Bianca Ryan
Bianca Ryan |
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Bianca Taylor Ryan[1] (born September 1 1994) is an American singer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, who won the début season of NBC's America's Got Talent. At age 11, the prodigy repeatedly performed to standing ovations from the studio audiences, and her finale appearance—singing "I Am Changing" from the Broadway musical Dreamgirls—prompted show judge (and onetime prodigy) Brandy to shake her head and proclaim that Ryan "makes me want to go practice … that's how good you are."[2]
Biography
Background
Bianca Ryan is the second of four children of Shawn and Janette Ryan, and is part Irish from her father's side of the family and part Japanese from her mother's side.[1] Ryan has an older brother, Shawn, and two younger siblings, Isabella and Jagger.[3]
At age eight, Ryan developed a preference in the rhythm and blues and gospel music genres, and recalls practicing in her family's basement only to hear her father ask, "who is that black woman who just got into my daughter's body?"[1] Neighbor Denise Bauchens told the News Gleaner that she was sweeping her patio one day in 2004, heard Ryan's voice, and "just dropped everything and started to listen."[4]
Ryan counts Yolanda Adams, Mariah Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Holliday and Patti LaBelle among her favorite singers. Adams was her voice coach for the America's Got Talent finals.
Early performances
Bianca Ryan began performing as a tap-dancer; it was a big surprise to her parents when the nine-year-old told them she wanted to audition for Star Search in 2003.[5] Her participation ended when she earned 12 stars from the judges to 13 stars for Spensha Baker[6] (after young Tiffany Evans won the competition, Shawn Ryan decided to send his daughter to Evans' coach, Sal Dupree, for vocal lessons[7]). Ryan also has appeared on Showtime at the Apollo and The Tom Joyner Show.[8]
She has performed at several sizable venues, including Madison Square Garden and Lincoln Financial Field. Since age eight, she has been the regular anthemist for the semi-professional Philadelphia Growl inline hockey team.[9] Ryan also has sung the national anthem for the New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Eagles professional sports teams.[8]
Ryan's television work includes commercials for the Chuck E. Cheese restaurant chain and the Philadelphia Zoo.[3] She also played "Singing Girl" in the Michael Cuesta-directed feature film 12 and Holding.[10]
America's Got Talent
Template:Sound sample box align right Template:Multi-listen start Template:Multi-listen item Template:Multi-listen end Template:Sample box end While searching the Internet for competitions[5], Ryan learned about America's Got Talent; at her audition, she chose the Dreamgirls showtune "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" (originally performed by Jennifer Holliday), surprising the audience and the judges with her powerful voice. Brandy gave Ryan a standing ovation and called her "my favorite contestant in this competition." Piers Morgan, critical of Ryan's appearance, told her to change her hair, dress and shoes, "and you will win this tournament. … You came on this stage, and you blew us away!" David Hasselhoff called Ryan "a star" and called for the audience to "get on your feet for this girl!"[11]
Ryan's first appearance on Talent became one of the most popular videos on YouTube.[1] At the time, the online video archive was partly owned by NBC.
Ryan sang "Piece of My Heart" (barefoot, à la Janis Joplin) at the semifinals, but none of the judges was impressed with Ryan's musical choice; Brandy said, "You were born to do this, (but) I liked the song selection better the first time," while Hasselhoff felt that style was "not going to get you through (the competition)." Morgan was tougher still, telling Ryan that she "nearly blew it tonight … play to your limit, don't try too hard, or it will show." Though another act was picked by the judges to move on to the finale round and a chance at the US$1 million prize, Ryan was announced as that week's viewers' choice.
For her finale song—coached by gospel singer Yolanda Adams, who said there was little she could teach Ryan that she did not already possess—Ryan returned to Dreamgirls and the Holliday number "I Am Changing". Following the performance, Morgan praised her appearance and song choice, saying "I think you're going to win the competition." Hasselhoff said she reminded him of Liza Minnelli and how she "affects people, and makes them get up and makes them feel things," and told Ryan, "you truly are the best in this competition."
