Kaci Battaglia

Kaci Battaglia
Kaci Battaglia in 2013
Kaci Battaglia in 2013
Background information
Born
Kaci Lyn Battaglia

(1987-10-03) October 3, 1987
OriginClearwater, Florida, United States
GenresPop, dance
Years active1998-2013
LabelsCurb Records (2001–2013)
Websitehttps://kacibattaglia.com/

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]

Early life and career

At the age of three, Battaglia discovered her passion for singing. "I used to beg my dad to go to this restaurant to sing karaoke," she recalled.[3][4] She grew up in a musical household. Her father, Dan Battaglia, is a musician, and she was encouraged from an early age by her grandfather, Jack Butcher, a former Tampa Tribune publisher.[5]

As her confidence grew, Battaglia began performing the national anthem at sporting events, marking her first regular public appearances as a vocalist.[6] 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.[7]

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.[3][4]

According to a 1998 profile in the Tampa Bay Times, she sang regularly around the house — in the shower, in the pool — performing for her parents and friends. She also performed at public events including performances at City Hall Park as part of a children’s summer concert series.[6] 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.[6] 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.[6][8]

Battaglia attended Northside Christian School in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she was active in basketball and track, frequently sang the national anthem at school events. Her Christian faith was an important part of her upbringing.[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.[6] Around the same time, she also appeared in print advertisements for household products, including Wisk and Snuggle.[6]

During this period, Battaglia pursued acting opportunities and appeared in the direct-to-video family film Camp Tanglefoot: It All Adds Up (1999).[9] Created by entertainer Gregg Russell, the film centres on a children’s summer camp and incorporates music and moral themes.[10][11] 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.[10][11][12]

At age 11, Battaglia appeared on a local public access television Christmas special produced by Steven “Stefio” Fiorenza, in which she performed I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.[13]

Battaglia was signed after 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. 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. Her confident a cappella performance reportedly confirmed his belief in her star potential, and he became her manager. This led to her recording Paradise and signing a recording contract with Curb, with Battaglia later recalling that her mother’s initiative had led to the opportunity. Battaglia initially used the name Kaci Lyn, but later dropped “Lyn”; her publicist stated that the name was considered “too country”.[7][14][9][8]

Outside of performing, Battaglia also played softball and basketball during childhood, balancing sports alongside performances and auditions.[6] 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.[3][4]

Music career

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.[9] Due to the success of her independent album, Battaglia began looking for a recording contract. She caught the attention of record producer Joel Diamond after her mother asked him to audition her. Diamond put up his own money to record her. After hearing a recording of "Paradise" featuring Battaglia, Mike Curb contacted Diamond and expressed interest in signing her to Curb Records. Diamond brought her to Curb Records at age 12, where she began her professional recording career.[9]

Her debut single "Paradise", a cover of the theme song originally sung by Phoebe Cates in the 1982 film Paradise, was released in 2001 and reached number 11 on the UK Singles Chart.[15] In Ireland, the single peaked at number 10 and spent 11 weeks on the charts, according to contemporary Irish chart listings.[16] 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, according to The Tampa Tribune.[17] 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.[5] [18] 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.[19] 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.[3][4] 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.[20] A follow-up single, "I'm Not Anybody's Girl", was released in 2002 and reached number 55 on the UK Singles Chart.[21] It also reached number 7 on the UK HMV Top 10 singles chart, according to contemporary newspaper listings.[22][23][24] The song also appeared on the motion picture soundtrack for View from the Top.[25] 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.[26][27][3][4]

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.[28]

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.[29]

In 2004, Battaglia co-wrote the song "Wrong" with Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, which was recorded by Kimberley Locke for her 2004 album One Love.[30]

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).[31][32][33]

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).[34] She later recorded "I Will Learn to Love Again" for the film The Perfect Man.[35] Song was covered by Basshunter on his 2009 album Bass Generation.[36]

She returned in 2007 with "I Can't Help Myself", a dance single released to radio.[37] 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.[38]

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.[39][40]

In 2024, Curb Records released a digital compilation entitled Best of Kaci Battaglia, featuring a selection of her singles.[41][42]

Life and work outside music

In addition to her entertainment career, Battaglia has been involved in martial arts and fitness training. According to publicly posted diary entries 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,[43] working toward certification as a kickboxing instructor.[44] 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.[45]

On February 13, 2016, Kaci married Selleck Keene in Clearwater.[46][47]

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and details
Title Album details Peak chart positions
UK
[48]
A Thousand Stars
  • Released: 1998
  • Label: Unknown
  • Format: CD
 —
Paradise[a] 47
Bring It On
  • Released: September 21, 2010
  • Label: Curb Records
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
 —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with selected details
Title Album details
Best Of

