Music Feature

Asia Cruise

Where are you from?
I was born in Jacksonville, Florida.

How old are you? When is your birthday?
I am seventeen, but will be turning 18 in February.

Tell us about your family.
Well, I'm the oldest of the three. I have a younger brother and sister. My brother is 16 and is going to be the next big thing in golf. My little sister is my little diva in training; and, she is only 9! As for my mom and dad, they own they're own towing company. I guess you can say we all have talent. Ha-Ha!

Are they supportive of your career?
Definitely! They've been behind me since day one. So, I consider them very, very supportive of my career. They're the whole reason I am here today.

When did you start singing and performing?
I started singing when I was about 10 years old. It's funny because I didn't always want to be a singer. I was actually training to be a professional gymnast. One summer, when I wasn't doing gymnastics, my mom found a camp for young singers. I joined, and at the end of the camp, we had a showcase. I sang Aaliyah's "Try Again." and ever since then, I have been in love with singing.

How would you describe your style/vibe?
MY style/vibe is R&B with a little bit of my own thing. It's very young and fresh, dedinitely something new.

How were you discovered?
I'm sure you've heard of all the singers discovered in the parking lots and stuff, but a friend of ours knew MempHitz (President of HitzCommitte), and decided to set up as showcase at the gym across the street from my house. Even after all that, he still made me sing in a parking lot!

Who did you work with on the album?
So far, I've worked with the Cornaboyz and T-Pain. They were both amazing to work with. I had so much fun! We're still in the process of getting a few more collaborations on the the album. Its gonna be a little something for everybody.

Tell us about the single "Selfish."
Well, I was working with the Cornaboyz, and we got on the topic about relationships. At the time, I was seeing this boy, who was so selfish. Everything was always about him, so basically we worked the song around him. It's very personal in a way, and also one of my favorite songs off the album so far!

What artists do you look up to?
They're so many to choose from, but if I had to narrow it down I'd have to say Beyonce, Gwen, and Fergie. I think they're always bringing something new to the table. They're amazing performers, and I look up to them for inspiration/

What are your goals/wishes for the coming year?
My dad said if I'm gonna dream, I might as well dream big. So, my goals and wished for the upcomming year would be to have a number one album. a Grammy, and possibly a movie role lined up for me. And, travel around the world with my best friend.

What is the best advice you have gotten?
To never give up! My dad gave me the best advice. Whenever people would doubt me, he would always say "Some will, some won't, so what next."