Three years ago, Shawn Desman was an emerging 19-year-old singer and dancer breaking ground in the Canadian hip-hop industry with his self-titled album.

"While people loved the album, which was nominated for a Juno, they didn't know who I was, whether I was black or a white going black. I didn't have a clear image," says Desman, who plays the festival, which musically kicks off tomorrow, on May 20.

A lot has changed in two years.

Now sporting a new look, including a diagonal Mohawk and buff bod, Desman is doing everything he can to make sure people know who he is with his sinfully sexy new CD Back For More.

"It's time to show a little skin," the lean-looking tattooed singer says while nursing a Coke in the lounge of the Arc Hotel. "On my first tour, the girls would yell, 'Take off your shirt!' and I'm like, 'I don't want to do that 'cause you won't like what you see.' Now, I'm totally comfortable with that.

"I wanted to be healthy and look good for myself and my videos. I know it sounds vain, but that's a big issue with a career like this. Image is important when you make videos and perform in public.

"We wanted to come out strong this time so that people wouldn't think that the first album's success was a fluke," Desman admits. "I wanted to kick it up a notch this time around. Not only does the music change, but Shawn Desman changes too."

Desman calls Back For More his "make-or-break album."

"The 12 tracks on it represent what I'm about and all the styles of music I like," he writes on his website, www.shawndesman.com. "There's R&B with a hip-hop influence, big power ballads, straight-ahead pop -- something for everyone."

Ironically, the heartthrob's romantic life isn't faring as well as his career.

"Nobody wants to put up with me. I'm either not around enough or so busy I can't pay her enough attention. I'm really career focussed right now. It's not fair to be with someone now, as much as I would love to have a girlfriend."

Like most overnight sensations, Desman's arrival has been in the works for years. Since he was a tween, growing up in Toronto's Portuguese community, he's been putting together little song-and-dance routines like his hero Michael Jackson.

At 15, he built a home studio in his mother's basement where he would write and record his own music. That experience led to writing and producing for TLC and The Backstreet Boys.

His duet with Brazilian-based superstar Alexandre Pires earned him a Latin Grammy nomination.

"From the first day, we set it up good to show that a young white Canadian kid could do urban. I was determined. I knew that I could break new ground for Canadian music."