Alexz Johnson
Encyclopedia
Alexzandra Spencer "Alexz" Johnson (born November 4, 1986) is a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

, record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 and actress. Her debut album Voodoo
Voodoo (Alexz Johnson album)
Voodoo is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on March 9, 2010 through Orange Lounge Recordings and inDiscover Recordings.-Writing and development:...

was independently released on March 30, 2010.

She is best known for her roles as Jude Harrison in the CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...

 series Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...

, as Annie Thelan in the Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...

 series So Weird
So Weird
So Weird is a television series shot in Vancouver, British Columbia that aired on the Disney Channel as a midseason replacement from January 18, 1999 to September 28, 2001. In season one and season two, the series centered around teenage girl Fiona Phillips who toured with her rock star mom ,...

, and as Erin Ulmer in the 2006 horror film Final Destination 3
Final Destination 3
Final Destination 3 is a 2006 supernatural slasher film, and the third film in the Final Destination series. The film was directed and written by James Wong, who co-wrote and directed the first film, and was produced by Craig Perry. It was released in North America on February 10, 2006...

. She was nominated three times for a Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...

 for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series (Instant Star), winning the award in 2008.

Early life

Johnson was born in New Westminster, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

 and raised in nearby Coquitlam, the sixth of ten children. One of her sisters is a stage actress, and her brother Brendan is a musician with whom she often collaborates.

From age three, Johnson would frequently sing for her large extended family. By age seven, she was receiving vocal training, participating in festivals with her local youth choir, and giving solo performances at school and community functions. She entered many talent contests and festivals, winning a National Anthem Contest at the age of 11, with her rendition of the National Anthem being heard on national television. This resulted in numerous radio and television interviews, as well as interest from management. That year, she was also voted Best Anthem singer of the season by the Vancouver Sun.

Locally, Johnson was often referred to as the "West Coast
British Columbia Coast
The British Columbia Coast or BC Coast is Canada's western continental coastline on the Pacific Ocean. The usage is synonymous with the term West Coast of Canada....

 Celine
Celine Dion
Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...

" and sang the Canadian National Anthem at games for the NHL's Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...

 and the NBA's Vancouver Grizzlies
Vancouver Grizzlies
The Vancouver Grizzlies were a professional basketball team based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They were part of the Midwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's...

 (now based in Memphis). She also performed at charity events and fairs around the province, in addition to the B.C. Summer Games. She opened the Variety Club show singing a duet with Bob McGrath
Bob McGrath
Robert Emmet "Bob" McGrath is an American singer and actor best known for playing the human character Bob on Sesame Street. He was born in Ottawa, Illinois. McGrath was named for Irish patriot Robert Emmet....

, sang the first set of songs at the Molson Indy
Molson Indy
Molson Indy can refer to any of the following races:*Grand Prix of Montreal, formerly the Molson Indy Montreal*Honda Indy Toronto, formerly the Molson Indy Toronto*Molson Indy Vancouver, discontinued in 2004...

 (a major car race), and entertained on New Year's Eve at Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood, a restaurant inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood, was launched in New York on October 22, 1991, with the backing of Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.-History:...

 at the age of 12.

2000–03: Career beginnings and So Weird

Although she was only focused on singing at the time, Alexz decided to pursue a career in acting at the age of 11, where she "walked into an acting agency and told them [she] wanted to sing." She landed auditions for commercials and a showcase for a pilot called "Most Talented Kids". She auditioned for the Disney television series So Weird
So Weird
So Weird is a television series shot in Vancouver, British Columbia that aired on the Disney Channel as a midseason replacement from January 18, 1999 to September 28, 2001. In season one and season two, the series centered around teenage girl Fiona Phillips who toured with her rock star mom ,...

which, for the final season of the show, was looking for a lead actress who could also sing.

