The Greatest of Stephanie Fierce (MTV Special)
Episode 1 Title: The Past of Pop
Airdate: August 27, 2011
Stephanie Fierce was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the daughter of Emmanuel Rios (a record store manager) and Heiddy Rios (a professional singer, dancer). Stephanie learned both Spanish and English fluently. The first 11 years of her life, Stephanie Fierce grew up in the Laguna View barrio in Rio Piedras, then was raised in the streets of Manhattan and New York City the rest of her childhood. Steph was always driven to improve in something and that drove her to be the best she could be, making her really successful. As a child Steph was also trained by her father to become an entertainer and perfomer. Steph took various music lessons from her father and learned how to play the piano, read music and sing. Stephanie Fierce attended all four years at Seward Park High School and now is a special Alumni there. All four years. Steph took AP level music courses. Ranging from "Music Appreciation" to "Music Theory". A picture portrait of Stephanie Fierce was placed and can be seen at the front office of the school today.
According to her friends, Stephanie was always outgoing, and brave. Fierce would be the one who loved to get on stage and hog the microphone to sing songs by current rock/pop legends in her own time. While her mother always warned Steph about fame, her own mother's career failures led Steph to feel quilty about wanting to become famous. Steph always believed that her mother would one day see her perfomring in front of thousands and claimed it day after day.
In May 2004, a senior in high school and still named Stephanie Rios. Miss Fierce was close to graduation and was soon heading out to a massive talent search competition, where she would then be discovered by FML Records.
Naya (
Steph's Best Friend in High School): I remember me and Stephanie were in class. We were sitting in the back, cause you know that was the cool thing to do back in those days...... and I remember Steph telling me continuously about this talent search. She would not shut up about it....
(giggles) like it was her life
(giggles). At the time I didn't see it as a big deal, because I never had confidence in my own self and she told me in her own words
"I think I'm gonna make it". I looked at her kind of crazy, but you know I was her friend, and I knew how talented she was, so I actually told her she will do it and the girl freaking did it.
Deep down inside I had doubt, but I always looked out for her and look at her now. It takes that one moment to change your whole life. That opened my eyes about many things. And I look up to her for that. I'm so proud of her.
In December 2004, an unfortunate tragedy took place in Stephanie’s life. Right before her big break, Steph’s mother was gunned down in a local New York bank. Even after this day, the suspect who committed the assault have not been located. Raw footage from the cameras of the local bank, show two men getting out a black ducati motorcycle, one shooting with a unregistered firearm and the other in watch. The suspects fled off the scene and were never located. FBI is still going under investigation and no other evidence has been found. A funeral took place Christmas eve, in 2004. Steph’s mother was put to rest in the New York City Marble Cemetery.
Emmanuel Rios (
Steph's Father): I’ve never really talked about this with anyone other than Steph, Jennifer and the rest of the family. But, my wife’s passing was something that changed my life forever. I mean obviously. But it changed who I was as a man, it changed who I was as a father, it changed who I was as a human being period. Now looking at myself.... Till this day…I have no logical understanding of it. Why would someone do this to an innocent person? Is what I ask myself every day. Just…why?
These times……where really just hard times for Steph, Jennifer and I. We’ve dealt with many personal things..... the teasing, the Latino accent issues, racism, the bullying Steph faced, but that….….that was nothing and isn’t even close to comparison. This was a tragedy in our lives. And yet while we have recuperated over the years,this is something that’s scarred for life. Many people tell me, that it’s time to move on. But you just can’t move on from something like this…..it’s impossible. It’s not fair.
We all miss her…not just me. Stephanie was just emotionally very close to her mother. I think by Steph losing her, the whole family broke apart and we became rebellious….even towards each other. We really lost the meaning of family at one point in time. I myself, hurt Steph various times. The music thing was our only way to vent. But while it was great distraction from the misery, I got so caught up in it, I think that’s what made Steph distant from me. I wanted her to become more like her mother and I didn’t really allow her to become her own individual. I think that’s what drove Steph to make her own music and live up to her new acclaimed name, which she dedicated her mother. In the end, I always wanted the best for her, but I did it wrong. I never meant to hurt her and I keep messing up.
But on a positive note, we always called Stephanie “Miss Fierce”
(giggles softly). People see it as a joke, bu we don't. It always reminds me of her mother, who made it very clear that she was never going to make it in the industy. We never meant it in the fashion sense though, which is what people tend to think the word is from (laughs) I called her that because I always saw the strength in her as a person. I remember after my wife passed, Steph and I were arguing one night about her going to college and that’s when Steph actually took it to the next level and changed her last name to “Fierce” as a way to not only rebel against me, but really show that she will continue her music. Right in that moment despite her removing my last name and all, I realized that there wasn’t a better noun.
In June 2005, after refusing to go to college, Steph went on to being signed by FML Records on a minimal contract. The contract was temporary, until Stephanie was stable enough to become a recording artist. The label being informed by the incident influenced Steph to use her talent in songwriting to her best ability to become a part-time songwriter. Before signing her 4 year deal with the label, Stephanie Fierce worked as a songwriter for the label’s company for nearly two years, before working on any music. During the two years, Steph grew more distant from her father and began writing hardcore pop records for other artists to use, which none where ever picked up.
In 2006, Steph secretly began working on electronica music, in which at the time wasn't mainstream and was only heard of in the underground scene. Two infamous recordings were made, now known to be as "Electric Club" and "Attention Grabber". At the edge of 2007, Steph finally signed her risky 4 year contract with FML records and began working on her new album immediately. She used her two recording for the album, and the two songs even influenced Steph's very first promo tour "The Electric Club Tour". While the tour wasn't a success, it shaped Steph's musical abilities, learning the use of synthersized instruments and self production.
Jennifer Rios (
Also known as Rakoon): At this point, I could not recognize my sister. In our house all we heard were pop, R&B records and here she is making electronic music! It was unheard of in our family. It was something my father wasn't very proud of. But I.... I was very jealous I'll admit (laughs), but at the same time I was so happy for her. She was really becoming her own person and not what our father wanted her to become. I could never do something like that in that time period, because I was a wimp (giggles). I gave birth to my son Roberto Rios the same day Steph signed her first contract so it's kind of funny how that worked out.
Edited by user 28 August 2011 06:01:04(UTC)
| Reason: Not specified
