Kaci Battaglia

Kaci Lyn Battaglia (/ˈkeɪsiˌbətæɡˈliːə/ KAY-see-bə-tag-LEE-ə; born October 3, 1987, in Clearwater, Florida), also known mononymously as Kaci, is an American former singer, songwriter and dancer. She gained international recognition in 2001 with her hit single "Paradise", which reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart,^[1] and was followed by further chart success in the early 2000s. Later in her career, Battaglia achieved additional prominence on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart with singles including "Crazy Possessive" and "Body Shots", both of which reached number one.^[2]

Battaglia was born in Clearwater, Florida, and raised in nearby Seminole.^[3]

At the age of three, she discovered her passion for singing. “I used to beg my dad to go to this restaurant to sing karaoke,” she recalled.^[4][5] She was raised in a musically supportive family. Her mother, Donna Stanmore, actively guided her early career, accompanying her to rehearsals and performances.^[4][5] Her stepfather, Chuck Stanmore, supported her by managing household responsibilities, such as caring for the family’s pets when she and her mother were traveling for her career.^[4][5] Her father, Dan Battaglia, is a musician, and from a young age, she was encouraged by her grandfather, former Tampa Tribune publisher (and self-styled pianist) Jack Butcher.^[6]

As her confidence grew, Battaglia began performing the national anthem at sporting events, marking her first regular public appearances as a vocalist, and also entertained Florida Governor Lawton Chiles at a luncheon.^[7] She also performed in concert with local jazz and gospel singer Belinda Womack.^[7][8] At age eight, she had sung the national anthem before large crowds, including an appearance at Yankee Stadium in New York in front of an audience reported at 80,000 people.^[9] Her father, Dan Battaglia, fondly recalls how Kaci was always certain of her direction in life, saying, "She was never scared. She always knew what she wanted to do."^[6]

Alongside singing, Battaglia pursued acting work during childhood. At age nine, she appeared in her first commercial for Walt Disney World and later had a leading child role in a Disney television Christmas special.^[4][5]

Singing came naturally to her; a 1998 profile in the Tampa Bay Times noted that she sang regularly around the house — in the shower, in the pool — singing for her parents, friends and even her dogs.^[4][7] From a young age, Battaglia knew she wanted to pursue music: she recalled in a 2001 interview that her parents "wanted me to be a veterinarian or a marine biologist. I said 'No.' I want to be a singer.' ^[10] As she continued to develop her vocal abilities, she performed at additional public events, including children's summer concerts in City Hall Park.^[7] The same profile reported that she travelled at least once a week to Thompson Studio in Orlando for voice lessons, making the 110-mile journey with her mother.^[7] At age 10, the profile noted that Battaglia had already recorded two compact discs and had developed a local following through frequent live performances, and at that time went by the name Kaci Lyn.^[7][11] She cited Judy Garland, Celine Dion, and Gloria Estefan as influences, admiring Garland for her acting and singing versatility, Dion for her powerful voice, and Estefan for her Latin music and vocal style.^[12]

Battaglia attended Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she was active in basketball and track, and frequently sang the national anthem at school events. Her Christian faith was an important part of her upbringing.^[6] As her professional commitments intensified at age 12, she transitioned to homeschooling, with her mother serving as her tutor since regular schooling had become impractical.^[12] Contemporary reports from 2001 noted that she was studying Spanish during this period.^[11] She later completed coursework—including a college algebra final as part of her studies and enrolled in a computer algebra course at St. Petersburg College in 2002, while expressing plans to pursue a degree in business.^[4][5]

Vocal coach Ron Thomp, who worked with Battaglia during her early career, praised her vocal ability in a 1998 profile, describing her as having exceptional vocal talent.^[7] Around the same time, she also appeared in print advertisements for household products, including Wisk and Snuggle.^[7]

By late 1998, Battaglia had pursued further acting opportunities and appeared in the direct-to-video family film Camp Tanglefoot: It All Adds Up, which was released in 1999.^[13][14][15] Created by entertainer Gregg Russell, the film centres on a children’s summer camp and incorporates music and moral themes.^[14][15] Filmed at Camp Highlander in North Carolina and distributed by 3G Entertainment through Tommy Nelson, the production was intended as part of a planned video series.^[14][15][16]

In 1999, in pursuit of her acting career, Battaglia went to Los Angeles with her mother for pilot season (the annual period when U.S. television networks audition and produce pilot episodes for potential new series). While there, her mother saw an advertisement in a newspaper seeking an 18–25-year-old male singer and sent a photograph and demo recording of her daughter.^[9] Despite not fitting the original brief, the demo attracted the attention of songwriter and producer Joel Diamond, who, impressed by her demo at age 11, invited her for a live audition.^[13] Her confident a cappella performance reportedly confirmed his belief in her star potential, and he became her manager.^[13][12] This led to her recording Paradise and signing a recording contract with Curb Records, with Battaglia later recalling that her mother’s initiative had led to the opportunity.^[9][12][13] Battaglia initially used the name Kaci Lyn, but later dropped “Lyn”; her publicist stated that the name was considered “too country”.^[11]

