Mix the innocence of Miley Cyrus with the hardcore edge of Paramore and you get Hey Monday - a rocking band, performing its way to complete stardom in the U.S.

With a hot new album, 'Hold on Tight', there is no slowing this teen group down as they jump on a world wide tour with Fall out Boy this February. BB's Kate chats to Cassadee, the bands too gorgeous lead singer, to get the goss on their new kick-ass gig as well as their life in the fast lane of celebrity-driven Hollywood.

Let's start at the beginning. Cassadee, I read you were discovered at a regional music conference when you were fresh out of high school. Tell us about that experience?
I went to the Atlantis Music Conference back in September. I was so ready to make some contacts and meet new people, never really expecting to get anything out of it. I met our A&R, Jay Harren of Columbia Records and we kept in touch after that. After about 7 months of negotiating, we got signed to Columbia/Decaydence. Decaydence came in when Pete (that would be Pete Wentz!!!) heard an old demo in the Crush Management office. He loved it and wanted to sign us.

What are some of your highlights as a group to date?
We definitely love touring more than anything. We've had the pleasure to tour with some of my favorite bands; This Providence, The Academy Is..., We The Kings, and All Time Low, and Fall Out Boy. Just playing in a different city every night with my best friends is a highlight to say the least.

What are some of the life lessons you have learned?
I still have a lot to learn. But I have learned early on that you need people around you that you can trust. If you don't have that, you don't have much. I'm so thankful for my band and manager. They are true and loyal and I know I can trust them.

As far as genre goes, where do you place Hey Monday within the music industry?
I think it's still too early to tell. We're told we fit right in between Avril Lavigne and Paramore. We're a little heavier than Avril and a little more pop than Paramore. We just say we're a pop/rock band. That's the most sensible genre for us, we think.

Are there certain comparisons (between you and other artists) that you are trying to steer clear of?
We get a lot of Paramore and Avril Lavigne. To be honest, we aren't trying to steer away from the comparisons. We're also not trying to steer towards them. Both of those comparisons are compliments in my book. We just do our own thing.

What would you say to new Hey Monday fans?
I'd say welcome aboard! We plan to have a crazy ride of a career and we would love for them to join! Thanks for the support and don't forget to come to a show sometime.

What can we expect to see from you in the next year?
Well, we're kicking off the year with a huge tour with Fall Out Boy. Hopefully within the next two years we will be headlining our first tour. We hope to have released a few more singles with kick-ass videos. We really want to play Warped Tour also!

A variety of your lyrics are testament to your life experiences and past frustrations, triumphs, etc… it must be tough putting your feelings and raw emotions out there on the world stage, is it not?
It's not exactly tough, but it is a little scary because you're not sure if people will agree or approve of your message. But that's the fun in it. You just put yourself out there for the world to see. The point is to inspire the ones you get through to and get people to know you inside.

How do you believe your music will affect teenagers, going through similar issues?
I for one, being a teenager myself, know I could not live without music. I hope the kids know our music means something to us enough to let themselves actually feel it. I wrote the lyrics about my personal experiences, but I wanted the record to be relatable. I know how important it is for me when listening to a band to believe what they're saying is real. And what I'm saying is real.

With your band Hey Monday on the verge of complete stardom, how do you stay grounded?
Stardom huh?! Haha that's awesome you say that. With us being on the road all the time, it's hard to see what's exactly happening. We know all these things are going on, like being on Fuse, the N, the Hitlist, the Hills. We just haven't really felt famous at all. Not that that is a bummer. We love our lives as is. But about staying grounded: even if this does take off and we hit stardom someday, we'll keep each other grounded. We all grew up together and know where each other came from, first hand. We've all seen each other at our lowest points. I don't think any of us would ever get big headed or bitter about our careers.

Who has influenced you musically?
Michelle Branch is a huge influence of mine. I feel like there isn't and wasn't anyone like her. She's amazing. And of course, Blink182 were one of the first punk bands I got into. They're one of my main influences as well as the rest of the band.

I heard you are touring with Fall Out Boy, which is a massive achievement, tell us about that? Was it defining moment for you as a band?
We are and it's insane. We never expected anything like this to happen to us. We've all been huge fans of Fall Out Boy since "Take This To Your Grave" so touring with them is huge for us.

What do you consider a positive role model?
A positive role model for me doesn't exactly have to be a saint. I think that if that person is a good person and does good for the world, that they can be anyone's role model. I for one look up to my mom. She's an amazing mom and is always there for me.

What do you love most about being a part of Hey Monday?
I love being with my best friends all the time. Especially since we're doing what we all love. I love the fact that we're a pop/rock band and aren't afraid to say it. I can honestly say I have a blast every time we hit the stage together. It's amazing.

Click to read some quick questions with Cassadee!