Let's hear it for the girls...Amanda and Alanis

Amanda Marshall is a Toronto born singer. She studied music extensively during her childhood, including at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. While performing in Toronto she met Jeff Healey who was taken with her powerful voice, and he took her on tour with him. In 1991, Amanda was offered a record deal with Columbia Records, but chose to wait a few years to release her debut album. Then, in 1995 she signed with Epic Records and released her debut album "Amanda Marshall" which was a major success in Canada. It generated lots of airplay and had six singles. She has since released 2 more albums and 3 greatest hits compilations. As of 2009, she is back in the studio planning for a new album release in 2010 along with a tour. She is one of my favourite singers and she has such a huge powerhouse voice. She is one very talented lady, and I'm proud to say she is Canadian.


I have to admit, at the outset, I wasn't much of a fan of Alanis Morissette. I couldn't stand her screeching vocals, and the angst filled lyrics. But, over the course of time, I have begun to appreciate her music, and even like many of her songs now. Alanis was born in Ottawa, Ontario and released her debut album in 1991, featuring songs she co-written with the producer. The first single, "Too Hot" reached top 20 status and following singles reached the top 40. Morissette's popularity, style of music and appearance, particularly that of her hair, led her to become known as the Debbie Gibson of Canada, and comparisons to contemporary singer, Tiffany, were also made. In 1993, Alanis began making trips to Los Angeles, to find different producers and musicians to work with. She recorded "Jagged Little Pill" and the album was only expected to sell well enough to make a follow up album. But the situation quickly changed when "You Oughta Know" started getting massive airplay.
In a Rolling Stone interview she revealed that she was going to spend 2006 working on a memoir. She said of her book, "it will be all the wisdom I've accrued in the thirty-one years of my life . A lot about relationships, fame, travel, body-image issues, spirit — with a lot of self-deprecating humor peppered throughout, 'cause I just can't help it". As of May 2008, Morissette was halfway through writing this memoir that will focus on women's issues. It will have chapters on sexuality, beauty, relationships and work and was partially inspired by young women who regularly come up to her and tell her their stories of personal pain.
All of her successes since "Jagged Little Pill" are too numerous to go into here, but she is a unique singer and individual and I quite enjoy her music now that I have "matured". Here is a great video of her performing "Eight Easy Steps". She sure knows how to Rock!