Julianne Hough took the scenic route to Nashville.
Growing up one of five dancing and singing Utah siblings -- sometimes nicknamed "the blonde Osmonds" -- she moved to London to study performing arts at age 10. Five years later, she returned to Utah, then eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she joined the cast of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."
She has partnered with the show's last two champions, Apolo Ohno and Helio Castroneves, and this season is paired with TV/radio star Adam Carolla. Her debut self-titled album this week came in at No. 3 behind only 3 Doors Down and Bun-B. Meanwhile, her debut Mercury single, the infectious "That Song in My Head" (written by Jim Collins, Wendell Mobley and Tony Martin), has caught the attention of country radio: This week, it jumps 32-29 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart.
Hough landed her deal with Mercury Nashville not long after her digital single "Will You Dance With Me" -- a collaboration with veteran producer David Malloy -- peaked at No. 8 on iTunes' country chart last year.
"I've always wanted to sing country music," the 19-year-old says. "I've been singing as long as I've been dancing and it's actually a bigger passion of mine."
Country WSOC Charlotte, N.C., PD D.J. Stout calls Hough's single "one of the best debut singles I have heard by a female artist in a while. Stout adds that he's not a regular viewer of "Dancing" and didn't know who Hough was. "Being in front of that many people each week is definitely a positive, but if the song wasn't good I wouldn't play it," he says.
After the show's season ends in May, Hough will head out on the road with Brad Paisley.
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