About to Pop: Kaci Battaglia

By Ashley Iasimone Posted Oct 19th 2009 12:00PM

Who: Kaci Battaglia
Video: 'Crazy Possessive'
Hails From: Clearwater, Fla.
For Fans Of: Christina Aguilera, Jessie James

Why She's About to Pop: By the time Kaci Battaglia was 13, she had a record deal with Curb Records, several Top 10 singles, and had toured around the world with the Backstreet Boys, Jessica Simpson, Bow Wow and more. The singer, hailing from Florida, was well on her way to whirlwind success, but chose to take a break to be a normal teenager for a while and decide if a career in music was what she really wanted. "It's important to live your life free of regrets and go after your dreams; sometimes happiness doesn't lie on the stereotypical path," Battaglia tells PopEater. "Sometimes you need to take risks to find happiness and balance, and not be afraid to do that."

After focusing on school and hobbies like kickboxing for a period of time, the 22-year-old singer is now back in the game with an edgy new single, 'Crazy Possessive,' a passion for songwriting and plenty of insight about the business. "Even though the music industry has changed in the past 10 years, the basic format is the same," Battaglia says. "Being familiar with that helps me handle obstacles, and I am better prepared to deal with almost any situation."

Watch the 'Crazy Possessive' Video

Seven Questions With Kaci Battaglia:

What is the most important thing you learned about yourself during your time off from music?

There is actually more than one thing; the first is the importance of balance in life. For a long time, I had a tendency to be extreme and have an "all or nothing" approach to things. I had to learn to balance myself in a productive way. Second important thing is not to settle! Life isn't a straight road and it doesn't fit neatly into a box or anything like that. It's important not to deny yourself anything that will make you happy. It's important to live your life free of regrets and go after your dreams; sometimes happiness doesn't lie on the stereotypical path. Sometimes you need to take risks to find happiness and balance, and not be afraid to do that.

Do you think your past successes have given you an advantage now that you're older and diving back into your music career?

Yes, I do ... because it's not my first rodeo. I kind of know what to expect now. Even though the music industry has changed in the past 10 years, the basic format is the same. Being familiar with that helps me handle obstacles, and I am better prepared to deal with almost any situation. I also know more about performing, and know the drill when it comes to being on the road or doing interviews and press. I know what I'm comfortable with, and what works. I also know it's definitely for me because I've done it once before and I'm back for more!

What advice would you have for young girls who want to get involved in the music industry?

Run! Just kidding. In all seriousness, if they want to be a recording artist, I would say differentiate your product from the rest -- meaning do what you can to make yourself stand out as an artist -- by really looking inside and finding out exactly what you are and the kind of artist you want to be. Know yourself, be true and honest about who you are and what you want to get across. No one knows you better than you, so it's your responsibility to make that come through. Also, it is so important to surround yourself with great people. You can't do it yourself. It's like being on a football team. There is no point in being a star quarterback if you don't have a solid offensive line. This is essential. Lastly, make sure you have really, really, really thick skin. You'll endure a few knocks along the way so you have to persevere. Believing in yourself despite the criticism is essential.

Do you still have time for kickboxing now that music is your main focus?

Not really, but I'd love to get back into it. Kicking butt in the music industry keeps me too busy. I found it really fulfilling to assist other people, especially other women, to be able to defend themselves and create healthy habits for a great life.

Who would be your dream collaboration?

That's easy: Judy Garland. I've been a huge fan of hers my entire life, and it would be an honor to perform with the person I aspired to be since I was a young child.

Is your single 'Crazy Possessive' based on a personal experience?

Yes. A good girlfriend knew the guy I was dating for a year at the time, very well. What I didn't realize was how closely they stayed in contact. I would argue with my boyfriend, as many couples do, and after venting to my girlfriend about the fight, I noticed there was always a disconnect between what she would say to me and how she would treat him. This went on for a while, and it got me questioning loyalty and what was going on in my mind. I started wondering if it was all in my head, but realized I had to trust my instinct and not fight it or mistake passion for being "crazy." I had to differentiate the pure passion from logic, or back the passion up with logic and establish a balance between the two.

Do you think the guy in the song gets off the hook a little bit? After all, it takes two to tango.

This is a great question. Normally I would go after the guy because I believe women should stick together as much as we can, but in this case, I honestly didn't feel that he did anything wrong. As soon as I confronted him about it, he had my back. He was unaware of the disconnect between what she was saying to me and how she was acting around him. When I made him aware, he stood up for me. He took every step to be loyal.

Download Kaci Battaglia Songs