Willa's review to them:
You're all disgruntled musicians who never made it, and you're so bitter with pop music that sells records because you didn't get that opportunity. They're all player-haters. ... And there were some good reviews, too. Like, somebody said something about, `We didn't expect to hear the soul come out of her that we did. We underestimated her. There's a lot more soul coming out of that white girl than we thought.' And I was just like, `Wow, that was cool.' Those aren't my critics. My critic is myself. ... I know my music's bangin'.

CD Now.com
On her debut, Willa Was Here, curvaceous 20-year-old newcomer (and ex-girlfriend of Backstreet Boy Nick Carter) Willa Ford gets her chic on via every dance-pop move in the Pop Star Celebrity Handbook as she high steps toward the lucrative second-tier It girl pantheon currently presided over by Jessica Simpson and Mandy Moore.

Ford doesn't seem to be Here, exactly. Her debut reeks of gloss, all lightweight uptempo tracks ("Jokes on You," "Prince Charming") and schmaltzy ballads ("Tender"), many of which are generated by such impressively avant producers as DJ Skribble and seem to bear little trace of Ford herself. "I'm about to break all the rules," Ford sings on "I Wanna be Bad," her ironically tame first single, but it's following the rules too closely -- and leaving out anything that seems remotely fun -- that's backed her into such a corner: Anyone fond of dance pop who hasn't already done so would better advised to check out Britney's far superior Oops! … I Did It Again, which serves as both the blueprint and the high water mark for teen diva dance pop.

Brad Cawn

CDNOW Contributing Writer

E-Online Music Review
Willa Ford Willa Was Here
our grade
D
Artist / Band: Willa Ford
Record Label: Lava/Atlantic
Release Date: July 17, 2001

Our Review:

The braintrust of the world's teen-pop fans have already passed judgment on Willa Ford--and for once we have to agree with 'em. A quick Internet search produces a surprisingly large number of anti-Willa Websites aimed at the girl who once dated Backstreet Boy Nick Carter and takes the low road to hopeful pop stardom. Amanda Lee Williford laps up the controversy with a first single called "I Want to Be Bad" and skips teen mags to flaunt her stuff on the cover of Stuff. But strip away the lyrics about ditching dudes and how lame those other pop bands are (then telling us she's all soft on the inside with "Tender"), and this debut is nothing more than an ultraproduced, R&B-fused pop album that, just like all the rest, drips with more cheese than sex. Yep, Willa was here. And hopefully she'll be gone soon.

Entertainment Weekly

Willa Ford - Willa Was Here(Lava/Atlantic)

"Perhaps you're familiar with Willa's big hit: She reportedly belted an ex-Backstreet boyfriend. Beyond that and a willingness to wear less than Britney, the new girl on the block ain't likely to have much impact. She's a melange of all that's forgettable about last season's gril pop. "I Wanna Be Bad," she says on her debut single. Mission accomplished.

*Back Home*
*Back to Anti Fans*