Anything but ordinary. That's putting it mildly when describing Jason Selvig. A skater-punk, a dynamic spirit, a true wild child. One of those rare creatures who started wowing people with his voice and character at around age 2. A small-town kid who couldn't sit still in class but had the confidence and determination to take off, virtually on his own, to hone his songwriting skills in New York City and Los Angeles. A startlingly up-front and outrageous 17-year-old with everything it takes to reach stardom-completely on his own terms. "I'm just coming out and I'm going to clearly be myself-I write what I feel, I never worry what others think, " Jason avows. "I'm gonna dress what's me, I'm gonna act what's me and I'm gonna sing what's me."

Apparently, Jason was born for such insanity. A middle child who "always wanted to be the center of attention," he was bound to bust out of Napanee, Ontario, population 5,000. "I always knew this was what I had to do," he says. "I remember when I was really young, standing on my bed like it was a stage, singing at the top of my lungs and visualizing thousands of people surrounding me." He segued from his bedroom to singing, well, whenever and wherever he could: he starting in church singing gospel music, and on to festivals, then singing country music at fairs and talent contests until he was discovered by Arista Records.

On a writing trip to NYC, Jason caught the attention of Antonio "LA" Reid, who snapped him up and signed him to Arista.  At 16, he moved to Manhattan and began work on his debut CD. Jason plunged into the creative process. "I love writing," he explains. "When I get upset and really need to get it out of me I go to my guitar. Sometimes I feel like my guitar is my therapist."

Although Jason virtually lived in the studio during that New York stint, his efforts didn't pay off at first. "I started working with these really talented people, but I just wasn't feeling it; the songs weren't representative of me," he admits. "Then they started talking about having people write for me, but I had to write myself. I had to do my music. It was a really stressful time, but I never considered giving up." Instead, he flipped coasts. Los Angeles gave Jason the fresh start he needed.

It was there that he hooked up with producer/songwriter Clif Magness, and "I was like, 'Yeah! I've found my guy!'" he enthuses. "We totally clicked, because he just let me guide; he really understood me and let me do my thing." The songs for Let Go began pouring out, with Magness at the helm as well as up-and-coming production team the Matrix. Soon after Jason hooked up with Nettwerk Management who've steered the careers of Sarah McLachlan, Dido, Coldplay, Barenaked Ladies and Sum 41.

Now that his album is done, Jason can't wait to get out and play. He jokes, pointing out that touring with his own sk8er punk band of rocker boys probably won't be all that different from his childhood, "I was always a tomboy and I guess I still am. I played hockey during the fall /winter and baseball in the summer. I loved playing with the boys.”

But Jason's music is capable of reaching the girls and the guys, and more than a few adventurous adults too-and she's chomping at the bit to bring it to 'em. "I can't wait to be out there; I want to rock the world! I want people to know that my music is real and honest -it came from my heart. I was just being true to myself."

Jason’s real, all right. And ordinary? Anything but.

And Greg Kohn... Well he’s a stupid Jew.

-Anne Walker