How Willa Claims she got famous

A native Floridian, Willa was the youngest child of four in her family, and with her big voice and even-bigger personality, she was quite naturally the center of attention. ‘Ever since I could talk, I wanted to be a performer,’ she recalls. ‘I'd be in the middle of the living room, singing, and dancing, and doing somersaults.’ At 8, Willa began singing with the Tampa Bay Children's Choir and by the time she was 11, she had started her professional career, enlisting with the Tampa-based children's performing arts troupe, Entertainment Revue. The group, comprised of 20 girls, aged five to 16, would put on variety shows throughout the region, performing at fairs and conventions, as well as at Walt Disney World and Busch Gardens. ‘It was an amazing alternative to voice lessons and dancing lessons,’ Willa says. ‘I was able to learn my craft on stage, and now being on stage is just like being at home.’ Remarkably, Willa maintained honor student status as she continued to work with Entertainment Revue, where she eventually moved from the chorus into the role of featured soloist. At 15, she parted ways with the group to become one quarter of the short-lived vocal foursome called FLA. However, that outfit didn't last long and Willa was soon striking out on her own as a solo act. ‘I wanted it more than any of the other girls, I think,’ she says. ‘It was obvious that only the ones who were willing to sacrifice everything were going to make it.’ Ford made her way to Los Angeles, where she began her career. In 1999 she first gathered public attention via a tour with the Backstreet Boys, as well as with a track on Atlantic's double-platinum ‘Pokemon The First Movie - Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture.’ In 1999, Willa landed herself a record deal with Lava/Atlantic and eventually went into the studio to record her debut album, Willa Was Here. She landed a spot on tour with the Backstreet Boys and managed to attract a great deal of attention.