Veronica Ballestrini

In recent years, TV talent reality shows have been the launching pad for country music recording artists. The successful recording careers of Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Bucky Covington and others have resulted after they were "discovered" on these shows. For several years now, record label executives have speculated that it would be just a matter of time before a Country Star would emerge from the internet.
Sixteen-year-old Veronica Ballestrini could very well become country music's first star to do just that. She inked a major recording contract last month with Country Thunder Records and also a major management deal with Graham Artist Management. The label roster includes the group Heartland, and Graham also manages Trick Pony, Jamie Lee Thurston and Rio Grand.
Her statistics on the internet are incredible with over 3 million hits on her Myspace website and over 34,000 fans signed on to her site as fans and friends. Ballestrini's other major credits include: the best over-all country artist at the USA World Showcase competition at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV in November of 2006, singing the National Anthem at various sports events including the WMBA All-star Game this summer, the celebrity host at the RisingSuperstar.com concert this fall at the Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville along with Brian White, and countless other performances around the country. Her star power potential is evidenced by her #1 music video on Musictone.com in November of 2007 as determined by music fans voting, eclipsing videos by Hilary Duff, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift. The video, "What's Up With That" was directed by Glenn Switzer with the music recorded by Nashville producer Dennis Money.
The Nashville Connection
Through her Myspace site, a couple of Nashville producers contacted her about recording in Music City. On her 15th birthday, her family surprised her with a round trip ticket to Nashville "to pursue her dream." However, the thrill of Nashville soon became a disappointment after meeting with the producers who contacted her and not being able to come to any type of recording agreement. That's when fate stepped in. Ballestrini and her dad hit the streets, and they went to a major recording label on 16th Ave. where the receptionist promptly escorted them to the door saying they would need to have an appointment. Ballestrini mentioned to her Dad after this rejection, "How about this place across the street with the Evergreen Recording Studio sign. Let's try there."
At first they received a similar rejection from the office gatekeeper, Robert Lewis, but Veronica Ballestrini was persistent saying, "We've come a long way, oh please just listen to my music, please, please." As fate would have it producer Dennis Money was in his downstairs recording studio, and Robert Lewis asked him, "Dennis, I got a feeling about this girl. Can you meet with her for five minutes? She's got such a sweet little voice I didn't want to tell her no." Money, who has worked with almost everyone in this town and just recently produced Mo Bandy's last album, was awestruck, for Robert Lewis had never approached him about meeting with any "wannabe" coming off the streets.
In Dennis Money's own words, "Veronica, her dad and me instantly hit it off. We decided from that initial meeting to keep in touch. After further cementing our relationship over the next several months, we went ahead and produced several tracks on her with Nashville's best writers and musicians." Money pitched her recording project to the major labels, got several offers, and recommended that they accept Country Thunder's offer because it was the best deal in terms of publicity, promotions and management. The rest will be history.
The Artist, Her Music and Her Roots
Veronica Ballestrini is a country rocker with a sassy but yet still sweet melodic voice. Her singing style can best be described as a young Shania Twain. One of the songs to look for in upcoming releases will be 'What's Up with That' written by Brian Keith Burns and Joe Diffie and produced by Dennis Money. In Money's own words, "Veronica is a high energy rockin' singer headed to the top with a great attitude. She works hard, and you can look for her to make an impact on major country radio next year. You can bank on it."
Ballestrini's home town is Waterford, Connecticut, and she told NMG, "My first direct musical influence was my older brother, who formed a garage band and played drums and guitar. I used to hang out with him and his friends and listen to their music. My inspiration to learn to play the guitar was Keith Urban." At 13, she started her Myspace page, but her popularity on Myspace did not skyrocket until she recorded and uploaded the song, 'Daddy', which she wrote in half an hour.
For this rising star, the future is looking very bright indeed with a guitar endorsement from Morgan Monroe Guitars under her belt and the anticipated release of her first major release to radio as a Country Thunder Recording Artist. - Nashville Music Guide

Veronina Ballestrini’s latest single “Amazing” is currently making its mark on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart and beyond. Veronica might not be the household name that our American Idol-era industry is capable of producing overnight—yet. But there’s no doubt that she is well on her way to mastering the art of our new media age and bringing a legion of fans with her in the process, as a recent story about her in the New York Times suggests.

