Solenn Heusaff signs with no. 1 Music Company, MCA MUSIC INC.

It’s a fresh year for the local music industry and a time to find for new voices. Beauty, brains, and a heavy dosage of talent seem to be a tall order for aspiring artists wanting to get their mainstream break. But amazingly, all three are given for the newest toast of town, Solenn Heusaff.

Already known in showbiz circles as a model, fashion designer, and make-up artist, Solenn now enters the music scene after premier label MCA Music signed her to a three-year, three-album contract. She may have not yet proven her true worth as a singer. But raise your eyebrow not, for MCA, highly reputed for guiding the careers of trend-setters like Sabrina, Richard Poon, and Tanya Markova, found confidence in her voice — one reminiscent of easy-listening star Norah Jones (according to a noted music critic) — and of course, that obvious charm that has made audiences, regardless of gender and gender preferences, awestruck.

“I’m an artist by heart and I always want to try things out. I hope they listen to my voice,” says the half-French, half-Filipina in an interview after rehearsing for Party Pilipinas, GMA-7’s Sunday noon show she regularly appears in as a performer.

The 25-year old stunner recently did her first professional gig as a singer (at the launch for Hayden Kho’s perfume line) and surprised spectators considering that the newly crowned ‘godess of beauty’ can actually sing. Expressing her goal to take voice lessons for as long as her hectic schedule permits, she humbly admits she only gets to exercise her vocal cords while in shower. That’s not very technical, but sounds still effective and obviously sexy, especially that it’s her.

Yet, technical training is always not the key to fine artistry. More important is that ‘it’ separating the idols from the merely talented. Solenn certainly has it and no less than MCA A&R executive Francis Guevarra, a proven artist-scouting agent vouches for that. “We believe in her and she will be one of the artists to watch in 2011,” he noted.

With her breakthrough that was her final four finish at the Celebrity Survivor aired on the Kapuso network last year, the versatile Solenn is poised to conquer 2011 with, among other ventures, her upcoming album set for release come summer.

Doing movies, filling up the EDSA billboards, and appearing in stylish TV commercials, Solenn has still found a secure place for a musical career to thrive in. She said, “I do prefer singing originals, though I’m open for anything, even singing French songs.”

Time flies and in no time the whole country will be gifted with an album featuring Solenn’s jazzy, soulful timbre. She mentioned the late Michael Jackson as among her influences among the male icons. For the opposite sex, she name-dropped the one that hit the very right note, who else, but Norah Jones.

All an eagle would really like, is a teapot