Post by Inside Australian Idol on Mar 6, 2005 1:30:18 GMT 10
Nice voice, shame she's not petite
By Rachel Browne and Christine Sams
March 6, 2005
The Sun-Herald
Brave face: Casey Donovan at the MTV Awards.
Photo: Edwina Pickles
Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan faces being dropped by her record company because she does not fit the ultra-thin pop star stereotype.
Her father, Merv Donovan, has accused the record company, Sony BMG, of deserting his daughter in favour of the more market friendly runner-up, Anthony Callea.
When 16-year-old Casey won the televised competition last year, she was hailed as a role model who rose to the top on the strength of her voice, not the size of her body.
But Sony BMG's svengalis have struggled to turn Casey into a marketable commodity and Mr Donovan believes it's because she does not match the typical pop star image.
"It seems like they have slipped Anthony in and improved his profile rather than the person who won Idol," he said. "It's odd. I don't know why they are doing it. Perhaps it's because she's not the obvious Britney Spears-type person."
When Sony BMG held a recent showcase of their 2005 Australian talent roster, Casey was not present nor was she even mentioned. A Sony BMG spokeswoman said Casey was ill on the evening. But insiders have hinted she was distressed by the amount of stage time being given to Callea.
The absence of the singer was the first public indication that there may be behind-the-scenes troubles with Casey's career.
Mr Donovan was critical of Sony BMG's treatment of his daughter, saying she appeared to have been sidelined by the music giant.
"The music industry is very cutthroat and she is only a 16-year-old girl who needs a lot of guidance and support and I am not too sure whether she is getting that," he said. "It seems that Casey has dropped off and the push is for Anthony. He has a marvellous voice of course but I think it's odd that the person who won Idol is not the person they are pushing."
Casey's mother, Tracey Donovan, agreed that Callea seemed to be receiving preferential treatment from Sony BMG, which had not been keeping her informed of movement with her daughter's career.
"At this point it's hard to know what's going on," she said.
When The Sun-Herald approached Casey for comment at Thursday night's MTV awards her manager, Wendy Richards, terminated attempts to speak to her.
Ms Richards, who also manages Callea, would not be drawn on whether Casey had been sidelined in favour of Callea.
"I have absolutely no comment on that; that is a question for Sony," she said. "As her manager, as far as I am concerned, no."
A spokeswoman for Sony BMG said she could not comment on Casey's career other than saying that the prospect of her being dropped from the artists' roster was "pure conjecture".
While Casey has been busy making appearances, many of the prestigious spots have gone to Callea, who sang for Crown Princess Mary at the Red Cross dinner on Wednesday and will sing the national anthem at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne today.
www.smh.com.au/news/Music/Nice-voice-shame-shes-not-petite/2005/03/05/1109958157994.html
By Rachel Browne and Christine Sams
March 6, 2005
The Sun-Herald
Brave face: Casey Donovan at the MTV Awards.
Photo: Edwina Pickles
Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan faces being dropped by her record company because she does not fit the ultra-thin pop star stereotype.
Her father, Merv Donovan, has accused the record company, Sony BMG, of deserting his daughter in favour of the more market friendly runner-up, Anthony Callea.
When 16-year-old Casey won the televised competition last year, she was hailed as a role model who rose to the top on the strength of her voice, not the size of her body.
But Sony BMG's svengalis have struggled to turn Casey into a marketable commodity and Mr Donovan believes it's because she does not match the typical pop star image.
"It seems like they have slipped Anthony in and improved his profile rather than the person who won Idol," he said. "It's odd. I don't know why they are doing it. Perhaps it's because she's not the obvious Britney Spears-type person."
When Sony BMG held a recent showcase of their 2005 Australian talent roster, Casey was not present nor was she even mentioned. A Sony BMG spokeswoman said Casey was ill on the evening. But insiders have hinted she was distressed by the amount of stage time being given to Callea.
The absence of the singer was the first public indication that there may be behind-the-scenes troubles with Casey's career.
Mr Donovan was critical of Sony BMG's treatment of his daughter, saying she appeared to have been sidelined by the music giant.
"The music industry is very cutthroat and she is only a 16-year-old girl who needs a lot of guidance and support and I am not too sure whether she is getting that," he said. "It seems that Casey has dropped off and the push is for Anthony. He has a marvellous voice of course but I think it's odd that the person who won Idol is not the person they are pushing."
Casey's mother, Tracey Donovan, agreed that Callea seemed to be receiving preferential treatment from Sony BMG, which had not been keeping her informed of movement with her daughter's career.
"At this point it's hard to know what's going on," she said.
When The Sun-Herald approached Casey for comment at Thursday night's MTV awards her manager, Wendy Richards, terminated attempts to speak to her.
Ms Richards, who also manages Callea, would not be drawn on whether Casey had been sidelined in favour of Callea.
"I have absolutely no comment on that; that is a question for Sony," she said. "As her manager, as far as I am concerned, no."
A spokeswoman for Sony BMG said she could not comment on Casey's career other than saying that the prospect of her being dropped from the artists' roster was "pure conjecture".
While Casey has been busy making appearances, many of the prestigious spots have gone to Callea, who sang for Crown Princess Mary at the Red Cross dinner on Wednesday and will sing the national anthem at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne today.
www.smh.com.au/news/Music/Nice-voice-shame-shes-not-petite/2005/03/05/1109958157994.html