Veronica Ballestrini
Encyclopedia
Veronica Ballestrini is an Italian-American country music
singer and songwriter from Waterford, Connecticut
. Her self-made success story has caught national attention as Jon Caramanica wrote in the New York Times, "...When someone like Ms. Ballestrini arrives essentially unannounced and begins to attract attention, it’s significant.” Veronica is endorsed by World Famous Microphone manufacturer Sennheiser
after winning songwriting contest with the company. Veronica was named one of six "Artists to Watch For" by Marie Claire
Magazine.
In April 2010 Veronica was chosen as the "Editors Pick" in the If I Can Dream
MySpace contest, created by Simon Fuller
and moved into the house on June 20, 2010
As part of her ministry, Ballestrini visits many Women's Correctional Facilities around the United States sharing her music with inmates.
concert when she was eleven and this started her interest in country music.
Ballestrini began playing guitar
and writing songs at the age of thirteen the same year she started her MySpace
music page. With only cover songs up at the time, she still managed to pick up many fans. Veronica's popularity increased after writing and composing her song "Daddy" and posting it to her MySpace playlist. At age fourteen Veronica began performing around her homestate of Connecticut
at local talent contests and fairs. In November 2006 Veronica won 1st place at the USA World Showcase in Las Vegas, performing her song "Daddy".
Her internet status caught the attention of many Nashville record producers, who then contacted her about recording in Music City. On her fifteenth birthday, her family surprised her with a round trip ticket to Nashville to pursue her dream.
While still in high school, Ballestrini made her professional singing debut. Ballestrini created an independent label in 2009 and worked with producer Cliff Downs, with whom she has written many songs. Downs produced her debut album "What I'm All About".
Country chart and the music video debuted at #3 on CMT Pure
. "Don't Say" and "Out There Somewhere" were two other singles released off this album.
In the Summer of 2010 Veronica was part of the "Mead Five Star" Music Insider nationwide sweepstake along with 9 other bands. In October 2010 it was announced Veronica was the winner of the fan voted contest.
MySpace contest, created by Simon Fuller
. She visited the Dream House in Beverly Hills from June 4–7, 2010. Veronica returned to the Dream House on June 23, 2010. During her stay she recorded a demo for her song "Fascinated" and developed a romantic relationship with Alex Lambert
.
Ballestrini used the money she won from the MEAD Five Star contest to produce her second album which is set for release Early 2012. The first single off the album is titled "Temporary Fix". The music video for this single was shot in Malibu, California. "Temporary Fix" released onto iTunes on August 11, 2011 and music video released September 24th, 2011 accumulated over 450,000 views within the first month of being online. In November 2011 Veronica charted on the Billboard Social 50
chart at #50 and #2 for Country artists.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer and songwriter from Waterford, Connecticut
Waterford, Connecticut
Waterford is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Waterford, Ireland. The population was 19,152 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place .-Geography:...
. Her self-made success story has caught national attention as Jon Caramanica wrote in the New York Times, "...When someone like Ms. Ballestrini arrives essentially unannounced and begins to attract attention, it’s significant.” Veronica is endorsed by World Famous Microphone manufacturer Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG is a private German audio company specializing in the design and production of a wide range of both consumer and high fidelity products, including microphones, headphones, telephony accessories, and avionics headsets for consumer, professional, and business...
after winning songwriting contest with the company. Veronica was named one of six "Artists to Watch For" by Marie Claire
Marie Claire
Marie Claire is a monthly women's magazine first published in France but also distributed in other countries with editions specific to them and in their languages. While each country shares its own special voice with its audience, the United States edition focuses on women around the world and...
Magazine.
In April 2010 Veronica was chosen as the "Editors Pick" in the If I Can Dream
If I Can Dream (series)
-Format:The show followed performers who moved into a house in Hollywood, California. The house was wired with 56 AXIS cameras and the footage was broadcast live on the show's website...
MySpace contest, created by Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller is a British artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, first seen as Pop Idol in the UK. Fuller is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Fox TV reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other U.S...
and moved into the house on June 20, 2010
As part of her ministry, Ballestrini visits many Women's Correctional Facilities around the United States sharing her music with inmates.
Biography
Ballestrini was born in New London, CT and raised in Waterford, CT. She comes from a large family of four brothers and one sister. Her father Rosario Ballestrini and mother Carol Marandino Ballestrini are both Italian-American Her parents took her to a Dolly PartonDolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
concert when she was eleven and this started her interest in country music.
Ballestrini began playing guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
and writing songs at the age of thirteen the same year she started her MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
music page. With only cover songs up at the time, she still managed to pick up many fans. Veronica's popularity increased after writing and composing her song "Daddy" and posting it to her MySpace playlist. At age fourteen Veronica began performing around her homestate of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
at local talent contests and fairs. In November 2006 Veronica won 1st place at the USA World Showcase in Las Vegas, performing her song "Daddy".