Alexz was offered the job immediately after her audition. She also showed an interest in songwriting, and co-wrote one of the songs for So Weird. After the show ended, she continued her interest in songwriting, co-writing with her brother. In 2002, after a few acting gigs under her belt, Alexz focused on her music career. Several labels offered her contracts, but she held off, wanting more creative control and a hand in the songwriting.

In 2001, Alexz teamed up with the production/songwriting team of Johnny Elkins and CJ Vanston and had a more bubblegum pop sound. With her work with Vanston and Elkins ending around 2003, Alexz ended up working with her brother on demos. These were the types of songs included on the demo CD she sent to the executives of Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...

with her audition tape.

Johnson has continued with several acting projects, including the role of Angel in the Lifetime original movie Selling Innocence
Selling Innocence
Selling Innocence is a made-for-TV movie that shows and condemns the exploitation of teens on the web today.The movie is a coproduction between, Edmonton based television production company, ImagiNation, Montreal's Cite-Amerique, and CTV, for their line of TV-movies, collectively known as the CTV...

and guest roles in shows such as The Chris Isaak Show
The Chris Isaak Show
The Chris Isaak Show is a television sitcom which follows a fictionalized version of the life of American rock musician Chris Isaak. The show portrays Isaak and his band members as everyday people with everyday problems...

, Cold Squad
Cold Squad
Cold Squad is a Canadian police procedural television series first broadcast in 1998 that followed the investigations of a part of the Vancouver Police Department Homicide Division tasked with solving cold cases, the titular Cold Squad, as led by Sergeant Ali McCormick .The cast of Cold Squad was...

, and The Collector
The Collector
The Collector is the title of a 1963 novel by John Fowles. It was made into a movie in 1965.- Plot summary :The novel is about a lonely young man, Frederick Clegg, who works as a clerk in a city hall, and collects butterflies in his spare time...

.

2004–07: Instant Star and acting roles

In 2004, Alexz sent in an audition tape to the producers of Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...

for their upcoming show Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...

. They were specifically looking for a Canadian teen actress/vocalist to play the lead role, Jude Harrison. The first audition tape Executive Producer Stephen Stohn
Stephen Stohn
John Stephen Stohn is a Canadian-based, American-born entertainment lawyer and television producer. He is the president of Epitome Pictures Inc., and is executive producer of the teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation and Instant Star , and most recently the television movie Degrassi Goes...

 received was Alexz's, and he was convinced she was exactly the one who would be perfect for the role.

After its first season, Instant Star was nominated for three Gemini Award
Gemini Award
The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry awards in Canada.First awarded in 1986, the Geminis celebrate the achievements of TV members of the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television. Essentially, it presents awards for the best television productions in Canada. Awards are...

s (the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 equivalent of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...

) in the category of Best Children's or Youth Fiction Program or Series, including a nomination for Best Performance (Alexz Johnson). On August 28, 2007, the show received three more Gemini Award nominations, in the category of Best Children's or Youth Program or Series, including another for Best Performance (Alexz Johnson, in the episode, "I Fought the Law").

Alexz sang all of the songs that her character Jude, on Instant Star performed on the show. She recorded soundtracks for each of the four seasons of Instant Star: Songs from Instant Star
Songs from Instant Star
Songs from Instant Star is the soundtrack for the first season of the television series Instant Star. The entire album is sung by Alexz Johnson, who portrays the show's protagonist Jude Harrison....

, Songs from Instant Star Two, Songs from Instant Star Three, and Songs From Instant Star Four. She wrote/co-wrote five of the songs on the first season's soundtrack, including "24 Hours", "Let Me Fall", "Criminal, "Skin", and "That Girl", which Alexz had written before when she was fourteen.

Most of the original recordings for the originally planned debut album were written by Alexz in early 2005, but she had yet to find a major label to help create and release the songs. In early 2006, Alexz had announced she was to leave the indie Canadian label Orange Records, that had released the first two soundtracks to Instant Star, in search of something to showcase her as an artist and not her fictional counterpart, Jude Harrison.