Singles

Single Year Peak chart positions Album
US US Dance IRL
[50] 		UK
[51]
"Paradise" 2001 — 43 10 11 Paradise
"Tu Amor" — — — 24
"I Think I Love You" 2002 — — 16 10
"I'm Not Anybody's Girl" — — — 55
"TXT Me" 2004 — — — — Non-album single
"As If" 2005 — — — — (From "Line Dance Fever 16" compilation)
"I Will Learn to Love Again" — — — — The Perfect Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
"Can't Help Myself" 2007 — 30 — — Non-album single
"Crazy Possessive" 2009 — 1 — —[b] Bring It On
"Body Shots" (featuring Ludacris) 2010 — 1 — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that country.

Other songs

  • "The Star-Spangled Banner" – from the 2002 Walt Disney Records compilation album Celebrate America.[53][54]
  • "New Day" – promotional recording, released on the promo CDr Untitled.[55]

Live performances and appearances

  • Performed her debut single "Paradise" on CBBC's Live and Kicking on 3 March 2001, as part of the UK promotion for the single.[56]
  • Performed her debut single "Paradise" on BBC One's Top of the Pops on 9 March 2001, hosted by Jamie Theakston.[57]
  • Performed "Tu Amor" on CBBC's Live and Kicking on 7 July 2001.[58][59]
  • 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.[60][5]
  • Opened for major pop acts including O-Town, the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC, and toured extensively across the United States during the early 2000s.[5][61]
  • 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.[62]
  • Performed at the Capital One Bowl Halftime Show on January 1, 2003, Orlando, Florida.[63]
  • Performed at 93Q & Coors Light Balloon Fest, June, 2003, Syracuse, New York.[64]
  • Performed at San Francisco Pride, June 2009.[65]
  • Performed at Pride events in 2010, including those in Las Vegas and Nashville.[66][67]

Promotional and broadcast appearances

  • Teen Choice Awards Break-Out Artist, August 2001.[68]
  • 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.[69][70]
  • Attended the premiere of The Lizzie McGuire Movie, April 26, 2003, Hollywood, California.[71]
  • Promotional appearances in Japan, May 2003, including music performances and photo book events.[70]

Super Bowl XXXV pre-game presentation

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.[8][72]

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.[73]

Filmography

Title Year Role Notes
Camp Tanglefoot: It All Adds Up 1999 Jenny Russell Major supporting role

Later Life

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.[74]

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.[75]

Notes

  1. ^ Issued in the United States as I'm Not Anybody’s Girl.[3][49]
  2. ^ "Crazy Possessive" did not enter the UK singles chart, but peaked at number 40 on the UK independent singles chart.[52]