“I spend about four hours a day answering messages from fans,” she reveals. “Every message I get, I answer myself.” It’s a formula that has paid big dividends for the surprisingly down-to-earth young star.

With one modest dream and an Internet connection, the teenager from Waterford, Connecticut has raised more than a few eyebrows with her self-made success story. The staggering numbers on her social network sites are proof that Veronica has that special ability to connect with people. On Myspace alone, that number totals more than 120,000 friends, 7.5 million page views and 11.5 million plays of her music. On country-lifestyle portal DigitalRodeo.com, Veronica is one of the most in-demand artists on the entire site.

“What Veronica has done without a label, without television and with virtually no press is absolutely astounding,” says Digital Rodeo Director of Marketing and Promotions John Pyne. “She is one of the most self-motivated artists I’ve ever seen and knows how to use the online tools at her disposal exceptionally well. It just so happens that she’s also a very talented young singer, and I personally think there’s no end to what she can accomplish.”

“It’s important that people know that I’m not trying to be anyone else,” adds Veronica. “I’m just trying to be who I am. I’m writing from the heart about issues and things I’m experiencing, and hopefully people can identify with that.” - Music Row Magazine

IN a video posted to YouTube in January 2008, Veronica Ballestrini — then 16, blond, precocious — sits on a wrinkled couch wearing a pink Abercrombie & Fitch zip-up hoodie and clutching a guitar. “Today one of my fans messaged me, and he thought I should do a Taylor Swift song,” the singer said, then began a committed, occasionally imperfect version of Ms. Swift’s “Teardrops on My Guitar.”
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Whitney Duncan, whose debut album is due out in the fall.

It was one of several videos she posted over the span of a few months, revealing a streak of determination at apparent odds with the casualness of the videos, each one filmed on a different couch or chair.

When she first began recording music at age 13, “I had no idea about anything, nothing about the industry or radio or singles,” Ms. Ballestrini recalled last month, on the phone from Peoria, Ill., during her first tour of country radio stations. “But I did know I needed a lot of fans.” And so from her Connecticut home Ms. Ballestrini set about cultivating an audience online: MySpace, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, DigitalRodeo and more.

A year and a half later, all the screen time has begun to pay off. Last spring she recorded a proper video for “Amazing,” a single of her own, and uploaded it. After a couple of weeks it was picked up by CMT.com, the digital arm of Country Music Television, and shown on CMT Pure Country, the network’s all-video digital channel.

A young female country singer savvily using online media to construct a career built on largely self-written songs about teenage experiences? The Taylor Swift Playbook is making the rounds.

Ms. Swift, 19, who has sold more than seven million records in the last four years, has proved to be seismic in Nashville. And thanks to the pop crossover success of Ms. Swift and Carrie Underwood, 26, who has sold 10 million albums, notions of where a country star might fit in are being rewritten almost daily.

“Taylor is having such massive success,” said David Ross, publisher and editor of the Nashville trade magazine Music Row. “Should we be surprised that marketers are saying, ‘Hey, I need a Taylor too?’ ”

The next generation proposes a range of options. It includes clean-scrubbed country-leaning pop singers like Ms. Ballestrini, chipper country modernists like Jesse Lee, the TV-child-star-turned-musician Jennette McCurdy, sassy country-rock sirens like Jessie James and even some young women with a more traditional Nashville style, like Mallary Hope and Katie Armiger. (Both, perhaps not coincidentally, are brunettes.) Even Miley Cyrus is making a land grab: her single “The Climb,” from the recent “Hannah Montana: The Movie” soundtrack album, has been a hit at pop radio as well as country.

