Out of virtually nowhere 19-year-old Fiona Apple established herself a visionary singer and songwriter with her 1996 debut album Tidal. With gems like 'Shadowboxer ' 'Criminal ' and 'Sleep to Dream ' the vocalist/pianist reaped critical and commercial success almost overnight. As aficionados found echoes in her songs of such legends as Nina Simone and Carole King Apple found herself at the vanguard of contemporary pop. Released in July 1996 Tidal went gold in December and currently is certified triple platinum for sales of more than three million copies.
