Soprano Prodigy Jackie Evancho Becomes 2010's Top-Selling Debut Artist as O Holy Night, Her First Major Label Release, Enters the Billboard 200 at #210-Year-Old "America's Got Talent" Discovery Achieves Year's Best-Selling Debut With Special Seasonal CD/DVDNEW YORK, Nov. 24, 2010 -- O Holy Night, a special seasonal CD/DVD and first major label release from soprano prodigy Jackie Evancho, has entered the Billboard 200 at #2. With first week's sales topping 239,000 pieces, O Holy Night has secured Jackie's position as 2010's top-selling debut artist as well as the youngest female solo artist to ever debut in the Soundscan era. Additionally, Jackie has entered the Billboard Classical Chart at #1. Jackie's stunning performance on "America's Got Talent" last summer won over the hearts of millions of viewers bringing her from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania into the national spotlight. "Jackie Evancho is one of the purest and finest vocalists I've ever heard, and the initial response to her debut release has been phenomenal," said Steve Barnett, Chairman, Columbia Records. "We are all incredibly proud of Jackie," said Mike and Lisa Evancho, Jackie's parents. "She loves to sing and is incredibly happy to be able to share her gift with the world." On O Holy Night, her debut recording for SYCO/Columbia, Jackie has matched a couple of her favorite Christmas carols -- "O Holy Night" and "Silent Night" -- with "Pie Jesu" and "Panis Angelicus" -- two of the arias she performed on "America's Got Talent" -- on the set's extended play CD. The two-disc O Holy Night includes a bonus DVD featuring Jackie's "America's Got Talent" performances, the audition tape that got her on the show, and an exclusive interview with Jackie filmed the week following the show's finale. O Holy Night Tracklisting "O Holy Night" "Pie Jesu" "Silent Night" "Panis Angelicus" DVD "Panis Angelicus" (YouTube audition) "O Mio Babbino Caro" "Time To Say Goodbye" "Pie Jesu" "Ave Maria" An Interview with Jackie Since appearing on "America's Got Talent," Jackie's steadily accumulated tens of millions of combined YouTube views and was the #1 Hot Google Search on August 10 and 11. She had the #1 video on YouTube the week of August 11 and has YouTube's biggest non-ad-supported video of 2010 (so far). The "America's Got Talent" finale on September 15 was the show's highest rated in three years. Evancho catapulted into the "America's Got Talent" quarter finals when her unaffectedly pure performance of Puccini's "O Mio Babbino Caro" (included on the O Holy Night DVD) handily won the show's YouTube round, selected by online fans. An odds-on favorite with viewers, Jackie performed four times on "America's Got Talent" over the summer. Rocketing into the finals, her astonishing classical crossover soprano performances marked the arrival of a major musical talent. Jackie Evancho began singing seriously at the age of 7 after watching "The Phantom of the Opera" on DVD. She soon launched her own YouTube channel and started vocal lessons when she was 8 years old. A Pittsburgh native, Jackie performed at local talent shows, going on to perform at high profile events including singing the national anthem at Pittsburgh Pirate games. SOURCE SYCO/Columbia Records Watch Jackie Evancho sing 'O Mio Babbino Caro' on 'America's Got Talent' below:
November 24, 2010 7:05am ET by Pressparty
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