Julianne Hough

• Genre: New Country

About

By the time Julianne Hough's self-titled debut was released, she was already a household fixture; this two-time Dancing With the Stars champion found her way into millions of households each week on the popular television show. Hough started winning international dance competitions early in her teenage years, but her heart always belonged to country music. As a child growing up in Utah, Julianne was instilled with a strong sense of family; when her parents separated, she and her four siblings were shattered. Julianne retreated into dance, where she excelled. An opportunity to study in London presented itself, and the teenager jumped at it. Hough called London home for five years, but her heart -- and her love of music -- kept calling her home. Leaving a promising international dance career behind, Julianne came back to the U.S. and started in L.A. from scratch. And then came Dancing With the Stars, which catapulted her into the limelight. Trips to Nashville eventually proved fruitful, and Hough's self-titled debut and the catchy first single, "That Song in My Head," were released in 2008.

- Linda Ryan