One of the biggest television hits of Summer 2005, Rock Star: INXS introduced an entirely new form of reality TV with its focus on the aspirations of 15 vocalists and their quest to become the new lead singer of rock act INXS. The show was immensely popular and, in addition to rejuvenating INXS, has furthered the careers of several contestants, among them Deanna Johnston, a Canadian vocalist residing in Los Angeles. In the midst of Rock Star: Supernova, the show’s second season, we had the opportunity to catch up with Johnston to find how the show has impacted her career.

13 Years to Prepare
Hailing from Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Johnston was a self-proclaimed groupie in love with the drummer of a local rock band. She started singing as a means of gaining the affection of her boyfriend, and while the romance quickly faded, she discovered a talent she never knew existed.
“Looking back,” laughs Johnston, “I can’t believe I was that naïve. I honestly thought that by singing and sharing his enthusiasm for music, this would make us closer!”
Nonetheless, Johnston, who started singing along with her favorite records, developed a love for performing and the lifestyle that accompanied it. This led to her involvement in a number of cover bands and resulted in her relocation to L.A., which in her words, “is where opportunity resides, if you manage to cut through the B. S. that goes with the territory.” Thirteen years, countless bands and numerous disappointments later, Johnston learned of the Rock Star auditions by way of a bass player friend who was auditioning for the show’s house band.
“I had never heard of the show nor any auditions for it,” Johnston remembers, “but my friend said, ‘You should try out—you’d be great for this.’ So I had my first audition at the Whiskey, met the members of INXS and was called back for a series of subsequent auditions. Thousands of contestants from nine countries auditioned, and the list was narrowed down to 15.”

The ‘Rock Star’ Experience
Ultimately, Johnston was No. 7 among the finalists and was one of the three top female vocalists remaining. “The exposure on national TV, combined with the praise and support from the members of INXS and the show’s top executives, was huge,” says Johnston. “The show was extremely important on a personal level because it validated everything I had been working for. When you’re trying to make a name for yourself, you hear ‘no’ far more than you care to. The success I had with Rock Star did wonders for my confidence and convinced me I’m on the right path.”
When asked how the show has impacted her career, Johnston is quick to point out that she sang backing vocals on five tracks on the most recent INXS CD Switch. Further, the exposure enabled her to move beyond working in cover bands and focus her attention on her budding solo career.
“Because of Rock Star,” Johnston enthuses, “I’m able to focus my efforts on my solo career as opposed to performing other people’s material—and the gigs are getting better all the time. I recently performed at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas’ Thomas and Mack Arena, to a crowd of roughly 8,000 for an event hosted by Cisco Systems. I’m scheduled for a number of appearances in Nashville and then on to Florida in the near future.”
Similarly, Johnston’s recording career is gaining momentum. “I’ve been very fortunate to meet a number of really talented engineers, and together, my forthcoming CD is progressing well. I’ve been working with Los Angeles-based engineer Chris Landon, whose credits include work with Taylor Dayne and on the film WiseGirls, starring Mariah Carey and Mira Sorvino.”
Besides gaining massive exposure for herself as a performer, Johnston is also working with Marshall Electronics’ MXL microphone division on some co-branding initiatives and is serving as a beta tester. The manner in which this relationship developed is one of Johnston’s favorite topics.
“I was performing at Las Vegas’ Monte Carlo Hotel last New Year’s Eve,” states Johnston, “and the promotional poster announcing my appearance showed me singing into an MXL 990 microphone. Purely by chance, this caught the attention of Wayne Freeman, MXL’s Director of Sales and Marketing, who was in town celebrating the holidays. Wayne came to my show and introduced himself, and that’s how the whole thing started. The MXL 990 is my ‘go to’ studio vocal mic, so when the opportunity to work with the company as a beta tester and endorsing artist presented itself, I was thrilled.”
MXL is working on a number of large diaphragm, pressure-gradient condenser microphones, including the M3-P, that will be optimized for the female voice by adjusting the electronics to achieve better overall spectral balance. Johnston is recording and commenting on the tonal characteristics produced by the various beta models provided to her. Additionally, MXL will be marketing the microphone using Johnston’s image.

Johnston’s Wild Ride
Johnston reflects on her Rock Star experience, “A year ago, I was a relative unknown. Since the show, my performing career has gained momentum, I’m working with equipment manufacturers, and my forthcoming CD is on track and nearing completion. It’s been a pretty wild ride.” For a sampling of Johnston’s music, visit her website at www.deannajohnston.net.