Johnson auditioned for the role of Julie Christenson in the thriller Final Destination 3
Final Destination 3
Final Destination 3 is a 2006 supernatural slasher film, and the third film in the Final Destination series. The film was directed and written by James Wong, who co-wrote and directed the first film, and was produced by Craig Perry. It was released in North America on February 10, 2006...

. She showed up at the audition in an all black, punk rockish outfit, later claiming that she had also been in a bad mood. The casting directors concluded she was a better fit for the role of Erin Ulmer, a character with a bad attitude. Her performance attracted praise from some critics, even from one (writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...

) who said: "The characters are so loathsome, you're glad to see them go. Except for two: the goth couple Ian (Kris Lemche
Kris Lemche
-Early life:Lemche was born in Brampton, Ontario to a schoolteacher mother and a father who was the proprietor of a heating business. Lemche attended the Mayfield School of Arts...

) and Erin (Alexz Johnson). He's a cynical know-it-all, like Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...

 with black fingernails; she's like Parker Posey
Parker Posey
Parker Christian Posey is an American actress. She became known during the 1990s after a series of roles in several well-received independent films. As a result, she has often been referred to as the "Queen of the Indies"....

 with raccoon mascara.." In 2007, Alexz starred in the Lifetime
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...

 movie, Devil's Diary
Devil's Diary (2007 film)
Devil's Diary is a Canadian horror film made for television directed by Farhad Mann and starring Alexz Johnson, Magda Apanowicz, Deanna Casaluce, and Miriam McDonald.-Plot:...

, for which she received a Leo Award nomination, in the category of Best Lead Performance by a Female in a Feature-Length Drama.

2008–09: Struggles with starting her music career

On August 26, 2008, Johnson was nominated a third time for a Gemini award. On October 21, 2008, she won the Gemini Award for Best Performance in a Children's or Youth Program or Series, for the Instant Star episode "Let It Be." Johnson continued with Instant Star for four seasons, and expected to return for a fifth. This was interrupted when CTV
CTV television network
CTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...

 and The N both pulled funding following the fourth season, which led to the cancellation of the series. This allowed Alexz to go back to focusing on her music.

After a showcase in New York City, Alexz met with several labels and producers and chose Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...

, which allowed her to work with Paul Buckmaster, though her brother was the main producer of the material at the time. In writing songs for the album, she worked with UK writers Martin Terefe and Sacha Skarbek as well as producer/songwriter Brio Taliaferro. On June 25, 2007, Alexz appeared on MTV Canada
MTV Canada
MTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel devoted to talk, lifestyle and documentary programming.MTV is owned by Bell Media, with its name licensed from the American channel of the same name, which is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom.The channel launched as talktv...

. She confirmed that all of her songs had been written and recorded. She planned on shopping for a label over the next few months and hoped to release the album in the winter.

On February 15, 2008, she announced in her MySpace blog that she had signed a record deal with label Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 (part of the Sony BMG group), expecting the album to be released in the fall. Having heard the first six songs, Stephen Stohn
Stephen Stohn
John Stephen Stohn is a Canadian-based, American-born entertainment lawyer and television producer. He is the president of Epitome Pictures Inc., and is executive producer of the teen drama series Degrassi: The Next Generation and Instant Star , and most recently the television movie Degrassi Goes...

, in his MySpace blog of Feb. 16, 2008, commented that, "they are just incredibly good - very different from the songs you've come to know through Instant Star, much more rhythmic, with almost a world beat."

In an interview in 2008, she described her upcoming album as "pop with eclectic world rhythms and influences", citing influences from "older artists" such as Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...

, Kate Bush
Kate Bush
Kate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...

, and Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox
Annie Lennox, OBE , born Ann Lennox, is a Scottish singer-songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving minor success in the late 1970s with The Tourists, with fellow musician David A...

