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Name Julianne's Band!
Julianne's out on her first tour this summer with the Paisley Party Tour and she needs your help to name her band. Check out this video and then come back to enter the contest!
To enter, all you have to do is
join Julianne's site and come back here to leave your suggestion/comment on this news item by July 3rd!
You can also enter by texting your suggestion. Text "@myband space yoursuggestedname" to 66937. Example : @myband iwanttonamejuliannesband to 66937
We'll pick the 10 best suggestions in July and start the voting. The fan with the top vote wins the Grand Prize - a trip for 2 to see Julianne and her band in concert! One 2nd prize winner will get an autographed guitar and Julianne prize pack and the other 8 contestants will win Julianne prize packs too!
Win a private concert from Julianne!
Got "That Song in Your Head?" Two-time winner of
Dancing With the Stars, Julianne Hough, wants to sing for you. Just for you....and 50 of your friends. She will be on the road promoting her debut album and wants to make a trip to perform a private concert for one lucky winner.
ENTER NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! 
The Tennessean - Feature
Julianne Hough is dancing to the top
By BEVERLY KEEL • Celebrity Columnist • June 29, 2008
It looks like everything has come easy for Julianne Hough, the two-time champ of ABC's Dancing with the Stars whose album debuted atop the country charts.
But looks, as they often are, are deceiving. If Hough makes success look easy, it's because the sure-footed professional just keeps moving when faced with adversity.
The 19-year-old is competitive and determined, traits that served her well during her parents' divorce; formative years in an environment in which girls weren't valued; and high-school bullying by a pack of "mean girls." After overcoming all that, dancing in front of America was a snap.
Luke Lewis, chairman of Universal Music Group Nashville, said, "Obviously she is really attractive, but she's also been blessed with a voice, and she has an incredible work ethic, which is critical. If anybody has got any more talent than her, she'll outwork them. She's competitive, too."
Competitive enough to pursue what might not seem like the most obvious career path for a championship-winning dancer. (She's the youngest person and only American to ever win the British Junior Latin Championship and International Championship in junior and youth, and she's also the Closed British Junior Champion.)
"Honestly, I don't think I would be here (doing music) without my family and their support," Hough said. "I've had a lot of people say, 'What are you doing? You are ruining your life, because your career is set over here in London as a dancer and you're going to make tons of money.'
"I was like, 'I don't want to do that. That is not true to who I am. I want to do what I love.' Regardless of what people say, I have always believed in myself."
From fairs to arts school
Hough began performing country songs when she was 3 at fairs and festivals in Utah. She performed with her four siblings as White Lightning, a group that became known as the "blond Osmonds." She also played bongos and studied dance.
"I've always been the most independent and stubborn and driven in the family," she said. "Being the youngest, I was always trying to be like my older sisters and fit in with them and be as talented as they were and have the lead vocal in our group.
"I knew what I wanted at a really young age. When I was 6 or 7, I said, 'I want to be a singer by the time I'm 19.' I was determined to get there."
When she was 10, in the midst of her parents' divorce, Hough moved to London, along with her brother, to attend the Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts. What began as a three-month stint turned into a five-year learning experience. "I knew what I had," she said. "This was an amazing opportunity where I was going to grow up and go through things early on, so that later on, I'll feel like I have a more stable head on my shoulders."
While she enjoyed her school experiences, she had difficulties with the London family with whom she and her brother lived. "It was really hard, because the family that I lived with wasn't accepting of girls," she said.
"They didn't know how to raise a little girl, so they tried to keep me away from everything and didn't let me have lessons. I would ask for guitar lessons every single day, and they wouldn't let me have them. I would be doing the dishes while my brother and Mark (Ballas) were having his band practice. It was hard for me, because I was always the one underneath, which then pushed me more."
She returned to Utah at age 15, only to realize that her female high school classmates weren't exactly going to roll out the welcome wagon. "It was definitely like those teenage movies you see where you eat lunch in the bathroom for three months, girls invite you to parties and it's an abandoned house, or you get asked to prom and get ditched."
Bigger and better things
After graduation, with just $2,000 in her pocket, Hough moved to Los Angeles instead of Nashville, because she knew she could support herself by dancing. She accepted a gig on the Dancing With the Stars tour because she needed money to make her rent. There, manager Irving Azoff discovered her and helped launch her country career.
Even though her self-titled album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's country albums chart, Hough believes she's still got a lot to prove.
"I think that you will try to prove yourself until the day you die with whatever you do," she said. "You always want to be the best you can be.
Celebrity columnist Beverly Keel can be reached at 259-8073 or beverly@tennessean.com.
