http://www.eatlime.com/play_08781522-A75B-1BD3-A640-8AC2B2A5306B

Hart’s musical heroines include such luminaries as Ella Fitzgerald and Eva Cassidy, and her love of old-fashioned big band music shines through in some of the album’s best tracks. ‘Two Time Blues’ would suit Fitzgerald perfectly with its classy and deeply sensual style, Hart’s youthful voice perfectly capturing the naiveté of the song’s heroine. The more glamorous ‘Chocolates & Strawberries’ shows off a highly developed sense of fun and wickedness, with some plainly suggestive lyrics set against a snazzy ‘70s-style backing rich with wah-wah trumpets and a thumping bass line. Hart’s ability to draw a picture with her voice is quite remarkable, and is suitably demonstrated by perhaps the best song on the album - also its only cover - ‘Sunny Afternoon’. Toe tapping and deeply sultry, Hart’s interpretation of the classic Kinks song evokes all the attendant vivid images of a languid, sun-drenched summer, managing to ensure that the song remains familiar while throwing in some throaty sax riffs to suit her jazz credentials. Other impressive tracks include the 1950s-style two-step jazz of ‘Wonderful’ and the deliciously sexy ‘Je M’Oublie’, which oozes French sophistication with its atmospheric accordion backing and Hart’s voluptuous vocals.

Where the album falls flat is in trying to demonstrate the breadth of Hart’s skills; this leads to the inclusion of some forgettable guitar-pop tracks such as ‘Some Day’, a bland ballad that simply does not do Hart’s unique voice justice. Fortunately, Hart is an accomplished jazz singer, and her wit, flair and talent pull her through the dross. Sassy, classy and unashamedly mushy, Whatever Happened To Love? marks the debut of a new and formidable force in modern jazz. Let’s hope that Hart doesn’t lose sight of what she’s best at.

Andy Wasley

http://wearsthetrousers.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/2007-reviews-dump-h/

George Hammond, Lincoln

click here to see Victoria's news on the ITV web site 

click here to view the press cuttings

click here for an article about the tour on female first

Thanks ever so much for the most incredible evening of Jazz.
Victoria Hart is the best live musician I have ever enjoyed, she swings, she sings, she stole my musical soul.

Victoria Hart is sitting on a top- of- the-range Zeelander yacht on the French Riviera a year since George Clooney discovered her and booked her to sing at the Oceans 13 bash at last year's Cannes film festival.
Three weeks after singing at that party, the seventeen year old who had been scratching a living as an eight pounds an hour singing waitress in London, was propelled into the spotlight and offered a million pound recording contract.
Twelve months after Mr. Clooney plucked her from obscurity Victoria’s life is completely different. She has been booked to sing onboard a yacht at a party hosted by Margherita Missoni with Jade Jagger and Mischa Barton - amongst others- as guests at a glam cocktail bash at this year's Cannes film festival.

At just eighteen years old she has started her own record label and met every celeb imaginable from Brad Pitt and the American A- list to our very own Kate Moss and Jordan. But incredibly, she is still as refreshingly excited by life in the spotlight as she was when she was first discovered...

How has your life changed since George Clooney discovered you when you were working as a singing waitress last year and booked you to sing at his yacht party in Cannes this time last year?

"It's just so weird just because the change has been so crazily unbelievable. I was sharing a one-bedroom apartment in West Ealing and living on a diet of super noodles. It's so great where I am right now, because I'm not swarmed by lots of paparazzi but I am totally living the celeb life.

"And I can afford to eat healthy organic food. No more super noodles! I can shop in Waitrose even!

"I did the V&A couture thing where Kate Moss ripped her dress - I saw that, I did Glastonbury and I did Ronnie Scott's which was the big one for me. But I get booked for gigs all over the world.

"I was even booked for the UEFA cup finals in Moscow."

Wow so you could bag yourself a Premiership footballer!

"I could be a WAG, no not really, I see them all the time they annoy me no end. I wouldn't mind pulling a footballer but maybe I could change the whole meaning of WAG.

