The Strange Familiar
Encyclopedia
The Strange Familiar is an American
pop rock
band from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
. The group was originally formed in 2006 by husband and wife Jeff Andrea and Kira Leyden, former members of the popular Akron, Ohio band Jaded Era
. Their first single, "Courage Is...", gained them significant attention after it was heavily promoted on ABC Family
to launch a brand new series. Other members include Frank Freeman (bass) and Nicholas Sainato (drums).
was used in trailers and promotions for the new hit ABC Family
series The Secret Life of the American Teenager
in 2008. "Lyrically and tonally, the song couldn't have been more perfect for the show," says Stacy Asturias, creative director at ABC Family. "Plus, it's just a really beautiful song in its own right. We love to discover great new music, and so do our viewers." Without a label, their debut EP quickly reached the Top 10 on iTunes. ABC Family continued to feature The Strange Familiar and their songs "I Just Want To Love You" and "Secret Life (You and Me)" in promos for Season Two and Season Three of Secret Life'. A music video for "Secret Life (You and Me)" was included as a bonus feature on season 2
DVD. The band also wrote and recorded an original Christmas single "The Only Gift I Need" for Walt Disney's compilation album Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas
.
of America's Got Talent
and reached the Top 48. They performed live on NBC in the quarter finals to almost 10 million viewers.
" was written by Kira Leyden and Jeff Andrea, the main songwriters of The Strange Familiar, and released as a single by Ashlee Simpson
. It entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
chart at number twenty-eight, the week's highest debut and the highest debut of Simpson's career.
Orianthi
recorded a version of The Strange Famiiar's "Courage Is...". It was released as a single on August 31, 2010 by Geffen Records
with the title "Courage" featuring Lacey Sturm from Flyleaf
. The track was included on her re-release of "Believe (II)" and as a bonus track on Believe
. It reached #37 on the Adult Top 40.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
. The group was originally formed in 2006 by husband and wife Jeff Andrea and Kira Leyden, former members of the popular Akron, Ohio band Jaded Era
Jaded Era
Jaded Era is an unsigned American alternative rock/pop band from Cuyahoga Falls and Akron, Ohio that formed around 1996. They released their debut album Laugh at the World in 2001, and the albums Invisible and Study of the Human Race followed in 2003 and 2005, respectively...
. Their first single, "Courage Is...", gained them significant attention after it was heavily promoted on ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
to launch a brand new series. Other members include Frank Freeman (bass) and Nicholas Sainato (drums).
ABC Family
The band first gained national attention when their song "Courage Is...", from their self-released debut "You Can't Go Back" EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
was used in trailers and promotions for the new hit ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
series The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is an American teen drama television series created by Brenda Hampton. It first aired on ABC Family on July 1, 2008. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 24 episodes on February 9, 2009, which began airing on June 22, 2009...
in 2008. "Lyrically and tonally, the song couldn't have been more perfect for the show," says Stacy Asturias, creative director at ABC Family. "Plus, it's just a really beautiful song in its own right. We love to discover great new music, and so do our viewers." Without a label, their debut EP quickly reached the Top 10 on iTunes. ABC Family continued to feature The Strange Familiar and their songs "I Just Want To Love You" and "Secret Life (You and Me)" in promos for Season Two and Season Three of Secret Life'. A music video for "Secret Life (You and Me)" was included as a bonus feature on season 2
The Secret Life of the American Teenager (Season 2)
The second season of The Secret Life of the American Teenager, an American television series created by Brenda Hampton, debuted on the ABC Family television network on Monday, June 22, 2009 at 8:00PM. Season two regular cast members include Shailene Woodley, India Eisley, Daren Kagasoff, Francia...
DVD. The band also wrote and recorded an original Christmas single "The Only Gift I Need" for Walt Disney's compilation album Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas
Songs To Celebrate 25 Days Of Christmas
Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas is a compilation album of songs featured in ABC Family films.The album was released through Walt Disney Records on November 3, 2009.-Track listing:-See also:* Radio Disney Holiday Jams...
.
America's Got Talent
The Strange Familiar appeared on the fifth seasonAmerica's Got Talent (season 5)
The fifth season of America's Got Talent, an American television reality show talent competition, premiered in the United States on the NBC network and on Canada's Global on June 1, 2010...
of America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
and reached the Top 48. They performed live on NBC in the quarter finals to almost 10 million viewers.
Songwriting
"InvisibleInvisible (Jaded Era song)
"Invisible" was covered by Ashlee Simpson, released as a single in the summer of 2006; to date, it is the first single by Simpson that she did not co-write. Although it was said that the song would be included on a re-released version of Simpson's 2005 platinum album I Am Me, this did not occur...
" was written by Kira Leyden and Jeff Andrea, the main songwriters of The Strange Familiar, and released as a single by Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Nicole Simpson is an American singer and actress. In 2004, she rose to prominence with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show. In October 2005, following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released...
. It entered the U.S. Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
chart at number twenty-eight, the week's highest debut and the highest debut of Simpson's career.
Orianthi
Orianthi
Orianthi Panagaris , better known simply as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer-songwriter and guitarist. She is perhaps best known for being Michael Jackson's lead guitarist for his ill-fated This Is It concert series. Her debut single "According to You" has peaked at No. 3 in Japan, No. 8...
recorded a version of The Strange Famiiar's "Courage Is...". It was released as a single on August 31, 2010 by Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
with the title "Courage" featuring Lacey Sturm from Flyleaf
Flyleaf
Flyleaf is an American alternative metal band, formed in the Belton and Temple, Texas regions in 2000. The band has charted on mainstream rock, Christian pop and Christian metal genres. They performed around the United States in 2003 until releasing their eponymous debut album, Flyleaf, in 2005....
. The track was included on her re-release of "Believe (II)" and as a bonus track on Believe
Believe (Orianthi album)
Bonus tracks- Believe bonus tracks :The Believe tracks are listed under tracks 2, 3, 8, 12, 13 and 14 respectively.Tracks 13, 14 and 15 are included in the Japanese release of Believe .- UK tracklist :- Singles :...
. It reached #37 on the Adult Top 40.
Studio Albums
- You Can't Go Back EP (2008)
- "Courage Is..."
- "You Can't Go Back"
- "Raise Your Glass"
- "I Know Your Name"
- "Never Be"
- This Is Gravity (2009)
- "Still Have Time"
- "I Just Want To Love You"
- "Courage Is..."
- "This Is Gravity"
- "Angel"
- "Secret Life (You and Me)"
- "Nobody's Hero"
- "Witness"
- "Raise Your Glass"
- "You Can't Go Back"
- "I Know Your Name"
- "Never Be"
- Chasing Shadows EP (2011) Forthcoming. Featuring the new single "Being Me"
Other
- "ABC Family: Songs to Celebrate 25 Days of ChristmasSongs To Celebrate 25 Days Of ChristmasSongs to Celebrate 25 Days of Christmas is a compilation album of songs featured in ABC Family films.The album was released through Walt Disney Records on November 3, 2009.-Track listing:-See also:* Radio Disney Holiday Jams...
(2009)
- "The Only Gift I Need"