Julianne Hough TV Interview – Watch It Now!
Julianne Hough was recently interviewed on her tour bus by Take Five, a news program in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During the interview, Julianne discusses growing up singing country music, explains her female country influences, and talks about the challenges of transitioning her focus from professional dancing to a country music career. We also get some insight about her experiences so far on Brad Paisley’s Paisley Party Tour.
Click HERE to watch the interview.
THE BUFFALO NEWS – concert review
Paisley pleases his party-loving fans
By Stephanie Schomer
DARIEN — Country music fans at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center were lucky enough to bear witness to a wonderfully fun show Friday night as Brad Paisley brought his “Paisley Party” tour to Western New York.
Paisley, who is loved by the country music industry for his smart lyrics as well as his genuine twang, began his set with “Mud on the Tires.” He showcased his band’s talents as well as his superstar status. As he appeared onstage dressed in a black T-shirt and cowboy hat, playing on a cerulean-colored guitar, he wowed the crowd with his talent and charisma.
Moving into “Better Than This,” Paisley’s brightly lit backdrop displayed deer head and fish mounted on a wall, conveying his country spirit to the audience. I’ve always associated Paisley with his clever lyrics and comical songs, but he really showed off his fantastic skill as a guitarist during his set.
Welcoming the crowd, he said: “Being an election year, it doesn’t matter what side of the fence you’re on, we’re all a part of the Paisley Party.” His fans went wild in reaction to his infectious personality.
As he performed “The World,” a fun and upbeat love song, he was so comfortable running from end to end of the stage and displayed such charm when interacting with the crowd that it was hard to not be star struck.
On “She’s Everything,” Paisley performed on a guitar with the West Virginia University emblem on it, further proving that despite his success and fame, he hasn’t forgotten that he comes from Glen Dale, W. Va. Displaying an energy that is rare in live performers, it was clear that his fans don’t just love him, they absolutely adore him. It was five songs before Paisley finally performed one of his more satirical numbers.
Singing “Celebrity,” the song mocking America’s obsession with pop culture and reality shows, his set displayed the words “Guitar Zero: Press Any Button to Twang,” and went on to feature a mock version of the popular video game Guitar Hero.
It is Paisley’s sheer talent, both in writing and performing, mixed with his ability to laugh at himself and the world, that make him such an appealing performer. As fans were on their feet throughout his set, they couldn’t have had a better time.
Opening for Paisley were Julianne Hough (former “Dancing with the Stars” two-time champion), Chuck Wicks and Jewel. The crowd was lucky enough to see a show with opening acts that all proved to be entertaining.
Hough’s fans from “Dancing with the Stars” have obviously followed her into her music career, and she was just adorable as a singer as she was on the celebrity dance show. Similarly, Chuck Wicks was a pleasing surprise; showcasing his singer/ songwriter talents, he really performed a good set.
Had Paisley not been such a superior performer, Jewel would have hands-down stolen the show. Though it’s been more than 10 years since Jewel released “Pieces of You,” the album that really catapulted her to musical greatness, her talent is still unbelievable.
As she performed “Who Will Save Your Soul,” which she introduced as the first song she wrote, she showcased her always perfect, never out of tune vocals.
Even if you think Jewel has only produced one great album during her career, you couldn’t deny the talent she shared with the crowd.
Concert Review
Brad Paisley
With Jewel, Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough on Friday night in Darien Lake Performing Arts Center.
ASBURY PARK PRESS – feature
Hough off the hoof
"Dancing" star focuses on her singing
By ED CONDRAN • Correspondent • June 27, 2008
Don't expect Julianne Hough to do the foxtrot when she steps onto to the PNC Bank Arts Center stage in Holmdel, even though she made a national name for herself courtesy of her moves on TV's "Dancing With the Stars" competition.
Hough will be opening the show Saturday for country star Brad Paisley to promote her self-titled debut disc.
"I'm not going to give you the samba when I come in," Hough said while calling from Phoenix. "I will move around the stage, but I'll be singing."
You can't blame fans for expecting a lot from Hough, who is just 19. She's a triple threat who can sing, dance and act.
"I've always wanted to do it all," Hough said. "I love doing different things, but (singing) is my true love."
A choreographer since age 13, Hough said she plans to appear on future seasons of "Dancing With the Stars," where she led Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno and Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves to victories.
Since her most recent TV stint, she's been navigating stages with microphone in hand.
"This is what I'm happiest doing," Hough said. "This is a passion of mine."
Hough is at her best delivering sentimental, romantic country-pop songs. "I sing them like I mean them," Hough said. "I want to do as well as a singer as possible."
