The new darling of MTV has
arrived and her name is Mandy Moore. Mandy has always shown a strong loyalty
to MTV in interviews and television viewing habits, and MTV seized on that
and her musical talents to land a 3 year contract with the sexy teen sensation.
Born April 10, 1984 in Nashua, New Hampshire, Mandy Moore had always loved
to perform.
When
her parents and her later moved to Orlando, Florida, she quickly became
known as National Anthem Girl as many times for local sporting events she
was seen singing the Star Spangled Banner. Record executives noticed
and in seeing the huge door that Britney Spears had open, she suddenly
was in hot demand. Late in 1999, Mandy released her debut album So Real
and since then both her videos and Mandy herself have been a staple in
the MTV diet. With this fame though comes a price, as Mandy is often pulled
away from her friends to go overseas and tour. Her career got a huge boost
as she toured both with 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys before the release
of So Real. In 2000, a tour is planned with another boy band, Five.
Despite her hectic schedule, Mandy is perhaps the only musician in pop
today that regularly takes the time to communicate with her fans on her
website, mandymoorefan.com. Mandy herself has said "I am always on line.
I like to talk to people and hear how much they love my music. I love to
go on and talk." One wonders if this can continue as her popularity and
scheduling demands cause her to have less and less time available to communicate
with her loyal legion of followers, but her attempts to personalize herself
with her fans is that extra step that others in her genre should follow.
While Mandy has enjoyed a
huge amount of success at such a young age, it has not come without critics.
Her album has been panned by the New York Post as being part of "an unending
line of bubble-gum pop singers" and filled with "puppy-love lyrics border
on the ridiculous to adult ears" in reference to songs like Candy
. It also didn't stop the network that promotes and has a heavy investment
in her to take its shots as well, as MTV's Sam Cannon wrote "Mandy's vocal
skills still need some maturing" and "Mandy comes off as gangly and awkward".
Now to be fair, it should be expected that this type of criticism would
come with such a young talent, and unlike her older peers Christina Aguilera
and Britney Spears, Mandy never had the 'minor-league' schooling that The
Mickey Mouse Club provided them. Mandy also isn't known as the dancing
type as those two are as well, meaning her music is the focus of her act,
which again puts more pressure on her to rise above those two vocally.
While Mandy is primarily
known for her singing, she also is stepping heavy into the acting arena
as well. This year she not only will be getting heavy airplay on MTV seasonal
events, she also will have her own series on the network. Plus, the popular
teen hit Dawson's Creek will also feature Mandy. Advertisers are
desperate to get in on the action as well, with Neutrogena signing Mandy
to endorse their skin care products.
So what's the latest in Mandy's
love life? Well despite rumors and an endless barrage of hate mail, she
isn't nor hasn't gone out with the Backstreet Boys Nick Carter. Apparently
many were mistaking her for his girlfriend Mandy Williford. While admitting
she is currently single, Mandy has said "I'm sure that time will come when
I really want a boyfriend. But for right now it's too hard on the road."
And in a recent interview, she has admitted "I've gone through my fair
share of jerks... one guy even left me stranded on a street corner and
I had to call my parents to pick me up." Like many other of her young diva
peers Mandy has said "Carson Daly is who I would go on a date with." if
she had a choice to date any celebrity. In addition, she also has an affection
for a certain married man "Ryan Phillipe. But he's married and he's kind
of unattainable. But hey, I can dream." The lastest rumors swirled around
her and an MTV news reporter, Brian McFayden, who's 9 years older than
Mandy. She recently dismissed those rumors, saying her parents would have
no part of that! And to clear up one other rumor, Mandy has volunteered,
"I do like Britney Spears." adding, "I am glad she opened the door for
more girls music". |