The groundwork for this movement was laid in 2005, the year Ms. Swift signed her recording contract and Ms. Underwood won the fourth season of “American Idol,” validating the idea that a country singer could still succeed on a pop stage, something that hadn’t truly happened since Shania Twain in the 1990s.

In hidebound Nashville, though, where male acts easily dominate the genre in sales and recognition, their success was by no means a given. In April Ms. Underwood won entertainer of the year, the top prize at the annual Academy of Country Music Awards, making her the first solo female artist to do so since Ms. Twain in 1999.

Together, Ms. Swift and Ms. Underwood began clearing huge swaths of brush out of Nashville’s clogged pathways. The duo, along with their fellow blond country singer Kellie Pickler, 23, the former “American Idol” contestant and Ms. Swift’s best friend, were photographed together at a December 2007 Nashville Predators hockey game, making a public show of unity. In July 2008 the three appeared on the cover of Country Weekly magazine under the headline “Girls Rock!”

In 2007 Ms. Swift and Ms. Pickler were both opening acts for Brad Paisley; they also appeared in his video for “Online.”

“The reaction to these guys was spectacular,” said Bill Simmons, Mr. Paisley’s manager. “We watched Taylor explode.”

Mr. Simmons now also manages Mallary Hope, 22, who this week will digitally release her debut EP, “Love Loves On” (MCA Nashville). For “all the kids sitting at home right now who are 12 and 13 and who want to be Carrie and Taylor,” Ms. Hope said, the success of those singers “gives all of these dreamers some hope.”

Apart from some notable exceptions — Tanya Tucker, LeAnn Rimes — youth has often been a liability in Nashville. More than any other genre, country music leans heavily on storytelling, an area where life experience, or perceived life experience, makes a difference.

Katie Armiger, 18, began coming to Nashville four years ago in search of a record deal. “At that time there were not any artists out like me,” she said, adding that a couple of labels offered her contracts but “told me that I would be on the shelf for five to six years.” Last year Ms. Armiger released “Believe” (Cold River), her second independent album, and her videos play regularly on the GAC (Great American Country) music channel.

“In the past, I’ve seen talent at a young age and was averse to starting a business relationship,” said Mike Dungan, the president and chief executive of Capitol Records Nashville. “I felt our radio partners wouldn’t be receptive to it.”

- New York Times

In a video posted to YouTube in January 2008, Veronica Ballestrini -- 16, blond and precocious -- sits on a wrinkled couch wearing a pink zip-up hoodie and clutching a guitar.

"Today, one of my fans messaged me; and he thought I should do a Taylor Swift song," said the singer, who then began a committed, occasionally imperfect version of Swift's Teardrops on My Guitar.

The video was one of several she posted in the span of a few months, revealing a streak of determination at apparent odds with the casualness of the videos, each one filmed on a different couch or chair.

When Ballestrini first began recording music at age 13, she recalled, "I had no idea about anything -- nothing about the industry or radio or singles."

She did know, though, that she needed fans.

And so from her Connecticut home, Ballestrini set about cultivating an audience online: DigitalRodeo, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube and more.

Eighteen months later, her efforts have begun to pay off.

In the spring, she recorded a proper video for Amazing, a single of her own, and uploaded it. After a couple of weeks, it was picked up by CMT.com, the digital arm of Country Music Television, and shown on CMT Pure Country, the network's all-video digital channel.

A young female country singer savvily using online media to construct a career built on largely self-written songs about teenage experiences?

The Taylor Swift playbook is making the rounds.

Swift, 19, who has sold more than 7 million records during the past four years, has proved to be seismic in Nashville. And thanks to the pop crossover success of Swift and Carrie Underwood, 26, who has sold 10 million albums, notions of where a country star might fit in are being rewritten almost daily.