In December 1999, Battaglia performed I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus on a local public access television Christmas special produced by Steven “Stefio” Fiorenza. The programme had been recorded earlier that year, when she was 11.^[17]

Outside of performing, Battaglia also played softball and basketball during childhood, including participation in competitive Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball, balancing sports alongside performances and auditions.^[7][13] She expressed an interest in Harry Potter and caring for pets, including dogs, birds, and a cat, as noted in contemporary profiles during her early career.^[4][5]

At age nine, Battaglia recorded a Christmas album for her family and friends. At age 10, she recorded A Thousand Stars, an album produced by her mother, Donna, which she later independently released. The album featured multiple songs, including five written by singer-songwriter Bobby Goldsboro. A portion of the proceeds from A Thousand Stars went to a local housing project for the homeless.^[13] Following the success of her independent album, Battaglia began seeking a recording contract.

During this time, she caught the attention of record producer Joel Diamond when her mother asked him to audition her. Diamond became her manager and produced her first single "Paradise". After hearing a recording, Mike Curb contacted Diamond and expressed interest in signing her to Curb Records. Although other labels, including Arista, Columbia, and Jive, were considered, she ultimately signed with Curb in 2000 at age 12, beginning her professional recording career.^[3][4][18] Her debut music video was filmed at the Santa Monica Pier in August 2000.^[11]

Diamond was involved in her early career, and by October 2001, Jason Morey of Morey Management Group was serving as her manager.^[3] Morey described Battaglia as “what I would classify as a supertalent,”.^[3]

Her debut single "Paradise", a cover of the theme song originally sung by Phoebe Cates in the 1982 film Paradise, was released on 23 February 2001 in Ireland^[19] and 26 February 2001 in the United Kingdom,^[20] and reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.^[21] In Ireland, the single peaked at number 10^[22] and spent 13 weeks on the charts.^[23] At the time of its release, Paradise was reported to have reached number 6 in Greece and number 7 in Thailand, remained in the top 20 of the UK pop charts for nearly two months, and sold more than 500,000 copies in Ireland. Its music video was among the most requested on the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon.^[3] The video was also added to MTV UK, where it became a frequent request and reached number 2 on the network’s playlist, according to contemporary press reports.^{[6] [24]} Battaglia's Latin-flavoured second single "Tu Amor" was released in the United Kingdom in July of the same year, peaking at number 24 on the UK Singles Chart.^[25] Contemporary press coverage also noted that the song reached the Top Ten on the pop chart in Japan, where Battaglia performed during the same period.^[4][5] Her third single was a cover of Tony Romeo’s “I Think I Love You”, which reached number 10 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2002.^[26] A follow-up single, "I'm Not Anybody's Girl", was released in 2002 and reached number 55 on the UK Singles Chart.^[27] It also reached number 7 on the UK HMV Top 10 singles chart, according to contemporary newspaper listings.^[28][29][30] The song also appeared on the motion picture soundtrack for View from the Top, with Kaci listed among the contributing artists.^[31][32] The album Paradise was released in the United States under the title I'm Not Anybody’s Girl, while it retained the title Paradise in other territories, including Europe and Japan; the song "I'm Not Anybody’s Girl" was included on the album in all regions.^{[33][34][4][5]}

In 2003, Battaglia teamed up with Japanese photographer Seiichi Nomura and released a photo book entitled Kaci: I'm a Singer, published in Japan by Upfront Books / Wani Books on March 28, 2003.^[35]

The cover photograph from the book was also used for a Japanese reissue of her album Paradise, released shortly afterwards. The reissue featured updated artwork and included a DVD containing the official music videos for "Paradise", "Tu Amor", and "I Think I Love You", as well as a special video for "I'm Not Anybody's Girl" consisting of a slideshow of photographs by Seiichi Nomura set to the song. Additional photographs were included in the CD/DVD booklet.^[36]

In 2004, Battaglia co-wrote the song "Wrong" with Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, which was recorded by Kimberley Locke for her 2004 album One Love.^[37][38]

In the same year, Battaglia recorded "Txt Me", written by Leon Cave, which won the BBC Radio 2 "Search for a Songwriter" competition; the song was later issued as a promotional single on Curb Records (CUBCJ105).^[39][40][41]

In 2005, Battaglia's recording of "As If", written by Remee, Robbie Nevil, Joe Belmaati, and Mich Hansen, was featured on the compilation CD Line Dance Fever 16 (Curb Records, CURCD197).^[42] She later recorded "I Will Learn to Love Again" for the film The Perfect Man.^[43][44] The song was covered by Basshunter on his 2009 album Bass Generation.^[45]

She returned in 2007 with "I Can't Help Myself", a dance single released to radio.^[46] Her later singles "Crazy Possessive" (2009) and "Body Shots" (2010), featuring Ludacris, were included on her album Bring It On and both reached number one on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart.^[2] Bring It On was physically released in Japan in 2010; it was also released as a digital download.^[47]

