 TeenPeople.com; 3-?-01 If you’re familiar with Willa Ford, it may be for the wrong reason. The 20-year-old singer — whose Lava/Atlantic Records debut is due out in July — gained a number of “anti-fans” when word spread that she was dating Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. “Backstreet [mania] freaked me out,” says Willa, who was one of BSB’s opening acts on its ’99 U.S. tour. “I saw signs like ‘Die [Willa].’ It was scary.” But not frightening enough to keep her from pursuing a singing career as a solo artist. “I’ve been working at this my whole life,” says Willa, who split from Nick last October. “Getting here is a mix of talent, luck and God.” After toiling in Entertainment Revue, a local singing troupe, the Ruskin, Fla., native (real name: Amanda Williford) was spotted by a talent scout. Willa’s debut disc highlights all the qualities that turned her label’s head: a booming voice, an R&B-infused pop attack and a don’t-mess-with-me attitude (she writes most of her lyrics). On her first single, “I Wanna Be Bad,” she sings about being not that innocent, and on “Tired,” Willa lists her pet peeves, one of which is being compared to Britney Spears. “It’s not a dis to her,” she says. “Just don’t categorize me.” [Back] |