Vanessa Joy Amorosi (born 8 August 1983) is a singer/songwriter from Melbourne, Australia. She started performing at the age of 12 with the help of her parents. Signed in 1997, after singing in a Russian restaurant in Melbourne, she went on to record a demo called "Get Here". She eventually released a song called "Have A Look" which was rather successful in her home country of Australia, but "Absolutely Everybody" (1999) was her ultimate successful song of this era which became extremely successful worldwide, eventually ending up being performed at a New Year's Eve gig. It was also the longest charting single by an Australian female artist. The album "The Power" was also extremely successful. She sang "Heroes Live Forever" at the Sydney Olympics. She also released a second album in Germany called "Change". It was mildly successful.
She had to take a rather long break for her former management deal to end but she transferred to "Ralph Carr Management" in 2006 which helped her get a Universal recording deal. This allowed her to release "Somewhere In the Real World", which was a more sophisticated and experimental album, featuring sounds such as rock, jazz, soul and swing. Greg Wells (Colbie Caillat and The Veronicas) and Cliff Magness helped her on this album. This album produced successful songs such as "Perfect" and "Kiss Your Mama!". That album went gold in Australia. She also collaborated with Hoobastank on "The Letter", which was rather successful too.
Soon after this "Hazardous" was created, on which she worked with Macho Psycho. It came rather quickly after 2008's "Somewhere In The Real World" and featured the hit song "This Is Who I Am" which was Vanessa's first No. 1 in her home country. The album featured more electric rock, power pop, pop rock, rap and soul moments. It was a success going gold on its first four weeks of charting in Australia. Other singles included: Mr. Mysterious, Holiday, and Hazardous.
She has recently released songs called "Gossip" and "Amazing" which were minor successes.
Considered one of the most talented vocalists to come from Australia outside of Gabriella Cilmi. All her albums have gone gold, her singles go top 10 and her music is always rather original and cutting edge. She, Samantha Jade and possibly Elen Levon are the closest Australia has to Britney Spears musically. Her singing is also a lot like Britney, especially when she was younger.
Discography
- The Power (2000)
- Change (2002) (Not released in Australia)
- Somewhere In The Real World (2008)
- Hazardous (2009)
Tropes:
- Break Up Song: "I Thought We'd Stay Together", "Blow Me Away", "Sleep With That".
- Be Yourself: "This Is Who I Am"
- Coming of Age Story: "Somewhere In The Real World" is relatively but "19 Turning Point" in particularly describes her evolution between her early career self and her late career self.
- Genre Mashup: "Hazardous" is this, "Somewhere..." has elements of this.
- Genre Roulette: One of the main parts of "Somewhere In The Real World"
- Hotter and Sexier: "Hazardous" was the start of her being sexy, but "Somewhere In The Real World" had its moments.
- Intercourse with You: "My House", "A Little Love", "Touch Me" and "Off On My Kiss".
- Identical Stranger: A case could be made for her similarities visually and artistically to Melanie C.
- Last Note Nightmare: Screaming at the end of "I Thought We'd Stay Together".
- Love Is a Drug: "Hazardous", "A Little Love"
- Love at First Sight: or at least Lust in "Mr Mysterious"
- Love Makes You Crazy: "Hazardous", "Baby's On Ice".
- Ms. Fanservice: Definitely went this way with "Perfect"
- New Sound Album: The change in sound for "Hazardous" came from her meeting the right people who encouraged her to do a different type of electric rock.
- "Somewhere In The Real World" was her first taking control over the stories she told in her music.
- Precision F-Strike: "I Thought We'd Stay Together"So sorry I was takin' so long but here's your fucking song
- Obsession Song: "Perfect", "My Problem Is You".
- Record Producer: Macho-Psycho did most of "Hazardous"
- Sanity Slippage Song: "I Thought We'd Stay Together" and "Who Am I?"
- Self-Backing Vocalist: Did most of her vocals on her Somewhere and Hazardous albums.
- Self-Empowerment Anthem: Absolutely Everybody, Shine, Holiday.
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Spiritual Successor: Was this to Delta Goodrem for a short while. - Silly Love Songs: "Perfect", "Amazing"
- Single Woman Seeks Good Man / Momma's Boy: "Kiss Your Mama!" is both of these.
- Soprano and Gravel: "Snitch", "Mr Mysterious" and "I Want Your Fire" feature a prominent male voice.
- This Is a Song: "Mr Mysterious" and "I Thought We'd Stay Together"
- Third-Person Person: "When she was a little girl, pretending she had super powers, shooting up to Mars"—Aliens and UFO's.
- Title Track: Somewhere In The Real World, Hazardous
- What Does He See in Her?: "Sleep With That", except it's the woman he cheated on her with.
- Woman Scorned: "I Thought We'd Stay Together".
