Vanessa Amorosi

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Vanessa Amorosi
Amorosi performing in 2004
Amorosi performing in 2004
Background information
Birth name Vanessa Joy Amorosi
Born 8 August 1981 (1981-08-08) (age 26)
Melbourne, Australia
Genre(s) Pop, Pop rock
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Years active 1998–present
Label(s) Universal Music (2006—present)
Sony BMG
Website www.vanessaamorosi.com

Vanessa Joy Amorosi (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian singer and recording artist.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Amorosi was born in Melbourne, Australia. She attended Emerald Primary and Emerald Secondary School.[1] Performing since the age of 12, Amorosi was discovered performing at Matrioshka[2], a Russian restaurant in Carnegie, by Jack Strom and signed a recording contract in 1997. After being signed to MarJac Productions (co-owned by managers Mark Holden and Jack Strom) and recording a promo CD titled "Get Here", she secured a deal with Transistor Music Australia.

[edit] The Power

In 1999, Amorosi released her debut single "Have A Look" which became a Top 20 hit. Second single "Absolutely Everybody", an anthemic dance song, reached the Top 10 and became the longest charting Australian single by an Australian female artist[3]. It remained in the ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart for over six months after its release[4]. "Absolutely Everybody" was released internationally and reached the Top 10 in many European countries including the United Kingdom and Germany where it received a gold certification. Amorosi performed at many large events such as the NRL Grand Final, the opening of the Motorcycle Grand Prix at Phillip Island and the new millennium on "New Year's Eve" at Darling Harbour.

Vanessa Amorosi at the Melbourne International Music & Blues Festival in 2003.
Vanessa Amorosi at the Melbourne International Music & Blues Festival in 2003.

In 2000 two more singles "Shine" and "The Power" became major Australian hits, and her album The Power reached number one on the Australian album charts. Amorosi received six ARIA nominations[5] in the year 2000 awards and The Power was nominated[6] for "Best Female Artist" and "Best Pop Release" in the ARIA Music Awards of 2001. Her largest audience came in September 2000 with performances at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics and at the Paralympic Games. At the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympics she sang the Olympic song titled "Heroes Live Forever". Amorosi won the APRA Award[7] in 2001 for "Most Played Song" on Australian Radio with "Shine" and received international acclaim in Germany where she won "Best International Newcomer"[8] at the 2001 VIVA Comet Awards. In 2001 she performed at the AFL Grand Final.

In August 2002 Amorosi traveled to Manchester where she was one of the stars of the Commonwealth Games Hand-Over Ceremony, performing her hit "Shine" and a new song written especially for the event, "I’ll always be a Melbourne girl".

In February 2003, Amorosi performed her "Blues" set[9] for the first time at the Melbourne International Music And Blues Festival and traveled to Germany to perform her latest European single "True To Yourself" on "Top of the Pops" and the hugely successful long-running show "Wetten, dass..?" which screens throughout Europe[10].

For her service to music she was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal by the Government of Australia in April 2003.

Over the next few years, Amorosi maintained a low-profile presence in the music industry, recording and performing in Australia and throughout the world. In a radio interview in 2008 she admitted being hired to perform at a number of Melbourne gangland functions, including one for the baptism of the daughter of convicted murderer Carl Williams, during that period.[11]

On 25 January 2006, it was revealed that Amorosi was now under the management of Ralph Carr, having completed her seven year management with MarJac Productions. She is quoted on the website as saying, "I have been with my previous management for seven years and thought both parties had gone as far as we could together... Moving over to Ralph Carr Management seemed like a natural progression, given the acts he has successfully managed. I am excited and enthused."

On November 22, 2006 it was announced that Amorosi had signed to Universal Music Australia.

Amorosi’s charity work predates her fame, and her involvement with Kids Help Line and the Variety Club led to a number of honours, including a 2003 nomination for Australian of the Year. She still has the farm where endangered animals can find refuge, although she doesn’t get to visit much; her friends run it for her.

She supported Kiss on their 2008 tour of Australia.

[edit] Somewhere in the Real World

Vanessa's new album Somewhere in the Real World, released through Universal Music Australia, was released on May 24th 2008[12] after being delayed since a late 2007 release[13]. The album tracks "Perfect" and "Start It" have both been used in promotions for the Seven Network. Released digitally and in stores on May 24, 2008, Somewhere in the Real World was already sitting at Number 3 on the national iTunes chart within hours of its release and climbing to number 2 within the first 24 hours and finally hitting the number 1 spot on the charts after just 4 days of release.

[edit] Singles

The single "Kiss Your Mama!" was serviced to radio on 3rd August and released 8th September 2007[14]. On a special edition of Australian Idol she sang her hit song "Kiss Your Mama!".[15]

Amorosi released her second single "Perfect" digitally on 5 April and physically on 26 April 2008.[16], the single madeit to number 1 on the digital iTunes charts on the 7th of June 2008.

On 23 May, in an interview on South Australian radio station SAFM, Amorosi confirmed that "A Little Love" will be the third single released from Somewhere in the Real World and will be released in July. It is also rumoured that "I Thought We'd Stay Together" will be a double A-Side Track with "A Little Love" both to be released in early July.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Charts[17][18] Certification
AUS GER
2000 The Power 1 7
2001 Turn to Me 21
2002 Change 64
2005 The Best of Vanessa Amorosi —
2008 Somewhere in the Real World 4

"—" denotes albums that were released but did not chart

[edit] Singles

Year Single Peak positions[18][21][22] Certification Album
AUS AT GER CH UK
1999 "Have a Look" 13 — 73 72 ARIA: Gold[23] The Power
"Absolutely Everybody" 6 3 5 8 7 ARIA: Platinum[24]
Germany: Gold[20]
2000 "Shine" 4 46 38 19 ARIA: Platinum[24]
"The Power"[A] 8 ARIA: Gold[24]
"Everytime I Close My Eyes"[A] 11 23 73
2001 "Turn to Me"[25] — Turn to Me
2002 "One Thing Leads to Another"[B] — 67 62 Change
"Spin (Everybody's Doin' It)" 34
2003 "True to Yourself" 99[26]
2007 "Kiss Your Mama!" 15 Somewhere in the Real World
2008 "Perfect"[C] 7

"—" denotes singles that were released but did not chart

Notes
  • A ^Released as a double a-side in Australia.
  • B ^Released in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
  • C ^Current single.