In 2011, Battaglia co-wrote the song "Bless Myself" with Antonina Armato and Tim James. The song was recorded by Lucy Hale for the soundtrack of the film A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song.^[48][49]

In 2024, Curb Records released a digital compilation entitled Best of Kaci Battaglia, featuring a selection of her singles.^[50][51]

In addition to her entertainment career, Battaglia has been involved in martial arts and fitness training. According to publicly posted entries in the website's "Kaci Diaries" section dated September–October 2002, she wrote that she had resumed karate training and was working toward her black belt, while also taking kickboxing classes and receiving private instruction from world kickboxing champion Jim Graden,^[52] working toward certification as a kickboxing instructor.^[53] A January 6, 2003 update in the website's "Kaci News" section later announced that she had become a certified kickboxing instructor and was offering a promotional cardio kickboxing class at Jim Graden's Cardio Karate Center in Seminole, Florida.^[54] In a 2010 interview, she stated that after returning to her hometown she took up kickboxing, training for several hours a day, and later worked as a trainer with a focus on fitness. She also noted that her mother enrolled her in karate as a child in order to learn self-defence.^[55]

On February 13, 2016, Kaci married Selleck Keene in Clearwater.^[56][57]

Following a successful recording career in the late 1990s and 2000s, Battaglia retired from the music industry in 2013 after several years of reduced public activity. Since then, she has lived largely outside of public attention and has chosen to maintain a private life away from the entertainment industry. According to publicly available biographical information, she resides in Florida.^[58]

Although no longer active as a recording artist, interest in her earlier work has continued, including the release of the digital compilation album Best of Kaci Battaglia in 2024, which revisited highlights from her music career.^[59]

• Performed her debut single "Paradise" on CBBC's Live and Kicking on 3 March 2001, as part of the UK promotion for the single.^[60]
• Performed her debut single "Paradise" on BBC One's Top of the Pops on 9 March 2001, hosted by Jamie Theakston.^[61]
• Performed "Tu Amor" on CBBC's Live and Kicking on 7 July 2001.^[62][63]
• Performed at 93.3 FLZ’s "The Big One" concert on August 25, 2001, at the Ice Palace in Tampa, Florida, alongside Smash Mouth, LFO, Jessica Simpson, Dream, Tonya Mitchell, Eden's Crush, and Willa Ford.^[64][6]
• Opened for major pop acts including O-Town, the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, and toured extensively across the United States during the early 2000s.^[6][65]
• Performed at halftime of the New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game on November 18, 2001, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.^[66]
• Performed on Pepsi's Your Taste, Your Style, Your Night of Shopping mall tour in August 2002, a promotional tour across multiple U.S. states sponsored by Pepsi.^[67][68][69]
• Performed at the Capital One Bowl Halftime Show on January 1, 2003, Orlando, Florida.^[70]
• Performed at 93Q & Coors Light Balloon Fest, June, 2003, Syracuse, New York.^[71]
• Performed at San Francisco Pride, June 2009.^[72]
• Performed at Pride events in 2010, including those in Las Vegas and Nashville.^[73][74]

• Teen Choice Awards Break-Out Artist, August 2001.^[75]
• Appeared on youth-oriented television, including performing on the British pop show Popworld (Channel 4/E4) and Nickelodeon's Slime Time Live, which she co-hosted and performed on multiple occasions.^[76][77]
• Attended the premiere of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, April 26, 2003, Hollywood, California.^[78]
• Promotional appearances in Japan, May 2003, including music performances and photo book events.^[77]

In January 2001, a special version of Battaglia’s debut single “Paradise” was produced for the pre-game show of Super Bowl XXXV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The original video for the song had been shot by Curb Records at the Santa Monica Pier in August 2000. The Super Bowl segment was filmed in Centro Ybor and at the Columbia Restaurant and featured flamenco dancers, reflecting the event’s Central Florida and Latin-themed presentation. Battaglia performed the song in both English and Spanish; the bilingual version was recorded specifically for the Super Bowl segment and was selected by pre-game producer Bob Best after he was given a copy of the single and its promotional video by Battaglia’s grandfather, Jack Butcher. Best selected the song for its representation of Tampa’s Latin cultural influence.^[11][79]

The segment consisted of a pre-recorded video rather than a live performance and was shown on the stadium’s jumbo screens as part of the pre-game festivities. The production involved approximately 500 dancers in Gasparilla and beach-themed scenes, many of which were not televised.^[80]

• "The Star-Spangled Banner" – from the 2002 Walt Disney Records compilation album Celebrate America.^[86][87]
• "New Day" – promotional recording, released on the promo CDr Untitled.^[88]

• Kaci Battaglia at Curb Records official store
• Kaci Battaglia at IMDb – Kaci Battaglia on IMDb
• Kaci Battaglia discography at Discogs
• An interview with Kaci Battaglia on CHETNEY2K (YouTube)
• Curve Magazine – Kaci Battaglia Is Breaking Out (2009 interview)
• Starpulse.com – Kaci Battaglia Returns With Ludacris on Hit Single "Body Shots"
• IGN.com – Babe of the Day: Kaci Battaglia (September 2009)