NEW YORK ( CNN ) -- So far it has been a very sunny summer for newbie pop singer Kristinia DeBarge . Kristinia DeBarge has broken through with the summer hit `` Goodbye . '' She has a Top 20 hit with `` Goodbye , '' a peppy pop number which borrows from Steam 's 1969 stadium anthem `` Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye . '' The energetic video just earned DeBarge an MTV Video Music Award nomination in the best choreography category . And later this month the 19-year-old will demonstrate her dance skills as the opening act for Britney Spears ' global `` Circus '' tour . The L.A.-based singer is well connected in the music business : she 's the daughter of James DeBarge , a member of the '80s R & B group DeBarge . Her debut album , `` Exposed , '' dropped last week , and was produced by Kenneth `` Babyface '' Edmonds . Watch DeBarge tell her subject `` Goodbye '' » . Kristinia DeBarge ( pronounced Kristi-NEE-ya ) dropped in to CNN to talk about why her dad initially wanted her to follow a different career path , her different personalities and lip synching . The following is an edited version of the interview . CNN : Your dad must have a wealth of advice for you . Kristinia DeBarge : Yes he does . His advice is stay true to yourself . He 's also told me many times that I should have a lot of strength in this business , and that I 'm going to need my family around me . CNN : He did n't want you to go into music , did he ? DeBarge : No , because he knows how the music industry is . And some people can become a little jaded and tainted after . So he likes that I 'm innocent and wants to keep that innocence fresh . CNN : What did he want you to do ? DeBarge : Something like be a doctor or a veterinarian or a lawyer . I totally admire all those jobs . ... But it 's not my passion . My passion is singing , so if I was to do those things I would n't be happy because I 'd be like , what a waste of talent . I 'm a singer . CNN : You were on the `` American Idol '' spin-off show `` American Juniors '' in 2003 . What was that experience like ? DeBarge : I had a lot of fun . I met a lot of different people on the show who are pursuing not only music but acting and modeling and all that fun stuff . It was really cool to interact with the kids my age because we were all there inspiring each other . CNN : What do you like about working with Babyface ? DeBarge : I like that he 's so down to earth and he 's open-minded . He 's open-minded in the sense where he allows me to have a lot of input on my music . He allows me to write with him and then bring in other writers and other producers . ... He 's like another dad to me . He 's very protective and sweet . CNN : Whose idea was it to borrow from Steam ? DeBarge : The producers and the songwriters . ... And I was like gosh , what a great idea . Maybe I could take over the old version that 's playing at basketball games and the hockey games ! Even for people who do n't really like pop music ... they can listen to that song and sing along to it . CNN : Tell me a little bit about your album . DeBarge : I named it `` Exposed '' because I feel that in introducing myself to the world you 're getting to know Kristinia from all angles . So you 're going to get to know all different characteristics and personalities that she has . CNN : Does she have many personalities ? DeBarge : Sometimes , but they 're good . They 're good personalities . She 's just like everyone else . And that 's also something that I want to make clear on the album -- that I 'm very normal and I experience all of the same things that 19-year-old girls go through . ... It 's my first album and I 'm hoping that everyone from little girls to older women will really be able to relate to it . CNN : Are you excited about being one of the opening acts for Britney Spears ? DeBarge : Yes , I 'm really excited about that . ... She 's a great performer and entertainer and I think that she has so many fans and so to gain her fans is going to be great for me . And I mean the fact that she even approved of it is great . CNN : What are your thoughts on lip-syncing ? DeBarge : I would say that I understand it , but if you 're a vocalist it 's good to sing . ... I love to perform . I also like to sing . [ When I performed on ] `` So You Think You Can Dance '' I sang and I was dancing , so a lot of people were like `` Is she lip-syncing ? '' But I was really just singing as well . It 's really hard to do . People think it 's a lot easier than it is .
DeBarge has a hit with `` Circus , '' borrowed from '69 Steam hit . DeBarge is daughter of James DeBarge , of ' 80s Steam group Kristinia DeBarge . Singer will be opening for Kristinia DeBarge on `` Circus '' tour .