The next generation proposes a range of options that includes clean-scrubbed country-leaning pop singers such as Ballestrini, chipper country modernists such as Jesse Lee, the TV-child-star-turned-musician Jennette McCurdy, sassy country-rock sirens such as Jessie James and young women with a more traditional Nashville style such as Katie Armiger and Mallary Hope.

Even Miley Cyrus is making a land grab: Her single The Climb, from the recent Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack album, has been a hit on pop radio as well as country.

The groundwork for the movement was laid in 2005, the year Swift signed her recording contract and Underwood won the fourth season of American Idol, validating the idea that a country singer could still succeed on a pop stage -- something that hadn't happened since Shania Twain in the 1990s.

In hidebound Nashville, though, where male acts easily dominate the genre in sales and recognition, their success was by no means a given.

In April, Underwood won entertainer of the year, the top prize at the annual Academy of Country Music Awards, making her the first solo female artist to do so since Twain in 1999.

Mike Dungan, president and chief executive of Capitol Records Nashville, acknowledges hesitating to seek a business relationship with teenage talent in the past.

"I felt our radio partners wouldn't be receptive to it," he said.

In June, though, Capitol announced the signing of McCurdy, 17, a star of the Nickelodeon show iCarly who had a built-in fan base.

When she began posting videos of herself singing in a husky, twangy voice, she said, "I got a huge response from my online-site community."

As the radio industry has consolidated, playlists have become more restricted. The target demographic for country radio, which has historically been middle-aged women, hasn't helped usher in younger stars, although executives say that for new artists to have stability, they must attract mothers and children.

When a Ballestrini arrives essentially unannounced and begins to attract attention, it's significant.

Jay Frank, senior vice president for music strategy at Country Music Television, referred to Ballestrini as "the first artist to pop up in a completely independent sense, getting noticeable figures online on her own without a major machine."

Thanks to the crossover success of Taylor Swift, left, and Carrie Underwood, notions of where a country star might fit in are being rewritten almost daily. - Columbus Dispatch

OLD LYME -- It was a beautiful day for a picnic, and Sennheiser Electronic Corp. employees took advantage of the sunshine and warm weather to enjoy fine food and hear from the corporation's latest endorsed artist: an up-and-coming country music singer from Waterford.

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a global firm that makes microphones, headphones and wireless systems used by many of today's top stars, formally added singer-songwriter Veronica Ballestrini to its growing roster of high-profile artists who use its sound equipment.

Ballestrini, who was featured in a flattering article in the New York Times on Friday, was chosen this past spring as one of the top winners of Sennheiser's "My Song Contest," designed to showcase the songwriting talents of American high-school students.

Stefanie Reichert, vice president for Sennheiser's strategic marketing, said the firm was proud to support the 17-year-old musician. "(Veronica) Ballestrini is well on her way to becoming a country star," she said, "and she's now backed by positive recognition from Sennheiser. "

Sennheiser, which is based in Germany, has its U.S. headquarters in Old Lyme. As part of her official endorsement, Ballestrini will use the firm's high-end microphones for her live performances. She now joins an elite group of top country singers, including Tim McGraw, the Zac Brown Band and Sugarland, who also use Sennheiser equipment. In addition, Ballestrini will receive Sennheiser product support, an artist profile on its Web site at www.sennheiserusa.com/artists and other career-enhancing opportunities.

During the noontime festivities, Ballestrini played her songs while Sennheiser employees enjoyed a festive company barbecue, sitting at tables and listening under large tents outside corporate headquarters.

In addition, Sennheiser's Sound Tour representatives were also on hand. The promotional tour includes two teams -- one male, one female -- that are traveling across the country promoting the firm's various headphones.

Ballestrini began playing guitar when she was 13 and has already recorded an album in Nashville, Tenn., under the independent Timbob label. Her profile is featured on MySpace at www.myspace.com/veronicaballestrini .

After hearing about the My Song Contest, Ballestrini entered and was one of the top five winners in the nationwide competition. Ballestrini said she was honored to be endorsed by Sennheiser, especially since she was already a fan of the firm's microphones. - The Day