Country singer Jessica Andrews, 19, was only 16 when she signed a recording deal with Nashville's Dreamworks Records. Success came quickly for the Tennessee native. In 1999, she spent three weeks at the top of the Country chart with the title track from her debut album, Who I Am. That same year, Jessica was named the Academy of Country Music's Top New Female Vocalist. Her third album has just been released, and Jessica Andrews thinks her fans will be surprised at the new direction of her music.
After a two-year break from recording, teenage Country star Jessica Andrews is back with a new album that continues to reflect her youthful energy, as heard in the track Sunshine and Love. During the three years that have passed since the release of her first album, she's faced the many challenges of growing into young adulthood. That maturity is heard in Jessica's latest CD, titled Now.
"This album has a very different feeling for me," she said. "It's a lot more personal, and there's a confidence that wasn't quite there on the first two."
Jessica also has a new passion for songwriting. She wrote only two of the tracks on Now, but sees that as a major creative step in her career.
To avoid being labeled as "the next young thing," Jessica chose many songs that address more serious issues than those on her previous albums. They include this track called God Don't Give Up On Us, which deals with the volatile state of the world.
Personal changes in Jessica's life during the past two years included falling in love for the first time. She's dating Country singer-songwriter Marcel, a former professional hockey player, whose debut album has just been released on Mercury Records.
In addition to her musical career, Jessica is pursuing some acting roles. Earlier this year, she played a recurring role in a U.S. network television comedy, Greetings From Tucson. Although Jessica says she'd like to get more serious about acting, she admits that music will always come first.
Jessica made an appearance at the recent International Country Music Fan Fair in Nashville, where she performed and spent time with her fans. On June 20, she'll begin a U.S. concert tour in support of her new album. Dates are scheduled to continue through most of the year.
The first single from Now is a song Jessica Andrews wrote with her boyfriend Marcel. It's called There's More To Me Than You.
