Alanis Morissette

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• Genre: Adult Alternative
• Hometown: Ottawa
• Alanis Morissette Website

About

While Alanis Morissette came to prominence largely on the strength of her seething, vengeful single "You Oughta Know," her evolution as an artist is a study in leapfrogged temperaments -- from her tomboy character on Canadian television's You Can't Do That on Television to her Juno Award-winning Dance Pop years (with material not unlike that of Tiffany or Debbie Gibson) to Jagged Little Pill's take-back-the-night stance to her current kinder, gentler, global self (No -- thank you, India). Morissette continues to do what most pop stars do best -- perform. While many artists of late have jumped on the phat beat bandwagon in a gamble for the approval of their audience and come up empty handed, Morissette's producer did so effectively with "Are You Still Mad," forging entrancing loops and eerily tense melodies to accompany her strong, dramatic vocal. The track marked a slight departure from the radio-friendly, heartwarming melodrama to which many had become so accustomed in recent years. Dark cellos and creepy, cascading piano melodies create engaging, almost cerebral soundscapes to offset Morissette's self-centered empowerment lyrics and dynamic, arena-friendly voice. An open challenge for all to just "get over it."

- Kelly Bauman