When Debi Nova ran into a sports fan at Dodger Stadium and let him hear her demo, little did she know it would turn into an offer from Virgin Records. The offer set off alerts across town, showering Nova with attention from record labels, and ending in a signed deal with Warner Bros.

Just a few short years before, barely 17 years old, Nova was a student at the LA Music Academy. She had come from Costa Rica where she'd been "doing music forever. I started playing piano at 4."

When asked about her LA Music Academy experience, she doesn't hesitate. "I think [it] was the best year of my life in terms of music education. I haven't been in such a scenario where I can live and breathe music 24/7. What you learn at other schools in 4 years, you learn at the LA Music Academy in one. You can imagine the intensity of the program. All day, every day. It's hard, but it pays off. I haven't learned as much anywhere else."

After graduating, Nova returned to Costa Rica to spend time with her family. And sing, of course. "I became a jazz fanatic, and did some gigs with a trio. I also did jingles and commercial work, along with weddings and bar mitzvahs. I really paid my dues!"

She may have started professional work in ordinary ways, but Nova's present situation is anything but ordinary. She's managed by Cheeba Sound, a company that also handles DeAngelo and Nikka Costa. As Nova focuses on finishing the 13 songs she's written and co-written for the album, producers are lined up to help with the actual recording; Lester Mendez, (Shakira, Enrique Inglesias and Jewel), Mark Ronson (Nikka Costa), Drew Ramsey, Shannon Sanders, and Prince Board (Black Eyed Peas) will all add to the mix.

When asked about great singers who have influenced her, Nova says, "I love Sarah Vaughan, Donny Hathaway, and Elis Regina, a Brazilian singer. I like singers that make me feel something that feels honest. It doesn't have to be a perfect voice or perfectly in tune. But when it makes me feel something, it makes me want to keep listening."

Teachers at the LA Music Academy had a big hand in Nova's sound and philosophy. "All the teachers we had were great. It's a small school, so it gets personal. And as singers we need that."

"In one year, you get exposed to so many different styles of music, and people from all over the world, that it's a great thing, especially if you're not sure of your direction. You're exposed to so much that it helps you find your voice."