, and saying that she was "trying to find a way to make those great older songs younger."

The producer for the album became Greg Wells
Greg Wells
Greg Wells is a multiple Grammy nominated musician, record producer and songwriter based in Los Angeles. Wells has produced and written hits with Adele, Weezer, Pink, Theophilus London, Deftones, Katy Perry, Rufus Wainwright, The All American Rejects, OneRepublic, Mika, Aerosmith, Burt Bacharach,...

 after Johnson was introduced to him through his brother Rob Wells
Rob Wells
Rob Wells is a multi-platinum, award-winning producer/songwriter based in Toronto & Los Angeles.Wells has worked with Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Adam Lambert, Nick Lachey, Miranda Cosgrove, Mika, Backstreet Boys, Paloma Faith, Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Newton John, Daisy Dares You, Boyzone, Matt Dusk,...

, one of the songwriters for Instant Star. The new arrangement with Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...

 also affected the line-up of artists for the Instant Star 4 soundtrack, as the record label allowed her a maximum of four songs on Instant Star 4. In her MySpace blog of February 15, 2008, Johnson indicated that she was planning an extensive tour around her new album, saying of her songs that, "I can't wait to perform them live! Looking forward to seeing all of your faces!" Johnson also began working with multi instrumentalist Luis Conte
Luis Conte
Luis Conte is a Cuban percussionist.-Early years:As a child in Cuba, Conte began his musical odyssey playing the guitar. However, he soon switched to percussion, and that has remained his mode since....

 and legendary strings expert Paul Buckmaster
Paul Buckmaster
Paul John Buckmaster is a Grammy Award-winning English artist, arranger and composer.He began learning the cello at the age of 4 and graduated from the Royal College of Music at age 16....

. Five songs were posted on her MySpace page by her record company on June 11, 2008. These songs were supposed to appear in her upcoming album and were entitled: "Easy", "Swallowed", "Chicago", "Golden", and "Running With the Devil".

Alexz appeared in the hit CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...

 series Smallville
Smallville
Smallville is the hometown of Superman in comic books published by DC Comics. While growing up in Smallville, the young Clark Kent attended Smallville High with best friends Lana Lang, Chloe Sullivan and Pete Ross...

episode "Legion", as the super heroine Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl
Saturn Girl is a fictional character appearing in DC comic books. A talented telepath from the 30th century, Imra first appeared in Adventure Comics #247 as a founding member of the Legion of Super-Heroes...

. The episode aired on January 15, 2009. She was the second actress from Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...

 to appear in the show, the first one being Laura Vandervoort
Laura Vandervoort
Laura Dianne Vandervoort is a Canadian actress known for her roles as Kara Zor-El in the television series Smallville, Sadie Harrison in the television series Instant Star and Lisa in the television series V....

. She also appeared in the TV-movie version of the Lois Duncan
Lois Duncan
Duncan is best known for her novels of suspense for teenagers. Some of her works have been adapted for the screen, the most famous example being the 1997 film I Know What You Did Last Summer, adapted from her novel of the same title...

 novel Stranger with My Face
Stranger With My Face (2009 film)
Stranger With My Face is a Canadian horror film; made for television, directed by Jeff Renfroe, and starring Alexz Johnson, Catherine Hicks and Emily Hirst. It is based on the book of the same name, written by Lois Duncan. The film premiered on August 29, 2009 on the Lifetime Movie Network...

, in which she plays twin sisters who were separated at birth. She stated that the filming—which included a dramatic scene in which her two characters conflict through astral projection, leading to a fall off a cliff and into a waterfall—was so mentally and physically demanding, that she felt like she could never take on another role like it again. It premiered on Lifetime Movie network on August 29, 2009. The director of Stranger with My Face
Stranger With My Face (2009 film)
Stranger With My Face is a Canadian horror film; made for television, directed by Jeff Renfroe, and starring Alexz Johnson, Catherine Hicks and Emily Hirst. It is based on the book of the same name, written by Lois Duncan. The film premiered on August 29, 2009 on the Lifetime Movie Network...

