Amanda "Mandy" Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American pop singer, songwriter and actress. She grew up in Florida and came to fame as a teenager in the early 2000s, after the release of her teen-oriented pop albums So Real, I Wanna Be with You, and Mandy Moore. Moore has branched out into a film career, starring in 2002's A Walk to Remember and later appearing in the lead roles of other movies also aimed at teenage audiences. Two of her later films, American Dreamz and Saved!, were satires in which Moore portrayed darker characters than in her previous roles. Moore's private life, including her relationships with tennis player Andy Roddick and actors Wilmer Valderrama and Zach Braff, has been much discussed in the media. Moore's fifth album, Wild Hope, was released in 2007.
Mandy Moore was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, to Stacy (a former newspaper reporter) and Don Moore (a pilot for American Airlines). She has Irish and Cherokee heritage on her father's side, and Jewish and English heritage on her mother's side. Moore has two brothers, Scott and Kyle; she grew up in Altamonte Springs, Florida, outside of Orlando, moving there shortly after her birth because of her father's job. She was raised in the Catholic religion (although she is no longer a practicing Catholic) and attended Bishop Moore High School, a Catholic school in Orlando, as well as Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.
Moore's interest in singing grew after seeing the musical Oklahoma!; she was also encouraged to perform by her maternal grandmother, who was her inspiration. Some of Moore's first public exposure occurred when she sang the national anthem at several Florida sporting events. She subsequently came to the attention of the head of A&R at Epic Records after his friend, a FedEx employee, overheard her as she sang at a recording studio. She was then signed to a record deal with the label.
Music Career
1999–2002: Early pop albums
Moore toured with the Backstreet Boys throughout 1999. Her first album, So Real, was released in December that year and reached number thirty-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. At the time of the album's release, reviewers considered Moore the latest in a series of heavily-marketed female singers described as "pop princesses", akin to Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson. Entertainment Weekly's review noted that Moore's songs, revolving around "not-yet-experienced love", were performed with "suffocating professionalism", and that the album's ballads were "nauseating". Moore reached mainstream radio later and at a younger age than Simpson, Aguilera and Spears had, and was initially not as successful as they were, although So Real was certified platinum in the U.S. in early 2000 and sold nearly one million copies. Moore's debut teen-oriented pop hit single "Candy", which Yahoo! Movies described as "strangely provocative", peaked just outside the top forty on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold. The single was more successful in Europe especially in the UK where it reached number 6. All Music Guide noted the single was "mediocre" and "typical", containing lyrics that described love "in terms of sugar treats".
Moore released I Wanna Be with You, a re-worked version of her debut album, in May 2000. The album, which was mostly completed with synthesizers, bass, guitar, and drums, comprised new songs alongside tracks and remixes from So Real. Several reviewers criticized it on the basis that it was a remix album and not a true follow-up, with All Music Guide writing that its style was "trashier, flashier, gaudier, and altogether more disposable" than its predecessor. It peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200, was certified gold in the U.S. and sold nearly 792,000 copies. The title track "I Wanna Be with You" was the album's only single and reached number twenty-four on the Hot 100, Moore's highest peak to date. It was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Center Stage (2000).
Moore released the self-titled album Mandy Moore — which included the songs "Saturate Me" (an R&B ballad), "You Remind Me" and "In My Pocket" — in June 2001. She promoted the album with her first headlining concert, "Mandy Moore Live@ShoutBack". The album contained uptempo tracks and influences from Eastern music, and was described as a "lush, layered production" by All Music Guide. It received mixed reviews from critics, although Entertainment Weekly noted that Moore tried out "new sounds" and "a breathy Natalie Imbruglia vibe [on the album] ... as teen pop goes, it could be a lot worse", while Rolling Stone magazine positively described Moore as "more protorocker than R&B wanna-be" and specified that she was taking the "high road" compared to her first two albums. The album debuted at number thirty-five on the Billboard 200, was later certified gold in the U.S. and sold 443,000 copies. Lead single "In My Pocket", which Entertainment Weekly said contained "pumping, Indian influenced Euro disco", did not appear on the Hot 100; Moore performed the song live several times, including on the 2001 Fox network television special Teenapalooza. The album's follow-up single, "Crush", also failed to appear on the U.S. chart, although MTV aired the music video frequently (it was Moore's first number-one video on TRL). The early 2002 release of the final single, "Cry", tied in with the film A Walk to Remember, Moore's debut as a lead actress.
In 2006, Moore commented on her early albums with ill feelings, noting that although she believed that her first album was appropriate for her age, she felt it "sucked" and that her first albums were "just awful". Moore also said that she "would give a refund to everyone who bought my first two albums" if she could; during a radio interview in April 2006, the show's co-host (who had seen her comments) asked her for a refund on the first album, a request that Moore fulfilled.
