Her name flashes in bright lights against a black screen. She steps out in spiky heels and a tight tank top. Her voice sounds familiar but the song sounds off.
Britney? Christina? Nope. Try Jewel or Liz. They pawned their guitars and lyrics for chances at pop stardom.
Everyone wants a chance, or two or three.
Musicians and actors are switching roles and dabbling in other genres in attempts to dominate the charts.
According to Billboard.com, Jewel’s current single, “Intuition,” has spent 15 weeks on the top 100 singles chart.
Lester Mendez, who helped launch Shakira to the top, produced and co-wrote her album, “O304.”
Jewel has the pop formula figured out and admits it. “Sell yourself, just cash in,” she sings while dancing stiffly.
On her new eponymous album, Liz Phair takes off her “Polyester Bride” indie gown and slips into “Why Can’t I?” pop pants.
Phair chose to work with Avril Lavigne’s production team, the Matrix.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Phair said the Matrix’s work with Lavigne grabbed her attention.
She said she was excited to work with the Matrix to see how her songs would turn out.
Male singer/songwriters aren’t exempt from pop makeovers.
Jason Mraz caught the tail end of the John Mayer wave just in time to ride it to success.
Mraz borrowed Mayer’s producer John Alagia for his major label debut, “Waiting For My Rocket to Come.”
His single, “The Remedy,” has been on Billboard’s top 100 singles chart for 16 weeks.
He used to play coffeehouses in California, and covered Bright Eyes’ “Kathy with a K’s Song” on an early EP, “On Love, In Sadness.”
Now, he plays venues across the nation and makes music videos with roosters.
Actors are nothing new in front of the camera, but some are taking turns behind the microphone.
Russell Crowe, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Bacon and Jason Schwartzman are a few actors whose fame helps their music careers.
The hottest actor-turned-musician of the moment is Hilary Duff, better known as television’s Lizzie McGuire.
Her album, “Metamorphosis,” isn’t released until Aug. 26, but her single, “So Yesterday,” is at the top of the charts.
Duff turns 16 in September and her age reflects in her lyrics. “If the light is off, then it isn’t on,” she sings.
A few older actors helped pave the way for Duff’s crossover. Singer/songwriter Meredith Brooks produced Jennifer Love Hewitt’s album, “Barenaked.”
Hewitt’s lyrics are on the same level as Duff’s.
“You ever try your luck with a pick up line but you just suck,” Hewitt sings on the title track.
Perhaps the most successful cross over in recent history is another Jennifer who goes by the name J.Lo.
Singles still are being released from her November 2002 album, “This is Me … Then.”
Crossing over isn’t new and its end is nowhere in sight.
Jennifer Lopez always can return to films such as “Gigli” and “Maid in Manhattan.”
Liz Phair can crawl back into her whitechocolatespaceegg.
And entertainers can always find their names in neon.