Canada's Hottest New Series is Ready to Rock New Programs / CTV Posted by RAD on Jan 11, 2005 - 09:24 AM This innovative new half-hour program explores the drama, personalities and relationships inside the world of a young songwriter who's just trying to keep it all together as she faces fame. Meet Jude Harrison: she's 15, plays guitar and writes songs in her bedroom after school. She also happens to be on the cusp of superstardom after winning the biggest singer/songwriter contest in the country. Now meet Alexz Johnson, the real-life singer/songwriter who plays Jude in Instant Star, Canada's hottest new series premiering Sunday, Jan. 23, at 7 p.m. ET on CTV with two back-to-back episodes. The series then moves to its regular timeslot - Sundays at 7:30 p.m. ET - starting Jan. 30 (check local listings). Art and life imitate each other in Instant Star as newcomer Alexz Johnson (The Chris Isaak Show, Selling Innocence) will release a CD during the series' 13-episode run while the fictional Jude kicks off her recording career in the fictionalized show. Johnson, who herself was a true-life talent show winner, has co-written some of the songs featured in the series and performed them all for the CD, expected to be released this winter. Adding to the multi-dimensional nature of the series is a companion Web site also launching on January 23, www.instantstar.ctv.ca, where viewers can move in and out of Jude's musical and personal world. Instant Star shone last September when more than a million viewers tuned in to a sneak preview of the series on CTV. Now, ready for broadcast in High Definition, the fictionalized Canadian drama picks up where its real-life counterpart, Canadian Idol, left off. Instant Star begins just as 15-year-old Jude (Johnson), wins a national singer/songwriter contest. The accompanying recording contract, not to mention her newfound fame, promises to transform her life forever. At the heart of each episode are Jude's relationships - the cute boy-next-door, the hot young producer who takes her under his wing, her jealous older sister, and her parents who have issues of their own. "Instant Star is a perfect complement to CTV's hit series Degrassi and Canadian Idol," said Susanne Boyce, CTV President of Programming and Chair of the CTV Media Group. "We think it's going to speak volumes to viewers who appreciate great drama and great music." "This is the drama for anyone who's dreamt of living their dream," said Creator and Executive Producer Linda Schuyler. There to help Jude along her journey are her new producer Tom Quincy, played by Tim Rozon, and boy-next-door best friend Jamie Andrews, played by Kristopher Turner. Joining them are Laura Vandervoort as Jude's older sister Sadie; Barbara Mamabolo as Jude's friend Kat Benton; Andrea Lui as EJ Li, the head of marketing and publicity for the record company; and Tracy Waterhouse as record executive Georgia Bevans. Jude's parents are played by Simon Reynolds and Jane Sowerby. In addition to her duties as the lead in Instant Star, Johnson has been working diligently on the creation and recording of songs for the series. During each episode of the series, one song performed by Johnson will be featured. Johnson's songs will be released by the Orange Record Label as a soundtrack CD later this winter. The multi-talented Johnson had her performance debut at a very young age, competing in talent contests and festivals before winning the National Anthem Contest and being named "Best Anthem Singer" by the Vancouver Sun at age 11. As a result, she began frequently singing at sporting events. Her acting credits have since included the lead in Disney's So Weird, and roles on The Chris Isaak Show and Scooby Doo Too. This new series premieres January 23 on CTV. This article is from CHANNEL CANADA   http://www.channelcanada.com/ The URL for this story is:   http://www.channelcanada.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=728