, Jeff Renfroe, greatly praised what he saw when working with Alexz and her costar Andrew Francis
Andrew Francis
Andrew Francis is an actor and voice artist from Vancouver, British Columbia. He has appeared in many television shows including Poltergeist, Dark Angel, Twilight Zone, The L Word, Smallville and Kyle XY...

. "They're both young actors who came from the school of working from the gut and not trying to intellectualize everything."

In a February 2009 interview with the Times-Colonist, a newspaper in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...

, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

, Alexz said that her album was completely finished, noting that she was simply waiting for changes to be finalized with the new head of her label, Amanda Ghost
Amanda Ghost
Amanda Ghost is a singer and songwriter from Enfield, North London, England. After an initial period in which she performed as a solo artist, she formed a band which performed under her name, and of which she was the lead singer...

, who had worked with Alexz on the album. She hoped to have the album out by September 2009, followed by tours through parts of Europe and North America.

Before the album's release date, Epic Records removed Alexz from their Artist Lists. Alexz later gave clarification on her website that launched August 11, 2009, saying "Epic has released over a third of their artists from their contracts and, la dee da... I'm one of those artists..." She also later clarified in an interview that the "head of the label who signed [her] ended up shifting to a different company. It led a lot of artists on Epic astray." She confirmed that due to losing her deal with Epic, she would be releasing a different album independently with her brother Brendan producing. She said she hopes that her unreleased debut album with Epic would see the light one day, noting that for now, the songs are still tied up in the arrangement with Epic.

2009–11: Voodoo, Reloaded, and Internet promotion

The independent release will be by the company which also runs her website - Laydee Spencer Music, Inc. On August 27, 2009, Johnson released a list of songs that are going to be on her album in alphabetical order, and later requested fans to go through the clips of five upcoming songs on her site, and to recommend which should be the lead-off single. The tracks posted were: "L.A. Made Me", "Hurricane Girl", "Voodoo", "A Little Bit", and "Trip Around the World". On December 1, 2009 it was announced that her debut album Voodoo
Voodoo (Alexz Johnson album)
Voodoo is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on March 9, 2010 through Orange Lounge Recordings and inDiscover Recordings.-Writing and development:...

would be released on March 30, 2010. The debut single, Trip Around The World, was released on February 2, 2010 along with a music video shot by Michael Maxxis. Alexz shared in an interview that her favourite songs of Voodoo
Voodoo (Alexz Johnson album)
Voodoo is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on March 9, 2010 through Orange Lounge Recordings and inDiscover Recordings.-Writing and development:...

are "Look At Those Eyes", "Voodoo", and "Gonna Get It".

Later in 2010, Johnson informed her fans through her Twitter account and her official website that all the songs from Voodoo would be remixed by The Demolition Crew due to lack of airplay. The Demolition Crew undertook to make the songs more radio-friendly. Reloaded
Reloaded (Alexz Johnson album)
Reloaded is a remix album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on April 26, 2011 with the first single Boogie Love and video being released on January 11, 2011. The second single from the album, Look At Those Eyes , was released on March 29, 2011...

, as the remix album's name is, was released on April 26, 2011. The first single, "Boogie Love (The Demolition Crew Remix)" was released on January 11, 2011 while the second one, "Look At Those Eyes (The Demolition Crew Remix)", was released on March 29, 2011.

While awaiting the release of Reloaded
Reloaded (Alexz Johnson album)
Reloaded is a remix album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on April 26, 2011 with the first single Boogie Love and video being released on January 11, 2011. The second single from the album, Look At Those Eyes , was released on March 29, 2011...

