- STACIE -
BIOGRAPHY

OFFICIAL "BEAUTIFUL AWAKENING" BIOGRAPHY - June 2006
Stacie Orrico never asked to be a star. Stardom, with all its glittering promises, found her. She was discovered at 12, released a gold-selling debut album at 14, and traveled the globe to support her internationally best-selling follow-up at 17. By the age of 18, Orrico had sold more than 3.4 million albums worldwide. But the demands of a successful career nearly drove this young, preternaturally gifted singer and songwriter out of the music business. Thankfully, Orrico not only possesses a dazzling voice, she is also blessed with a rare maturity, which enabled her to walk away from her career three years ago to rediscover who she was and what, and whom, really mattered to her. Orrico’s elegant new album, the soulful, R&B-powered Beautiful Awakening, tells the story of that journey, which has landed her where she is today: in control of her life and career for the first time.

“It’s definitely a peaceful record,” says Orrico, now 20. “I wanted to make an album that you would want to put on while you’re sitting in your bedroom after a long day. I wanted it to have songs that I could sing accompanied by just an acoustic guitar.” The result, a stripped-down affair that sets raw beats, guitar, piano, and a few strings against Orrico’s jazz-inflected powerhouse vocals, is the work of an artist coming into her own. Orrico says the topics, which range from break-up songs (“I’m Not Missing You,” “Don’t Ask Me to Stay”) to romantic ballads (“Easy to Love You,” “Wait”) to a shout-out to single moms (“Babygirl”) to a celebration of family (“So Simple”), “reflect a time that is really joyful and where love has been a part of my life. Whereas in the past my music arose from a place that was a lot rougher emotionally.”

To understand where Orrico is coming from on Beautiful Awakening, it helps to go back to before stardom changed her life. Born in Seattle in 1986, Orrico grew up the daughter of Christian missionaries, the middle child of five in a close-knit Italian-American family. When Orrico was seven, her parents’ travels took them to the Ukraine where young Stacie helped tend to tuberculosis-stricken orphans at a local hospital. The Orricos lived in a compound that had no hot water. “We took freezing cold showers,” she recalls. “It was so cold that when you put your head under the water, it would give you a headache.” The experience, she says, “taught me that no matter what a person’s background is, no matter what language they speak, there are common bonds between people, certain things we can all relate to.”

After a year in the Ukraine, the Orricos moved to Denver where Stacie went to school and sang in church. “I was the little white girl singing in the all-black gospel choir,” she says. “People would come up to my parents and be like, ‘This girl can sing. She's got soul. You’ve got to play her some Fred Hammond and Shirley Caesar records.’ My dad always listened to great old jazz music, like Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn, so I was exposed to that kind of music from a young age.”

In 1998, Orrico attended a music seminar in Estes Park and wound up entering a singing competition as a lark. She won and an A&R executive from EMI’s Christian label ForeFront offered her a development deal on the spot. Orrico was 12.

“The record deal just sort of fell into my lap,” she says. “I mean, my big goal at that age was to, like, have my own locker, and not have to share.” Orrico released two albums on ForeFront: her 2000 debut, Genuine, a hook-laden pop record that sold more than half a million copies and entered Billboard’s Heatseekers chart at Number One, and a 2001 holiday EP called Christmas Wish. Shortly thereafter, Destiny’s Child asked Orrico to support them on their Survivor U.S. tour. “The girls just happened to be into gospel music; they heard what I was doing and wanted to help me out.” Though Beyonce’s father, Matthew Knowles, offered Orrico a deal, she ended up signing with Virgin Records in the winter of 2002.

The Orrico family moved to Nashville, and Stacie released her first album for Virgin in 2003. Stacie Orrico, with its urban-flavored R&B-pop sound, spawned two Top Ten singles, “ (There’s Gotta Be) More To Life” and “Stuck,” the 17-year-old found herself caught up in a whirlwind of promotional appearances: performing at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, at the tree-lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center, and on MTV’s TRL; announcing the Grammy nominations (for which she earned one for “Best Pop Contemporary Gospel Album”); and walking the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Then the album exploded in Asia, and Orrico hit the road, traveling to a new country every three days and doing interviews from seven in the morning to 11 at night. At this point, she had never attended a day of high school, never went to prom, and missed all of her family’s vacations, a particularly sad state of affairs for such a family-oriented person. “It just got to a point where I was getting more and more exhausted,” she says. “I started to think, I didn’t fight for this. I didn’t go knocking on people’s doors for a record deal. Now my whole identity is completely wrapped up in the music industry. I had no life outside of it — no foundation beneath it to support me. It was time to decide whether a music career was really what I wanted to do.”