[edit] Other media credits

  • (CD single) "Get Here" (Sydney Central Plaza promo only - 1998)
  • (song) "Home for Christmas" (The Spirit of Christmas 1999)
  • (song) "Heroes Live Forever" (2000 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony)
  • (CD single) "Shine" and "Absolutely Everybody" (2001 - US/Canada only double a-side single)
  • (song) "Shine" (Live/Acoustic)[27] (More Music Live From The Panel - November 2000)
  • (song) "Friday On My Mind" with Lee Kernaghan (Official NRL Friday Night Football Theme, featured on Channel Nine's primetime broadcast of the Rugby League)
  • (CD single) "Champagne, Champagne (Absolument Fabuleux)"[28] (August 28, 2001 - France)
  • (song) "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" (The Spirit of Christmas 2001)
  • (song) "I'll Always Be A Melbourne Girl" (2002 Manchester Commonwealth Closing Ceremony)
  • (song) Non released track : "Gimme Tonight" (2002 SASH! feat. Vanessa Amorosi)[29]
  • Judge on Channel Nine show Star Struck (aired early 2005)
  • (song) Helen Reddy's feminist anthem "I Am Woman"[30] (ARIA Hall of Fame - August 2006)

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Current members

  • Vanessa Amorosi - vocals
  • Nat Allison - guitars
  • Simon Hosford - guitars
  • Rod Bustos - bass
  • Paul Cecchinelli - keyboards/percussion
  • John Salerno - drums
  • Annette Roach - backing vocals
  • Mel(l)issa Amorosi - backing vocals[31]

[edit] Past members

  • Marcel Yammouni - guitars
  • Gary Deleo - saxophone
  • Luis Schiavi - percussion
  • Dave Matthews - drums
  • Andre Dumas - guitars[32]
  • Daniel ?[citation needed] - drums

[edit] References

  1. ^ Emerald Primary School - History - Past Students
  2. ^ News.com.au: Making tracks
  3. ^ Australian Music Online :: Artists :: Vanessa Amorosi
  4. ^ australian-charts.com - Vanessa Amorosi - Absolutely Everybody
  5. ^ ARIA Awards 2007 : History: Winners by Year
  6. ^ SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT :: Australia :: CD Releases
  7. ^ APRA Music Awards - Winners 2001
  8. ^ Viva.tv - Events - COMET 2007: History - Die Gewinner
  9. ^ VanessaAmorosi.de: Melbourne Blues Festival (Februar 2003)
  10. ^ Berlin, Germany - 22 February 2003 - Vanessa Amorosi performs on the Thomas Gottschalk show "Wetten, dass..?". AOL.com.au.
  11. ^ Amorosi's trips into gangland, Herald Sun, May 21, 2008
  12. ^ SOMEWHERE IN THE REAL WORLD 2007 ALBUM (AMOROSI, VANESSA): Music: Herald Sun HiT
  13. ^ News.com.au: Delta circus keeps Vanessa on hold
  14. ^ Access All Areas.net.au: Vanessa Amorosi hits the road!
  15. ^ Doin' It For The Kids. Australian Idol. Network Ten (20 October 2007).
  16. ^ AccessAllAreas.net.au: Vanessa Amorosi's Perfect new single!
  17. ^ Australian Album Charts Retrieved April 16, 2008
  18. ^ a b Bishop Audio Productions - chart success
  19. ^ ARIA Charts - Accreditations - 2000 Albums
  20. ^ a b Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold/Platin-Datenbank
  21. ^ australian-charts.com - Vanessa Amorosi
  22. ^ SwissCharts.com: Discography Vanessa Amorosi
  23. ^ 1999 ARIA Single Accreditations. ARIA. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  24. ^ a b c 2000 ARIA Single Accreditations. ARIA. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
  25. ^ ARIA: Archived Australasian Releases - DECEMBER 2001
  26. ^ Music Charts: Germany Singles Top 100 - March 16th, 2003
  27. ^ MUSIC LIVE FROM THE PANEL - VOLUME 2 (CD Album). Liberation (2000-11-12).
  28. ^ Amazon.fr: Champagne, Champagne (ABsolument FABuleux)
  29. ^ Gimme Tonight / Save me Tonight. Galaxy SASH!.
  30. ^ Vanessa Amorosi - ARIA Hall of Fame. RCMStandard (2006-08-16).
  31. ^ Undercover.com.au: Vanessa Amorosi Turns Rock Chick
  32. ^ Prosody Audio Systems - The Directors

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Vanessa Amorosi
Studio albums
The Power (2000) · Turn to Me (2001) · Change (2002) · The Best of Vanessa Amorosi (2006) · Somewhere in the Real World (2008)
Singles
"Have a Look" · "Absolutely Everybody" · "Shine" · "The Power" · "Everytime I Close My Eyes" · "Champagne, Champagne" · "Turn to Me" · "One Thing Leads To Another" · "Spin (Everybody's Doin' It)" · "True to Yourself" · "Kiss Your Mama!" · "Perfect"