2003–present: Coverage, compilations, and new contract
In October 2003, Moore released her fourth album Coverage, which All Music Guide characterized as a "leap to musical maturity" and which Entertainment Weekly called an "effort to shed her bubblegum-blond image". It consisted of covers of 1970s and 1980s songs that influenced Moore as a child; Moore noted that she did not want to "top the original artist(s)", but rather offer her "own interpretation" of their music. Entertainment Weekly described the album's style as "overblown with strings, turntable scratching, and arena-rock pomp", while E! Online said that Moore's voice has grown "stronger" and that she "sounds at home" performing the re-mixes. Coverage peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard 200 (her highest ranking to date), but "Have a Little Faith in Me" and "Senses Working Overtime", its only two singles, did not perform well on the charts, although the former did reach the ARC Weekly Top 40. A video was produced for "Drop the Pilot", but it was never released. Moore's cover of "I Feel the Earth Move" appeared on Love Rocks, a compilation CD of songs from gay rights supporters.
Due to low sales for Coverage, Sony's Epic Records dropped Moore. The company released the hits compilation album The Best of Mandy Moore, which reached number 148 on the Billboard 200, in November 2004 as a final obligation to Moore's contract. Another compilation, Candy, followed in 2005. During this time period, the only music Moore had recorded was a song demo, "Hey!", written by James Renald, and a cover version of Lori McKenna's "Beautiful Man", which was posted to her MySpace.
In early 2006, Moore stated that she missed her music career and that singing is what she was the "most passionate about". Moore had signed to Sire Records after her contract with Epic Records ended, but left the company in May 2006. She signed with a new EMI Music-owned record company, The Firm, in July that year, describing her new contract as "especially exciting", and adding that she left Sire Records because she did not want to "follow the mainstream", but rather have "complete control and freedom" over her work. Moore's new album, Wild Hope, was released on June 19, 2007, and includes collaborations with artists Chantal Kreviazuk, Rachael Yamagata, Lori McKenna and The Weepies. Moore stayed alone in a house in Woodstock in Upstate New York while recording the album in late 2006. She performed new material from Wild Hope at the Sundance Film Festival; her first single, "Extraordinary", premiered on her MySpace profile on January 29, 2007. Moore performed the song at the Brick Awards on April 12, 2007 and launched a tour in the summer of 2007.
Moore filmed a music video for "Extraordinary" in early March 2007; she appears as 120 versions of herself in the video. The album was released in the USA in June 2007 to generally positive reviews. It fared moderately well on the charts, debuting at number thirty on the Billboard 200 (Moore's third highest charting album in the U.S.), and at number 84 in Canada.
In August 2007, Moore is touring with Paula Cole, and Rachael Yamagata, playing at mid-size venues in the United States and Canada.
Wild Hope is still receiving attention in the entertainment world, as it was placed at number 10 on Entertainment Weekly's "The Must List" and also named Reader's Choice for that August 10th issue, 2 months after the release of Wild Hope.
Mandy Moore was born in Nashua, New Hampshire, to Stacy (a former newspaper reporter) and Don Moore (a pilot for American Airlines). She has Irish and Cherokee heritage on her father's side, and Jewish and English heritage on her mother's side. Moore has two brothers, Scott and Kyle; she grew up in Altamonte Springs, Florida, outside of Orlando, moving there shortly after her birth because of her father's job. She was raised in the Catholic religion (although she is no longer a practicing Catholic) and attended Bishop Moore High School, a Catholic school in Orlando, as well as Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs.
Moore's interest in singing grew after seeing the musical Oklahoma!; she was also encouraged to perform by her maternal grandmother, who was her inspiration. Some of Moore's first public exposure occurred when she sang the national anthem at several Florida sporting events. She subsequently came to the attention of the head of A&R at Epic Records after his friend, a FedEx employee, overheard her as she sang at a recording studio. She was then signed to a record deal with the label.
Music Career
1999–2002: Early pop albums
Moore toured with the Backstreet Boys throughout 1999. Her first album, So Real, was released in December that year and reached number thirty-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart. At the time of the album's release, reviewers considered Moore the latest in a series of heavily-marketed female singers described as "pop princesses", akin to Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson. Entertainment Weekly's review noted that Moore's songs, revolving around "not-yet-experienced love", were performed with "suffocating professionalism", and that the album's ballads were "nauseating". Moore reached mainstream radio later and at a younger age than Simpson, Aguilera and Spears had, and was initially not as successful as they were, although So Real was certified platinum in the U.S. in early 2000 and sold nearly one million copies. Moore's debut teen-oriented pop hit single "Candy", which Yahoo! Movies described as "strangely provocative", peaked just outside the top forty on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold. The single was more successful in Europe especially in the UK where it reached number 6. All Music Guide noted the single was "mediocre" and "typical", containing lyrics that described love "in terms of sugar treats".