If she can approximate her success as a dancer, Hough will do just fine. The Utah native, who spent much of her childhood focusing on her potential career, has maximized her "Dancing with the Stars" experience. While many of performers on the show have been trying to revitalize fading careers, Hough has accomplished the opposite.
"It's been a great opportunity," Hough said. "People know me because of that show. A year ago nobody knew my name. Now when I go to an airport, I see my face on the covers of all these magazines and I just look away. It's crazy how much has happened in my life but this is what I wanted. When I was 10 to 15, I was away from my family and I trained like an Olympian preparing to be an entertainer. This is something I always wanted and now the opportunity is here and I'm going for it."
Hough hopes to score serious acting opportunities.
"I would love to get my feet wet in that world," Hough said. "But I don't want to look too far ahead. I'm focusing on the music, and I enjoy the dancing side of things when I have the opportunity. But I couldn't ask for a better situation now than going out on tour with Brad Paisley. It's a great way to learn, and that's the thing I've been doing so much over the last two years. I've picked up a lot on "Dancing With The Stars" and on this tour. This is awesome. I get to express myself in so many ways. I've worked so hard for all of this, but I've been incredibly fortunate."
Vote for Julianne on CMT Power Picks!
Vote for JULIANNE HOUGH during CMT Power Picks on Friday (7/4) as her video battles Montgomery Gentry for play. CMT Power Picks airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET. During the show, go to CMT.com to cast your vote.
Vote for Julianne on CMT Power Picks!
Vote for JULIANNE HOUGH during CMT Power Picks on Wednesday (7/2) as her video battles Taylor Swift for play. CMT Power Picks airs weekdays at 11 a.m. ET. During the show, go to CMT.com to cast your vote.
INDIANAPOLIS STAR - story
Urban Cowgirls: Country's most handsome women make over the genre
by David Lindquist
Julianne Hough is a poster girl for country music's image makeover.
The 19-year-old first found fame as dance partner to world-class athletes Helio Castroneves and Apolo Anton Ohno on the TV series "Dancing With the Stars" -- where she moved to a soundtrack ranging from '80s rapper Young MC to yesteryear diva Dinah Shore.
Becoming a country singer wasn't a predictable next step for Hough, but Nashville is happy to have her.
Hough's self-titled album debuted at No. 1 on Billboard magazine's country chart in May, and she will appear as a supporting act for Brad Paisley June 26 at Verizon Wireless Music Center.
According to Hough (rhymes with "buff"), she's always been more "Hee Haw" than hip.
"What's funny is that everybody does see me as the dancer from 'Dancing With the Stars' who wears glamorous costumes and skimpy little outfits," she says during a telephone interview. "What people don't realize is that I grew up in Utah, where it's normal and laid-back. It's all about being real and wearing jeans and flip-flops."
Hough joins 25-year-old Carrie Underwood and 18-year-old Taylor Swift in a sorority of country starlets saturating pop culture. Jessica Simpson and Jewel, no strangers to mainstream exposure, have likewise turned to twang to revive their careers.
Country has become an easy sell for Indianapolis resident Donny Klotz, who listened to Seattle-spawned grunge in the early '90s. As a teenager, he viewed Nashville as the source of "redneck, Confederate-type stuff."
Klotz now drives to Louisville, Ky., to attend free "Hot Country Nights" concerts presented throughout the summer.
Ed Wenck, on-air personality for radio station WLHK-FM (97.1), says today's country acts capture younger fans who listen without prejudice. It's common, Wenck says, for the White Stripes and Kenny Chesney to carry equal weight on iPod playlists.
"There's no judgment about, 'Oh, you listen to country, you must fit into that segment of the population,' or 'You listen to rock, you must fit into that segment of the population,'." Wenck says. "There are no genre barriers in high schools anymore, and I think that's bleeding upward."
It's also true that sex appeal transcends all demographics. Hough, Underwood (set to appear Aug. 8 at the Indiana State Fair), Swift (who played Verizon earlier this month), Jewel (who's part of the June 26 Paisley show) and Simpson (set to appear Aug. 7 at the Indiana State Fair) don't wear cowboy hats or look like Minnie Pearl.
"There are some more traditional fans (who) have begun griping that it's all about skinny blondes," Wenck says. "I expect there's going to be a pushback. The pendulum will swing in the other direction."
Beyond pretty faces, Nashville's newest angels offer music built upon melody, storytelling and a common experience -- traits listeners may not be hearing in rock and rap.
