Before Susan Boyle became an international star when millions checked out her voice in a YouTube video, Priscilla Renea was using the site to sing covers, showcase original songs and even sing the dictionary to Fergie’s “Glamorous.”

One of her videos has even been viewed 1.7 million times – and counting.

Renea’s debut album Jukebox comes out October 20th (also you can check out her first single Dollhouse here: http://bit.ly/hjHzL.

andPOP: When did you first get into music?

Priscilla Renea: From what I can remember I’ve always been into music. My birth father played the trumpet and my mother was the lead singer in several bands. As far as music as a profession goes, I just recently decided to pursue it as a career a couple of years ago.

andPOP: 20 schools is a lot of schools to have gone to. How did that impact you and your music?

Priscilla Renea: I think my moving around everywhere and having to readapt to each new environment has a lot to do with my ability to transform in any situation.

andPOP: You make quite a few covers of songs so who are your music icons?

Priscilla Renea: Hmm…. Whitney Houston, Mariah, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, just to name a few. There are so many!

andPOP: How did you hear about MTV’s “Say What?” and how was that experience?

Priscilla Renea: I had signed myself up for an online casting agency and I ran across an open audition for a singing show on MTV.

andPOP: How old were you when you joined Power Entertainment and how was it like working there?

Priscilla Renea: I believe I was 17 when I first came to Atlanta. We are family, we fight, we fuss, we annoy each other, we love each other, that’s what it’s like.

andPOP: Tell me a bit about your songwriting process.

Priscilla Renea: It pretty much varies on my mood. Sometimes when I’m feeling fun and funky I’ll freestyle, as that usually takes a bit more energy. Other times if I’m tired, I’d prefer to sit on my own and write with my computer. Also the track, the more I’m feeling the track the faster the song comes out.

andPOP: What drew you to create a YouTube account and post videos?

Priscilla Renea: Around the time I first started posting videos, Justin Timberlake had a competition online with Yahoo called “My Grammy Moment” which I entered into. When I didn’t place in that competition, I then took that video
and uploaded it to YouTube. Then a few weeks later “Dreamgirls” came out and I decided to post a video singing “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” that’s when my traffic REALLY picked up on the web site.

andPOP: Your video “The Dictionary” is quite original, how did you come up with the idea?

Priscilla Renea: Boredom. I was home alone and ran out of things to check on my MySpace. The dictionary was just sitting there.

andPOP: Did you ever think your videos would get so many hits?

Priscilla Renea: Absolutely not. No idea.

andPOP: And now you’re signed to Power/Capitol Records; what can you reveal about your new album?

Priscilla Renea: It’s coming out later this year, October 2009, and it’s called Jukebox. We (Power Ent.) decided to name it Jukebox because of all the genres that the album will touch on. There are strong pop/rock elements, hip hop and R&B soul elements, European, and even some folk elements. All very much me, and all show where I came from and where I’m going.

andPOP: Now that you’re signed to a major record label, are you planning on collaborating with other artists?

Priscilla Renea: Definitely. There are so many people that I admire on the creative side of the industry, too many to name. I’d be honoured to work with anyone that would have me do so.

andPOP: What’s next for you? What are the next few months looking like? Any live performances?

Priscilla Renea: Busy. Busy. Busy. Lot’s of practicing for my radio promo visits in August. Then there’s Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 9th!

Related posts:

1. Justin Bieber Off YouTube
2. Esmée Denters – YouTube Discovery
3. Priscilla Renea Sneak Peek

Read more at andPOP. andPOP - POP Culture with Substance