Vanessa Olivarez Takes The High Road... By Way of Canada!

If you are keeping a tally of American Idol contestants who have found chart success, don’t forget to include Vanessa Olivarez. Yes, Vanessa! You see, Vanessa Olivarez has scored a top ten single, “The One,” in Canada! Yes, Canada!

Here is the story: Vanessa was passed over for a record deal when her first-refusal contract expired (19 Entertainment has all the American Idol contestants sign a contract that prohibits them from signing record deals with anyone else for specific period of time – this gives 19 Entertainment the right to sign or not sign them, as they choose). Vanessa, who swore we hadn’t seen the last of her as she waved goodbye after her surprising elimination, got to work.

Olivarez started her own Toronto-based independent record label, Outta the Box Records, and she, with producer-co-writer Dave Pickell and co-writer James Collins, released a song entitled "The One." Vanessa also received a writing credit for the song. Good for her, right? Here’s where it gets clever.

Vanessa, you may remember, is from Atlanta, GA. Pickell and Collins are Canadian. This is significant because Canadian pop-music radio stations are required to maintain a playlist with at least 35% Canadian Content (CanCon) qualified music and that the songs must have at least two parts CanCon based on who wrote the music, wrote the lyrics, produced, etc. to qualify. “The One” being two parts CanCon (as well as Vanessa’s Idol exposure) made the song a virtual lock for airplay. The single’s B-Side, "I'm In Love With My Best Friend's Ex,” was three parts CanCon.

The week ending October 5, 2003, Vanessa’s single debuted at number 10, according to the Nielsen SoundScan Canadian Singles Chart. Unfortunately, the following week, “The One” fell to number 48, but Vanessa can still claim a victory. In Canada, like the USA, it is very difficult for a single (with no album) to have success with major-label backing. It’s virtually unheard of for a fledgling record label to have single chart in the top ten without the money spent on advertising, promotion, marketing and so on.

Outta the Box is shopping the single to major labels here in the USA in the hopes that its Canadian success can be parlayed into a full-fledged record deal for Vanessa. With the ingenuity she’s shown so far, I wouldn’t bet against it.

The single will surprise you. Vanessa sounds terrific on a very contemporarily produced pop number, singing about the one she loves with all those little electronic flourishes you’d expect. Is it believable on the radio? Absolutely! As far as first singles go, Vanessa has hit the marketability nail more solidly than Kelly, Ruben, Clay, or Justin!

Those who know Vanessa will tell you that behind that ebullient personality, there is a determined and driven young woman. It should come as no surprise that she has taken the “high road, by way of Canada” to make her claim for future success.

Sting7 has been a respected published writer for 16 years, as a music editor, entertainment critic, columnist, and interviewer. He also has a curious love for pro-wrestling! You can email Stinger at stingseven@yahoo.com.

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