Not to mention, "People are weary of all that angst and teen pain," says Wenck, who once worked at modern rock outpost WRZX-FM (103.3) with his on-air partner, Dave O'Brien.
The hottest rap song of the young summer, meanwhile, is Lil' Wayne's anatomically metaphorical "Lollipop."
"I think country music has a little more self-respect to it than a lot of hip-hop," says Lindsey Garner, 29, of Pendleton. "We don't feel degraded listening to it."
Paisley maintained his masculinity and recently reached No. 1 on the country singles chart with "I'm Still a Guy." Hough's breakthrough hit, "That Song in My Head," intertwines music and love, while Jewel makes a statement of self-affirmation in the lyrics of "Stronger Woman."
"When I was younger, I thought country music was depressing and sad," says Angie Hudson, a 30-year-old resident of Anderson. "Now, I just think country music is expression and what you go through in life."
Plenty of Hoosier lives connect with country music. Radio station WFMS-FM (95.5) has ranked No. 1 among local listeners ages 12 and older for more than nine consecutive years. Rascal Flatts is one of few acts that can sell all 24,000 tickets available for a Verizon show, and Chesney will perform Sept. 13 at Lucas Oil Stadium -- making him the first entertainer to play the new football stadium.
Country is cool enough that John Wade is converting the former Seven nightclub in Broad Ripple to BuckWildz, a joint where you'll find a mechanical bull and female bartenders who dance in the tradition of "Coyote Ugly."
Wade says rock will reign at BuckWildz, but he plans to make room for modern Nashville hits he equates to mainstream rock of the 1980s: "It has a great beat and you can dance to most of it."
He says country will account for roughly one of every four songs heard at the new nightclub.
"Would I do that everywhere? Not necessarily," he says. "In Indianapolis? Yes."
INDIANAPOLIS STAR - feature
Julianne Hough wins skeptics over
by David Lindquist
Julianne Hough will perform June 26 at Verizon Wireless Music Center. (Provided by Universal Music)
Julianne Hough says she doesn't hold a grudge against anyone in Nashville who doubted her dream of becoming a country singer.
"I would be one of those people thinking, 'Oh, what is this reality star thinking she can do -- go over to music because she has a little bit of fame?'." says the two-time winner on ABC series "Dancing With the Stars."
"People have the right to think that. What's been great is that I think all skepticism has gone aside once people hear the single or the album or hear me live or even hear me talk about how passionate I am about music."
Hough is finding that commercial success and credibility go hand in hand. Her self-titled album debuted at No..1 on Billboard magazine's country chart and No..3 on Billboard's all-genre Top 200 chart in May.
It wasn't the first time the 19-year-old defied expectations.
When studying performing arts in London from ages 10 to 15, Hough relied on her mother to send country CDs by mail.
"Everybody in London calls any American a 'Yankee,'." she says. "But they called me 'the hick.'."
Hough says she adopted a Southern accent for the first song she sang in public: "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" at age 3.
"People asked my mom, 'Where are you guys from?' 'Oh, we're from Utah,'." Hough says.
Squeaky-clean image aside, Hough covers relatively racy ground on the song "Hide Your Matches." The lyrics advise a romantic interest to know his limits. "I'm bound to lose all I am, right here in your arms. And it ain't gonna take much, and it ain't gonna take long," Hough sings.
"I'm kind of known right now as 'the Mormon girl who doesn't do anything wrong,'." she says. "But I'm normal. Stuff like that does happen where, once you get riled up, you don't want to stop."
For the record, Hough says she's currently single and loving it.
Hough and "Dancing With the Stars" partner/two-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves repeatedly have batted down speculation they're an item.
But is Castroneves a fan of country music?
"He is, actually," Hough says. "He lives in Miami, and country music is pretty big down there. He has my CD and he's learning the words. He's definitely going to come to some of the shows. I'll probably pull him onstage and make him sing one of my songs."
CHATTANOOGA TIMES FREE-PRESS - Feature
Julianne Hough is queen of 'Dancing With the Stars,' but it's her debut country CD that has legs
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Julianne Hough was a household name before ever releasing her first country single.
Ms. Hough (pronounced Huff) is the two-time dance champion of ABC’s top-rated “Dancing With the Stars,” partnering with Apolo Ohno then Helio Castroneves for back-to-back wins. Not since Shirley Temple has a petite, dancing, curly-haired blonde won over the hearts of America as she has.
This summer she’s traded in her dancing heels for a pair of boots as she launches her country music singing career. Currently, she is opening The Paisley Party — Brad Paisley’s summer tour with Jewel and Chuck Wicks.