Moore released I Wanna Be with You, a re-worked version of her debut album, in May 2000. The album, which was mostly completed with synthesizers, bass, guitar, and drums, comprised new songs alongside tracks and remixes from So Real. Several reviewers criticized it on the basis that it was a remix album and not a true follow-up, with All Music Guide writing that its style was "trashier, flashier, gaudier, and altogether more disposable" than its predecessor. It peaked at number twenty-one on the Billboard 200, was certified gold in the U.S. and sold nearly 792,000 copies. The title track "I Wanna Be with You" was the album's only single and reached number twenty-four on the Hot 100, Moore's highest peak to date. It was also featured on the soundtrack of the film Center Stage (2000).
Moore released the self-titled album Mandy Moore — which included the songs "Saturate Me" (an R&B ballad), "You Remind Me" and "In My Pocket" — in June 2001. She promoted the album with her first headlining concert, "Mandy Moore Live@ShoutBack". The album contained uptempo tracks and influences from Eastern music, and was described as a "lush, layered production" by All Music Guide. It received mixed reviews from critics, although Entertainment Weekly noted that Moore tried out "new sounds" and "a breathy Natalie Imbruglia vibe [on the album] ... as teen pop goes, it could be a lot worse", while Rolling Stone magazine positively described Moore as "more protorocker than R&B wanna-be" and specified that she was taking the "high road" compared to her first two albums. The album debuted at number thirty-five on the Billboard 200, was later certified gold in the U.S. and sold 443,000 copies. Lead single "In My Pocket", which Entertainment Weekly said contained "pumping, Indian influenced Euro disco", did not appear on the Hot 100; Moore performed the song live several times, including on the 2001 Fox network television special Teenapalooza. The album's follow-up single, "Crush", also failed to appear on the U.S. chart, although MTV aired the music video frequently (it was Moore's first number-one video on TRL). The early 2002 release of the final single, "Cry", tied in with the film A Walk to Remember, Moore's debut as a lead actress.
In 2006, Moore commented on her early albums with ill feelings, noting that although she believed that her first album was appropriate for her age, she felt it "sucked" and that her first albums were "just awful". Moore also said that she "would give a refund to everyone who bought my first two albums" if she could; during a radio interview in April 2006, the show's co-host (who had seen her comments) asked her for a refund on the first album, a request that Moore fulfilled.
2003–present: Coverage, compilations, and new contract
In October 2003, Moore released her fourth album Coverage, which All Music Guide characterized as a "leap to musical maturity" and which Entertainment Weekly called an "effort to shed her bubblegum-blond image". It consisted of covers of 1970s and 1980s songs that influenced Moore as a child; Moore noted that she did not want to "top the original artist(s)", but rather offer her "own interpretation" of their music. Entertainment Weekly described the album's style as "overblown with strings, turntable scratching, and arena-rock pomp", while E! Online said that Moore's voice has grown "stronger" and that she "sounds at home" performing the re-mixes. Coverage peaked at number fourteen on the Billboard 200 (her highest ranking to date), but "Have a Little Faith in Me" and "Senses Working Overtime", its only two singles, did not perform well on the charts, although the former did reach the ARC Weekly Top 40. A video was produced for "Drop the Pilot", but it was never released. Moore's cover of "I Feel the Earth Move" appeared on Love Rocks, a compilation CD of songs from gay rights supporters.
Due to low sales for Coverage, Sony's Epic Records dropped Moore. The company released the hits compilation album The Best of Mandy Moore, which reached number 148 on the Billboard 200, in November 2004 as a final obligation to Moore's contract. Another compilation, Candy, followed in 2005. During this time period, the only music Moore had recorded was a song demo, "Hey!", written by James Renald, and a cover version of Lori McKenna's "Beautiful Man", which was posted to her MySpace.
In early 2006, Moore stated that she missed her music career and that singing is what she was the "most passionate about". Moore had signed to Sire Records after her contract with Epic Records ended, but left the company in May 2006. She signed with a new EMI Music-owned record company, The Firm, in July that year, describing her new contract as "especially exciting", and adding that she left Sire Records because she did not want to "follow the mainstream", but rather have "complete control and freedom" over her work. Moore's new album, Wild Hope, was released on June 19, 2007, and includes collaborations with artists Chantal Kreviazuk, Rachael Yamagata, Lori McKenna and The Weepies. Moore stayed alone in a house in Woodstock in Upstate New York while recording the album in late 2006. She performed new material from Wild Hope at the Sundance Film Festival; her first single, "Extraordinary", premiered on her MySpace profile on January 29, 2007. Moore performed the song at the Brick Awards on April 12, 2007 and launched a tour in the summer of 2007.
Moore filmed a music video for "Extraordinary" in early March 2007; she appears as 120 versions of herself in the video. The album was released in the USA in June 2007 to generally positive reviews. It fared moderately well on the charts, debuting at number thirty on the Billboard 200 (Moore's third highest charting album in the U.S.), and at number 84 in Canada.
In August 2007, Moore is touring with Paula Cole, and Rachael Yamagata, playing at mid-size venues in the United States and Canada.
Wild Hope is still receiving attention in the entertainment world, as it was placed at number 10 on Entertainment Weekly's "The Must List" and also named Reader's Choice for that August 10th issue, 2 months after the release of Wild Hope.