New teen sensations: young stars reveal the perks and problems of grown-up fame

Ebony, Feb, 1995 by Lisa C. Jones

WITHIN the last few months, an extraordinary number of teenagers have risen to the top in the entertainment industry. Some of these young stars have won top spots on R&B and pop music charts and roles on top-ranked TV shows and movies--feats people twice their age have struggled to accomplish.

Among the new talents are actor Larenz Tate, tennis pro Venus Williams, 14, gymnast Dominique Dawes, and singers Brandy and Aaliyah, whose marital status has been at the center of controversy.

While most youngsters are busy building paper routes, joining fan clubs and collecting the latest CDs, these teen sensations are busy recording their own CDs, performing in front of sold-out crowds and basically making their dream careers come true.

"I prayed and I worked hard for [success]," says 15-year-old Brandy Norwood, whose debut single, "I Wanna Be Down," continues to top the music charts. "But I had no idea it was going to happen when I was 15. I really want a lot for 15. I want to be really big in singing because I want to share what God has given me with other people."

Brandy and other young stars featured on the following pages say they depend on strong family ties to help them steer clear of the pitfalls of childhood stardom. And although fame and fortune have enriched their lives, many say material gain is not the driving force. "[Don't] set your goals to be a star," says Dawes, the 1994 national gymnastics champion. "Set your goals to be the best that you can be and go from there."

Brandy Norwood, sassy singer and actress, landed a record deal at age 14. Now, a year later, the talented teen's debut single, "I Wanna Be Down," is a golden hit and a regular chart topper. The 11th-grader, who was born in McComb, Miss., co-wrote three of the tunes on her successful debut album, Brandy. Entertainment has been a family affair for the young performer. Her mother is her manager and her father, a church choir director, is her vocal coach. Her brother, Willie Jr., who is an actor and singer in his own right, is her best friend, she says. Besides her recent recording success, Brandy starred in the short-lived ABC show Thea. Brandy's unique soulful vocal delivery may have taken the world by storm, but she says her instant rise to stardom was quite a surprise for her, too. "I wanted it to happen so bad," she says. "I prayed and I worked hard for it, but I had no idea it was going to happen when I was 15. I really want a lot for 15. I want to be really big in singing because I want to share what God has given me with other people."

Aaliyah, sultry and controversial songbird, earned a top spot on Billboard's R&B and pop charts this past year with her debut single, "Back and Forth" on the Age Ain't Nothing But A Number album. The hip-hop, jazz-flavored dance album was written and produced by her mentor R. Kelly. The young singer, who is somewhere between the ages of 15 and 18, was born in Brooklyn and reared in Detroit. Aaliyah (which means exalted one in Arabic) began singing at church, school plays and TV talent programs as a young child. In between L.A. recordings, the trained vocalist, who has performed with Gladys Knight, attends Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts where she maintains a 3.8 GPA. She plans to pursue a doctorate in music history one day.

Larenz Tate, another youth who doesn't reveal his age, is perhaps best known for his riveting portrayal of O-Dog in the inner-city drama, Menace II Society. But the debonair teensomething actor, who is known for his warm, megawatt smile, has been in the entertainment business for the past 11 years, in TV shows, such as the Twilight Zone, Royal Family and South Central. Last summer, he made a big splash on the big screen as the central character in Inkwell. Reared partly in Chicago and Los Angeles, Tate comes from a line of show-business people. His two older brothers, Larron and Lahmard, share his interest in the industry. The young actor, who enjoys basketball and thumping on his drum machine and keyboard in his spare time, says success has brought him a great deal of optimism. "The success that I've had has been real sweet, though I don't think I've actually made it to where I want to be," says Tate, who is working on his latest role in the movie, Dead Presidents. "But I'm looking forward to it beign even sweeter."

Chaz Lamar Shepherd, 17, (left) and Wayne Collins, 16, (right) are the hilarious teen stars on the new comedy series, Me And The Boys. Shepherd, who portrays the elder son on the sitcom, got his big break in 1993 when he became the first vocalist to win the $100,000-prize on Star Search. But the Philadelphia native has been a singer and actor since he was 7. He has performed at basketball games, in a number of theatrical productions and had a number of key roles on television programs, including Alex Haley's CBS miniseries, Queen. Collins, who plays the role of the rebellious middle child on the series, began singing and performing at age 4. After several successful bids on a national talent program, the youth landed several feature roles on television and on the big screen, including an appearance on Lethal Weapon and a starring vocal role on the animated flick, Bebe's Kids.