"On the other hand if I married a footballer and had that insane amount of money at my disposal then I would totally have that Victoria Beckham wardrobe and have a make-up artist living at the bottom of my bed.

"I love Victoria - I respect her so much. She never leaves her house with a hair out of place. Like I love it when you see these articles about her new diet and it's like one bit of fish a day and that's it."

What was the Missoni party like that you sang at during Cannes film festival last week?

"It was incredible. Really glam. It was on a huge yacht in Cannes harbour. Everyone was wearing these fabulous floor length gowns and I sang. It was Margherita Missoni's party and Mischa Barton, Goldie Hawn and Jade Jagger was there. Margherita was dancing with Harvey Weinstein when I was singing which was funny. And at the start of the evening Mischa, Jade and Margherita were all drinking peach Bellinis and eating pizza together! But that wasn't the most exciting celeb sighting for me. I had this real cringe- inducing moment earlier in the evening. I was getting ready in one of the cabins on the yacht and I came out and saw this guy who I recognised and said to him: 'I know you, we went to school together didn't we? Or I know you from London' and he coughed and said 'Well you may know me from this TV programme I did called Superman' and it was Dean Cain! I was so embarrassed but luckily he laughed it off and we posed for a picture together."

Do you feel that pressure to be a size zero now you're in the spotlight?

"I do actually, especially when you go to all these parties and all these celeb girls there are tiny.

"I love the fact that I'm normal sized but then I see all these tiny girls and they look so perfect and I think: 'Should I be doing that too?' "

But would you ever want to be a size zero?

"I don't. I don't think guys think it's attractive and girls don't like you when you're skinny either. They look at you and think: 'Ugh she's so skinny'

"And anyway I like my boobies- I don't want to lose them!

"But then Geri Halliwell looks awesome right now and that's the hard thing you think: ‘Should I be up the gym all the time?’ But I like my food and drink too much to obsess over my body all the time!"

So have you met any of your all-time heroes?

"I don't get star-struck really but I met Johnny Wilkinson and all my guy friends were telling me: 'Oh my God you're so lucky he's the God of his sport' and when I met him I went for the Kodak moment and we were introduced and he knew who I was already. And I got all ditzy and I went all tongue-tied and all my jokes were coming out all wrong. I really respect those celebrities who aren't famous for taking their clothes off but for an amazing talent."

What do you think about Paris Hilton?

"I met Paris Hilton and actually I think she's a lot smarter than she seems. She's a really talented businesswoman. She gets paid a million dollars to fly to Germany and promote a sparkling wine and you can't say she's stupid if she's setting up these types of deals all the time."

What about British celebs like Jordan?

"I met Jordan too actually and she's really nice as well. I'm addicted to gossip magazines and you read them and see these people and think they're awful then you meet them and they're really nice. I know what she's famous for blah blah blah but I grew up in Essex and I love that Essex charm. She's so abrupt and I love it."

Would you want to be in a celeb power couple like Posh & Becks - double the star power and all that - would you want to date another singer?

"Well I've got a new boyfriend, It's all very new and it's only been a few weeks. But he's nothing to do with the entertainment business; he has no interest in celebrity or going to showbiz events. He's so down to earth and not materialistic and easy going and he's refreshing to be with. A lot of people in my business are high maintenance and there’s so many people telling you you're a big deal but with him, I don't even really talk to him about work. The first time I got stopped in the street when I was with him and I got recognised by a passer by I went bright red!"

Do you get stopped a lot by fans in the street?

"I do actually, I get stopped a couple of times a week and people are really nice."

So what are your plans for this year?

"I've just started my own record label. It was really exciting when I was signing the contracts I was like: 'I'm eighteen and I'm a Company Director!' it was very exciting.

"We've produced an EP on my label called Mood Swings which is my favourite songs from the live set. And we recorded it and it's on the usual CD format you can download it from itunes, it was play listed on BBC London straight away. So it's cool."

So you've been in a total whirlwind!

