Sometimes it only takes a single opportunity to open the door to success. Just ask singer-songwriter Christina Perri, whose song "Jar of Hearts" made its way on to the June 30, 2010 episode of the television show, "So You Think You Can Dance." Now, less than two years later, Perri has been seemingly thrust in to the spotlight.
"It's been bananas!" Perri said of the journey so far. "It was one great day that hasn't stopped for two years."
From there it's been nothing but a wild, successful journey for the 25-year-old from Philadelphia, Penn. She signed a deal with Atlantic Records, had high-profile television appearances and her new single, "A Thousand Years" (which appeared on the Breaking Dawn soundtrack), recently went platinum.
"I'm bouncing around the world like a pinball," she said. "I've been to Germany a few times this year, I'm about to go to Australia to do TV, then back to the US for this headline tour."
And aside from your standard "on tour" performances, there have been some other, less conventional moments as well.
"Somehow I ended up playing in a boxing ring in Germany just before Vitali Kliltschko fought for his heavyweight title. I flew in to play ‘Jar of Hearts' at this arena full of people who had come to see boxing," Perri said. "It ended up being amazing though, especially because there was pyro - my piano lit on fire about halfway through the song, which was rad."
So how does one stay grounded while on this proverbial firestorm of awesome? For Perri, a lot of it comes from interacting with her fans.
"I do write back to people," she said. "There's no barriers, no ice to break. It's like we're all friends. I've worked very hard on that."
"I still can't believe this is my life some days," she added. "I feel like the least I can do is take everyone for this crazy ride that I'm on."
Some of these connections are on a very personal level, too. One woman found the courage to get away from her abusive husband through Perri's lyrics.
"It's both heartwarming and heart-wrenching," Perri said.
Photo: Francois Bertheir
