Could she be the next Whitney, Mariah or Celine?

[guyarchangel]

Heard it today for the first time, stunning beauty with a great voice， thought I'd pass it along!

Naomi Striemer Featuring Carlos Santana, "Cars":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMyeusASTNc

A star is formed
Singer with Portage roots given big push on YouTube

By JOE WARMINGTON



Santana laid down the track for Streimer's Cars, the lead track on Images. (SUN MEDIA)

Elvis had The Ed Sullivan Show, Celine Dion had The Tonight Show and if all goes well, Naomi Striemer can credit her debut with stardom to a modern incarnation called YouTube.

The song is called Cars by a hot new Canadian talent but the real story here is perhaps how, in 2007, do you drive that song up the charts?

It's a new game and new approaches are needed. If it all works, the result could be a singer with roots in Portage la Prairie, Malagash Point, N.S., and Delhi, Ont., is on the verge of changing how you become a star.

Of course, it's the people who will decide. Thanks to YouTube, you will get that chance. And so will Striemer.

NEW PATH

Like TV and radio for more than half a century, YouTube is the new path to the people. An artist like Naomi Striemer can now gain stardom without the help or control of the mega media moguls.

This is a story of a young Canadian singer with the talent and material to become a massive star. But it's also about the new media and where the industry is headed.

Before you do anything else today, Google Naomi Striemer and watch her music video with guitar legend Carlos Santana on YouTube.It might explain why a Toronto entrepreneur sold his business and invested everything into this talented songstress.

"I heard 30 seconds of her and I knew she was going to be a star," S-Records president Steven Nowack said yesterday.

He was at a Toronto Chapters store 18 months ago and heard an incredible voice.

"I went up to her and said, "What are you doing with the rest of your life?'"

Striemer, a 25-year-old piano player who's written more than 200 songs, was suspicious. After all, she grew up on a hobby farm in a Seventh Day Adventist family, her dad sells Bibles for a living in Delhi, she's never tried meat and doesn't drink carbonated drinks.

"I wasn't sure what to think," she said yesterday. "I didn't give him my phone number right away, which is kind of ironic because it turns out Steven gets everybody's phone number."

He tracked her down by e-mail. The next serendipitous event came about when Nowack bumped into Santana in a restaurant.

"I asked him for his home phone number," laughs Nowack. "And then later I asked him to come and play on her first single."

Nowack fell over when he agreed. If you look on YouTube, you'll also see footage of Santana laying down the track.

"I couldn't believe it," Striemer said yesterday when she saw Santana show up at Tarpan Studio in San Francisco. "Carlos was so gracious to me and gave me so much great advice. It was such an experience."

The result received a huge pat on the back from Billboard's Chuck Taylor.

"Remember the first time you heard Whitney, Mariah or Celine and recognized a star was born? Naomi Striemer will -- must -- propel beyond her foray at (adult contemporary) and become the commanding diva of the decade. This Canadian beauty possesses so many novel traits -- exalting vocals, distinctive phrasing, masterful song-writing ... The year's most promising melodic debut. A standing ovation of an endorsement."

That's some boost and yet I wonder why I have not heard this song on the radio? Nowack has visited Canadian programmers, but so far the song has not been added to any rotation -- despite selling 17,000 CDs through Chapters and other outlets.

Perhaps radio is nervous because it's not coming from a major label but I suspect they'll add it if it gets serious hits on YouTube.

"Naomi is sure to be an up-and-coming superstar," said Jordan Hoffner, head of premium and information content partnerships for YouTube. "We are thrilled to feature the worldwide premiere of Naomi's music video Cars on YouTube."

Because they're a smart bunch about to launch a new star and a new way of doing that.

Reminds me of another YouTube star, Marie Digby - Spell:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxbSn_1ZSvo

[gordholio]

Yes, I think she's going to be the next great Canadian female singer.

[Spare-Flair]

She looks so awkward and her singing style is pretty annoying, very naselly with a strange Celine Dion/Alanis Morissette hybrid sound to it.

Carlos Santana = godly as usual
Naomi Striemer = very disappointing

[vrus]

man she sounds so much like celine. I like her voice

[stealth]

Pretty girl, nice voice, but not my cup of tea (a little melodramatic for my taste)...I prefer something a little more raw sounding, less operatic.
Nice to hear Santana not overplaying as much as he usually does in guest appearances (as a fellow guitarist, I hate him for not being able to show some restraint for the good of the song and not just feeding his own ego).

[sfu_lifer]

I don't know about stunning beauty but she has a great songstress quality of a voice. Good song. Thx OP.

[tonychau]

Does she have a producer/manager to help her push and promote her CD sell?

What do they have in common - Whitney, Mariah or Celine?
- Dated / Married their manager!

[onehaehyuk]

I dunno if she's the "next big thing." Her voice isn't amazing (at least it's not amazing enough to be mentioned alongside Whitney, Mariah or Celine) and this song doesn't show that much vocal range. Props for being raised in Canada though

[impronto]

she looks weird when she sings, like her mouth. she is ok, but not amazing like they are touting her to be