Aubrey O'Day

“I’m a singer, not a model!” squeals Aubrey O’Day, as a photo assistant angles a floor fan towards her giant mane of Farrah-like extensions. Despite her protest, the 21-year-old drops her chin and grins mischievously. It’s an expert’s pose. In little more than a pair of underoos and yellow high heels, she’s unnervingly comfortable on display for a roomful of strangers.

With a body as lean and taut as any tabloid pinup and a typically precocious showbiz-kid résumé, Aubrey has been prepping for this moment for most of her young life. Faithful viewers of the MTV series Making the Band already know her as season three’s breakout star, who bared calm resolve and tanned hip bones in beating out almost 10,000 girls for the chance at singing and strutting in a P. Diddy–steered girl group. The native Californian was then one of only three divas-in-training who survived ulcer-inducing cuts and a verbally abusive den father to return to New York for a shot at—but not a guarantee of—making the band. “I’ve been in the ‘cut’ situation several times,” says Aubrey. “It’s hard to stand in a room and know that the dream I want is all in Diddy’s hands.”

Aubrey probably doesn’t need to worry. Diddy was convinced Aubrey had “black in her family” after seeing her dance, and she’s been a consistent favorite among judges and fans alike. Former Backstreet Boys and ‘N Sync manager Johnny Wright, who serves as one of the judges on the show, remembers seeing Aubrey audition for the first time in Los Angeles. “We knew from that first audition this girl’s a star. There’s something about her eyes—she’s almost hypnotic.”

The aspiring actress-singer spent her wonder years playing minor roles in touring productions of gee-whiz musicals like Annie and Grease. “I never really went to school—I was in and out of auditioning,” she says.

It wasn’t all voice lessons and point shoes, however. “I used to listen to Biggie and Diddy when I was little, in booty shorts, and be in my room just backing it up,” she grins. “My mom always encouraged booty-shaking fun.”

This fall’s Making the Band promises to be the same estrogen-fueled powder keg as the last: frequent five-hour dance practices; confidence-shattering critiques; and 21 fame-hungry girls crammed into a boot-camp-meets-sorority-house loft. “It’s extreme,” says Aubrey. “There’s a lot of ‘I love to be in the spotlight’ types—including myself.”

Which is just what Diddy is looking for. “Diddy talks about the type of celebrity he wants—a star who was a star when they were 2.” She stops and leans in across the table. “Well, I was Aubrey when I was 2,” she says, her blue eyes flashing. “A diva from the beginning.”