Compared to most teens, I guess you could say I'm in a pretty different situation. I grew up in a remote Canadian town that's smaller than most American high schools. My parents are Christian, so I spent a lot of time singing gospel in church as a little kid. It was then that people first noticed I had this huge voice. I taught myself to play guitar, and discovered songwriting as therapy.

School gave me an inferiority complex, because I didn't do well. I was always getting in trouble, getting sent to the principal's office, getting suspen--well, a couple of times I was supsended. My teachers made me feelin dumb, but school isn't the only measure of intellegence or talent. I'm 17 and I can write songs -- I'm not dumb.

So I decided to drop out and move to New York and then L.A for awhile and try and make it as a singer-songwriter. I went through major culture shock. I was pretty scared walking down the street, seeing so many differences so fast.

In L.A. I was working in a studio when this guy L.A. Reid (the head of Arista) heard my stuff, I guess, and played it for some people at the label. But I hate it when people ask me, "Who discovered you?" I discovered me. I sent my stuff out, and a lot of people heard it and eventually I got this contract with Arista and now my first album, Let Go, is coming out in June.

I still have my room back home, so I guess that's where I live officially, but really I live in different hotels in different cities out of suitcases. I miss home a lot. I talk to my mom every single day. I really miss my brother and sister. I was home for Christmas and I saw my best friends who are totally psyched about what's happening to me. I also saw my ex-boyfriend, who dumped me for no good reason. That was kinda cool, though, 'cause you gotta wonder if he regrets it now.

My parents were pretty strict, and when I was younger we fought a lot. But now that I have to make rules and set curfews, I appreciate it because I still use their rules to take better care of myself. For example, I work with a lot of adults. I have to listen and make compromises. I can't throw little-girl tantrums and like, run to my (hotel) room and slam the door.

The thing I miss most about being a regular teenager is just having fun. Like I'd love to scarf pizza and poutine (that's french fries with curd cheese and gravy) with my friends, but I can't have dairy because it's bad for my voice. I have to worry about stuff like that now. I have to be a good girl.

I have to fight to keep my image really me. Today, I rejected some gorgeous publicity shots because they just didn't look like me. I won't wear skanky clothes that show off my booty, my belly, or boobs. I have a great body. I could be Britney. I could be better than Britney. And if I were selling my body, I would wear that stuff, but I'm selling my music. When I first started out, producers wanted me to sing other people's songs. I was like, no -- something someone else wrote doesn't mean anything to me.

Some people see my age and think I'm just another "pop chick". I want people to look past my age. My lead guitarist is 18 and my drummer is 21 -- and they don't have attitude about working for me. They say all the time, "You call the shots." They even laugh about the fact that they tell their friends, "My boss is 17."

Of course I'd date them both because they're hot! I'll probably crush on every boy in my band, but there's no way I'm going to make a move on any of them. I have to work with these guys and there's no way I'm going to mess that up.

Right now, I'm auditioning bassists. At today's audition, we goofed off to make to make the situation relaxing. We all relate to how nerve-wracking the process can be. The drummer threw his sticks up in the air, and the guitarist joked about how he audtioned for Limp Bizkit for, "like 35 seconds" before they kicked him out.

On the road, you hear these backstage stories; like, I've heard about one star who refuses to walk through the hall unless everyone goes in their dressing rooms first. I think that's bullshit. If I become hugely famous, I don't want to get a friggin' ego. I'd hope the people around me would kick my butt if I did! That's why I love Alanis Morissette. She's real and true, and doesn't have a head on about being so famous.

Still, it's pretty funny to see all these adults running around kissing my butt. It's their job -- I mean, you gotta keep the artist happy, right? But I just watch sometimes and crack up. I deserve to have my butt kissed -- but because I'm a human being, not because I have a good signing voice. I'm treated the way all people should be treated. Everyone deserves to have their butt kissed!