Jesse McCartney

Jesse McCartney (born April 9, 1987) is an American actor and singer-songwriter.

He achieved fame in the late 1990s on the daytime drama All My Children as JR Chandler.

He later joined boy band Dream Street, and eventually branched out into a solo musical career.

In 1998, he sang with the group Sugar Beats and can be heard on their 1998, 1999, and 2000 CD releases.

In 1999, McCartney joined the American pop boy band Dream Street, and was a member until 2002.

He described the experience as a good "stepping stone" for his solo career.

The group earned a gold record with their debut CD.

At fifteen, he began work on a solo career with a local band, featuring musicians Dillon Kondor (guitar), Peter Chema (bass), Katie Spencer (keyboards), Alex Russeku (drums), Karina LaGravinese (background vocals), Sharisse Francisco (background vocals), and under the management of Ginger McCartney and Sherry Goffin Kondor, who co-produced his first album Beautiful Soul.

McCartney released his first solo EP in July 2003.

The album featured three songs: "Beautiful Soul", "Don't You", "Why Don't You Kiss Her".

McCartney's music career began in 2004 with his debut album Beautiful Soul.

Leavin', a single from his third album Departure, reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is his best-selling song.

His most recent album, New Stage, was released in 2021.

In 2004, he performed a duet with Anne Hathaway, "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", which is featured on the Ella Enchanted soundtrack.

McCartney's debut solo album, Beautiful Soul, which was two years in the making, was released on September 28, 2004 in the United States and over a year later in Europe.

He categorized it as a "pop record" with twists of urban.

The album featured four songs that he co-wrote.

Beautiful Soul reached number 15 on the Billboard 200.

McCartney was one of the artists to win multiple awards at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards, including Choice Crossover Artist, Choice Male Artist and Choice Breakout, Male.

The following year, he won Favorite Male Singer at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

His first headlining tour, also named Beautiful Soul, began on May 2, 2005 at the Crest Theatre in Sacramento, California.

The United States portion of the tour spanned 56 stops, ending on September 10, 2005 at the Madera District County Fair in Madera, California.

In the fall of 2005, McCartney toured Australia, and opened for the Backstreet Boys in Europe in the summer of 2005.

His July 9 performance at California's Great America in Santa Clara, California was recorded, released as Live: The Beautiful Soul Tour in November 2005.

After the filming of Keith wrapped, McCartney began working on his second album, Right Where You Want Me, co-writing all but one of the songs featured in it.

Right Where You Want Me is more mature than his debut, reflecting his musical and personal growth since he recorded his debut album at age 15.

By mid-2006, the album sold more than 1.5 million copies.

The album's lead single of the same name reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Released by Hollywood Records on September 19, 2006, the album reached number 14 on the Billboard 200.

Additionally, McCartney has appeared on shows such as Law & Order: SVU, Summerland, and Greek. McCartney also is known for lending his voice as Theodore in Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007), Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009), Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015) as well as voicing JoJo McDodd in Horton Hears a Who (2008), Robin/Nightwing in Young Justice, and Roxas and Ventus in the video game series Kingdom Hearts developed by Square Enix.

McCartney is also known for co-writing "Bleeding Love", which became a worldwide hit for Leona Lewis in 2007.

McCartney was born in Ardsley, Westchester, New York, the son of Ginger and Scott McCartney.

He began performing in local community musicals at the age of seven, when he debuted his role in Oliver!, before joining the national tour of The King and I at age ten along with Phil of the Future star Ricky Ullman.

There he played the character of Louis.

In the fall of 2007, McCartney co-wrote the hit song "Bleeding Love" with Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, produced by McCartney and Tedder for McCartney's third album, but gave it away to British singer Leona Lewis for her debut album Spirit.

McCartney released his third album, Departure, on May 20, 2008 in the United States and Canada.

Musically, it is a departure from his early works, showcasing more mature themes.

The album has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting over one million units of shipment to US retailers; it is his highest-certified album as of early 2009.

The song was nominated for Record of the Year at the 2009 Grammy Awards.

McCartney recorded his own version, which was released on some editions of his Departure album.