She decided it wasn’t. By this time, Orrico’s family had moved back to Seattle and Stacie decided to join them, enjoying her mother’s cooking, attending her sister’s dance recital, and her brother’s football games, and making up for lost time. She got a job in a restaurant with her best friend, making $7.50 an hour serving fish and chips at a seafood place. “I just wanted to do something normal,” she says. “We had to wear these hideous outfits — ties and below-the-knee skirts, white tights, and navy shoes. I loved it.”

When that job ended, Orrico moved to L.A. to spend some time with her sister who was attending college in Malibu. She made new friends and felt relieved to be around people who were not familiar with her career. “You can get a pretty messed-up view of yourself when you’re used to people kissing your butt and telling you how perfect you are 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for eight years straight,” she says. “People say ‘Oh, you’re so mature and so together,’ but they don’t know you’re going back to your hotel room at night and ordering six desserts from room service because you’re so stressed-out.”

The break enabled Orrico to build a foundation of support from family and friends, which in turn, allowed her to consider going back to the business. “I finally started to realize that music is what I love — it is what I’m passionate about,” she says. “For me, it’s more than just making records — it’s a form of communication: telling stories and sharing experiences. When I was too exhausted and detached from myself to make that personal connection with people, I lost my enthusiasm for it.”

As Orrico began writing songs again, her desire to make records returned. “Now I’m more excited about my career than I've ever been. It’s no longer something that just fell into my lap, but a conscious choice that I've made to continue.”

Orrico’s renewed passion for music — everything from singing to writing to vocal arranging — bleeds through the tracks on Beautiful Awakening. Orrico co-wrote a majority of the album and worked with a variety of top-notch producers, including Dallas Austin, Dwayne Bastiany, Kaygee, and co-writers such as Shekspear, Track & Field, Anthony Dent, and newcomer Novel, a rapper, singer, producer, and songwriter whom Orrico met at a studio in Atlanta when she heard him making beats down the hall. “He’s my musical soulmate,” Orrico says of Novel, who is the grandson of soul legend Solomon Burke and has written songs for Kelis and India Arie. “We just hear music the same way and are inspired by so many of the same things.”

Orrico is also eager to go on tour and perform. She’s inspired by Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys, artists who make their point simply without a lot of bells and whistles. So don’t expect ten dancers onstage and 50 costume changes.

“That’s not what I’m about,” she says. “You’re not going to see me jumping around onstage to pre-recorded tracks. Really I feel like I’m launching a new career. I want to perform soul music. That is what rings true to me. And truth, honesty, and vulnerability always rise to the top.”

VIRGIN RECORDS BIOGRAPHY - February 2003
Stacie Orrico is no ordinary sixteen-year old. Ordinary sixteen-year olds don't rack up gold sales figures with her debut release and no mass media buzz. Stacie did. Her first album, Genuine, bowed at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, and has gone on to sell over 500,000 units.

Ordinary sixteen-year olds don't possess the brand of dynamic stage presence that can make an impression on Destiny's Child. Stacie did, and the Grammy-winning trio handpicked her to share the bill for dates on their tour.

And, most strikingly, ordinary sixteen-year olds don't possess both the vocal firepower and songwriting acumen found on the Virgin Records debut from this fresh new talent. Stacie does. And you can hear it in every note, every beat, and every word, of Stacie Orrico, beginning with her breakout lead single "Stuck."

Although her singing bursts with youthful exuberance, Stacie is more conscious and articulate than most of her peers and this time out, she was determined to challenge herself to be even more honest as a songwriter, while also pushing her hook-laden pop in new musical directions. The edgier R&B grooves of Stacie Orrico, which features contributions from hitmakers Dallas Austin (Pink, TLC), the Underdogs (Tyrese) and Virgin CEO Matt Serletic (Santana, matchbox twenty, Aerosmith) reflects just how much she's grown up in the two years since Genuine.