“As much as I love to dance, singing has always been my No. 1 passion,” Ms. Hough said in a phone interview.
Ms. Hough, 19, is in town today to sing at WUSY US101’s High Noon Saloon in The Comedy Catch. The radio station hosts these monthly concerts to introduce new talent to listeners as well as bring in old favorites. The shows aren’t open to the public; tickets may only be won by listening to the station.
According to Jay Cruze, operations manager, today’s show is sold out.
“This is a way we give back to our listeners,” Mr. Cruze said. “Everybody is working hard, and this is our way to give them a little work relief and say thanks for listening.”
After signing with Universal Music Group Nashville in December, Ms. Hough’s self-titled debut CD was released May 20. Its sales of 67,000 made it the highest country debut of an artist since 2006.
Her first single, “That Song in My Head,” is No. 23 on Billboard’s hot country charts, and the CD has received critical acclaim.
In her interview with the Times Free Press, Ms. Hough talked about dancing, dating and brother Derek — and yes, she is every bit as effervescent and bubbly as her television persona.
Q: Usually an opening act is a new star needing stage experience, but you have just as much, or more, than Brad Paisley already. What are you learning from this tour experience?
To be honest, there is a lot to learn. I’ve had a lot of stage experience, but it’s all been for dancing. I don’t have as much experience being the only person onstage, not having a partner. I’m learning to interact with the audience, and interacting with the fans is the best part. Hearing them sing along with your songs is the coolest thing.
Q: Did you find people were skeptical of your talent when you came to Nashville? Did they think you were just trying to capitalize on your dancing fame?
It was a little of both. There were people who were skeptical, especially who had never met me or heard me sing. As soon as I got to Nashville and people starting hearing my music and talking to me, all skepticism went aside. Everybody has been so welcoming, other artists, people in the industry and especially the fans.
Q: There are a lot of young, beautiful, singing blondes in Nashville right now. How do you plan to set yourself apart?
It is kind of a blonde-dominated music genre. Everybody has their qualities that set them apart. I feel like mine is the fact I’ve had a lot of experience dancing, being an all-round entertainer, not just getting up there and singing. Being able to have that natural movement onstage sets me apart. There is a lot of energy in my show.
Q: Your brother, Derek, (also a professional dancer on “Dancing With the Stars”) sings with you on “Dreaming Under the Same Moon.” Does he have musical aspirations?
Yes. Derek and his friend Mark Ballas (another professional dancer on “DWTS”) have been in a band together for 10 years. They are touring this summer. Both my brother and I, and now Mark, all have dreams and aspirations. We wanted to get a foot in the door, and what better way that being on “DWTS?”
Q: Are all your siblings musical?
Yes. There are five and they all sing, dance and act. It’s terrible at family reunions because we’re always fighting for camera time.
Q: When will you learn who your partner is for the next season of “DWTS?”
None of us know until the week before we start training. If they ask me back, I’d love to go. If not, I’ll continue on with my music.
Q: Of the partners you’ve had, who was the best dancer?
The most talented dancer I partnered with was probably Helio, and the one who worked the hardest was Apolo, who ended up being just as good, if not better.
Q: Who’s on your iPod?
Lady Antebellum, James Otto, Chuck Wicks, Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler. I kind of listen to the newer artists, but there’s nothing like listening to Reba, Dolly or Martina.
Q: In Shape magazine’s article, you said you work out four hours a day. How do you train while you’re on the road?
I train four hours a day when doing the show. I do regular workouts when I’m not dancing; I work out one hour a day. I have exercises I do on my own, and Brad has weights on the tour. Chuck’s band has bikes, so I went out with my band and we bought mountain bikes and we all go ride.
Q: What’s your guilty pleasure?
Full-on food! I love food! I love bread. When I’m on the show, I eat double what I really should because I’m working out. People think I’m completely the opposite, they’re always surprised by what I eat.
Q: The fan magazines have romantically linked you to every partner you’ve had on “DWTS.” Is there a guy in your life?
No, I’m single and I like it that way. I’m focused on my career.
Q: Was there a Jimmy Ray McGee in your past? (“Jimmy Ray McGee” is a track from her CD about the high school stud who pressures his dates for sex and her choice to wait.)
There definitely was a Jimmy Ray McGee in my past. It wasn’t the same guy that knocked up my best friend, but there was a guy that was like that. She got pregnant and he left.
Making the decision to say no is hard at the time, but you know it’s worth it when you are a little older. My favorite line in the song is “When I was 17 I thought too much about the choices I made, from the clothes I wore to the friends I picked, to the boys I’d date. I guess in the end it was worth all the worry, though it hurts to wait, it can hurt worse to hurry.”
