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.

Willa's musical influences are as adventurous as she is, ranging from pop icons like Madonna and R&B favorites such as Boyz II Men, Jodeci, and Mary J. Blige, to jazz vocalists such as Basia. In addition, Willa credits a most-unlikely source as an important inspiration for her own eclectic music. "I love Radiohead," she enthuses. "They've influenced me in the weirdest way. The craziness of their music, and being able to be so left-field and yet find an audience, that's so amazing."

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