Victoria Duffield is a talented singer/songwriter who's already achieved a platinum single with the radio hit Shut Up and Dance. Earlier this month, the 17-year-old released her follow-up single, Feel, on Warner Music Canada. Joe Leary spent 24 Seconds with the Abbotsford native.

24h " You seem to be very comfortable in press situations. Have you always been a generally outgoing personality?

VD: I've always been a very outgoing person and have always been very comfortable in front of people and acting has helped with that.

24h " Having a background that includes numerous TV appearances must have helped prepare you for this.

VD: It's amazing thinking back to everything I've done to get me to here and I don't know how people that don't have any experience at all do it. Being a singer has so much to do with cameras, being comfortable speaking and doing interviews. It's interesting how they all connect together.

24h " Are you surprised with the level of success thus far?

VD: It's totally surreal to me. I'm amazed and I'm shocked. I remember when I heard my video was number 29 on the Muchmusic Countdown. It didn't matter that I was 29, I was on the countdown! Then, to be number one - I don't think it's really hit me yet. I get excited every time I hear it on the radio. None of this is normal to me yet.

24h " As a youngster, did you aspire to be a pop singer?

VD: I've always wanted to be a pop star. When I had just learned to write my name when I was two or three, I took a whole bunch of pieces of paper and I wrote down my name and whenever my mom would go out, I would go with her or when people would come to the door, I would hand one to them and say, 'this is my autograph for when I'm famous some day.' I knew right from the start that entertaining was what I wanted to do.

24h " How's reaction been amongst your peers and around Abbotsford?

VD: I've been very lucky having my family to help me promote. It's been great and I've had really amazing support from my friends and especially from my school. I've always had really supportive teachers and thinking how much of an impact they had and how different things would have been if I had a teacher one year that wasn't supportive of me leaving all the time. For me, school is very important too so I keep my grades up.

24h " Your second single, Feel, is gaining strength. Tell us about it.

VD: Writing that song was really neat. I really like the message in it. I wanted to write a song about the days when you're having a really awesome day and you just look around and see people aren't and think: If I could just spread this around and have everybody feel the same way, it would just make my day even better.

24h " Any thoughts on who you might like to collaborate with down the road?

VD: I'll have to see how everything goes and who I get connected with or meet along the way. I have always been influenced and inspired by Britney Spears, so to meet or do something with her would be unbelievable. I'm also a big fan of Bruno Mars and collaborating with him would be so cool. His performance on the Grammys was amazing.

24h " As you yourself are so young, what advice do you offer to other young girls you meet?

VD: I've always been very self-driven so don't take no for an answer. If you want something, work for it. It does take a lot of work, but don't let others bring you down.

24h " If we reconnect five years from now, where are you and what are you doing?

VD: I am internationally known and I just came back from my world tour and maybe I'll be on a break and we'll do another interview somewhere tropical (laughs).