LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A homeless woman whose soaring operatic voice made her an internet sensation when a police officer posted a video of her online has lost her chance at a recording contract, with a Grammy-winning producer announcing today he had withdrawn the offer.
“Unfortunately, and as equally perplexing, Emily (Zamourka) has not responded to what I felt was the `world on a silver platter' proven formula that has worked hugely successfully for me before,” record producer Joel Diamond said in a statement. “To say we are not on the same page artistically would be an understatement.”
Zamourka made national and worldwide headlines when a Los Angeles police officer took a cell phone video of her singing at a local subway station and posted it online. The video quickly went viral, prompting Diamond to offer her a recording contract.
But Diamond said Tuesday Zamourka never signed the offer, and she declined to even listen to a song he “personally requested for her” from songwriter Diane Warren. She also rejected multiple offers of free violins to replace one that had been stolen from her, turned down a paid singing appearance in Japan and -- most recently -- declined an offer to perform on stage last weekend with Pete Townshend of The Who, according to Diamond.
Diamond said that in all of years in the music business, “I have never seen the world so fascinated and entertained by a completely unknown homeless subway singer whose voice has now been heard all over the world. This was a true Cinderella story that just went off the rails. I wish Emily good luck and good health in the future.”