Say Hello to Kristinia DeBarge

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Young Hollywood is all about the hottest upcoming acts, and we're all about Kristinia DeBarge!

My sound is a mixture of Gwen Stefani with Mariah Carey, Beyonce, and a little bit of Aalyiah all meshed together, she says.

Peep her mySpace page to get a listen

I was really drawn to music at 12-year-old, she told YH's Michelle Hummel. I felt like that was the age where I could start taking it seriously. So, my dad took me to the studio and we were there until 4 in the morning. After the long session, he asked her if she really wanted to do all this work to be a singer.

Her reply: Absolutely! Let's keep going!

As her last name implies, she is indeed the daughter of 80s pop star James DeBarge. My dad has been a BIG influence on me, she adds. My whole family plays musical instruments and they all sing and write their own music.

Knowing the business means knowing it's not all fun and games. Kristinia's father told her flat out that she had to have the proper work ethic. He told me, I know you enjoy this and this is your hobby and you have a lot of fun, but it's not just fun. It's a lot of hard work.

If you want to be successful, you have to have patience, Kristinia adds knowingly.

The time is now.

Her new single. Goodbye, is about a girl who finds her man has been cheating. Every girl out there has gone through this; breakup and heartaches, she says. But she wanted to make sure it was more upbeat than a downer. I want it to be young, fun and sexy.

Mission accomplished!