Credit: Teen People Magazine

Not since the Spice Girls had their day back in the mid-'90s has there been a successful female pop counterpart to Backstreet Boys, 'Nsync and the like. Then Sean "Puffy" Combs's Dream came true: This past winter, Pufffy's four fresh-faced finds-Southern California natives Ashley Poole, Diana Ortiz, Holly Arnstien, and Melissa Schuman-scored a runaway No. 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "He Loves U Not," thereby establishing a stronghold in the boy group-filled pop world. "We didn't expect any of this," says Holly. "That's what makes it so amazing." Nor were the foursome expecting the sassy, self-confident single to propel their album, It Was All a Dream, to debut at No.6 on the Billboard 200 album chart. Dream marks the first pop project for Puffy's heavily hip-hop-dominated Bad Boy Entertainment (which includes artists like 112, the late Notorious B.I.G. and Shyne). "When I heard them sing a cappella, I was sold on them immediately," says Puffy. "Their success proves me right. Dream's harmonies and singing style set them apart from other pop acts." The all-girl group aspires to ba an inspiration to both sexes. It's an ambition they've taken to the road. Having opened for 'Nsync last fall, Dream is now a part of 98 Degrees's spring tour. "I always turned to music when I had problems," says Diana. "Sometimes you don't have someone to relate to. That's why we're here. It's really important to us that girls-and even guys-our age [don't] feel alone." -C.L.S.

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