Alanis Morissette was just 17 when she released her debut record “Alanis.” But, the bouncy dance-pop of her 1991 album now seems miles away from the more pensive alternative rock of “Jagged Little Pill.” Compare the groovy second track on “Alanis” with the scathing “You Oughtta Know” on her third LP.
Morissette had been performing for many years before she decided to fully break into the world of teen pop and dance music. According to PopMatters, the Canadian singer-songwriter was already a child star who had appeared in “You Can’t Do That on Television” on both CTV and Nickelodeon. Born in Ottawa, Canada, she saved up money from her acting career to record her first single at 10 years old, and get a music publishing contract by 14 (via AllMusic). Her tenacity earned her a record deal with MCA Canada, with who she recorded her first two albums.
Initially, “Alanis” and its followup “Now Is the Time” were hits in Canada, garnering the singer-songwriter a Juno Award for most promising female artist. And, her early music certainly was promising, if also hewing a little too close to her influences of Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. Even today, her synthesizer and drum machine driven dance tunes — inspired in part by New Jack Swing — are still fun to listen to. But, unfortunately for Morissette, her popularity and acclaim during this period were limited to her home country. Soon, though, she moved to Los Angeles.
