Mandy Moore Bio
Teen dance-pop singer Mandy Moore was born in Nashua, NH, on
April 10, 1984, but raised in Orlando, FL; determined to be an
entertainer from the age of six onward, she was later known throughout
the Orlando area as the "National Anthem Girl" for her regular
performances of "The Star Spangled Banner" at local sporting events.
Breaking into the recording industry via voiceovers and commercials, in
1999 Moore became the latest Orlando teen to sign a record contract
after landing at Sony; her debut album, So Real, appeared late that
year. The album spawned a hit with "Candy," a remix of which also
appeared on her 2000 release I Wanna Be with You, which was basically a
slightly altered version of her debut. The title cut broke into the Top
40 that year, and a self-titled proper sophomore effort appeared in
summer 2001. The following year, she starred in the film version of
Nicholas Sparks' popular book A Walk to Remember, playing the love
interest to actor Shane West's character. Moore made the leap to
musical maturity with a 2003 covers record, Coverage, which included
songs by Carole King, Joe Jackson, Joni Mitchell, and Carly Simon. More
successful film roles followed, including 2005's Saved and 2006's
American Dreamz, before Moore returned to the music world in May 2007
with Wild Hope. Released via The Firm, it was the first album that
Moore insisted on writing her own material, and she did so by
collaborating with various musicians like Lori McKenna, Rachael
Yamagata, and Chantal Kreviazuk. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Written by Jason Ankeny
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