Yeah, I'm so excited. I'm going to be traveling so much -- we've got plans to go all over, and I'm so excited to be in L.A. on my 25th birthday, so tonight I'm gonna have to go celebrate.
Where are you gonna go?
I don't know -- I'm kinda gonna be surprised, I think. My roommate is kinda setting everthing up. I'm excited -- it's gonna be a great little closure to this new phase that I'm going through.
Who are your musical influences?
I just love anything with a lot of soul -- which is where gospel comes in. Blues -- Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Clarke Sisters -- I always like that style of singing. But then, of course, there's people of today I like -- Sheryl Crow and Alanis, mariah Carey -- I like a really wide variety of music. I don't limit myself to just pop music or just rock music, or just blues or whatever. Anything that I hear that I like, I grab -- which is really from jazz to the Beastie Boys.
Have you met any of them?
No, I actually haven't. This all happened so fast that I haven't really had the time to meet and greet people. I've been kind of like just working a lot lately. Which is good-- I'm actually glad to, but there hasn't been a lot of time to meet and greet people.
Do you plan to?
Oh yeah -- definitely! I think once I get a little more established and everything, I'll probally take a little break and have to go out on the town a little bit.
Who's at the top of your list right now?
Gosh, youknow, it's funny. I really love the Counting Crows. I wanna meet them. I love the way they write and I think they're great.
How do you feel when you're compared to Mariah Carey?
Well, she's not a bad person to be compared to, so I can't complain! She's actually a great singer and she's got great pop songs, and so I don't mind it. I mean, I think everybody wants to have their own sound, but you have to admit -- I heard her in my teen years so she has to be some kind of an influence on me -- honestly, I can't fight that, I'm glad to be compared. i don't like it when somebody says, "You sound just like Mariah Carey," I'm like, "Wait a minute -- no, I don't wanna sound JUST like her!"
How long have you been writing songs?
Since I was 13. It's been a part of my life since I was in middle school and high school.
Not anybody famous as of yet. Definitely people I know and people that sing -- but just me, for the most part.
I'm already doing shows here and there -- usually on the weekends. Just kinda popping into the city and doing a short show. But my agency is working right now to pair me up with the right act to go on the road. So, it's not determined yet, but it'll be fairly soon.
yeah, they've been really supportive in Atlanta. So, it's really cool. I'm getting calls out of the blue from Kindergarten friends -- it's hysteical... it's really funny.
And that's not a pain?
Oh, no, it's so sweet -- it's really sweet, actually. I mean, it's kind of weird in a way to hear from people you haven't heard from in so long, but everybody's intention is really sweet-- it's like they're really proud and excited. I think people love to see dreams come true, and for my entire life I've always been dreaming of singing, so i think that everybody who knows me feels like, "Oh, I used to go see her in that small little place in Podunk, Georgia -- we used to go see her in this small little barbecue joint," and so everybody's so happy to see me take it to the next level.
Are you thinking about trying another musical genre in your next album?
I can't wait to do a Christimas Album -- that's the one thing I'm really looking forward to. But I'll definitely stay within the same field. I'm sure that I'll grow and push the boundaries a little more and more, as I get a little more solidified. But, for the most part, I think I'll stick with pop muisc, because I really love this kind of music. I'm really pleased with the way the album turned out because it's a good representation of what music I reallt like. If it weren't, it'd be horrible, because I have to talk about it so much.. If you really didn't believe in it, it'd be horrible.
Have you started lokking for a new place in Hollywood hills yet?
No, you know, I'm gonna wait a little while [chuckles]. i'm gonna try and just be levelheaded. I actually did have a really funny car -- I had a beat-up convertible LeBaron that was really old and scary. I got a new car and I'm so excited about that -- I got a Toyota Celica that's a great car out here, and I'm so happy. So, that's gonna be my little gift to myself for a while.
It's so early in the game to see your dream come true -- what's next?
Well, there are so many things, actually. I mean, it's funny. You know, when I was a little girl growing up, I always sang, and I always wanted to be a singer and to have what's happening happen. But, you know, your vision of it is so different than what the reality is, there are so many things to get good at -- as far as preforming live, I love to preform live, and I can't wait to have a really, really great show to put on and that's gonna be a focus. And there's many ways to break out and to do some different entertainment. I've always done dance and drama as well, so it'll be cool once I solidify myself as a singer to kinda break away a little as well.
Are you thinking at all about doing theater eventually?
Yeah, I do, actually. I'm the type that once I conquer one level I begin to Crave the next thing, so i don't have any plans of it yet, I guess probally because I haven't conquered this level yet. i definitely want to break away, and I'll probally eventually do some acting. Things have already started coming in, and I'll probally eventually pick the right thing for me, and go forward with that. but right now, my big goal is to see the album do well, like the single has done well. I really wanna try and make sure that people know about the album, and I just hope that people are as excited about the entire album as they are about "Crush."
