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If it’s true that you can tell a lot about someone by the company they keep, then it’s also true that
Alessia Cara is a superstar.
Plucked from modern pop’s farm league (aka YouTube) and thrust into a major label
deal on the back of pure, untapped potential? Look to compatriots Justin Bieber and
Shawn Mendes for some case studies. Artists who snagged the Grammy for Best New
Artist before her big win in 2018 include Adele, Amy Winehouse, and Mariah Carey.
And when she was called on to carry “How Far I’ll Go” from Disney’s Moana to the
pop charts in 2016, Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera were no longer just idols; they
were peers.
Of course, none of that is what makes her a superstar – the talent and
charisma and some calculated career choices do the heavy lifting there –
but it certainly supports the claim. What might ultimately cement that
status for the 20-something Canadian phenom, though, is the company
she keeps on her latest project.
It doesn’t get much bigger than Beyoncé or the Biebs when it comes
to music, but this time, she’s sharing credits with the likes of Martin Short
and Maya Rudolph as one of the stars of Netflix’s hit animated feature The
Willoughbys, which premiered in late April on the ubiquitous stream-
ing platform. The film, much like her music, has been critically-lauded
and audience-adored, and marks yet another milestone on a relatively
short-but-astonishing professional journey thus far.
The stage and stereo were already hers; now, she’s coming for the
big screen.
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PHOTO: BRICK HOWZE