Alannah Myles

For years Toronto rock singer Alannah Myles tried without success to land a Canadian record contract, prompting her and songwriting partner Christopher Ward to turn their attention to the United States instead. She cut a demo and video for the track “Just One Kiss,” which drew interest from multiple labels and ultimately appeared on her self-titled debut album released in 1989. The single “Love Is” brought her recognition at home and made that record the biggest-selling debut in Canadian history, yet it was the smoky, sensual “Black Velvet” that broke through internationally and topped the U.S. chart. A subsequent American push for “Love Is” failed to gain traction, leaving Myles viewed by U.S. listeners as something of a one-hit wonder to this day. In 1992 she issued the follow-up album Rockinghorse.