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 do out in July-gained a number of "anti-fans" when word spread out that she was dating Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. "Backstreet (mania) freaked me out" says Willa who was one of BSB's opening acts on it's '99 U.S.A Tour. "I saw signs like 'Die (Willa).' It was scary." but not frightening enough to keep her away perusing a singing career as a solo artist. "I've been working for this all my life" says Willa, who split from Nick last October. "getting here is a mix of talent, luck and God." After toiling the 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 labels head: a booming voice, an R&B-influenced 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 not being that innocent, and on "Tired", Willa lists her pet peeves, one which is being compared to Britney Spears. "It's not a diss to her", she says, "just don't categorize me".






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