Q: What’s next for you?
After the tour, I’m working on writing, getting songs together for my next album. In September, Kellie (Pickler) and I are hosting a special taped during the CMA Music Festival. It airs Sept. 8.
Julianne Hough Dances Her Way Through AOL Sessions
Story by Melinda Newman
Julianne Hough knows a thing or two about being on top. After all, the 'Dancing with the Stars' hoofer has snared two trophies on the reality show with partners Apolo Anton Ono and Helio Castroneves. Even though she's temporarily trading in a Pasa Double for a boot-scooting boogie, her winning ways continue: Her self-titled debut CD entered Billboard's country chart at No. 1 in May.
In person, Hough is as charming and unpretentious as she appears on 'Dancing.' The girl next door with the beauty queen looks laughs easily and often at herself. Before her AOL Music Sessions rehearsal starts, a man stops Hough in the hall to tell her how great her long, flowing locks look and asks if that hair is all hers. She laughs and says, "Of course it is," before pausing for a playful beat and adding, "It's connected to it." As the cameras prepare to roll, she admits that even though she was practically born in high heels, her feet are killing her and she is happy to lighten her load during her chat with The Boot.
To read the exclusive AOL Sessions interview in full, CLICK HERE.
- WATCH JULIANNE HOUGH’S SESSIONS PERFORMANCE HERE –
Check out Julianne’s new merchandise!
Julianne has some cool new merchandise available for purchase. CLICK HERE to check out all of her great items, including key chains, T-Shirts & more!
Message from Julianne
My thoughts and prayers go out to the individuals and families affected by the flooding in Iowa and other parts of the Midwest.
Enter for a chance to meet Julianne on tour
Julianne Hough is coming to a city near you on the Paisley Party Tour! CLICK HERE for your chance to win tickets to see Julianne live on tour with Brad Paisley, Chuck Wicks and Jewel. One lucky winner per show will receive 2 concert tickets & 2 meet & greet passes to meet Julianne backstage! REGISTER NOW…and good luck!!
Official Rules
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL – review
Getting to know the name and face of Julianne Hough on ABC’s pop-culture phenomenon dance-off show, “Dancing with the Stars” (DWTS), a 20-million-a-week viewed televised competition, gave this up-and-coming country starlet a leg up over other country newcomers.
By the time her highly anticipated self-titled debut was let loose on May 20, Hough (pronounced “Huff”) already had lots of folks rooting for her.
Dubbed a “double-threat” around Nashville for her dancing and singing talents, the two-time reigning DWTS 19-year-old champion who helped Olympic skater Apollo Ohno and Indianapolis 500 winner Hélio Castroneves both claim first place, could very well set the country charts on fire this year with her first Mercury Nashville recording.
Hough gives off a breath of fresh, youthful air by cutting her country with slices of pop and some southern rock, enhanced by her bubbly vocals. It makes perfect sense why her largely growing fan base, which is comprised of DWTS fans and young country hipsters that are keen on the likes of Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Taylor Swift, find Hough’s record to their liking.
And, the early success of the album affirms that her CD has the right goods and Hough, with her looks and charismatic attitude, has the makings of becoming country music’s next sweetheart.
Displaying a handful of playful and palatable uptempo tracks and several wishful dreamers that are dressed with steel guitars, fiddles and mandolin, the charming, sexy record landed at No. 3 on Billboard’s 200 Album chart. Most recent, Hough earned her first hit single with “That Song in My Head,” a bright and breezy, country-island tune. The Top 30 opening track on the disc squeezed the Salt Lake City, Utah-native between Trisha Yearwood and Swift in last week’s Radio & Records country countdown chart.
Produced by one of Nashville’s top ringers, David Malloy, who co-wrote “I Love a Rainy Night” with Eddie Rabbitt and transformed songs into hits for Reba McEntire, Malloy fortifies the easy-on-the-ears 11-tracks with warm textures and clamps down on the singer’s solid vocals, pop rhythms and love for country. Together, the two in the studio create catchy tunes like the second cut, “You, You, You” and the eighth track, “Hello.”
“Jimmy Ray McGee,” a serious song about a boy impregnating a young girl, is a testament of Hough’s Mormon background and values about not having sex until she’s married, while “Help Me, Help You,” a thought-provoking track about alcoholism, carries a strong message about helping someone in need and allowing people to help themselves .
