Katharine McPhee is officially America’s new Golden Girl. The American Idol runner-up ended her show-stopping year by winning “It Girl” of the Year at the Vh1 Big in ’06 Awards in December. And with her self-titled album debuting this month, her star-power is showing no signs of slowing down.
At just 22, the brunette stunner with amazing pipes has accomplished every little girl’s dream. With her strong vocals and heart-felt rendition of Judy Garland standard “Over the Rainbow,” her talent quickly distinguished her above the other hopefuls on last season’s “American Idol”. Her “McPheever” ended up coming in second to Taylor Hicks’ “Soul Patrol”, but with all the success she’s been having its clear they have both triumphed.
Ever since, Katharine has been a fixture on the red carpet and in the media, most recently landing the January cover of Shape. And she has been winning fans over along the way with her bright smile and down-to-earth good nature. Now with American Idol and last summer’s subsequent tour behind her, she is out to prove she’s no flash-in-the-pan, reality show fabrication. She is embarking on the next stage of her career by releasing her first album, “Katharine McPhee.” The album will debut on January 30, and is sure to be a major hit.
By looking at the track listing, it is obvious that Katharine was a very busy girl in the past year. She worked with some of the hottest producers in the music business for this album, including Babyface, songwriter Kara DioGuardi, Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, and Timbaland’s production partner, Nate Hills. The album has 12 tracks and will include “Home” (a power ballad written by DioGuardi), “Each Other” (one of the six tracks written by Hills), and “Everywhere I Go” (written and produced by Babyface), as well as three songs 
co-written by McPhee herself: “Neglected”, “Open Toes” and “Not Ur Girl.” The album will not feature her first single from American Idol, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/My Destiny.” Look out for her first single off the disc, “Over It”, which was released for U.S. radio play on January 4, 2007. You can hear the full version on her MySpace page and AOL First Listen, as well as snippets of “Love Story”, “Each Other” and “Open Toes.”
While her album is yet to be released, one thing is for sure: this girl from Sherman Oaks, CA was born for the stage. Mother Patricia Burch McPhee (stage name Peisha Arten), a vocal coach and accomplished cabaret singer, recognized the musical talent in her daughter at a young age and began training her. Even though her killer pipes make her a natural singer, her passion has always been 
theater. After graduating from Notre Dame High School, she attended Boston Conservatory for three semesters, majoring in Musical Theater. She left to pursue acting in Los Angeles and, after some persuasion from a significant other, ended up auditioning for American Idol. The rest, as they say, is history.
Despite the rising fame her head has seemed to stay level, which explains her broad appeal. She’s the Girl Next Door, but the one with really good hair. Her hero is her mom. She’s silly and goofy. She has an ordinary girl-becomes-extraordinary quality that speaks to fans, especially hopeful young girls. In June 2006, McPhee revealed to People magazine that she had battled bulimia. After suffering for a period of about five years, she began treatment after qualifying for American Idol and subsequently lost 30 pounds during filming. Her honesty about her disease made her a role model and proved once again that Katherine is not your average diva.
It seems right now everyone loves Katharine. Even mega-brand Sexy Hair has caught the McPheever. On July 26, 2006 the hair products brand announced that Katharine will be Sexy Hair’s first-ever celebrity spokesperson. Her gorgeous print ads debuted in October beauty, fashion and entertainment magazines. She will in the company’s ads and promotional materials through 2007. Sexy Hair also plans on cross-promoting with McPhee’s album.
“American Idol has become an International Phenomenon,” says Sexy Hair CEO Jim Morrison. “Not only is it compelling drama, it has become a rallying point for the American population. Katharine McPhee is not only the darling of this years Idol season; she is the personification of beauty and vocal talent. When you look at her, she screams Sexy Hair.” (Read our article on Sexy Hair and it’s creator Michael O’Rouke, who creates Katharine’s sexy hairstyles.)
With all her success so far, 2007 is sure to be another winning year for Katharine. And all of America will be watching her every move!
For more on Katharine, read our interview.
