Verizon Wireless and Natasha Bedingfield Name 'Pocketful of Sunshine' Duet Contest Winner

Verizon Wireless and Natasha Bedingfield Name 'Pocketful of Sunshine' Duet Contest Winner

Verizon VIP Tour Offered Unique Ways for Artists to Connect With Their Fans; Duet Contest Winner to Perform Live With Natasha Bedingfield in San Francisco

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Samantha Pietrunti of Staten Island, N.Y., was named the "Pocketful of Sunshine" Duet Contest winner by Natasha Bedingfield as part of her sold out Verizon VIP Tour. Pietrunti, age 19, will perform a live duet with the British songstress today at the Fillmore in San Francisco, the last stop of Bedingfield's first-ever U.S. headlining tour.

Fans who attended one of the tour stops had the opportunity to create a professional recording of their a capella rendition of Natasha's Top 5 hit "Pocketful of Sunshine" on the Verizon Mobile Studio Recording Bus and submit the demo to the contest. In addition, fans could submit a video or audio clip online for a chance to become one of the finalists. Entries were judged by Natasha, and Pietrunti was named grand prize winner. In addition to singing a duet with Natasha live in San Francisco, Pietrunti also received $500 cash and four round-trip airline tickets so she could invite friends and family to attend the concert in San Francisco.

The Verizon VIP Tour leverages wireless technology to help artists interact with their fans. Verizon Wireless customers who downloaded Natasha Bedingfield's content via their V CAST-enabled phones had the chance to win a pair of mobile tickets to the Verizon VIP Tour.

For more information on mobile music from Verizon Wireless, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or visit www.verizonwireless.com/music. For information on Natasha Bedingfield, visit www.VerizonVIPtour.com.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 67.2 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 69,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video footage and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Verizon Wireless

CONTACT: Brenda Boyd Raney, Verizon Wireless, +1-908-559-7518,
Brenda.Raney@verizonwireless.com; Tara Melega, Sony BMG Music for Natasha
Bedingfield, +1-212-833-7707, Tara.Melega@sonybmg.com; Lois Najarian, The Door
for Natasha Bedingfield, +1-646-831-0745, Lois@TheDooronline.com

Web site: http://www.verizonwireless.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/music
http://www.verizonviptour.com/
http://www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia

NOTE TO EDITORS: Broadcast-quality B-Roll from the Verizon VIP Tour featuring Natasha Bedingfield is available online. Log on to Verizon Wireless' Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia to preview and request video segments, which can be received in newsrooms digitally or by tape.

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Profile: International Entertainment