"I haven’t stopped actually or had time to think I can't believe what it must be like for proper A- list celebrities because it's non stop for me. I haven't even had time to think about everything that's happened over the past year. I'm in Cannes for one night then I'm off to a jazz festival in the UK tomorrow then Moscow, it really is non- stop."

Lily Allen said recently that grown ups don’t realise how bad the cocaine scene is in London and when you go out everyone's doing it - what's your take on that?

"It is true grown ups don't realise how bad it is. But it's supposed to be the cool thing to do but it's not. You see people on coke at parties sniffing and rubbing their noses and talking nonsense and you just think: 'How can that be cool?'

"You just have to be intelligent, use your brain have a mind of your own and not throw your life and the chances you have in life away."

What do you think about Amy Winehouse’s situation?

"Let's save Amy! I hope she gets herself together. She's so talented and it is awful what she's going through but on the other hand I think it's definitely a personality thing.

"When I first moved to London everyone was saying that I'd be offered drugs and I wasn't but it certainly is everywhere if you're the sort of person that wants to seek it out. "


So you're not booking your obligatory celeb stay in the Priory in the near future?

"No, I see people doing drugs but it's not my scene like I said you just have a mind of your own and not follow what the so- called cool crowd are doing."

What do you think about uber producer Mark Ronson- any plans to work with him?

"I LOVE Mark Ronson. I haven't met him but would love to work with him. He's an amazing producer. Do you know him? Tell him to call me!"

Saving the best for last let's talk fashion! - How do you pick your outfits?

"I know my shape and I know what looks good on me. I love shopping but don't take a really long time shopping. I can walk into a shop and know exactly what will look good on me.

"I had such an amazing collection I had over 400 pairs of shoes and tonnes of clothes and the whole lot got stolen out of a van when they were coming out of storage.

"At my last apartment I had a one bedroom and changed the one bedroom into my walk in closet I had that many clothes and now I have just one suitcase full!

"It's horrible.

"All my shoes were Mark Jacobs, Chanel, Roberto Cavalli and now I’m just having to buy high street shoes and slowly build up my collection again.

"It's just the worst thing you could do to me I mean steal my credit cards and they're insured but not my clothes!"


Victoria’s tips on how to live the dream:

Always look and act the part: If you look and act like you are meant to be there then you are so allowed in. I used to have that 'don't you know who I am?' attitude when I was fourteen, I'd never do it now but when I wasn't famous I acted the part and it got me into all sorts of places.

Wish for what you want: My mum used to say: ‘be careful what you wish for because you just might get it’. And it's true. If you want something enough you will get it.

Never Give Up: I went to Music College and there were so many people that were so talented but after the slightest bit of criticism, they would drop out. Don't fall at the first hurdle and keep going and you'll get there.

Always wear high heels: There's something about wearing high heels that gets you what you want. You just get things when you’re wearing high heels - they have a magic power all of their own!

http://www.tvhits.co.uk/shiny_and_new.php 

read the story here...

http://www.avenue11.com/?bcpid=62
7308737&bclid=1272074149&bctid=1386738947

read more here...

read the full article here... 

read the full article here 

"After singing waitress Victoria, 18, sang for George Clooney last May, she got a record deal. Now the California-born singer of modern jazz has released her debut album, Whatever Happened to Romance?

My songs are catchy, the sort you want to sing along to. But my lyrics are tongue-in-cheek, and not to be taken seriously. My music's not old-fashioned, it's got a really modern structure and production.

This time last year I was still working as a singing waitress in London. I'd just finished music college and I was preparing for this moment when I could get out into the public eye — having lots of singing lessons and ripping out style ideas from magazines.

I sang for George Clooney at his party in Cannes. He is even more beautiful in real life, which is crazy, and he was so sweet.

He said, 'You're doing a wonderful job singing,' and I'm like, I can't believe George Clooney's talking to me. But I said, 'Thank you, you're lovely,' and he goes, 'You're lovely,' and I go, 'No, you're lovely.'

George is definitely sexier than Brad Pitt. I met them both in Cannes, but it's all about George.

