Whatever Happened to Pop Singer Vitamin C?

by Sean Smith

In 1999 Colleen Fitzpatrick, better known as Vitamin C, gained widespread popularity with the release of her self-titled debut solo album. The first single off of that album “Smile” was the highest charting single she has had in her career, reaching the #18 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Vitamin C had another hit on that album with the song “Graduation (Friends Forever)”. While not surpassing her first single “Smile” in terms of chart performance, peaking at only the #38 spot on the Hot 100, “Graduation” is by far the song most closely associated with Vitamin C. That song has served as an anthem for seemingly every high school senior graduating class across the country since it’s release in 2000. But other than popping up on the iTunes charts every June with “Graduation”, what has Vitamin C been up to over the last 14 years?

In 2001 Vitamin C put out her second solo album titled More. However, she was unable to duplicate the same type of success she had garnered with her prior release. Vitamin C released two singles in support of the album but neither of them were able to break into the Top 40. More as an album didn’t fair much better, only peaking at #122 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Although Vitamin C has not released another album of her own since, she continued to work in music.

In 2005 she wrote a song called “We Are Gonna Happen” which appeared on the soundtrack for Nickelodeon’s television show Unfabulous.  The tune  was sung by actress Emma Roberts who played a lead role in the series. Vitamin C also co-wrote a song for Miley Cyrus, or rather Hannah Montana, called “Let’s Get Crazy” which appeared on the Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack. In 2009 she wrote a song called “One and the Same” for a couple of other one-time Disney stars in Demi Lovato and Selena Gomez. That song appeared in the Disney Channel Original Movie Princess Protection Program.

This experience working with talented teenage singers led to Vitamin C,  who now once again goes by her given name Colleen Fitzpatrick, landing a job at Nickelodeon as the Vice President of Music. A job that she remains in today, overseeing all musical content across the Nickelodeon brand as well as handling the A&R and management of Nickelodeon artists.

So although Vitamin C’s solo music career didn’t quite have the longevity that she may have wished, it’s good to see the “Smile” singer find some happiness working in such an important management position within the pop industry.

Related Media:

Vitamin C Featuring Lady Saw

“Smile”

From: Vitamin C

Elektra Records

“Graduation (Friends Forever)”

From: Vitamin C

Elektra Records