The similarities between 14-year old singer, dancer and actress Montana Tucker and triple threat Jennifer Lopez are astounding. The song, "Mile in These Shoes," recorded by Lopez and utilized for the Season 4 promotional spot for ABC hit television show, "Desperate Housewives," and her [Lopez's] upcoming album, was acquired and performed for over a year by Montana, a rising star from South Florida.
Despite claims that the song was penned specifically for Lopez, Montana, an aspiring performer selected, "Mile in These Shoes" from dozens of songs offered to her by Atlanta-based producer Warren "Oak" Felder, with whom she recorded "Mile in These Shoes" which was also originally recorded and licensed by Montana. Tucker's management goes on to claim, "we paid the producer ["Oak"] a fee to record the song. By accepting the fee and producing Montana's vocal performance, an implied license to distribute, promote and to perform the song publicly (live and recorded) was granted."
The Internet blogging world is swirling with rumors regarding, the "Mile in These Shoes," controversy. Some have contacted Montana via her my space page at www.myspace.com/3montana3 in an effort to access the only available full-length version of "Mile in These Shoes." Tucker says, "J.Lo is one of my biggest inspirations and I am ecstatic that she chose a song that I also picked. I am a singer, dancer and actress just as she is and one day I hope to work with her and become the icon that she now is and I hope that she will acknowledge my role in 'Mile in These Shoes.'"
Though the young performer is excited that her inspiration [Lopez] selected the song, in her estimation, this is simply another instance where the two stars have crossed paths. After auditioning for the movie, "Unfinished Life," for the part of Jennifer Lopez's daughter, which Lopez starred in and co-executive produced with Robert Redford; Montana was called back twice, but did not secure the part.
Tucker began her musical career as a backup dancer for artists such as Ashanti, Ashley Simpson, Raz-B of B2K, among others. Recently she was featured with Chris Brown on MTV's "My Super 18" where she performed for his birthday party at Club 40/40 in New York City. Montana has also opened up for international artists including Grammy Award winning Pop Artist Ciara, Award Winning R&B singer Omarion, and Reggaeton Rapper Pit Bull. Montana was chosen for the lead in Lil Romeo's video, because of her resemblance to Jennifer Lopez -- the casting called for a "young version of Jennifer Lopez". So, is the emerging young triple threat the next J.Lo? For more information please visit www.myspace.com/3montana3.
