Mandy Moore Chats About Parental Guidance

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With the video for Mandy Moore's single quickly becoming a staple on MTV's "TRL" countdown, the teenage singer is now counting down the days until the release of her debut album, "So Real," on December 3.

The 15-year-old Moore will spend the time leading up to the album's release by wrapping up her opening stint on the Backstreet Boys' fall tour, which concludes with a two-night stand this weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

With all the sudden success, some fans may be wondering how the teen star was able to persuade her parents to let her pursue a career in such a shark-infested industry. As Mandy recently told MTV News, the secret was in proving to them how far she really could go.

"My parents... I guess you would call them stage parents," Moore said. "They were always really supportive. But at first they were kind of hesitant, especially when I was first starting in the very, very beginning. They thought, 'It's just a phase you're gonna grow out of in a few years' and stuff like that."

"But once they saw me onstage," she continued, "and knew how much it was my passion, how much I did love it, they were like, 'Okay, maybe she's taking this more seriously.' And definitely when some deals were starting to come in and some offers, my parents were kind of hesitant, because really, you have to sacrifice a lot, and people sometimes forget that."

"But they knew how much I loved it," Moore concluded, "and how much I really wanted to give it my all and try. I'm really grateful that they were that supportive."

After "So Real" hits stores, Mandy Moore plans to head out on the road for a series of radio-sponsored holiday shows.

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