Her internet status caught the attention of many Nashville record producers, who then contacted her about recording in Music City. On her fifteenth birthday, her family surprised her with a round trip ticket to Nashville to pursue her dream.
While still in high school, Ballestrini made her professional singing debut. Ballestrini created an independent label in 2009 and worked with producer Cliff Downs, with whom she has written many songs. Downs produced her debut album "What I'm All About".
Music career
2009-2010: What I'm All About
Ballestrini went on to record her debut album "What I'm All About" which was released August 21, 2009 on her own independent label. Her first single "Amazing" charted on the Music RowMusic Row
Music Row is an area just to the southwest of Downtown Nashville, Tennessee that is home to hundreds of businesses related to the country music, gospel music, and Contemporary Christian music industries...
Country chart and the music video debuted at #3 on CMT Pure
CMT Pure Country
CMT Pure Country is a digital cable and satellite television channel, it is the sister network to CMT. It showcases country music videos all day from the 1980s to the current day, using the same 8-hour programming wheel schedule repeated three times daily as sister networks MTV Hits and MTV Jams...
. "Don't Say" and "Out There Somewhere" were two other singles released off this album.
In the Summer of 2010 Veronica was part of the "Mead Five Star" Music Insider nationwide sweepstake along with 9 other bands. In October 2010 it was announced Veronica was the winner of the fan voted contest.
2010: If I Can Dream
In April 2010, Veronica was chosen as the "Editors Pick" in the If I Can DreamIf I Can Dream (series)
-Format:The show followed performers who moved into a house in Hollywood, California. The house was wired with 56 AXIS cameras and the footage was broadcast live on the show's website...
MySpace contest, created by Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller
Simon Fuller is a British artist manager, television producer and creator of the Idol franchise, first seen as Pop Idol in the UK. Fuller is also the co-creator and executive producer of the Fox TV reality show So You Think You Can Dance and other U.S...
. She visited the Dream House in Beverly Hills from June 4–7, 2010. Veronica returned to the Dream House on June 23, 2010. During her stay she recorded a demo for her song "Fascinated" and developed a romantic relationship with Alex Lambert
Alex Lambert
Alexander Don "Alex" Lambert is an American singer-songwriter from North Richland Hills, Texas, who was a semi-finalist on the ninth season of American Idol and starred on Simon Fuller’s “post-reality” web show, If I Can Dream....
.
2011: Gotta Make A Change
In 2011, Veronica began working on her sophomore album, Gotta Make A Change, a process that set in motion her inspirational "Gotta Make A Change" tour. Throughout the summer, Veronica performed shows at various camps, festivals, Girl Scout events and women’s correctional facilities across the U.S. to help spread the project’s motivational message. "Life is full of struggles. We stumble, we fall down, and in those moments we feel we will never get up again," Veronica says on the project’s website. "Sometimes all it takes is one person to say or do something to help you to see life in a new perspective and inspire you to get up and make a change. Life will never be pain free, we just have to learn to embrace the pain and find strength.Ballestrini used the money she won from the MEAD Five Star contest to produce her second album which is set for release Early 2012. The first single off the album is titled "Temporary Fix". The music video for this single was shot in Malibu, California. "Temporary Fix" released onto iTunes on August 11, 2011 and music video released September 24th, 2011 accumulated over 450,000 views within the first month of being online. In November 2011 Veronica charted on the Billboard Social 50
Billboard Social 50
The Billboard Social 50 is a weekly Billboard music chart. According to Billboard's official description, the chart is "A ranking of the most active artists on the world's leading social networking sites...
chart at #50 and #2 for Country artists.
Albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| What I'm All About |
|
| Gotta Make a Change |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "What's Up with That" | single only |
| 2009 | "Amazing" | What I'm All About |
| "Out There Somewhere" | ||
| 2010 | "Don't Say" | |
| 2011 | "Temporary Fix" | Gotta Make a Change |
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | "What's Up with That" | Glenn Sweitzer |
| 2009 | "Amazing" | |
| "Out There Somewhere" | ||
| 2010 | "Don't Say" | |
| 2011 | "Temporary Fix" | DJ Cosgrove |
Filmography
| Shows | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2010 | If I Can Dream | Herself | 5 episodes |
| 2010 | I'm_Still_Dreaming_(series)#Cast_members>I'm Still Dreaming | Herself | 7 episodes |
| Music Video Appearances | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Artist | Director |
| 2009 | Days That We Live For | Matt Gary | Glenn Sweitzer |
| 2009 | Trail of Lies | Katie Armiger | Glenn Sweitzer |
| 2011 | Start Again | Sam Tsui Sam Tsui Samuel "Sam" Tsui is an American musician and Internet celebrity who rose to fame on YouTube. He is best known for covering and performing songs by popular artists, as well as original medleys and mashups... |
Kurt Hugo Schneider Kurt Hugo Schneider Kurt Hugo Schneider is an American film director, producer, singer and songwriter, who is noted for his production of YouTube music videos in collaboration with other musicians... |