A tiny girl, with a mile wide smile and huge hair stands front of the padded backboard bearing the USTA name has flashing cameras beg her for one more shot and this way! As she approaches me, she notices the two young girls accompanying me and hugs them, saying thanks girls for coming.

How do you feel about being the youngest nominated in MTV history?
Jo Jo: Yeah. Wow. That’s really amazing. I just think being nominated regardless of what age it was is kind of a compliment in itself. But to be the only singer, I mean like, pop singer, and the only girl and the youngest, that’s amazing. I’m just very excited about the after parties and all that fun stuff after the awards.

Your mom lets’ you go to after parties?
Jo Jo: Ah, my publicist takes good care of me. And my mother travels with me wherever I go.

Being 13 years old in music; how do you take it all in?
Jo Jo: I just take it in like anybody else would. I just think that people need to realize that I’m an artist; I just happen to be a bit younger. It’s no different. I’ve always been very mature. I can handle my stuff. I wouldn’t be doing this if I couldn’t handle it. So I’m completely prepared and ready. And equipped with the right information; like, I’m not ignorant.

What’s your advice for young girls who want to be in music just like you?
Jo Jo: I would say don’t do it for the wrong reasons. Do because it like, burns when you don’t do it. Because that’s what it was for me. I was so unhappy in public school and now that I am doing this it’s really fulfilling. And I do it not because I want to ride in the back of limos all day and sip Virgin Pina Coladas; it’s because I love what I do.

What other artists would you like to work with?
Jo Jo: I’d love to work with Alicia Keys. She’s a producer, writer, singer, everything. That would be really cool. And I like to freak people out and work with the darkness. Just because that’s so left field of what I do. So I want to do something that people don’t expect me to do.

What made you decide to go with Blackground Records?
Jo Jo: People didn’t really expect anything from Blackground after Aaliyah passed away. The fact that they had Aailyah and she was 14 when she came out means they knew how to deal with a young R&B singer and that was very important. They just...Barry (Barry Hankerson) made me feel very comfortable. I’m so glad that something so unexpected would come out of Blackground. You know, this young white girl coming out of a label that nobody expects anything of. At the end of this, not only do I want people to know who I am, but I want them to know who Blackground is too.

Did you get to work with Aaliyah?
Jo Jo. No. I didn’t unfortunately.