Kristinia DeBarge
Photo: MTV News

Kristinia DeBarge will be hitting the stage as an opening act on Monday when Britney Spears brings her Circus tour to Madison Square Garden for three nights. And DeBarge says that Miss Spears has been nothing but kind since the newcomer joined the show for the tour's second leg.

"Well, I've only talked to her once ... but she's really sweet and she told me that her kids love my songs," DeBarge, who is also up for a Video Music Award, told MTV News. "I thought that was sweet ... it was really brief and short, but she's really nice. So we'll see how it goes."

And although the group hasn't been on the road for very long, DeBarge has already assessed how the tour is going. "I'm definitely starting to feel a little bit tired. I haven't even started to go that much deep into the tour yet," she said, adding that the first two shows went over well for her and for the fans.

"They went really well. The first show was a lot of fun," she said. "I remember hearing the audience and getting chills — I've been dreaming about this since I can remember talking."

And although she is now living the dream of having a spot opening up for Britney, there was a time not too long ago when that opportunity didn't even seem like a possibility. "Well, the first time that I was told I would be opening up for her I didn't believe it. I was in the studio recording one of my songs called 'Powerless,' " she said. "I thought they were just joking with me. I was really excited."

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Kristinia DeBarge
Photo: Theo Wargo/ WireImage

Not only will Kristinia DeBarge be embarking on her big tour with Britney Spears later this month, but she's also gearing up for the VMAs, where her "Goodbye" video is up for Best Choreography.

"I'm really excited," she told MTV News about the nomination. (Check out the complete list of this year's VMA nominees!) "I had no idea. I just got the text message this morning that I'm nominated. It's really unbelievable. I just came out with the single a few months ago and my album last week, so to be doing this while I'm being nominated is amazing. I'm just thinking my hard work paid off."

But the hard work isn't over yet. DeBarge has some stiff competition in the Best Choreography category, where she's up against Beyoncé, Panic! At The Disco, Ciara and Justin Timberlake, as well as the Pussycat Dolls. So who does she think is her biggest competition? "I'd say the PCD, 'cause they're known as dancers," she said.

It might get weird for DeBarge while she's on tour with Spears since they're both up for the same Moonman. "I would hope not! She definitely had a lot of fame and fortune throughout her whole career, and she's had a lot of awards, so maybe she can give someone else the chance this time," she said. "I love Britney and am really thankful she allowed me to be on tour with her."

The new artist has nothing but love for all the nominees in the Best Choreography category. "[Britney] is also another big entertainer and dancer. And Beyoncé is too, and Justin, and they're all great entertainers and performers," she said. "I don't know if they have won in the past or really what their status is with the VMAs. I do know that they're really talented, and I'm sure they've had awards before, so maybe it wouldn't be a surprise to them if they won the award. [It] definitely would be that way for me!"

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards will take place September 13 at 9 p.m. ET. Nominees, celebrity presenters and additional performers will be announced in the coming weeks. To be the first to find out the inside scoop, follow the Inside MTV Twitter account at Twitter.com/InsideMTV.

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• Kristinia DeBarge

Kristinia DeBarge
Photo: MTV News

If you think Kristinia DeBarge's last name sounds familiar, it's probably because of the '80s R&B group of the same name, which featured her father, James. Now the 19-year-old is seeking her own bit of fame with her debut album, Exposed, out Tuesday (July 28).

When she first told her famous dad that she wanted to go into the family business at the age of 12, he took her seriously. "He took me into the studio [one night]," she told MTV News, "and we recorded until 4 o'clock in the morning."

The singer, who has already landed an opening spot on Britney Spears' Circus tour, said that the name of her debut may be eye-catching because of its naughty connotation, but insisted that the true meaning is a lot less suggestive.

"I chose that title because I felt that it's me introducing myself to the world," she said. "So I wanna make sure people get to know Kristinia." She also added that the album will give fans a chance to see the singer's different sides and that many of them are empowering.

That theme is strong on her first single, "Goodbye," which she says is a breakup anthem — emphasis on "anthem."

" 'Goodbye' is an empowerment-filled song," she said. "There's no insecurities in the song. The song is more like, 'You're missing out. I'm a good thing.' "

She's happy that the track will be the first taste listeners get of what she can do musically, saying, "It's really exciting to come out with an anthem like this, 'cause we don't have enough of those."

Among her slew of influences are her mentor Babyface and, of course, her dad, but she also mentions Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Nancy Wilson and Steely Dan. "I'm inspired by anyone who works hard and is a real artist," she said.

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• Kristinia DeBarge

Kristinia DeBarge
Photo: Theo Wargo/Staff

On Wednesday, when Britney Spears announced the opening acts for the forthcoming North American dates of her Circus Tour, seeing Ciara's name wasn't a surprise: The "Goodies" singer opened Brit's recent London dates. But less familiar is the name of the other opening act, Kristinia Debarge, who — although she has a fast-rising hit with her debut single "Goodbye" (which samples Steam's 1969 hit "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" and is also featured in Nivea commercial) and comes from a family with a solid legacy in R&B — is a new artist.

Kristinia, 19, is the daughter of James DeBarge, keyboardist and a founding member of long-running R&B group DeBarge. According to her MySpace page, Kristinia had wanted to sing since the age of 3, but finally confessed her desire to her father at the ripe old age of 12.

"He wanted me to be a doctor or lawyer," she said. "I tried to be open to other careers because I didn't want to disappoint him but my heart was set on singing." Though she wasn't yet a teenager, her father took her interest seriously enough to bring her into the studio and test her skills and endurance. After a late-night recording session, Kristinia proved herself, and her career was underway.

A year later, in the summer of 2003, Kristinia appeared on "American Juniors," a short-lived spin-off of "American Idol," and placed in the final 20. Kristinia's father began bringing her on tour with him, and she met Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds on one of those trips. They soon began working together, and Kristinia inked a deal with Island/ Def Jam Records earlier this year. Her debut LP, Exposed, is slated for release on July 28.

"Joining Britney Spears for her Circus tour will be an amazing and surreal experience for me," Kristinia said in a statement posted on Spears' site. "I have been dreaming of an opportunity like this forever, and can't wait."

The tour opens on August 20 in Hamilton, Ontario, and wraps on September 27 in Las Vegas.

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