Renee Olstead, new chanteuse marks her territory<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
She is still a teenager, 15 years old. She has just branched out
\nfrom an impressive acting career and embarked on a full-fledged
\nsinging career by releasing a self-titled debut album.<\/p>\n
No, she is neither Hilary Duff nor Lindsay Lohan.<\/p>\n
If anything, she is way ahead of that pack, blessed as she is
\nwith a seriously bluesy jazz voice and can mesmerize listeners
\nwith her renditions of beloved standards of the great American
\nsong book, the likes of old tunes from Neil Sedaka or Barry
\nManilow.<\/p>\n
Renee Olstead, hitherto known as a star in CBS' series Still
\nStanding and Jennifer Garner's lighthearted comedy 13 Going On
\n30, has now turned into a new chanteuse (concert singer) and has
\nbeen dubbed the incarnation of both jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald
\nand country singer Patsy Cline in one. And the hype is not far
\nfrom the truth.<\/p>\n
Teen pop stars launching their musical careers these days try
\nso hard to cultivate a bad girl, punkish image (Britney's Joan
\nJett or Ashlee Simpson's Janis Joplin), however Renee modestly
\nchooses to let the music speak for itself.<\/p>\n
\"I found this music four years ago and it made a huge impact
\non me, it really spoke to me ... these people played music with a
\nlot of passion,\" she told The Jakarta Post in a telephone
\ninterview from Warner Music's Los Angeles base.<\/p>\n
Such is her approach to music, giving primacy to emotion and
\ndelivery over style or image.<\/p>\n
With a voice she describes as unique and with different
\nlayers, Olstead will easily captivate listeners of all age
\ngroups.<\/p>\n
Olstead stayed true to this spirit with her self-titled 2004
\ndebut album. Is It You Or Is You Ain't My Baby is one of those
\nsongs that will make your fingers snap to the beat, while What A
\nDifference Day Makes is a standard oldie.<\/p>\n
And you will simply not believe that all these songs are sung
\nby a fifteen year old.<\/p>\n
Although her musical career was not the usual rags-to-riches
\nstory, Olstead had to work hard.<\/p>\n
Born in Houston, Texas fifteen years ago, Olstead grew up with
\na multitude of musical influences.<\/p>\n
\"I also listen to Billy Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Patsy
\nCline ... aside from AC DC, the Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin.
\nThey had the biggest influence on me,\" she said.<\/p>\n
After relocating to Los Angeles to accommodate the shooting
\nschedule for Still Standing, Olstead found time to perform with a
\nlocal jazz and swing band at a number of venues in Hollywood.<\/p>\n
Olstead recorded several songs with the group that would later
\nend up on the desk of Grammy-winning composer and talent scout
\nDavid Foster.<\/p>\n
Aware of her talent, Foster immediately offered an exclusive
\nrecording contract. The recording for the debut album was done in
\nbetween and around her acting job.<\/p>\n
When the album came out, praise was heaped upon her along with
\nthe inevitable comparisons with Fitzgerald and Cline. \"It is
\nextremely flattering to be compared with them, the ones I
\nlistened to when I was a child,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Olstead believed that her music, although supposedly for
\nmature audiences, would also gain currency among youth. \"A lot of
\npeople my age who I hang out with -- between 15 and 19 years --
\nthey like this kind of music and they will like it more if they
\nare exposed to it,\" she said.<\/p>",
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