When Quincy Jones goes out of his way to support a new, budding artist, the world would be wise to grant an audience to the apple of his eye: Karina Pasian.

On May 16, 2004, Jones invited Pasian to perform in Rome for his "We Are the Future" benefit concert, which was concerned about children in war-ravaged cities. Shortly thereafter, Pasian earned a place in history, by becoming the first person of Dominican descent to perform at the White House, at the age of 15.

A classically trained pianist, Pasian also sings in seven different languages. And while her Def Jam debut, First Love, only makes use of two, English and Spanish, Pasian's music has transcended language barriers and inspired thousands of fans around the world.

Her first single, "16 @ War," is a powerful introduction that resonates with female empowerment and expresses the day-to-day hardships that many young females face. Upon review of First Love, Karina Pasian managed to squeeze some time out of her busy schedule and settle down for an interview with Clayton Perry— reflecting on Quincy Jones, Ella Fitzgerald and society’s need for positive music.

The lead single from First Love was "16 @ War," a powerful song about the struggles of teenage girls. As a new artist, was there any pressure to make your debut single a little bit more radio-friendly?

I would say there was pressure, because we worked hard to present a positive message to the public. In the beginning, we were going back and forth—wondering if it would be too much or too preachy. But we realized that the song would have a big impact and show people what I’m about. All my songs have a positive message, so when we came across "16 @ War," it was like, "Wow, this song needs to be perfect." It makes a big impact to have it as a first single. 

As you publicly tackled heavy social issues, like peer pressure and drug use, I am quite certain that you have had a lot fans express their appreciation for "16 @ War." What’s been the most rewarding comment that you’ve received?

I got a lot of feedback and a lot of cool messages from parents. That really surprised me. Many said that they could relate to the song, even though they were older, and that it was good that I was coming out and making a stand, by releasing a positive message that is really needed out there. It was nice to hear that the album was something they definitely would want to buy for their kids.

Well, as sad as it may sound, positive messages are hard to find in the current musical landscape, especially for young women. What responsibility do you feel artists should have to make responsible music?