When I performed at GAY at the London Astoria I just thought, 'I'm so happy right now.' I had four male backing dancers and I was lifted in the air. The night was just for me, I'd worked so hard on it and it was the most amazing feeling.

My iPod is full of guilty pleasures. I have a real 80s passion — I love Kylie Minogue's 'Locomotion'.

My greatest aspiration is to be the first person to sing on the moon. It would be cool, right?"

see the whole story at the YOU magazine website

September 22, 2007
By     Robert W. Epler (Ozark, MO)

November 27, 2007
By Joanna B (Philadelphia, PA)

Use the following links to download Victoria's ringtones:

Victoria Hart - Whatever Happened To Romance
http://wap.umg.motricity.com/UMG/html/
purchase/prod6240921?sf=umg-classics-umg-sf-html

Victoria Hart - Sunny Afternoon
http://wap.umg.motricity.com/UMG/html/
purchase/prod6180974?sf=umg-default-html-for-wap

 (these are currently only available to USA cellphones)

Click the iTunes logo
to open the iTunes music store:

http://www.woburnlive.com/artist_victoria.htm

other artist included:

CURTIS STIGERS, haYley westenra, Jacqui Dankworth, james hunter, julian lloyd webber, marti pellow, paul potts, peter grant, Vittorio Grigolo

Hart in the right place - from the Evening Times

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/timesout/display.
var.1536736.0.hart_in_the_right_place.php

Jazz sensation Victoria Hart tells us about her amazing rise to fame as she prepares to sing at a brand new three day festival at Woburn - BBC

see the review here:

http://news.entertainment.msn.co.uk/20070713
_albums_R394779.htm

see the review here:

http://entertainment.pipex.com/pipex/story
/0,17019,8851_2470738,00.html

see the review on the BBC website

Last orders for singing Jazz Waitress Victoria Hart as she signs to label giant

"She's the Lily Allen of Jazz and if she's good enough for George and Brad she's good enough for Decca" Mark Cavell, Decca Records


Its been a whirlwind two weeks for Victoria Hart, the singing waitress who was making just £6 per hour waitressing at the Naked Turtle restaurant before being spotted and whisked to Cannes to perform for George Clooney and Brad Pitt, which bought her to the attention of the world’s media. Today, Thursday 14th June saw Victoria serving her last dish at the restaurant appropriately to the bosses of the world’s biggest record company Universal, with whom she signed to for an estimated £1.5 million. The deal proposal is modelled on the ‘Robbie Williams template’ (to include a proportion of touring income and merchandising income) which could even result in a franchise of Victoria Hart- themed restaurants in time.

"We've had to wait over 40 years to make up for missing out on the Beatles but Decca (may well) have finally righted that wrong" Mark Cavell, Decca Records.

Victoria Hart hanged up her apron to sign up with UCJ / Decca a division of the Universal Music Group and will join an artist roster that includes U2, Eminem to Jamie Cullum and Ella Fitzgerald. She then launched her ‘lucky’ waitress apron by balloon both as a gesture of the end to her time serving tables and in the hope that it may bring similar luck to the person who finds it.


Please call Louise Molloy-Harris for further information on 01223 410000 or email louise@quitegreat.co.uk

see the review here:

http://www.newzline.com/2007/07/09/victoria-hart
-whatever-happened-to-romance-album-review

see the review here:

http://www.indielondon.co.uk/Music-Review/victoria-hart
-whatever-happened-to-romance

The internet just couldn't take it!

Here's the cause! Victoria's Today show appearance, her first on US TV

watch it on video here:

http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=b59f773d-f5fb
-48e9-98cf-5aa8ff668050&f=00&fg=

George Clooney so enjoyed a live music performance
during the Cannes film festival from a part-time jazz musician
that now the singer is in line for a multi-million dollar recording contract.

The Express - SINGING WAITRESS WITH STARS IN HER EYES

Waitress sings for George and Brad

Mail on Sunday - The £7-an-hour waitress who sang for the stars

George Cooney’s Waitress, Now Fielding Record Deals

Victoria Hart as put by George Clooney “She’s simply lovely”

Singing waitress gets Glastonbury gig