Mandy Moore has had musical aspirations since she was six years old. She started performing as a youth, singing the national anthem at Orlando-area sporting events. As a teenager, Moore landed a record deal with Sony in 1999 and her debut, So Real, appeared that same year. So Real and its hit single "Candy" rode the wave with the likes of teen pop sensations Britney Spears and the Backstreet Boys, focusing on the puppy love-laden subject material that caused teenage girls to be hooked.Her 2000 follow-up, I Wanna Be With You didn't supply much new material, as a number of tracks were simply remixes of songs off of So Real. Moore released a more original self-titled record the following year. The album was well-received and Moore was credited by some critics for distancing herself from pop princesses like Spears and Christina Aguilera. In 2002, Moore revealed her interest in another career path when she starred in the film A Walk to Remember. She returned to the studio shortly thereafter and showed more musical aptitude than had some expected with her album Coverage. The record, strictly covers, demonstrated Moore's appreciation for the female artists that came before her with covers of Carly Simon and Joni Mitchell songs, among others. Moore continued to pursue her passion for the silver screen, appearing in films such as Saved and American Dreamz.She would eventually return to the studio and released Wild Hope in 2007. For the record, Moore collaborated with a number of different musicians in writing her own material for the first time. Wild Hope showed Moore as a grown woman as opposed to the teenager that most people remembered. The fact that she didn't become a larger than life icon the way Spears or Aguilera seemed to ease her transition into a more adult identity.Moore has come a long way since her days of singing bubble gum pop songs without a great deal of substance. A budding actor and an ever-growing musician, Moore's star is sure to rise even further, especially considering she's still a far cry from 30.