Samantha Mumba is as spunky as her hit single "Gotta Tell You."

During an interview in Toronto to promote her new album, also called "Gotta Tell You," Samantha takes a speedy tour of the luxury suite at the Cambridge Suites hotel, telling a Universal rep in a cheeky Irish lilt that she would LOVE to stay in this room. Then she settles into her chair, grabs a muffin and goes about answering questions.

Samantha's polite, down-to-earth and funny but she also has a goal for the interview. She's determined to prove (in a good-natured way) that she's not to be lumped into the current wave of pop artists migrating from overseas and wrinkles up her nose when asked if she takes voice lessons.

"I've been performing since I was three," Samantha says. "Most kids kind of sing in the mirror with a hairbrush. I fancied myself as a bit of a singer. But, I never thought it would actually happen. It's all been mistake really. But, I mean, a good mistake."

Quite a few Irish pop stars have been making pop headlines lately. Westlife, Boyzone, the Corrs and B*Witched have all climbed the U.K. pop charts and enjoy enormous success overseas, but their popularity hasn't translated over to North America.

Now, this 17-year-old R & B/pop star who hails from Dublin, Ireland is breaking into the North American market.

The teen singer who boasts famed Irish manager Louis Walsh (Boyzone, Westlife) as her own, didn't rely on fancy acting and singing lessons to move her into the spotlight.

"I went to do singing lessons and after about two weeks I was starting to sound like an opera singer, it was nasty," she says. "I haven't gone back since. It's not for me."

Samantha is very clear on what is and isn't for her. Discussing her album, she is quick to separate herself from the pop pack.

"I'm the only Mumba in the music business," Samantha says. " It's only me singing these songs, I've co-written it. It's my music."

That's one point Samantha is very firm about. Her music is her own and is not to be confused with that of other female pop stars or even the romantic ballads of her Westlife friends.

"It's a completely different thing," she says. "I mean, five boys and one girl is completely different. Automatically you're guaranteed something with five boys because the girls are going to fancy them and buy their music. It was a big challenge for my manager I think 'cause he's been very safe with Westlife. I think he's enjoying it 'cause it's something different for him."

Meanwhile, the young singer is already planning to take on a full-blown entertainment career. In addition to her musical efforts, she's about to "be working with Ford modelling agency quite a lot" and has already had a "few" film offers including a small role in Will Smith's upcoming Muhammad Ali biopic (which she eventually turned down).

"I LOVE horror films," she says, talking about her future dream roles. "'Scream,' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' those kind of films I'd love to be in. But then, I'd love to be in a big slooshy romantic one and then I'd love to be in an action one. I'm not really fussy."

When asked if being thrown into the entertainment world at such a young age has made her miss out on any experiences, Samantha flat-out denies having any second thoughts and explains her choices in the same down-to-earth way she uses to talk about her music and movie plans.

"This is fun, I still have my friends. I don't get home as much as I'd like to," Samantha admits, "But this is amazing, I'm getting to see the world at 17. I have more than enough time for everything. Everybody [at home in Ireland], has been very proud, nearly too much I think. It's cool, they've been behind me 110 per cent."

Samantha's asked what she'd like for lunch. The pop-star-to-be barely glances at the menu before she orders a toasted sandwich with cheese, ham, tomato and onions, with the same positive gusto and confidence she uses to talk about her career choices.

This singer knows what she wants, whether it's a juicy role in a teen scream flick, a flourishing musical career or a sandwich made just the way she likes it.