Blush of Young Talent Waiting In The Wings
USA Today; Elysa Gardner; February 23, 1999
With teen idols storming the pop charts like prepubescent girls in pursuit of a Leonardo DiCaprio sighting, the rush to find the next Britney/Hanson/'N Sync is on.
Even if you're of the age where your idea of a teen dream is Leif Garrett or, worse, Davy Jones -- as if! -- chances are that the proliferation of these acts on radio and video outlets will make them, like, impossible to ignore.
Here in brief are a few new kids on the block to look out for:
The Moffatts
Shelby Starner
B*Witched
Kendall Payne
Billie
Bijou Phillips
Christina Aguilera
* Age: 18
* Representing: Pittsburgh
* Sound/image: A blonder, more subdued Mariah
* Claim to future fame: Aguilera performed Reflection for the soundtrack of the 1998 Disney film Mulan. Her first album is due in late spring or early summer on RCA.
* Coolest experience: "Working with Diane Warren. She would come in the studio and just crack me up, telling jokes and being sarcastic."
* Early influences: Julie Andrews ("when I was 3"), Billie Holiday and B.B. King ("at around 7"), Whitney Houston, Etta James
* Fave teen acts: "I'm really proud of a couple of people who were in the Mickey Mouse Club with me -- the two leads from 'N Sync, Justin and JC, and one of my old friends, Britney Spears. Also, Keri Russell, but she's not in music."
* Goals: "I would like to follow in the footsteps of the great, strong female people -- Barbra Streisand, Whitney Houston, even Mariah. I'm also interested in acting, and in causes like domestic violence."
