Jeannie Ortega

Self-described "hip pop" artist Jeannie Ortega is not afraid to talk about her faith. The green-eyed 21-year-old blogs about Jesus and sports three crosses on her album cover. She's just confident like that. When fending off players, she spits out "you think this was gonna be ... easy?"

Jeannette Ortega was born in Bushwick, Brooklyn and began performing as one half of kid group Sugar & Spice (she was Spice) while she was in kindergarten. After graduating from the Brooklyn High School of the Arts in 2004, Ortega released "Got What It Takes" on the Love Don't Cost a Thing soundtrack. She then signed to Hollywood Records with whom she released her 2006 debut No Place Like Brooklyn. It's as eclectic as most contemporary pop. The upbeat party-starter "It's R Time" features N.O.R.E., Gem Star and Big Mato on a traditional reggaetón track while the Kelly Clarkson-influenced "So Done" is gentle pop-rock. The standout Crowded is a club-ready R&B jam featuring underground rap sensation Papoose, an earworm melodic hook and lyrics that revisit the eternal conflict of the cheating boyfriend.

This summer, Ortega toured nationally with Rihanna before joining Frankie J, Luis Fonsi, Nina Sky and Orishas on the Lo McXimo de la Música concert series. She's currently working on her second album. A preview of one her new songs, “Over Your Head,” co-written with Def Jam's Chrisette Michelle, finds Ortega confidently proclaiming "Yes, I'm worth a million bucks and I don't give a f**k."

see: myspace.com/jeannieortega