ShareThisBy CASSANDRA HINOJOSA
Teen sensation Paula DeAnda began to make her mark opening hometown shows for hip-hop artists Nelly, Baby Bash and Frankie J. in the spring of 2005.
Then the 16-year-old R&B/pop artist from Corpus Christi, Texas, signed up with music legend Clive Davis, who helped launch the careers of Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston.
Next to follow: Her "Doing Too Much" video featuring Baby Bash on MTV's "TRL," a booking for "Live with Regis and Kelly" _ and, now, the release of a self-title album, out on Arista this week. DeAnda, who is barely old enough to drive, co-wrote six of the tracks.
Although DeAnda thinks of herself as a typical teen who likes to shop, sing karaoke, spend time with family and friends, answer her myspace.com e-mails and watch comedy movies, she just may be the next Princess of Pop.
She auditioned in March for Steve Ferrera, senior vice president of artist and repertoire/staff producer for RCA Music Group, who, after hearing her sing a cappella, said he knew he was in the presence of "a long-term career artist."
"(DeAnda) was as cute as a button, and she was charming and smart and driven _ all of the things that you look for in a new artist. I was completely blown away," said Ferrera, who arranged to have her return that afternoon for a second audition.
This time her audition was before a packed room that included Davis.
"I went into it thinking, 'This is my chance. I can't be nervous. He's just like anybody else, except more powerful,' " she said.
After the New York audition, executives rose and clapped and Davis welcomed Paula with a hug.
"As we were walking in the hallway, Paula still didn't know what was going on," her manager, Ed Ocanas, said. "I said 'You just got a record deal.' She said 'I did?' I said, 'Don't scream until we get in the office.' "
DeAnda had been working a decade toward this opportunity.
"It's always been something that I've dreamed about all my life, so having it come true and having my first album is really surreal for me," she said.
DeAnda began singing gospel, contemporary and country music at age 6 for "any kind of parties or get-togethers" in her hometown of San Angelo.
Besides holiday parties, quinceaneras, funerals and weddings, she admits to entertaining at bingo halls and on restaurant microphones and to serenading her neighbors, pretending her hairbrush was a microphone.
Ocanas said the first time he heard Paula's voice he said he knew she had a music future.
"Paula's voice is powerful and I think what's so impressive is you see her, and you see her build and her frame, and (you see) such a powerful voice coming from such a small girl," said the longtime disc jockey.
Ocanas, who helped propel the careers of Frankie J and the Kumbia Kings and who also manages Baby Bash, played Paula's first single "What Would It Take?" in July 2005. Ten radio stations across the country soon followed.
In December, he set up a California/Texas tour for Paula and decided to switch out "What Would It Take?" with the single "Doing Too Much," which hit No. 37 nationwide on Billboard charts.
After she signed with Arista/J Records, the song was elevated to No. 8 on the rhythm chart and was in the top 15 of the Top 40 chart.
