ARTIST

Raven Symone

Actress. Model. Singer. Those three words chronicle the creative evolution of multimedia phenomenon Raven-Symoné.

For some, Raven-Symoné will always be precocious three-year-old Olivia Kendall, who captivated viewers' hearts on The Cosby Show. For others she is high school teen Raven Baxter, engaged in various comedic yet life-teaching situations on the Disney Channel's That's So Raven series. Still others know her as a film actress whose credits include the Eddie Murphy vehicles, Dr. Doolittle and Dr. Doolittle 2, as well as current box-office favorite, The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement. But with the September 21st release of her Hollywood Records solo debut, This is My Time, Raven-Symoné reclaims the musical persona of her creative muse.

"Though acting came first, I love to sing," says Raven-Symoné. "At five, I told my dad I wanted to do my own album." With that declaration, the five-year-old became the youngest artist ever to sign with MCA Records. The affiliation yielded her 1993 recording debut, the rap-oriented Here's to New Dreams, which featured the single, "That's What Little Girls are Made Of." The tune's writer: another then-rising talent, Missy Elliott.

At 13, Raven-Symoné opted to sing instead of rap on her second album, Undeniable. The sophomore offering was released on her own label, Rayblaze Records. This time, none other than Stevie Wonder contributed a track and guest vocals. And to help promote the project, she found herself opening for *NSYNC on tour and later headlining her own international tour .

With This is My Time, Raven-Symoné puts people on notice that she's indeed serious about her music. Inspired by a diverse range of artists from Jay-Z, Maroon 5, and Alanis Morissette to Bjork and Janet Jackson, she enlists several of contemporary music's cutting-edge songwriter/producers. The goal: a diverse, yet cohesive musical vision that encompasses R&B, pop, and alternative rock with flavorful dashes of electronic trip-hop, Latin, and Indian-inspired rhythms.

Guiding Raven-Symoné on her musical quest are Scott Storch (whose credits include Beyoncé and Jadakiss), Kara DioGuardi (the Hilary Duff hit "Come Clean"), and legendary songwriter Diane Warren. Additional collaborators include producers Walter Afanasieff (Gloria Estefan), Matthew Gerrard (Hilary Duff), artist/producer Tricky, and artist/producer Robin Thicke (son of actor Alan Thicke).

"I didn't want to be limited to just one genre," says Raven-Symoné. "I asked the label executives, 'Why can't I sing everything?’" She dips into a smooth dance groove on first single "Backflip." The song was written and produced by Storch and DioGuardi. Step beyond the song's body-shaking vibe, however, and listen to the message that's being delivered. In no uncertain terms, Raven-Symoné alerts her boyfriend that being faithful is a 50/50 proposition: "I wanna see ya backflip, cartwheel; don't be cutting corners on me; gotta give me all that you've got … But if it ain't about being faithful, then it ain't impressing me."

That's just one of the positive messages to women that Raven-Symoné weaves throughout This is My Time. For example, self-confidence is the thread running through one of her favorite songs, the Gerrard-produced opener, "Mystify." The hypnotic, Indian-influenced number assures women that they are stars in their own right and don't have to reveal all to attract attention. "It's not necessary to flaunt your body or talk nasty," explains Raven-Symoné. "If you just give a look or a hand gesture, you can catch whoever you want to catch. Your personality, the way you portray yourself, what you say, being intelligent; that's what 'Mystify' is about."

This is My Time also signals another major boost in Raven-Symoné's career trajectory. She co-wrote five songs on the album, including "Alice" and the title track, both of which personify different aspects of the artist. She wrote the ethereal, introspective "Alice" in three days when she was just 15 years-old. It voices the wish-I-was-someone-else angst all of us have experienced. The exuberant title song, meanwhile, finds Raven joyously proclaiming that this is my time to shine, this is my place to find, all that I have inside I never knew. "I've always written poetry but never had the courage to really express myself until now," says Raven-Symoné. "With my earlier albums, I was too young to understand that the writing is the most important part of expressing yourself. With this album I get the chance to express what I have to say."

She's also into having fun, as evidenced on the percolating club jam "Bump," another Gerrard effort. But it's an assured Raven who crosses the threshold from teenager to young womanhood on the Warren-penned and Afanasieff-produced "Overloved." Her confident reading calls to mind Usher's transition from teen singer to male balladeer on his career-turning hit, "U Got It Bad."

Whether singing about relationships, ambition, self-confidence, or love, Raven-Symoné's overriding message is girl power. "I believe strongly in girl power, for girls to be confident in themselves."

Confidence was something Raven-Symoné possessed her share of while growing up in Atlanta. Born Dec. 10, 1985, she was signed by the Ford Modeling Agency at just two years old. She later auditioned for the Bill Cosby movie Ghost Dad, which led to her role as Cosby's step-granddaughter on The Cosby Show. When that show ended, she segued to four years as Nicole on the sitcom, Hangin' With Mr. Cooper. Since then Raven-Symoné has racked up an extensive list of television and film credits. Those include the Queen miniseries, Little Rascals, and the forthcoming movies, Fat Albert and All-American Girl. She's also one of the voices on the animated series, Kim Possible.

Besides the two earlier albums, the musical part of the Raven-Symoné equation lists several hit soundtracks: The Lion King 1½ ("Grazing in the Grass," which also appears on This is My Time), The Haunted Mansion and The Princess Diaries 2. The actress-singer earned her first platinum award for the soundtrack to The Cheetah Girls, the Disney Channel's first musical movie, executive produced by Debra Martin Chase (The Princess Diaries) and Whitney Houston. The movie also starred Raven-Symoné as diva Galleria Garibaldi.

As she prepares for her album's September 21st release, Raven-Symoné emphasizes that This is My Time bridges the generational gap that has existed in contemporary music. "My album isn't just for nine to 14-year-olds," she says. "I'm talking nine to 50-year-olds. I want people to listen to the songs and connect each one with their lives in their own way. This is My Time is just good music."

Written by Record Label