She was once a promising ballet student but, finding the pressure "intense" and the competition "extreme", young Vanessa Carlton opted for the sedate, warm and friendly cake-walk of the music industry.
Next thing you know, the fresh-faced pianist and singer/songwriter is the hottest new star in America. Voted one of Rolling Stone's artists to watch in 2002, Carlton's single 'A Thousand Miles' tops the Radio Chart and reaches number 5 in the Billboard Hot 100.
'Tis indeed a fairytale come true. The next chapter of which sees the 'old-before-her-time' 21-year-old trying to conquer the UK with the earnest, naive, lushly-orchestrated, highly-polished musings of this her US Top 5 debut album.
Produced by A&M president Ron Fair, the man who discovered Christina Aguilera, 'Be Not Nobody' is an 'oh-so-serious' album of very few mistakes, very little excitement and few memorable tunes.
Carlton is a fine pianist, deftly mixing the classical influences of her childhood with pop and rock. Likewise her voice is sturdy enough soulful mix of breathy Suzanne Vega and angsty, yelping Tori Amos.
But 'Be Not Nobody' is all so ruddy safe. It takes no risks, sounding less like the album of a young and talented woman and more like that manufactured by faceless accountants and middle-aged studio technicians. Even the odd 'spontaneous' loss of control sounds, well, controlled.
The inclusion of a full orchestra makes for some inspired arrangements, while the session band sound like something Sting would be more comfortable with. All-in-all it makes you wish you'd seen the fledgling Carlton playing her tunes simply on piano at some intimate open mic night in New York, long before they became all cluttered and grown-up.
There are some highlights: The Marc Cohn piano feel of the supremely catchy 'A Thousand Miles'; the gentle pop ballad of 'Pretty Baby' and the slow and sombre brushed beats of 'Paradise' are all inspired.
On the whole though, the emotions stirred by 'Be Not Nobody' run puddle-deep, ankle-high. Indeed, compared to the Stones' original rendition, Carlton's ill-advised cover of 'Paint It Black' is about as dark and desperate as the Milky Bar Kid.
Still there's plenty of time to get it right. And millions of punters seem very happy with things as they are right now thanks very much. It just feels as though Carlton could do far better than this.