Saving the best for last is the undeniable, richly sung “Hallelujah Song,” an uplifting tune, and a startling duet Hough does with brother, Derek, also a DWTS dancer. “Dreaming Under the Same Moon,” a beautifully orchestrated pairing of the siblings is the most earnest sounding track on the record. It’s as if the two are singing to one another, expressing their support and belief in each other’s career. And guess what? The Houghs pull the song off without a hitch.
-- By Nathalie Baret
Long Island Press - Review
Long Island Press
Review by Josh Stewart
Yours truly has heard it from more than one person: "It just isn't fair for one person to be that talented." Such a sentiment could make the envious try to dismiss two-time Dancing With the Stars champion Julianne Hough's foray into country singing as mere marketing malarkey, and they have every right. ("After all, just about everybody worth a damn from that other big reality show [Underwood, Pickler, etc.] heads to Nashville, so why not?" would be a reasonable argument.) Only problem is-brace yourselves-Hough is that talented, so you might as well enjoy. A strictly pop/country album would have sealed Hough's fate, as Taylor Swift is currently cornering the market on blonde pre-drinking-age bubblegum fare. (No slight against Swift, BTW, as every genre needs content with a lighter touch.) But Hough, physical comparisons aside, has an earthier, more traditional country voice that can pull off stuff that you might actually hear in a bar. (Not everything, mind you, but the boot-stomping "Hello" easily passes the honky-tonk litmus test.) Producer David Malloy (Reba McEntire, Eddie Rabbitt) gets credit for noticing the maturity in her sound and funneling Hough material beyond her 19 years. Check out this line in ballad "Hide Your Matches": "'Cause I could spark like thin white paper wrapped tight round some cigarette/ And leave nothing but the smell of smoke and the bitter taste of regret." Had this album been an insincere side project, that lyric would have exposed her more than some of her dance outfits. But she more than holds her own. Hough may be able to believably portray a 19th-century South American prostitute while doing the tango with Adam Corolla, but you can't fake country. And she's the real McCoy.
TENNESSEAN – feature story
'Dancing' paid the bills while Hough chased stardom
Beverly Keel • June 6, 2008
Julianne Hough knows the right way to dance into CMA Music Festival — with a No. 1 album debut, a co-hosting gig on an ABC special and a growing list of magazine cover features.
The 19-year-old blonde is the "it" girl of this year's annual gathering of country music fans. Last year, the two-time Dancing with the Stars champion took the stage only to introduce country duo Big & Rich. This year, she takes center stage tonight for a special performance at LP Field and she will join Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler as hosts of ABC's CMA Music Festival special airing Sept. 8.
Hough took time during her hectic schedule Thursday to stop by a spa, but only because Natural Oasis is owned by her older sister, Marabeth Poole, and Hough was being followed by an ABC camera crew for a segment called "This Is My Nashville" that's part of the CMA TV special.
"Honestly I don't think I would be here without my family and their support and just being able to believe in myself and not listen to what people say. I've had a lot of people say, 'What are you doing? You are ruining your life because your career is set … as a dancer and you're going to make tons of money.' I was like, 'I don't want to do that. That is not true to who I am. I want to do what I love,' " Hough said.
After its May 20 release, Hough's self-titled debut went to No. 1 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart. In its second week, it is No. 3, behind Taylor Swift's multi-platinum Taylor Swift and Toby Keith's 35 Biggest Hits.
"This is my real passion," she said. "I'm not just a sellout that's coming here who's just going to have a short-term singing career. I want this to be a long-term singing career. … I'm going to write and play guitar. I'm really serious about this."
Hough said one of the most wonderful things has been the support of fans and artists.
"I don't think it's hit me," she said of her success. "It has hit me, but it's just so hard to believe that, 'Oh my gosh, I'm just Julianne. I can't believe that just Julianne can have a number one country album.' Wow, I just said that and it sounded crazy!"
Luke Lewis, chairman of Universal Music Group Nashville, said that Hough was born to entertain. "She's blessed with a whole lot of gifts," he said. "She's one of those young people you run into and you wish she was your daughter. She's amazingly grounded for somebody who has been in the limelight like she has.
"I believe what you see is what you get. She's very forthright and doesn't put on airs. She carries herself like a Southern lady."
Singing Came First
Hough began performing country songs at age 3 at fairs and festivals with her four siblings in Utah, and has been singing longer than she's been dancing.
"It's like an actor coming to Nashville, and there have been some that want to be country music stars," Lewis said. "You are sort of immediately suspect. You spend a few minutes with Julianne Hough and you realize that she wanted to be a singer more than she wanted to be a dancer. She just didn't have the opportunity until the last couple of years. She is grabbing the bull by the horns, I'll tell you that."
