Biography

Michael Sembello was born on April 17, 1954 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a composer and actor, known for Flashdance (1983), Virtuosity (1995) and Independence Day (1996).

His song "Maniac" from the film Flashdance (1983) - co-written with Dennis Matkosky - reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States in September 1983, and was subsequently nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It lost to another song from the film, "Flashdance... What a Feeling", written by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey and Irene Cara, which was also performed by Cara.

His song "Maniac" - co-written with Dennis Matkosky - was number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 year-end chart for 1983.

Wrote "Maniac" initially for the movie Maniac (1980), with dark and violent lyrics. When the executives of Paramount Pictures were looking for music to use in the film Flashdance (1983), his wife mistakenly sent them the wrong tape. The executives liked the song, but demanded rewritten lyrics to match the film. Sembello's work would later receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song.