, Johnson became a trending topic on Twitter for four days. This was due to the ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...

 television series Pretty Little Liars
Pretty Little Liars (TV series)
Pretty Little Liars is an American mystery-thriller teen drama television series created by Marlene King. Based on the popular series of novels written by Sara Shepard, the show premiered on June 8, 2010 on ABC Family...

playing "Time to Be Your 21," a song sung by Johnson in the series Instant Star, in the season finale. While trending on Twitter, she garnered attention from Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato
"She’s got the range, the full emotional spectrum, incredible control… Vocally, she’s the best thing Disney’s had since Christina Aguilera."—Producer Toby Gad on Demi Lovato's vocals...

 and Nelly Furtado
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. Furtado grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.Furtado first gained fame with her debut album, Whoa, Nelly!, and its single "I'm Like a Bird", which won a 2001 Juno Award for Single of the Year and a 2002 Grammy...

. Lovato has spoken several times about Johnson being her inspiration to start a career in music, while Furtado spoke about her single "Look At Those Eyes" calling it "an event". With the help of the Twitter trend, Johnson made the homepage of several online sites, including L.A. Times Ministry of Gossip Blog.

Johnson created a YouTube account where she posts videos of herself performing along with her brother Brendan James Johnson, and Jimmy Robbins. On June 22, 2011 Johnson held two live concerts on Stage It for fans around the world. The concerts were performed online via webcam along with her band "The Bed". On June 24, 2011 it was announced that Alexz was the new voice of television series Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Degrassi: The Next Generation is a Canadian teen drama television series set in the Degrassi universe, which was created by Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood in 1979. Degrassi is the fourth fictional series in the Degrassi franchise, and follows The Kids of Degrassi Street, Degrassi Junior High, and...

Season 11 new opening theme song. The idea came naturally as Demacio "Demo" Castellón was producing the track and asked her if she could contribute to it.

2011-present: The Basement Recordings and Skipping Stone

Johnson has revealed that she is writing for her next album and hoping to enter the studio by the end of the Summer to start recording. Her brother and Johnson released a digital album of demos entitled, The Basement Recordings
The Basement Recordings
The Basement Recordings is a demo release by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson and her brother, Brendan Johnson. It was digitally released on August 26th, 2011.-Writing and development:...

, on August 26th, 2011.

In October, via Twitter, Alexz announced her plans to release an EP featuring new material, and confirmed on October 29, that she was in New York filming the music video for her new single Skipping Stone. Alexz confirmed that her EP, Skipping Stone would be out in January 2012, with the video premiere released in December.

Philanthropy

During 2001, Alexz worked with World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...

, and had a section on her official site where fans could order shirts with a design done by Johnson and also featuring her autograph. Unfortunately, there were production problems and the shirts were never sent out. Alexz made an apology on her site and provided refunds to everyone who ordered one. In 2002, she performed as the opening act at Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...

's celebrity dinner and auction, held in Edmonton, Alberta, to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald children's charity.

During the peak of her run on So Weird
So Weird
So Weird is a television series shot in Vancouver, British Columbia that aired on the Disney Channel as a midseason replacement from January 18, 1999 to September 28, 2001. In season one and season two, the series centered around teenage girl Fiona Phillips who toured with her rock star mom ,...

, Alexz ended up performing and visiting the Nashville Kids Fair where she also hosted the event. During her time in Nashville, Alexz ended up visiting ill children in a local hospital. The trip was made as a part of an outreach by Disney Channel
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. It is under the direction of Disney-ABC Television Group President Anne Sweeney. The channel's headquarters is located on West Alameda Ave. in...

, as Alexz visited the children with the dog who starred in the Disney original film Air Bud
Air Bud
Air Bud is a 1997 American family/dramedy film that sparked the franchise centered on the real-life dog, Buddy, a Golden Retriever. The film's title may in fact be wordplay with "Air Jordan", a nickname of basketball superstar Michael Jordan. It is the first film to be distributed together by...

.

