You may know Cory Lee from Instant Star or her role as ‘Miss Oh’ on CTV’s Degrassi. Or perhaps you have heard her first album What a Difference a Day Makes, her Juno nomination and The Naughty Songplayed throughout many television sound tracks. Regardless of where you saw her first, it is clear that Canada is in love with Cory Lee.
With the debut of her sophomore album Hot Pink Heart on the horizon, Cory is back with an assertive collection of songs that encompass her growth as a person and an artist. Her first single, Cruel Intentions, is available now with a smokin’ hot video to boot.
Vancouver native, Cory Lee, knew performing was for her from a very young age. In a performing arts summer camp at the age of 8, her vocal coach took her mother aside and said,
‘Your daughter has something special.’ The defining moment for Cory was her role in Joseph & the Amazing Technicolour Dream Coat. ‘It was then,’ she reflects, ‘that I knew I was meant to do this professionally. I loved it.’
A talented triple threat, Cory Lee is impassioned by music. ‘Music is the love of my life,’ announces Cory. ‘I have loved it for so long. It is my passion and propels me forward.’
Signing to Universal Records in Asia, Cory embarked on a mini promo tour throughout the Far East in 2012. She spent a great deal of time in Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. ‘It’s a very different way of life [in Asia],’ says Cory. ‘The people are beautiful. They have beautiful souls. There isn’t really a middle class. It’s what they call the gross divide.’
Cory’s Asian tour seemed to bring about a surge of Canadian nationalistic pride. ‘Canada is a melting pot. It is an awesome place to be brought up,’ Cory beams. ‘There is a different type of food on every corner -which is great for a food lover like me- and you can’t get that anywhere else. I love it.’
When asked what inspired her newest album, Cory replied, ‘It is night and day from where I was before. I have been learning, creating, figuring out what I wanted to be as an artist. The first single went so fast that I feel as though I just recorded a bunch of songs. This album [Hot Pink Heart] is a collection of songs- NOT an album. I know who I am now and what I want to put out. I can’t even compare to what I was.’
Cory Lee wrote sixteen songs for this hot pink collection, meaning that the album is divided into two parts. ‘I’m very attached to the songs,’ explains Cory. ‘They are all written from experience. All sixteen songs are a snap shot of life over the last two years. I came back with everything I had: mind-body-soul. [Hot Pink Heart] is an extension of myself, my alter ego. The title itself is confident, bold, and girly; it is love. [Hot Pink Heart] is where my heart is right now and who I am currently.’
Although a product of Cory Lee’s unbridled soul, she has collaborated with many famous and talented individuals on Hot Pink Heart, including visionary music video director, Alaan. Also contributing to Cory’s masterpiece are Jensen Vaughn, writer of Madonna’s Girls Gone Wild, Angela Hunt, writer of Jay Z’sEmpire State of Mind and Canadian producer, Kooya. ‘They brought a lot to this album,’ says Cory. ‘They can really get into your mind. [They] maintain the fire and offer great advice.’
As a beautiful woman, Cory is aware of how easy it is to become a sex symbol within the music industry. When asked if she felt as though music was overtly sexualized Lee replied, ‘Sex sells- it does. And a woman likes to look and feel sexy. Music tends to go in trends but it seems to now be empowering and about confidence. Lady Gaga gave women a license to be stranger, outside of the box- who you are. So is music overtly sexual? It’s not increasing, but it will come back.’
So what’s next for this uber talented Canadian songstress? ‘Well, I’m promoting my album,’ says Cory Lee. ‘[Hot Pink Heart] Part 2 comes out early 2013. I will be performing in Canada and Toronto Fashion Week is coming up – I love Canadian fashion. Degrassi has finished filming for the season so I am just doing what I’m doing on a bigger scale.’ Cory has set her heights high, anticipating a launch of her new album in the Pop music-loving UK in the near future. ‘Off the record,’ she winks.
At the risk of sounding cliché, the old saying ‘there is nowhere to go but up,’ is true of Cory Lee. This singing, acting and dancing star is on her way to stardom and her possibilities know no bounds. Keep your eye on this constantly rising Canadian star.
Check out Cory Lee’s video & first single, Cruel Intentions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joVR8pRFrDg