PARIS BENNETT aka PRINCESS P! At only first 4’ 11”, Paris Bennett may be pint-sized. But she definitely packs a wallop when it comes to singing.
The national television audience got a taste of what she can deliver when Bennett auditioned and later became one of the 24 contestants on the fifth season of the hugely popular reality series “American Idol.” Early into the sing-off, the Rockford, Illinois-born singer was a standout, capturing the audience’s and voters’ hearts with her natural, full-bodied voice. Bennett being zzq
voted off yet still making it into the top five precluded her from donning the Idol crown, the singer polished her lucky charm—a princess tiara—as she prepared for the April 2007 release of her
solo album, “Princess P.”
Being released through 306 Entertainment, distributed by TVT Records, the album definitely showcases the multiple personalities of Bennett the singer.
“This album is a little bit of everything I did on ‘Idol,’” says Bennett. “I don’t like being put in one category, or one genre. I’m into Pop, Jazz, R&B, Hip Hop, Gospel … you may even hear me do a Rap thing or a Country version of something.”
The album’s lead single, “Ordinary Love,” was produced by young producer/song writer Jon Jon Traxx
Bennett comes by her me
smerizing voice honestly. She comes from a musical family that includes her voice-training mother Jamecia Bennett and grandmother Ann Nesby. Devoted music fans will recall that Nesby’s own remarkable voice fronted in the ‘90s R&B/gospel group Sounds of Blackness.
“Every day I get a new tactic from my grandmother about my career,” notes Bennett. “But mainly she’s told me to just be me and never change who I am.”
Bennett began foregoing her singing alter ego at the age of four, working out at her great grandfather’s church in Rockford, Illinois, Macedonia Baptist Church. From there it was on to local talent shows before securing her first big performance: singing the Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis-penned song “Welcome” during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Bennett—, who currently spends her time residing in Minneapolis Minnesota, cites India.Arie, Maroon 5, Coldplay and the Dixie Chicks as favorites. However, the 21-year-old draws a lot of her inspiration from the old school. We’re talking such R&B and jazz masters as Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan and Nat King Cole.
Since the show Paris has released 2 albums. Herself titled album Paris Bennett was released May 8th 2006 and her Christmas album titled A Royal Christmas was released October 2007. Paris also has been blessed to grace the film industry in one released film starring with Patti Labelle, Ciarra, and Lynn Whitfield in the MOMMA I WANNA SING.