Talent's finale results aired on August 17, 2006, during which Ryan was announced as the winner of the first season of the show. The announcement left her in shock (when asked by host Regis Philbin how she felt, Ryan said, "I don't even know!"), brought Hasselhoff to his feet and moved Brandy to tears; Morgan later told WCAU (NBC10, Philadelphia) that "the most talented person won."[12]
Debut CD
On August 24 2006, Ryan announced on her website that she had flown to New York to meet with representatives from a "major record label" and some of the recording industry's top songwriters.[13] The Northeast Times reported that same day that Ryan met with Grammy Award-winning producer David Foster and was being managed by Peter Rudge.[14]
The following month, Ryan was in Los Angeles, California, to record her first CD, featuring cover versions of "The Rose" and "I Believe I Can Fly" and original songs like "I Wish That" and "Pray for a Better Day". Bianca Ryan was released on November 14 2006; eight days later, the album broke in at #57[15] on the Billboard album charts, showcasing "her gargantuan chops and sweet charm," wrote Matt Collar of All Music Guide. Though he called the arrangements "somewhat over-the-top pop creations" and "grandiose given Ryan's age, her musical aspirations are more than matched by her truly impressive vocal talent."[16] Los Angeles Daily News reviewer Sandra Barrera went a step further, calling Bianca Ryan "an album filled mostly with really bad covers." Still, she wrote, "Ryan tackles these kinds of has-beens like the old pro that her big, powerful voice makes you think she is."[17]
Bianca Ryan is the first of a five-record deal signed on September 18[13] with SYCOmusic, run by Talent Executive Producer Simon Cowell as part of Columbia Records (SONY BMG). Ryan is the first U. S. artist to sign with SYCOmusic.[18]
Personal
As of fall 2006, Ryan is a sixth-grader at School Lane Charter School in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania. "I'm in school most of the time," she said, "and keep up on my work when I have to go on the road."[5]
Just before the release of her CD, Bianca Ryan lost her grandmother; Marie Ryan had struggled with Alzheimer's Disease for five years.[19] The following week, Mayor John F. Street proclaimed November 13 "Bianca Ryan Day" in Philadelphia. The proclamation included a key to the city.[20]
Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 12 and Holding | Singing Girl | Released May 19 2006 |
Television
- America's Got Talent – five appearances (June 28, July 26, July 27, August 16 and August 17 2006)
- The Ellen DeGeneres Show – two appearances (September 13 and November 16 2006)
- The CW Morning Show – November 16, 2006
- Today – November 16, 2006
- The Oprah Winfrey Show – November 16, 2006
- Martha — November 20 2006
Discography
| Album information |
|---|
|
Bianca Ryan
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References
- ^ a b c d "11-year-old singing sensation Bianca Ryan shows us why she's got talent". bobrivers.com. Retrieved 21 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Mahan, Colin. "Talent shines in finale". tv.com. Retrieved 20 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b O'Sullivan, Jeannie. "Bianca hits the high notes for the Eagles". northeasttimes.com. Retrieved 21 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Rice, William. "She's a star". newsgleaner.com. Retrieved 24 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c Takiff, Jonathan. "Ryan's hope – Mayfair preteen and talent show winner launches career with new albums". philly.com. Retrieved 14 November.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Star Search Junior Singer - Spensha Baker & Bianca Ryan". cbs.com. Retrieved 21 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Editorial | A Star Is Trained". philly.com. Retrieved 12 September.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "SonyMusicStore: Bianca Ryan BIANCA RYAN [CD]". sonymusicstore.com. Retrieved 19 October.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bianca Ryan - The Beautiful Voice of the Philadelphia Growl". growlhockey.com. Retrieved 21 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Lovece, Frank. "Television - Reality Check". newsday.com. Retrieved 22 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Philly 11-Year-Old Wows Judges". nbc10.com. Retrieved 21 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bianca and Piers Morgan React to Win". nbc10.com. Retrieved 22 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Bianca Ryan The Official Site (News)". biancaryan.com. Retrieved 21 August.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Fritsky, Lauren. "Million-Dollar Baby!". northeasttimes.com. Retrieved 2 September.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "VH1.com : News : Game Clobbers Akon, Takes Albums Chart". vh1.com. Retrieved 22 November.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Collar, Matt. "Billboard.com – Discography – Bianca Ryan – Bianca Ryan". billboard.com. Retrieved 16 November.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Barrera, Sandra. "BIANCA RYAN: "Bianca Ryan"". dailynews.com. Retrieved 17 November.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bianca Ryan, 12-Year-Old Winner of America's Got Talent, First U. S. Signing to Columbia Records/SYCO". biz.yahoo.com. Retrieved 25 September.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Bianca Ryan Message Board (official Web site)". x.biancaryan.com/forum/. Retrieved 13 November.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Rice, William. "Bianca Ryan is honored by the city". www.newsgleaner.com. Retrieved 17 November.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help)