Miranda Cosgrove

Miranda Cosgrove has made a name for herself starring as the title character of Nickelodeon’s No. 1 cable show iCarly, and now the 16-year-old actress is ready to take on a new challenge: following her first love, music. Fans of the upbeat, sweet-spirited girl have already heard samples of Cosgrove’s gorgeous voice – she sang the theme song for iCarly, contributed three additional songs to the iCarly Soundtrack and released a 5-song EP called About You Now in February 2009. Now, the Los Angeles native is showcasing her innate musical talent on her debut solo album, Sparks Fly, which will be released on April 27, 2010.

Cosgrove began playing guitar at age 8, and has been largely influenced by her parents’ collection of music including time-tested rockers like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Clash. Although she’s been performing since she was a child, she only discovered her passion for making music after recording the iCarly theme song. “I was always shy about singing, even though I’ve been taken singing lessons for a long time,” she says. “Getting to go into the studio and actually record a song made me realize how much I really enjoyed it and wanted to do it. That’s what made me want to make an album.”

The result is Sparks Fly, a high-energy pop rock album, which incorporates many of Cosgrove’s influences such as modern hit makers like Gwen Stefani, Beyonce and Lily Allen. The Nickelodeon star co-wrote several songs on Sparks Fly, including the first single, “Kissin U,” from which the album got its title. “Sparks fly” are the first two words of the song, and since “Kissin U” is the first track on the record, the phrase also kicks off the entire album.

Miranda Cosgrove co-wrote “Kissin U” with Claude Kelly (Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus) and produced by Dr. Luke (Kelly Clarkson, Ke$ha), whom Cosgrove already greatly admired. “He’s done, like, almost every one of the Top 20 songs on my iPod,” she says of the lauded producer. As for the inspiration of the infectious lead single, Cosgrove says that she wrote the song about her current crush. “It’s about a guy that I really like,” she admits. “I haven’t told him that the song’s about him. I’m kind of just waiting for him to figure it out, but he hasn’t said anything yet.”

All of the songs on Cosgrove’s debut album are about boys and first loves, subject matter that’s hardly far-fetched – the teen sensation and her friends are “always talking about our relationships and stuff.” But Cosgrove’s songs also have cross-generational appeal. Tracks like the synth-laden “Bam,” the confessional pop smash “Disgusting” and the club banger “Oh Oh” all feature irresistible hooks, and are nearly impossible to forget – no matter how old the listener is.

Following the release of Sparks Fly, the multi-talented star will embark on her first-ever tour with a live band. Cosgrove will be able to show her fans a new side of herself, and remind audiences why she’s in a league of her own. “I used to always think I was just going to be an actress, but now I’m leaning towards music and singing too,” she says. “In the beginning, I didn’t really think about my sound too much. I was just trying to figure out the kind of music that was really me and my thing. But my songs are about the experiences I’ve been through, and when I’m singing them, I try to put myself into it, so hopefully my music just reflects me.”