SEVENTEEN-YEAR-OLD Selena Gomez is the star of Disney’s most popular television programme the Wizards of Waverly Place. She boasts the largest fan club on Facebook of any celeb on the site with nearly four million members.

Part of a Disney tradition that includes Raven Symone, Miley Cyrus, and Annette Funnicello before her, Gomez has parlayed that popularity into musical success. Her debut album, Kiss & Tell, was an instant hit with her young fans, both in the US and the Caribbean islands. Currently the album is #36 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, and has just been certified Gold for selling in excess of 500,000 copies. Naturally, the album’s lead single, is nearly platinum and the most popular song on Radio Disney. With a hit television show, album, and a couple of upcoming feature film roles (she stars in both this summer’s Beezus & Ramona and Monte Carlo) Selena Gomez is a name that is sure to become more and more familar in the coming months.

An attractive combination of girlish enthusiasm and solid self-confidence is evident when Selena describes her album. Her goal was to make the album “passionate, fun and empowering”.

“Girls my age tend to change themselves for others,” Selena says, “Whether it’s a boyfriend or trying to fit in with the ‘cool kids.'”

I Won’t Apologise (which Selena co-wrote) takes a stand for self-affirmation.

“This song says you’re not going to apologise for who you are.”

On Naturally and other tracks the former (and some say current) girlfriend of teen dream Nick Jonas also sings about romance and relationships. “Every girl goes through a break-up at some point,” she says, “and they never feel good. I wanted to make sure that the songs about heartbreak were empowering rather than sad. When I perform these songs I don’t feel I am dwelling on pain.”

Now the single and album’s rock and dance-driven rhythms are catching the ear of the adult crowd. “Naturally” just jumped to #6 on Billboard’s Club chart and there are a couple of hot new remixes. Tuff Gong, Disney’s Caribbean licensee, has started sending out the remixes to radio and club deejays throughout the region. The video is now airing locally and being well received.

In addition to being the musical home of an international icon, Robert Nesta (Bob) Marley, Tuff Gong is the Caribbean licensee for Buena Vista Music Group (Walt Disney Records and Hollywood Records). The worldwide popularity of Disney classics The Lion King, Mary Poppins, and The Little Mermaid as well as Disney Channel superstars Hannah Montana and the Jonas Brothers give Tuff Gong a definite lead in the market of youth entertainment in the region. Currently, 10 of the albums listed on Billboard’s Top 200 chart are from the BVMG roster. Although charts in Jamaica and rest of the Caribbean are not used to track sales of imported titles, these same artistes are gaining popularity in the territory.