References

  1. ^ "Kaci – Paradise". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Kaci Battaglia – Chart History". MusicVF. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Catch a rising star…at the mall in Clearwater". Tampa Bay Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. 17 July 2002. p. 203. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Catch a rising star…at the mall". St. Petersburg Times. 20 July 2002. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d e Jennifer Barrs (October 7, 2001). "Rising Star". The Tampa Tribune. p. 105. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Singing is no chore for 10-year-old". Tampa Bay Times. 25 June 1998. p. 77. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  7. ^ a b "13-year-old Kaci lands in paradise". Belfast News-Letter. Belfast: Johnston Press. 18 July 2001. p. 29.
  8. ^ a b c Persaud, Babita (5 January 2001). "A Super Bowl "Paradise"". Tampa Bay Times. p. 25. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  9. ^ a b c d "All About Kaci". Kaci.org. Archived from the original on 2001-03-02. Retrieved 2026-02-13.
  10. ^ a b Kovach, Brad (December 25, 1998). "Russell branches out into video 'Tanglefoot'". The Island Packet. p. 15. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  11. ^ a b Phillips, Tamara (June 3, 1999). "Locals camp talents on new children's video series". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. p. 55. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  12. ^ "Children's Videos: Camp Tanglefoot". The Burlington Free Press. June 5, 1999. p. 49. Retrieved 2026-02-14.
  13. ^ Julianne Wu (1 December 1999). "Producer puts lens on young talent". Tampa Bay Times. p. 148. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  14. ^ "Kaci's in Paradise". Aberdeen Evening Express. Aberdeen: Johnston Press. 1 March 2001. p. 4.
  15. ^ "Kaci – Paradise". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  16. ^ "Kaci – Paradise". IrishCharts.ie. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  17. ^ Barrs, Jennifer (October 7, 2001). "Kaci At the Bat". The Tampa Tribune. p. 95. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  18. ^ "Girl power". Kenosha News. April 18, 2001. p. 22. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  19. ^ "Kaci – Tu Amor". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  20. ^ "Kaci – I Think I Love You". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  21. ^ "Kaci – I'm Not Anybody's Girl". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
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  23. ^ "HMV Top 10 Singles". Ulster Star. 2003-08-01. p. 39. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  24. ^ "HMV Top 10 Singles". Ballymena Weekly Telegraph. 2003-07-30. p. 18. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  25. ^ "Various – View From The Top: Motion Picture Soundtrack". Discogs. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
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  27. ^ "Kaci – Paradise (international album)". Discogs. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  28. ^ "Kaci: I'm a Singer". Maruzen & Junkudo. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  29. ^ "Kaci – Paradise (Japanese CD/DVD release)". Discogs. 23 April 2003. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  30. ^ "Kimberley Locke – One Love". Discogs. 9 August 2004. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  31. ^ "Some Thoughts on 'TXT Me' – What they said about the winning song". BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  32. ^ "Search finalists". BBC Radio 2. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  33. ^ "Kaci – Txt Me". Discogs. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  34. ^ "Various – Line Dance Fever 16". Discogs. 22 August 2005. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  35. ^ "Various – The Perfect Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". Discogs. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  36. ^ Dan Lane (6 March 2009). "UK Eurovision star Molly Smitten-Downes' secret pop past revealed!". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 5 April 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
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  38. ^ "Bring It On – Kaci Battaglia". Discogs. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  39. ^ "Bless Myself – Lucy Hale". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
  40. ^ "A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song – Soundtrack". IMDb. Retrieved 19 December 2025.
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  42. ^ "Best of Kaci Battaglia". Amazon UK. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  43. ^ "Karate people spar with champ for charity". Tampa Bay Times. 24 August 1989. p. 130.
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  45. ^ "Kaci Battaglia's Body Language". Windy City Times. November 10, 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
  46. ^ Wedding at Southern Hills Plantation. YouTube (Video). 19 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  47. ^ Kaci Battaglia & Selleck Keene's Wedding Registry
  48. ^ "Kaci". Official Charts. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2026. In archived version select tab "Albums".
  49. ^ "Walter Scott's Personality Parade: Q & A," Portsmouth Daily Times, August 24, 2002. Google Books scan. Accessed February 5, 2026.
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  53. ^ La Gorce, Tammy. "Celebrate America – Various Artists". Amazon. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
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  56. ^ "CBBC: Live and Kicking – 3 March 2001". BBC Genome. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  57. ^ "TV listings: Top of the Pops". Evening Standard (London). 9 March 2001. p. 232. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
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  60. ^ Vivinetto, Gina (23 August 2001). "Here Comes "The Big One"". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  61. ^ "Kaci, teen pop singer". St. Petersburg Times. 20 July 2002. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  62. ^ Dominguez, Kimberly (8 August 2002). "Youth is Served: Mall gets ready to teen onslaught". The Mesquite News. p. 1. Retrieved 11 February 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  63. ^ Klimack, Chad (29 December 2002). "Cheerleaders ready for Florida bowl game". The Newark Advocate. p. 3. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  64. ^ Bialczak, Mark (16 May 2003). "McCain headlines Balloon Fest". The Post-Standard. p. T16. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  65. ^ "Kaci Battaglia is Breaking Out". Curve Magazine. 20 July 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  66. ^ "2010 Official Pride Guide – LGBT Entertainment Lineup" (PDF). Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  67. ^ Mueller, Mari; Todd, Jen (Jun 17, 2010). "Spotlight: Nashville Pride". The Tennessean. p. R30. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  68. ^ Barrs, Jennifer (October 7, 2001). "Kaci At the Bat". The Tampa Tribune. p. 95. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
  69. ^ "Kaci Battaglia – I Think I Love You (Live at Popworld 2002)". YouTube. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  70. ^ a b "Kaci News". Kaci.tv. Archived from the original on 2005-03-26. Retrieved 2026-01-31.
  71. ^ "Singer Kaci attends the premiere of The Lizzie McGuire Movie on April 26, 2003 in Hollywood, California". Getty Images. 26 April 2003. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
  72. ^ Persaud, Babita (5 January 2001). "Teen singer's video is getting a Super debut". Tampa Bay Times. p. 38. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
  73. ^ Persaud, Babita (27 January 2001). "Pregame stars". Tampa Bay Times. p. 77. Retrieved 1 February 2026.
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  75. ^ curbWordEnt. "Store". Curb | Word Entertainment. Retrieved 2025-12-16.
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