"I definitely wanted the music to be more aggressive," she emphasizes. "All of my influences are very soulful musicians my favorite artist is Lauryn Hill, and I've always loved Whitney Houston and Ella Fitzgerald Ð and I wanted to explore that direction more." As a singer, Stacie is as poised and persuasive as her jazz and R&B idols, as is evidenced by her confident reading of the Diane Warren-penned ballad "I Promise."

Stacie Orrico continues to showcase the frank yet responsible lyrical approach that Stacie's established fans expect from her. "I'm a teenager, living a similar life that most teenage girls are," says Stacie. "So whether it's from a positive perspective, or a questioning one, I want to sing about the things I'm dealing with, and worry or wonder about: Growing up, and guys, and family." Stacie isn't afraid to write lyrics that tackle tougher topics, too; though a pop song, "Hesitation" finds her ruminating over the notion of life after death.

Her infectious first single, "Stuck," is an immediately arresting example of her ability to address sentiments that resonant with a diverse array of listeners. "So many people, especially young girls, get into relationships where they're not being treated very well," says Stacie. "But they end up staying in them, because they find security in having a boyfriend, and maybe haven't seen what a good relationship is like. So you end up feeling emotionally torn, or stuck, which is where that whole I hate you, but I love you/I can't stop thinking of you part comes in."

Although music was part of family life in the Orrico household, and Stacie sang at church and in school, she never intended to pursue a career in entertainment. "I had always loved to sing," she admits. "But I was not raised in a showbiz home, and my parents are the farthest thing from stage parents."

In 1998, at the age of twelve, Stacie was discovered singing in a talent contest she'd entered on a lark; an A&R exec judging the event snapped her up as soon as she won first prize. Two years later, her debut, Genuine, entered the Billboard Heatseekers chart at #1. Her performances in support of the rapidly-selling release caught the attention of Destiny's Child, who asked her to be their opening act for a string of U.S. dates in 2001.

"They taught me a lot," says Stacie of the time she spent warming up for Beyoncé, Robin, and Kelly. "I had the privilege of touring with them at one of the highest points in their career. And there they were, on top of the world, yet I would watch them still take time to talk to the fans, and listen to people, and never act jaded."

With the release of the lively, polished Stacie Orrico, this vital new voice introduces her vibrant musicianship and sophisticated performance chops to the world at large. It was fate that Stacie became a professional entertainer, and fate that brought her to Virgin records, but now she has a mission, one that is simple, direct, and a far more ambitious than the dreams of ordinary sixteen-year olds. "I want to impact people's lives with my music," Stacie insists. "People of all ages, from all walks of life. If I can accomplish that, just by sharing some of my experiences, then my goal will be attained."

FOREFRONT RECORDS BIOGRAPHY - August 2000
In an age when teen pop rules the music world it's easy to forget that being a teenager is more than just having killer abs, choreographing some hip dance moves and exuding a coy sexuality. Growing up is a time for self-discovery: finding what makes you unique and nurturing and allowing that God-given light to shine. Genuine is the debut CD from Stacie Orrico and as the title suggests, it's a record filled not with artifice or superficiality but real, from the heart emotion, intelligence and joy. Produced by some of the industry's leading names who have worked with artists like dc Talk, and Jaci Velasquez, including Tedd T., Mark Heimermann and Michael-Anthony (Mooki) Taylor and featuring tracks that have the flavor of R&B /pop and the positivity of the gospel, Genuine is an infectious and inspiring collection of songs from a gifted young artist.

Stacie is quick to point out that her songs, three of which she wrote or co-wrote, contain messages that speak even beyond her Christian faith. As influenced by Crystal Lewis as she is by Whitney Houston and Lauryn Hill, Stacie aims to give a sometimes-misunderstood genre of music a more universal appeal. "I know that for some people Christianity carries a major stereotype and I don't want to make people turn and run. I just want to show people, especially other teens out there who maybe aren't of the same faith that I am, that my music stands for something a little deeper than the coolest hairstyle or the hottest clothes. I have found something real and something important that keeps me stable and focused and maybe people my age will hear my music and they will say, 'I wonder what she has that I don't?' If someone finds peace or answers in my music, that's cool."

