Degrassi Star Gets Record Label
Wednesday August 31, 2005 @ 04:00 PM
By: ChartAttack.com Staff

Canadian Idol may scour the halls of our high schools in search of homegrown talent, but MapleMusic has taken it one step further finding new artists in the halls of our fictional high schools. The music label has announced the latest artist added to its roster, one Andrea Lewis, of Degrassi High.

Lewis (not to be confused with The Clumsy Lovers’ vocalist of the same name) stars in Degrassi: The Next Generation as Hazel, BFF to bitchy head cheerleader Paige, briefly in love with gay Marco and currently standing by her shot-and-partially-paralyzed boyfriend Jimmy. Not that we watch the show.

The actress recently turned 20, and her signing to Maple will be celebrated almost immediately with her debut album, Float Away, which is set to drop September 20. The disc includes the singles she featured on MuchMusic and radio earlier in the year, “I’m Like (Ooh Oh!)” and “Superwoman,” the video for which was nominated for a Canadian Music Week Indie Award.

Float Away saw Andrea writing and recording with producer Justin Gray and writer Curtis Richardson, who have both worked previously with Joss Stone. Richardson was also behind the Jennifer Lopez/LL Cool J duet “All I Have,” while Gray’s resume includes stints with Canuck classics Snow, Choclair and SoulDecision.

Lewis told Reader’s Digest that her LP’s sound is “old-school R&B pop.” She said she can still remember jumping up on a table when she was little, to sing along to her parents’ Diana Ross records. A little later, when she entered into pre-teen singing competitions, Lewis was always the odd one out taking on Whitney Houston songs while her opponents performed songs from Disney films.

Those wishing to get a sampler of the singer can check her out for ten bucks at a September 23 all ages show in Toronto at Revival, with tickets on sale at MapleMusic’s website.