Lennon has to be one of this country's coolest teens. The 19-year-old, who hails from Nashville, TN, recently signed her first record contract — and she's also fighting a legal battle for permanent custody of her 9-year-old adopted sister Mariella, whom she has been raising since their mom died last April.
Why she's named after a musician: My mom was a John Lennon fan; she baked bread with his son, and she was a songwriter, also.
How she became a songwriter herself: I started playing the piano at age 4-and-a-half. My mom taught me to sing. I also studied the guitar, saxophone, and violin. When I was 15, I had my first gig in a bar in Nashville. Last year, I signed a deal with Atlantic Records, and I've just put out my debut album, 5:30 Saturday Morning.
Why she never gets star-struck: The most famous person in the world could walk down the street and I will not recognize them — unless you turn me in the right direction and point them out to me! Kurt Loder is one of my closest friends, but he's just really normal, too.
Why you shouldn't be star-struck when you meet her: I'm nobody. I answer all my e-mails and a lot of them say, "It was the greatest night of my life meeting you," [and] I'm like — shut up! Thank you, you're what counts. I'm nothing.
The coolest thing that's happened since she got a record deal: I was given a Barry Manilow box-set from Arista records. I grew up listening to his music, so that was the coolest thing ever. I got it the day I signed my record deal — I was happier about that than getting signed.
Why she won't advise you to be a pop star, too: I wouldn't suggest this job for anybody, because the chances of actually getting signed are so minute and the chance of having a hit are so minute, but the chance of getting dropped is so large. It's not the funnest thing in the world.
The un-coolest thing ever: Judging other people. People who judge others do it to make themselves feel better because they really feel inadequate. They destroy a lot of lives and other people's mentality. It's a small-minded act.
A day in the life of Lennon: I get up, maybe go to the gym, then in between going to the studio and recording, I deal with my sister, make dinner, clean, take care of our dog, Izzy, and food shop.
— Sarah Tomczak *taken from YM.com*