During 2002 and 2003, Alexz focused on her music, but decided to perform with several charitable organizations. She worked with David Foster
David Foster
David Walter Foster, OC, OBC , is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger, noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Céline Dion, Toni...

, opening for his charity events for the David Foster Foundation. After the season premiere of the second season of Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...

 on The N she also did a public service announcement for Second Harvest
Second Harvest
Second Harvest Toronto is a food rescue and redistribution charitable organization that strives to decrease hunger in the city of Toronto. The organization is based on the principle that fresh and prepared food should not be going to waste while in the same city people are hungry...

 which was assisting the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

On November 21, 2008, Alexz was a special guest performer for a Women In Leadership (a Vancouver organization promoting women's role in the media) foundation called SuperWomen & Friends - A Red Carpet Gala.

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2000–2001 So Weird
So Weird
So Weird is a television series shot in Vancouver, British Columbia that aired on the Disney Channel as a midseason replacement from January 18, 1999 to September 28, 2001. In season one and season two, the series centered around teenage girl Fiona Phillips who toured with her rock star mom ,...

Annie Thelen 26 episodes
2001 Express Yourself Herself TV Series
2004 Jennifer Episode: "Taking Off"
2004 The Collector
The Collector (TV series)
The Collector is a Canadian Supernatural drama television series about a man attempting to help save people who have bargained their souls with the Devil...

Isabelle Van Sant Episode: "The Ice Skater"
2004 Cold Squad
Cold Squad
Cold Squad is a Canadian police procedural television series first broadcast in 1998 that followed the investigations of a part of the Vancouver Police Department Homicide Division tasked with solving cold cases, the titular Cold Squad, as led by Sergeant Ali McCormick .The cast of Cold Squad was...

Deirdre Spence / Tricia Spence Episode: "Teen Angel"
2004–2008 Instant Star
Instant Star
Instant Star was a Canadian television program which aired from September 2004 to June 2008. The series starred Alexz Johnson as adolescent music competition winner Jude Harrison. The show chronicles Harrison's experience in the recording industry whilst focusing upon character development.Linda...

Jude Harrison 52 episodes
2005 Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical
Reefer Madness (2005 film)
Reefer Madness premiered on April 16, 2005 on the Showtime cable network. It is a television movie version of the 1998 musical, and stars Alan Cumming as the Lecturer, Ana Gasteyer as Mae, and Kristen Bell as Mary. The movie also stars siblings Christian and Neve Campbell as Jimmy Harper and Miss...

The Arc-ettes / Vocal Ensemble
2005 Selling Innocence
Selling Innocence
Selling Innocence is a made-for-TV movie that shows and condemns the exploitation of teens on the web today.The movie is a coproduction between, Edmonton based television production company, ImagiNation, Montreal's Cite-Amerique, and CTV, for their line of TV-movies, collectively known as the CTV...

Angel TV movie
2006 Final Destination 3
Final Destination 3
Final Destination 3 is a 2006 supernatural slasher film, and the third film in the Final Destination series. The film was directed and written by James Wong, who co-wrote and directed the first film, and was produced by Craig Perry. It was released in North America on February 10, 2006...

Erin Ulmer
2006 Planned Accidents Herself Video documentary
2006 Instant Star Herself Backstage Pass
2006 Death's Design: Making 'Final Destination 3 Erin/Herself TV documentary
2006 Dead Teenager Movie Herself
2006 Kill Shot: The Making Of 'FD3 Herself Video documentary
2007 Devil's Diary
Devil's Diary (2007 film)
Devil's Diary is a Canadian horror film made for television directed by Farhad Mann and starring Alexz Johnson, Magda Apanowicz, Deanna Casaluce, and Miriam McDonald.-Plot:...

Dominique TV movie
2008 10th Annual Leo Awards Herself
2009 Smallville
Smallville (TV series)
Smallville is an American television series developed by writers/producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar based on the DC Comics character Superman, originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The television series was initially broadcast by The WB Television Network , premiering on October...