And it's also cool if her tracks make you wanna move as evidenced by the sparkling pop first single "Don't Look At Me," co-written by Stacie. The song talks about how easy it is for people, especially teens who want idols or heroes, to look up to celebrities as role models. "This song is really a plea for them to look at me only to see what I hope to reflect--God's steady and trustworthy love. "Don't Look At Me" has a teen pop appeal but it's laced, as are most of the cuts on Genuine, with an R&B edge; which was one of Stacie's stylistic goals. "I am very determined when it comes to my music," Stacie laughs, her maturity belying her 14 years, "and I grew up just loving those singers who had that urban sort of feeling. So when it came down to making my record, I wanted to have that as well. ForeFront was really good about letting me go in that direction and then of course adding the more pop sounds. I feel very fortunate that I got to explore some unique and creative angles musically."

One of those facets is apparent on the touching "Dear Friend," which Stacie wrote. The moving song was written for Stacie's best friend who has been battling anorexia. Considering the personal nature of the song, "Dear Friend" is very close to Stacie's heart but as with all of her songs, the message of hope and of being happy with who you are, no matter what you look like, is one that Stacie is directing to young girls everywhere. "My biggest passion and goal is to reach people my age and to encourage them. My friend going through these problems has made me realize that a lot of teens just don't realize how precious they are."

Stacie flexes more of her urban side on the R&B infused album opener, "Ride," an alluring song inviting the listener to "take a ride, on the other side, if you're lookin' for love, that you cannot find." "Our society always seems to be looking for excitement and satisfaction through various outlets, Stacie explains. The "rides" they take only leave them empty and searching for more. This song offers a hope that God's love won't let them down and will give them more than anything else they try to pursue in life."

Another song with a potent message, also co-written by Stacie, is the title track. With serious funk and bristling attitude, "Genuine" addresses the need for something real and truthful in our lives. "I'm struck by the lack of truth that we have to hold onto in the world. But I've found that there's something genuine and real and truthful that we can hold on to in knowing God, we don't have to be so wrapped up in ourselves."

Stacie has stayed genuine and true to herself by maintaining a focus that has its roots in her upbringing. One of five kids, Stacie is home-schooled and was born in Seattle, WA and moved to Denver, CO as a young child. The Orrico household was always filled with music and two years ago, the family decided to attend Praise in the Rockies, a Christian artist seminar held at Estes Park, Colorado. "I figured it would be fun," Stacie muses, "and I just wanted to see the concerts." With a friend's encouragement Stacie entered what she thought was just a little competition, purely for the fun of it. The competition turned out to be a much bigger event than Stacie or her family realized, and much to her shock, Stacie, who was only 12 years old at the time, won. Stacie was by her own admission blown away. But what would make the event even more memorable was when the Executive Vice President of A&R at ForeFront Records heard Stacie and approached her family about signing her to a developmental deal. "My family didn't even pursue this, we just knew that if God wanted it to happen it would. And it did."

Even with her obvious maturity and her uplifting outlook on life and her career, making the decision to enter the music industry at a young age was not one that Stacie took lightly. "My family knew nothing about the industry and all of sudden we had all these people talking to us and it freaked us out," Stacie admits. "There were times when I said OK, am I supposed to do this? This decision could change my family's lives. I had so many people telling me to wait; after all I was just 12! I was praying about this one day and I pulled out a Crystal Lewis record and listened to 'For Such a Time as This.' I heard her sing 'For such a time as this, isn't it much too great a risk? I've never flown from the edge of a cliff, I've never walked on the water, but if I turn away, how will I know what I have missed? Have I waited all my life for such a time as this?'"

As soon as Stacie heard those lyrics she realized that she had to seize this unique and heaven-sent opportunity. She could both pursue a dream and reach an audience that would listen to her, and Stacie knew that the decision to sign and to record was one that was meant to be.

That sort of thoughtfulness and clarity has been the driving force in Stacie's life and music, and that force - along with songs that will make you dance and reflect-is what makes Stacie Orrico so, genuine.