I wouldn’t call her ideal. Admittedly, there have been one or two missteps on her way to success like that raunchy home video of her having sex with a boyfriend. Two generations ago, the ensuing scandal would have destroyed anybody. Not Paris. In fact, she has put that behind her and been pretty much focused on what she wants to do with her life. I must say she has been great about staying on track.
Aside from good looks and moneyed pedigree, Paris is the heiress to a hotel fortune estimated at $300-M. But she earns her keep. She is a movie actress, House of Wax, reality TV star, The Simple Life, with childhood friend Nicole Richie, model for ramp and advertising like Guess clothes, perfumer with her own scent and as a nightclub impresario with her own club. The girl is also a very popular trendsetter. She and her chihuahua, Tinkerbell, are the reasons why little dogs are now among the must-have accessories of the trendy set.
The most recent addition to her list of accomplishments under Paris Hilton Entertainment is that of record producer, recording artist, songwriter and hitmaker. Simply entitled Paris, her debut album is a big hit. As of this week, Paris entered Billboard’s Top 200 albums list at No. 6, ranked between The Cheetah Girls 2 soundtrack and the compilation biggie Now 22. The album entered the Hot Dance Club Play chart at No. 1 a month ago. It is now listed at No. 8 right above Jessica Simpson’s A Public Affair, which incidentally still has to reach No. 1.
Just as I do not think she will ever win an Academy Award, Paris was nominated for the Golden Raspberry for her work in House of Wax, I do think that only a miracle will give Paris the Grammy. But given the way the album is selling, I will not be surprised to hear one of these days that Paris had been honored with a Gold or even a Platinum Record Award. Of course, she is also eligible for the American Music Awards, the Video Music Awards from MTV, the VH1, and others which are not that dependent on the music artistry of the artist.
Just as she can’t act, Paris is also no singer but surprises of surprises, you can listen to Paris repeatedly for hours and still enjoy every turn. Credit for this should go to her producers. Paris has this breathy, little girl voice but they took care to give her only melodies that she can carry off without difficulty. Stars are Blind, the first single release is particularly infectious. I admit, that including the Rod Stewart classic Do You Think I’m Sexy was quite a stretch musicwise, but then it is not hard to imagine Paris asking, "Do you think I’m sexy?" That is what I think she’s asking silently in every pictorial.
The Paris Hilton album proves that given the right budget and excellent support, anybody can sing and come up with a big hit. But before you start getting ideas about becoming the next Rachelle Ann Go or Sitti Navarro, please try to put it in your head that this situation will only work if you look, move, talk and are as uniquely media savvy like Paris. As for the $300-M, forget it.
So time now to stop listening to non-fans or plain busybodies who are out to diss anything that Paris does. The album is no great shakes musically but it is an enjoyable one.
The other cuts in Paris by Paris Hilton are Turn It Up, which should make a good next single, Fightin’ Over Me featuring Fat Joe and Jadakiss, I Want You, Jealousy, Heartbeat, Nothing in this World, Screwed, Not Leaving Without You and Turn You On.