overall rating-80
Vanessa Carlton is a rising star in the music industry. Steamrolling with an original sound and the backing of a major label, expect to see considerably more of Vanessa in the years to come. Merely in her early 20's, she is revealing the tip of the iceberg that is her enormous potential with her first single "A Thousand Miles." At a time when young female stars are prepackaged for MTV and lacking in talent and longevity, Vanessa is slowly and implicitly staking a claim to the pop throne.
personality & talent-84
Vanessa is one talented musician. The offspring of a pilot father and a piano-teacher mother, Vanessa's DNA spells music and combines classical, rock 'n' roll and pop. Watching her in interviews and her videos, you can detect a sense of humility that is unheard of with other singing ladies. Of course, while her cohorts rely solely on their physical assets, Vanessa has at her disposal the dexterity and training of a virtuoso, so she can let her music do the talking while the men do the gawking.
With only one album under her belt, Vanessa legitimately has a shot to one day displace the female titans of music. After all, her piano playing is flawless, her voice is powerful and her songwriting unique. Her first single, "A Thousand Miles," is as good if not better than anything released by a leading diva in the past decade. And Vanessa is no diva, but rather a sweet, young and adorable woman that has a great future ahead of her.
sexiness-79
On the one hand, Vanessa seems like the girl next door -- a shy, unassuming cutie with deep, engaging eyes and sensuous lips -- who looks too innocent for her own good. On the other hand, when reading some of her interviews, there are hints of a more mischievous side; the kind only a close friend would see.
When all is said and done, Vanessa is smokin', and if you want proof, allow us to present exhibit A: the picture to the left. Maybe it's because we've always had a soft spot for petite brunettes, maybe it's because Vanessa's statuesque body is pictured on the back sleeve of her album cover, standing tall with her legs crossed. Any male with a pulse would wish nothing more than to creep up from behind and take her...
Unlike other female pianists who use the piano to vent their anger and bitterness, Vanessa's innocent disposition pours from her piano playing, tempting us to use the instrument as a prop in other exercises with her.
accomplishments & fame- 82
If Vanessa were judged on her first career choice -- ballet -- then she might have been deemed a failure. After all, after moving to New York City at the tender age of 14 to study dance, she dropped out altogether and sought refuge in music. And her upbringing played a major role in her music: her mother was a piano teacher who gave young Vanessa a steady diet of Mendelssohn while her father, a pilot, gave her a healthy dose of rock 'n' roll.
Given that we are judging Vanessa on her musical aspirations, let's just say that the luscious Miss Carlton has lived up to her expectations -- no small feat considering she started to play the piano at age 2.
What has made Vanessa's rise to the top of the charts more rewarding is that by her senior year, she was burned out from her stint at NYC's School of American Ballet. It was in music generally, and at the piano specifically that she found solace, refuge and peace.
Over the ensuing years, she proceeded to bang out three songs on her 4-track, and eventually signed a record deal with A&M Records. President Ron Fair presided over the recordings of her first album, Be Not Nobody.
For the video of "A Thousand Miles," director Marc Klasfeld took Vanessa on a journey, riding her piano through streets, beaches, the mountains, and the suburbs. In essence, she is one with her piano and according to her, "connecting with as many people as I can" throughout her journey.
Her first TV appearance was on none other than MTV's TRL, where nothing but good things were said about Vanessa. An even more discriminating music icon, Rolling Stone, named her one of the "Top 10 Artists to Watch in 2002." Fitting, for a young prodigy that wrote every song on her first album.
natural beauty- 81
Vanessa is too young to be judged on this one. After all, at 21, we imagine that she will shed her girlish look for a more mature and sophisticated image in the years to come. But assuming that she will build on those engaging eyes, sensuous lips and striking back cover pose that has us mesmerized, we can say with utmost conviction that Vanessa is a babe.
personal style- 75
Vanessa looks like most of the ladies in her age group, and gets our kudos for shunning -- at least for now -- the get-ups made popular by so many other female pop stars. In fact, Vanessa dresses more like the girl you can show off to mom and less like a lap-dancing, pole-hugging and chair-mounting kind of gal, which is a pretty refreshing change.
To return to the time when we dropped out of piano lessons, replace our instructor with Vanessa Carlton, proceed to use the instrument in unconventional ways -- and make some music of our own.
