symbol=CMCSA.O Dead link|date=July 2008| accessdate =2008-07-03] on Chamberlain Records, and according to that label's website was later picked up by Universal Music.cite news| last =Gross| first =Dan| title =Exotic dancer gets 'Real'| page =31| publisher ="Philadelphia Daily News"| date =2008-04-09| ] cite news| last =Sokol| first =Rachel| title =The Real World's Brianna Taylor| page =| publisher ="Beyond Race"| date =June 2008| url =http://www.beyondracemagazine.com/index.php/articles/Features/53-features/481-the-real-worlds-brianna-taylor| accessdate =2008-07-04 ]

Biography

Taylor is of African American, German, and Puerto Rican descent. [ [http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/news/article_1401563.php/MTVs_Real_World_Hollywood_video_preview "MTV's Real World: Hollywood video preview"; monstersandcritics.com; April 24, 2008] ] Her mother, Yvonne, raised Brianna and her sister, Victoria, from birth as a single mother. They lived first in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia before moving to Warrington Township. [cite news| last =White| first =Eric| title =A Real World opportunity that was almost passed by| page =| publisher ="The Intelligencer"| date =2008-04-16| url =http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/111-04162008-1519866.html| accessdate =2008-07-04 ]

Taylor attended Central Bucks High School East in Buckingham Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, graduating in 2005. [cite news| last =Lauer-Williams| first =Kathy| title =Bucks 'Idol' hopeful fails to make finalist cut: Warwick Township native says she will continue to pursue her singing career| page =A16| publisher ="The Morning Call"| date =2006-02-16| ] She also attended Golden Slipper Camp for Boys and Girls. There is where she found her love for singing.

Taylor never took singing lessons, but after gaining experience singing at weddings and shopping malls, and with her grandmother as her vocal coach, [cite news| last =Lauer-Williams| first =Kathy| title =Could Bucks County have another 'American Idol' finalist this season? | page =E5| publisher ="The Morning Call"| date =2006-02-14| ] she auditioned for the popular singing competition, "American Idol" during that show's fifth season and reached the Top 44 before eventually being eliminated. [cite news| last =| first =| title =Bucks woman vies for top 24 'Idol' spot| page =E5| publisher ="The Morning Call"| date =2006-02-15| ]

Before auditioning for "The Real World" (and eventually being cast in its 20th anniversary season), Taylor was an exotic dancer for two years at Double Visions in Horsham Township, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia.cite news| last =Klein| first =Michael| title =Fierce| page =C2| publisher ="Philadelphia Inquirer"| date =2008-04-15| url =| accessdate = ] While living in Philadelphia, Taylor maintained a volatile relationship with an ex-boyfriend and, at one point, a violent argument resulted in Taylor's arrest and eventual guilty plea to a reduced charge of harassment, which Taylor was later forced to deal with during an early episode of her season of "The Real World". In the second episode of the series, she reveals that she had battled an addiction to crystal meth and cocaine as early as two months prior to being cast on the show. [ [http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/realworld-season20/episode/episode.jhtml?episodeId=134974 Summary page for Episode 2 of "The Real World: Hollywood" ("Let's Not Get Ghetto") at mtv.com] ] [ [http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1585753&vid=227212 Video of "The Real World: Hollywood", Episode 2 at mtv.com] ]

During the show, Brianna develops a mutual attraction for fellow roommate Joey Kovar, but is later disturbed by how he behaves while intoxicated. She also returns to Philadelphia to resolve her legal troubles during the run of her season, and is picked up to record several songs of her own as well as perform live with Alex Band, formerly of the band The Calling. In the show, she is also offered a song by Matthew Bair of the powerpop band Bandcamp. [cite news| last =Gamboa| first =Glenn| title =The Long Island Sound: Bandcamp calls it quits| page =| publisher ="Newsday"| date =2008-06-22| url =http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/ny-ffcol5731845jun22,0,807293.column| accessdate =2008-07-03 ]

Taylor's debut self-titled EP, "Brianna Taylor", was co-produced by Tomas Costanza, of the band Diffuser, and Matthew Bair, who is now a guitarist with Eve 6. The first single, "Summertime," was released in 2008. As of July 22, 2008, Brianna's self-titled EP was the 16th most-purchased album on iTunes and sold over 60,000 copies. [ [http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/music/blog/2008/07/real_world_alum_brianna_taylor.html "'Real World' alum Brianna Taylor gets hit with Long Island help"; newsday.com; July 22, 2008] ] [ [http://www.mm-agency.com/blog/mtv-real-world/brianna-taylor-real-world-hollywood-top-20-itunes/3288/ Martin, Michael; "Brianna Taylor of Real World Hollywood in the Top 20 of iTunes"; mm-agency.com; July 24, 2008] ]

Television work

*"" (MTV; 2008) Herself
*"American Idol" (FOX; 2005) Herself

Discography

*"Brianna Taylor" (EP) (Chamberlain Records; 2008)

References

External links

* [http://realworld.mtv.com/ The Real World Official Site]
* [http://www.realworlddailies.com/ The Real World Dailies]
* [http://www.myspace.com/briannataylorofficial/ Brianna Taylor] at MySpace