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*After her latest album "Raven-Symone" bowed at No. 159 on the Billboard 200, the young entertainer has parted ways with Hollywood Records and is charting a new course in independent waters.
"I did it on my second album [1999's "Undeniable"] and like it," the 22-year-old former "Cosby Show" kid tells Billboard.com. "When you're an independent you really do get full control. You get to do it how you want to do it and promote it how I want to promote it and sell it how I want to sell it."
She's already thinking of producers to recruit and a specific sound for her new album. "It'll be R&B, most definitely," she says, "with an alternative base for the lyrics."
After working with such big names as Sean Garrett, the Clutch and the J.A.M., Symone is hoping to find some fresh talent as well. "It's good to go out there and spread your wings and find new talent and work with people you haven't worked with before. I'd love to find the next Pharrell or the next someone who's coming up and no one really knows yet," she says. "At the same time, I'd love to work with the Clutch and the J.A.M. again."
Symone admits being disappointed in the weak sales of her last album, but she refuses to put the blame solely on Hollywood Records.
"No one really dropped the ball," she says. "I just think it didn't get enough publicity so people would know it's coming out."