Who's Next? Top 40's Next Wave.

Her JIVE debut, to be released in October, does mark a bit of a departure from those squeaky-clean "Anastasia" days. The debut single, "Make You Mine," which impacts Top 40 radio in early July, features some clever and mature wordplay from songwriters Angel Henson and Max Martin ("The Hardest Thing" by 98�): "Tonight I'm gonna make you mine..." (get it?...tonight..mine...?). "I thought the whole idea was very cute," she says.

Another track, "Make Up Your Mind," is a little more on the R&B tip. "R&B is a big part of me," she says. "When I was 7 or 8 I used to take B.B. King guitar tracks and just riff over them. I was really into Billie Holiday and gospel, and I think those influences really show in �Make Up Your Mind,�" she says.

Additionally, the album does have its other big gun - the requisite ballad, "When I Say I Love You (Believe Me)." The album hits in October. Meanwhile, like other new artists who recently boarded the promo train, Williams�s life is sometimes not entirely her own these days. "It�s crazy, but fun," she says. "When I recorded the album I was living in a hotel in L.A., and I recently moved into my first apartment in Orlando. Right now I�m bouncing back and forth across the country like a ping pong ball."

That bouncing includes coast-to-coast concept meetings for another artistic milestone - music videos. "I�m really enjoying that process," she says. "While I see myself as a singer, I also really enjoy dancing. Right now I�m working with my choreographer, and, as far as being in front of the camera, I am like, a total ham...I love the attention, so I�m really looking forward to getting started."

In between promotional appearances, Williams stays in touch with her parents in Portland, has finished High School, and trying to stay in touch with old friends like Chad Linus. "Oh my God, did you see Chad and his group 2Gether on the cover of Spin Magazine? That�s awesome! I�m so proud of him," she says. "We don�t see each other as much as we�d like to because of our schedules."

When Williams is asked what she sees for herself five years down the road (when she�ll be the ripe old age of 22), she laughs and says, "I hope that I�ve sold some records...My dream has always been to be a successful recording artist," she says, before opening the door a bit further: "I�d also like to look into acting, maybe movies or something...that would be fun."