With a longtime love for Motown music and soul artists, Tina Novak pursued her singing talents in a variety of ways. From various pageants in and around the Florida area, Novak was a finalist at the Miss Florida pageant in 1999. She also honed her skills performing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and various halftime shows for NFL and NBA contests. In 2001, her voice and talents were recognized by famed producer and songwriter Kevin "Shek'spere" Briggs, who signed the budding star to Spere Records. Renting out a Miami mansion to record her debut effort, Novak and Briggs co-wrote songs for her self-titled debut album, which was released in March 2002. Novak's music has been compared to other hip-hop/soul artists such as Pink and Kelis. ~ Jason MacNeil, All Music Guide