James Renald and Antoine Sicotte aren't just smart singer/songwriters who scored a deal with EMI, then bolted to the top of the charts on the strength of an infectious, commercial sound and video-genic good looks. The overnight sensation that is Montreal's Sky has, in fact, been building since 1992, and is the result of years of careful planning and unshakable determination in the face of what for most hopeful young artists, are insurmountable odds.

"About eight months before EMI signed us," recalls Antoine, "we had distributed a demo to journalists and radio stations. What we were trying to do was create a sense of excitement in the music business. We didn't own a lot of equipment at the time, just a four-track analogue studio. But we weren't interested in selling our demo and making money with that. The demo, for us, was an industry calling card. It was a surprise when 'America' got played on 43 radio stations across Quebec in 1996 and 1997."

That initial radio play was just the beginning for Antoine and James [first names only, please] who'd been hawking their musical wares with a somewhat unusual press kit. Instead of the traditional bio and glossy publicity shots, Sky's promo pack consisted of their CD demo plus a video clip of their song "America," which had been independently produced in a 20-hour period for about $8,000. "A friend of ours who was working for Radio-Canada filmed it in 16mm to achieve maximum impact with minimum outlay," Antoine explains.

"We also added radio charts for each week to document that our song was being played for real. That way, our press kit was getting thicker week after week. And then the video was programmed on MusiquePlus . . . We couldn't have asked for anything more.

"It hasn't always been easy, though. We crashed twice before. Record companies have returned our press kits unopened! But we kept reading, kept learning. We wanted to know how the industry really worked. Then we crafted our pitch down to the last detail."

By wearing the hats of both musicians and businessmen, Sky reflects the changing face of the record industry. Hollywood-style discoveries by A&R bosses in bars are mostly a thing of the past.

"Today," notes Antoine, "the only way to make it is to produce a solid demo and distribute it to people who can make a difference. Competition is too fierce now. Thousands of bands are vying for success and all the labels are thinking internationally, not just locally. You have to stand right out. "Being a band that can put on a great show isn't enough anymore. Record companies are looking for groups that have a vision. Groups that know what they're doing, that are disciplined, thoroughly involved. An artist who wants to make it must put luck on his side by becoming involved at all levels.

"Many groups think only about money," Antoine concludes. "But you can't think about making money when you're starting out. You should be thinking in terms of personal investment. Hell, at some points we both held three different jobs. We worked hard and invested all our money in our music. It's important to analyze yourself, honestly assess your strengths and weaknesses, compromise. In the end there'll be a payoff."

For Sky that payoff is all but in the bank. Released months before their album Piece of Paradise, the CD single for "Some Kinda Wonderful" became a Canadian retail sensation, selling more than 16,000 copies domestically. Piece of Paradise is now past double platinum in Canada and when "Love Song" was released as a single in the U.S. this spring (a precursor to the June launch of the album on Arista Records) trade paper R&R noted that it was the most added track at American CHR stations.

Meanwhile, "Some Kind of Wonderful" reached the No. 1 position in Asia, Finland and Denmark. The sky really does appear to be the limit for the duo, which opens the first leg of teen phenomenon Britney Spears' Canadian tour in July.

James and Antoine have no one but themselves to thank for getting the ball rolling, however, keeping it moving has been a team effort and the songwriters are quick to share the credit. "I think people like the strength of our songs, they appreciate the arrangements and textures," says James. "But we have a great team with us. And we've had strong video support and a great promotional push. Taken all together those things have made the difference."