Words: Kofo Baptist
Sunday, 28 October 2007

The 21-year-old pop princess has come a long way since her debut at 14 and here, she shares a few beauty secrets, fashion tips and some wise words.

On clothes: “I have always kept it pretty simple actually. I've always been a jeans and a T-shirt kinda girl. I really like my accessories; that’s where I get creative. Big chunky bracelets or necklaces, fun rings. I can't live without my small men's Fruit of the Loom tank tops. They come in packages of five and I can wear them on their own or layer them under anything; definitely a staple item for me.”

On makeup: “For everyday wear, I like to stick to some bronzer, mascara and lip gloss. Less is definitely more but I have some fun with it every once in a while.”

On singing vs acting: “It’s very exciting to have acted in a film. It was a bit unfamiliar and a little scary at first, but that’s what made it so fun. My only previous acting experience had been in a play in middle school so I know I have a lot more growing to do. It’s a no-brainer that I would choose music over acting if given the choice. Music is my passion and my first love of the two.”

On faith: “Jesus is what makes anything I've said and done matter. He is a saviour, a friend, a teacher and a helper. He is love and as much as I sometimes let myself forget, the only reason for anything in my life. I wouldn't say the industry has had an effect on my outlook on faith. I think that God would have worked on me just as much in the industry as out of the industry. I have grown closer to Him and learned more about Him over the years while happening to be in the industry, but that’s about the only correlation of the two.”

On success: “I guess I have to define the word success first. We've all got our own ideas of it and some of them are very dangerous. Obviously, record sales and number one hits are in one category of success which is undeniable. I would rather be successful in the area of excellence in everything I do in life. I think if I strive after that, the other things just follow after it. I want to be excellent at singing, at writing, at making records but I also want to be excellent in loving people, giving my time to people, humility, honesty. That is far more rewarding to me.”

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· Hidden Secrets movie (starring Rachael Lampa) is out now