Imra Ardeen / Saturn Girl Episode: "Legion"
2009 Stranger with My Face
Stranger With My Face (2009 film)
Stranger With My Face is a Canadian horror film; made for television, directed by Jeff Renfroe, and starring Alexz Johnson, Catherine Hicks and Emily Hirst. It is based on the book of the same name, written by Lois Duncan. The film premiered on August 29, 2009 on the Lifetime Movie Network...

Laurie Stratton / Lia Abbot TV movie
2011 Marissa "Hack Girl" Patterson Episode: "Jericho"
2011 Haven
Haven (TV series)
Haven is a supernatural drama television series loosely based on the Stephen King novel The Colorado Kid. The show, filmed on the South Shore of Nova Scotia, Canada, is an American/Canadian co-production. The one-hour drama premiered on July 9, 2010, on Syfy...

Maura Keegan Episode: "Roots"

Studio albums

Year Album details
2010 Voodoo
Voodoo (Alexz Johnson album)
Voodoo is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on March 9, 2010 through Orange Lounge Recordings and inDiscover Recordings.-Writing and development:...

  • Release date: March 9, 2010
  • Label: inDiscover Recordings, Orange Lounge Recording Co.
  • Format: CD, digital download
    Music download
    A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...


Remix albums

Year Album details
2011 Reloaded
Reloaded (Alexz Johnson album)
Reloaded is a remix album by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The album was released on April 26, 2011 with the first single Boogie Love and video being released on January 11, 2011. The second single from the album, Look At Those Eyes , was released on March 29, 2011...

  • Release date: April 26, 2011
  • Label: inDiscover Recordings, Orange Lounge Recording Co.
  • Format: CD, digital download
    Music download
    A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...


Miscellaneous releases

Year Album details
2011 The Basement Recordings
The Basement Recordings
The Basement Recordings is a demo release by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson and her brother, Brendan Johnson. It was digitally released on August 26th, 2011.-Writing and development:...

  • Release date: August 26, 2011
  • Format: digital download
    Music download
    A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...

2012 Skipping Stone
Skipping Stone
Skipping Stone is an upcoming EP by Canadian singer-songwriter Alexz Johnson. The EP will be released in January 2012. The first single, Skipping Stone, was made available to listen in the singer's official website on November 27, 2011. The video was shot in 10/29 and will be released on December...

  • Release date: January 2012
  • Format: CD; digital download
    Music download
    A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...


  • Soundtracks

    • Songs from Instant Star
      Songs from Instant Star
      Songs from Instant Star is the soundtrack for the first season of the television series Instant Star. The entire album is sung by Alexz Johnson, who portrays the show's protagonist Jude Harrison....

      (2005)
    • Songs from Instant Star Two (2006)
    • The N Soundtrack (2006)
    • Songs from Instant Star Three (2007)
    • Songs from Instant Star Four (2008)
    • Instant Star: Greatest Hits (2009)

    Singles

    • 2005: "24 Hours
      24 Hours (song)
      "24 Hours" is a song from the hit Canadian teen drama Instant Star, which aired on the CTV Television Network and The N.Alexz Johnson who plays the character of "Jude Harrison" on the show sings this song...

      "
    • 2006: "How Strong Do You Think I Am"
    • 2007: "Where Does It Hurt"
    • 2010: "Trip Around the World"
    • 2011: "Boogie Love (The Demolition Crew Remix)"
    • 2011: "Look At Those Eyes (The Demolition Crew Remix)"
    • 2011: "Skipping Stone"

    Music videos

    List of music videos, showing year released and director
    Title Year Director(s)
    "24 Hours" 2005 N/A
    "Trip Around The World" 2010 Michael Maxxis
    "Boogie Love" 2011 Adam A
    "Look At Those Eyes" Jason Romolo
    "Skipping Stone" Jessica Earnshaw

    External links

    The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
     
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