The old adage 'what you see is what you get' could not be further from the truth in the case of Pop singer/songwriter Mandy Ventrice. If the expression were to be believed, her tiny frame and neutral demeanor would serve as a misrepresentation of her immeasurable talent, for lurking beneath her petite appearance is a strong, determined voice singing uncompromising lyrics that bare knowledge of love, loss and life far beyond her twenty-one years. Born in a small suburb outside of San Francisco, California, Mandy's musical gifts became obvious at an early age. Her father, an accomplished musician and songwriter, was a constant source of inspiration to Mandy. Under his creative guidance, she penned her first original song at only seven. Singing and writing became Mandy's single priority and she was soon spending every evening after school locked in her bedroom recording on a small four-track. After many years spent sharpening her craft, Mandy entered a professional recording studio for the first time on her thirteenth birthday. Mandy excitedly recorded her original material and with the help of her best friend, created a website on which to sell her full length CD. Not long after, a buzz began to spread and Mandy started to receive an overwhelming amount of positive feedback in response to her music. She was contacted by the Executive Producer of a popular Disney television series, Two Hour Tour, a show that allowed unknown child performers the opportunity to audition in hopes of becoming the opening act for a major artist in concert. Disney was already so smitten with Mandy that they included her in the audition process via videotape, an exception that was made for her only. Even through a television screen, Mandy's mature, distinctive vocals and infectious energy blew away most of the competition. As one of the final three contestants, Mandy had made her presence known but did not land the winning spot. During this time, Mandy's CD landed in the hands of a music manager in Boston. An all-girl group was being formed and he wanted Mandy to be a part of it. Reluctant at first, Mandy was worried that she would not get the chance to showcase her writing. However, she was aware that she could not let this enormous opportunity to further her music career pass her by. Sure that she was making the right decision, fourteen-year old Mandy went to Boston to complete Poetry in Motion. The pop music group consisted of four girls, all young and all naturally talented. Under the direction of their manager, they immediately began the grueling “star making” process. The girls rehearsed vocals and dance moves for six hours a day and recorded songs in between training sessions. Mandy was constantly flying from California to Boston and back. Unable to attend public school due to the heavy demands of the group, Mandy became home schooled and spent most of her spare time studying in order to keep up with other kids her age. Eventually, the novelty of being in a girl group began to wear off and the girls parted ways two years after their formation. Instead of letting it get her down, Mandy set her sights on a solo career. She started writing songs with Aaron Accetta, a New York music producer she had met through her manager. Their creative chemistry was immediately evident and they soon created an impressive catalog of collaborations. “Normally, it takes writing fifty or sixty songs before you've finally written a hit,” says Accetta. “But Mandy nailed the first track we worked on together. She's got an amazing gift.” Interested in expanding her knowledge, Mandy began to listen to other genres of music. She grew tremendously as a writer, allowing herself to explore creative avenues she had never traveled before. At age eighteen and with a multitude of experience, Mandy packed her bags and moved to New York to more fervently pursue her music career. She was chosen to work with numerous producers, including Shep and Kenny (Sheppard Music/Evil Robot Records), Slam & Jack Knight (Bad Boy Records), Joshua Thompson (Tallest Tree Productions), Brad Young & Dow Brain (Underground Productions), Sam Hollander (Poprox) and of course, Aaron Accetta (Transcontinental Records). In 2003, a CD of Mandy's songs found its way to Brooke Hogan, daughter of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan and newly signed artist to Transcontinental Records. Brooke chose four songs from Mandy's CD and recorded them for her debut album, which was never released. However, the songs were featured multiple times on the highly-rated Vh1 reality show “Hogan Knows Best” and had been performed by Brooke during various television appearances, such as Regis & Kelly in 2004. In 2006, Mandy formed Film The Future, a band whose sound she describes as “garage band rock with a drop of pop.” Film the Future is currently playing shows and finishing up their first release. Meanwhile, Mandy continues to write and perform as a solo artist. Her most personal effort, “Oh California,” pays homage to a life she left behind in pursuit of another. “I miss my home, but my opportunity to be involved in music is in New York. To me, life without music is like existing without really living.” Although good things come in small packages, it is clear that Mandy Ventrice is anything but a cliché. <a href="https://www.last.fm/music/Mandy+Ventrice">Read more on Last.fm</a>. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.