Gabrielle Giguere signs on with the Jonas Group
By B.C. Manion
While most teenagers would be thrilled to get the lead in the school musical, 14-year-old Gabrielle Giguere is the star in a music video written and produced by Nick Jonas.
The Land O’ Lakes teenager flew out to Los Angeles a few months ago to film the video, after winning the grand prize in the Quaker Chewy Superstar contest. (To watch the video go to www.ChewySuperstar.com).
The Steinbrenner High student became the first young vocalist to be singled out in the nationwide talent search, open to contestants ages 8 through 14. The star search hit the road last summer with mobile recording studios making stops in metro areas from New York to Los Angeles.
Since the mobile studio didn’t stop in Tampa Bay, Giguere did her vocal audition on a video filmed at the family’s Land O’ Lakes home.
A panel of judges selected the top 35 videos, based on vocal performance, performance aesthetics and showmanship. Jonas then narrowed the pool to the top five, with a nationwide vote to choose the winner. The Quaker Oats Company and MTV Networks sponsored the contest.
At the outset, Jonas – who rose to fame as part of the Jonas Brothers — told MTV News that he was looking for someone with “the overall star power and star qualities of Willow Smith, with the artistry of a Greyson Chance.”
After Giguere won, Jonas said “Gabrielle’s passion, determination and sheer talent shows me she’s ready to become the first Quaker Chewy Superstar.”
Giguere recalled how she heard the news.
“I was hearing screaming coming out from my kitchen,” she said. “I thought something was wrong.”
She went to check it out, and she heard her mom, Sara, saying, “Are you serious? Are you serious?”
That’s when Giguere found out she’d won the grand prize.
Giguere flew to Los Angeles to work with Jonas on a video showcasing the song, “My Time,” which Jonas wrote for her.
Part of the video was recorded at EASTWEST Studios, the same studio used by Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Michael Jackson and the Rolling Stones.
Film crews began shooting as soon as Giguere arrived, she said. They wanted to embed raw footage into the video, the 14-year-old said. The video shows scenes of her arriving at the airport, riding down a Los Angeles highway, doing some sightseeing, shopping and having her hair and makeup done.
And, of course, it showcases her vocal abilities.
Besides going to EASTWEST, she also did a photo shoot with famed celebrity photographer Jay Silverman.
Despite the excitement, when Giguere returned to her Land O’ Lakes home she couldn’t tell a soul until she was officially announced the winner on Nov. 10.
Next, she jetted to New York, where she and Jonas made the rounds doing interviews.
Her video also was included in Quaker Chewy commercials that aired on CMT, VH1 and Nick at Night, from Nov. 10 to Nov. 13.
This is the teenager’s second major recognition. She won second runner-up in an international singing competition in Los Angeles that featured 400 singers between the ages of 5 and 25.
So, what’s next for the aspiring vocalist?
She doesn’t know, but she’s excited about the possibilities.
