Local Teen Songstress Signs Major Record Deal
Edmonton Alberta Canada Journal 28May99 L5
By Sandra Sperounes

An 18 year old Edmonton, Alberta, girl is getting ready to whole-heartedly work on her recording career. As soon as LDS teen Maren Ord graduates from high school this month, she and her mom will be heading to Los Angeles. After making a splash on the local scene last year, including a performance at Lilith Fair in Edmonton, Maren is just now revealing two deals she has signed.

One is with EMI/Capital for recording, the other is with Sony for song publishing. Her first CD should be released in the Spring of 2000. "I can't wait to finish school. My music is going to be all around the world. It's pretty awesome."

Maren won a local talent competition put on by POWER 92 radio in Edmonton. They included her song "Eternity" on a special CD of various new talent, and her song became extremely popular.

That led to a Lilith Fair appearance, where Maren caught the eye of Sarah McLachlan's manager. Terry McBride says, "She's just a raw talent. Given time and guidance and the opportunity to develop her craft naturally, I hope she can grow into the kind of artist who has a career."

Who will produce Maren's music? She says, "I have an idea of who I might work with, but I'm not allowed to tell you, sorry. But I'll tell you he has worked with Madonna."

Maren is one of ten children of Alan and Kathy Ord. She got her musical start at home with the "Ord Family Singers" a group that has performed for years in Edmonton. Alan and Kathy Ord recently spent a season with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir while Alan was working in Utah. He had taken a year away from his usual position teaching voice at the University of Alberta.