Highlights - Muses

 

Meteorical Success!

 Along with counterparts Jewel and Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette was one of the most successful singer/songwriters to ride in on the second wave of grrrl rock in the mid-'90s.

Born on June 1, 1974, Alanis Nadine Morissette and her two brothers were raised in Ottawa, Canada by French-Canadian and Hungarian parents. By the age of 10, the precocious Morissette had landed a role on the Nickelodean TV show "You Can't Do That on Television" and recorded her first single, "Fate Stay With Me." She spent most of her pre-pubescent years performing throughout Canada, singing "O Canada" at sporting events and even making the de rigueur appearance on "Star Search."
 
 
 
 
 
The hard work paid off and at 14 Morissette was offered a recording contract with MCA/Canada. Her debut, Alanis, a collection of dance-pop songs, was released in 1991 and went platinum in Canada. That year, Morissette won the Juno award (Canada's Grammy) for Most Promising Female Vocalist.

Her sophomore effort, 1992's Now Is the Time, was recorded and released before Morissette graduated from high school. However, this album -- another collection of teeny bop dance tunes -- sold only half as well as her debut, and at age 17 it looked as if Morissette's career was on the wane.		  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

After high school, Morissette moved to Los Angeles where she had the good fortune to hook up with songwriter/producer Glen Ballard, known for his work with Michael Jackson, Paula Abdul and Wilson Phillips. The creative chemistry between Ballard and Morissette was evident from the beginning. Ballard pushed Morissette to pursue darker, edgier themes in her music, venturing away from the cutesy teenager and toward the introspective young woman.
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Most of the songs are, in a roundabout way, actually addressed to myself," says Morissette of her work with Ballard at this time. "There's a certain aspect of the songs that's very confessional, very unadulterated...It was a very unfettered, spiritual experience."

The resulting demo tape was shopped around to the major labels and Madonna's Maverick imprint eventually signed Morissette. Jagged Little Pill, was released in the summer of 1995. On the strength of the break-out single "You Oughta Know," the album reached platinum status and the Top 10. Follow-up singles "Hand in My Pocket," "All I Really Want" and "Ironic" kept Jagged Little Pill on the album charts the next two years, ultimately selling 15 million copies.		  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  Morissette was showered with industry awards for Jagged Little Pill, including Grammys for Album of the Year, Best Female Rock Vocal Performance, Best Rock Song and Best Rock Album.

Her much-anticipated follow-up, Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie, was released to favorable reviews in November 1998.

One year later Alanis Unplugged, an acoustic set recorded for the MTV Unplugged series, was released on Warner Bros.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Since the release of "Infatuation Junkie," Alanis has continued to delve into acting - both in a cameo in the film, "Dogma," and in a stint in the controversial play, "The Vagina Monologues." She is very thankful to her fans for helping her get where she is today. "I don't know where I would be without the fans - probably somewhere reading a book," she jokes. Although projecting the image of a seasoned veteran, it is hard to believe that her career in the music business has just begun. With so much promise, who knows where this artist will take us next.		  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  News about Alanis

Album release - Alanis cut out of movie

It is now officially confirmed that the new album will be out this fall - not in June and not at the end of the year. Alanis' publicist has finally told the news to EW.com. Geoff Mayfield, senior editor at Billboard magazine says 'This is a good year for rock and that bodes well for sales of Morissette's upcoming release'. The exact release date of the yet untitled album is still not revealed.
 
 
 
 
 
 




As we have reported, Alanis has been filming with Jay & Silent Bob to once again play God in an upcoming movie. Today we can report that Alanis has been cut out of the movie. Aintitcoolnews.com reports that '.. Alanis Morissette/God is nowhere to be found in the flick. She must have been cut out..' This is quite surprising since an article was published only four days ago revealing that Alanis would be starring in the movie.