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Her parents stared in amazement as their shy toddler waddled up to the stage at the annual Christmas party and opted not to sing a Christmas song, but rather her ABCs. Nobody was prepared for what came out of the little girl, and especially for what was to come. This particular moment represented a lifelong commitment for Heather Ruiz who knew she felt most comfortable up on stage, sharing her gift of song with others.

One of the best gifts Heather every received was a karaoke machine and microphone, which she took full advantage of – the neighbors, her family and friends enjoyed multiple mini concerts given by the rising star who loved making her audience smile. Heather continued to bring joy into people’s lives when she became the lead vocalist at 15 for a touring ballet company – Dance Theatre Northwest. She traveled around the Puget Sound with the company, singing up a storm. She also studied jazz and ballet to better equip her for the career she dreamed of. At this time, Heather was fortunate enough to be chosen out of many girls to attend a musical theatre camp in New York, directed by Broadway producer, Peter Sklar. She made another trip to New York the following year with DTN where she perfected her dancing skills at many prestigious dancing academies there.

Another wonderful gift Heather received were voice lessons for her fourteenth birthday. Her vocal coach, Jack Gorrecht, recognized the amazing talent she possessed and helped her discover the natural beauty that existed in her voice. One year later she began pursuing a professional singing career, and she recorded a demo that was sent to recording companies in the US and in Europe. She received nothing but positive feedback, but unfortunately no recording contracts were signed. In the meantime, while Heather continued on her singing quest, Jack appointed her as another vocal coach at his studio, which is what she continues to do to this day.

Her luck seemed to change at 19 when one of the largest recording companies in the world, Decca, showed interest in her. Communication continued between Heather’s agent and one of their VPs for the next couple of years, but once again, a recording deal never came to fruition. She did however, enter a local singing contest at the end of 2005 that consisted of over 30,000 contestants, and won first place!

There’s no argument that this small town girl from Puyallup, WA can wow an audience with her angelic voice. She considers her ability to walk out on stage a blessing as she has dealt with serious spinal defects from birth. Nevertheless, the show must go on and she calls Tacoma, WA her home; however, she is confident that the world holds much in store for her. Heather’s new album, which showcases her unique versatility as she covers multiple genres is the key to her success as a star.