At 10, Hough moved to London to attend a performing arts school, and her dancing really took off when she won two world titles as a teen. But she never gave up on her love of country or her desire to sing professionally. Her mother mailed her albums by LeAnn Rimes and other contemporary country artists.
At 15, Hough returned to Utah to finish high school and focus on her singing career. After graduation, with $2,000 in her pocket, she moved to Los Angeles instead of Nashville because she knew she could support herself by dancing. She accepted a gig on the Dancing with the Stars tour because she needed to money to make her rent. There, manager Irving Azoff discovered her and helped launch her country career.
"I've been really fortunate in feeling like the stars are aligned because everything kind of worked out great. The people I've met have been thepeople to work with," said Hough of her managers, Azoff and Scott Siman.
Despite her country ambitions, Hough is obligated to continue competing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, which has turned her into a nationally recognized celebrity.
"I want to focus on the music because that is where my heart is and that is where I want my life to go. I want to be a country artist and be known for that. I want to keep pursuing singing and writing and really make a mark as an artist.
"The dancing I love it, and it's a huge passion of mine anyway and I'll always dance just because I love it, but that for me was an avenue to get my foot in the door. Everybody has their little things that they do. American Idol people who haven't even been in the top 10 have careers with their music because of the exposure. It's definitely helped and I love the show."
TV GUIDE – “Burning Questions”
Two time Dancing champ Julianne Hough sold 67,000 copies of her self titled debut CD in its first week- "a robust start," says Billboard senior analyst Geoff Mayfield. "She has the third best -selling album on the Billboard 200 list and was No. 1 on the Top Country Albums." Since the album was released May 20, (the same day as the Dancing Finale), Julianne couldn't hit the stores to buy it until the show wrapped. After singing the National Anthem at the Indianapolis 500, she's ready to swap her dancing shoes for a microphone at least for a while ; Julianne hit the road with Brad Paisley for the Paisley Party tour on June 11th. "I have a whole new life," she says. "It's going to completely change and I couldn't be happier." "I'm on this roller coaster and I'm having so much fun."
BILLBOARD MAGAZINE – release story
Hough Dances to New Throne
Opening with 67,000 copies, two-time "Dancing With the Stars" champ Julianne Hough plows onto Top Country Albums at No. 1 with her self-titled debut and cracks the Billboard 200 at No. 3. The Salt Lake City native posts the biggest opening week for a newcomer on Top Country Albums since "American Idol" alum Kellie Pickler arrived with 79,000 copies of "Small Town Girl" in the Nov. 18, 2006 issue. Hough's debut single, "That Song in My Head," continues its run on Hot Country Songs, gaining 300,000 audience impressions to step 29-28 in it's 13th chart week. Since its bow in the March 15 issue, "Head" has amassed 41 million radio impressions (5.5 million during the tracking week). Nielsen BDS reported 103 video plays at CMT and 95 at GAC.
Reviewed by Wade Jessen
THEBOOT.COM - story
Julianne Hough the dancer may soon be better known as Julianne Hough the singer . . . if she isn't already! The two-time 'Dancing with the Stars' champ and now country singer has the No. 1 album on the country charts this week. Her self-titled debut sold more than 67,000 copies in its first seven days on the shelves.
"Having the opportunity to make a record in Nashville and then getting to share that with the world is beyond my wildest imagination," Hough gushes. "There are so many people to thank for helping me achieve this dream . . . from my family, the writers and musicians, and to everyone at 'Dancing with the Stars.'"
Hough's debut album lands at No. 3 on the overall album chart that includes all genres.This marked the highest country debut of an artist since 2006.
Hough is performing several tracks from the album in our AOL Music Sessions studios today, including a duet with her brother, fellow 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Derek Hough. Check The Boot to watch their live in-studio performance.
Julianne's 330 Sessions to air on CMT
For the first time ever, CMT decided to air the entire 330 sessions of Julianne Hough. Typically they air on CMT Pure, but Julianne's 330 Sessions had received more traffic than any other artist in the past. CMT had decided with the traffic increase that the 330 Sessions would replay on three seperate dates. The 30 minute special included songs such as, "Song In My Head," "Matches," "About Life," and "Hello."
Don't miss Julianne's live performance on CMT.com at UNPLUGGED at Studio 330 performance.
Billboard Story on Julianne Hough
While “American Idol” has produced its share of stars, Julianne Hough is the first artist to emerge from Dancing With The Stars, the hit show on which she has made a name for herself as a two-time champion. Her solid debut proves she’s capable in the recording studio. “That Song In My Head” does just what the title implies – it sticks in your head, as does “You, You, You.” While the set is mostly G-rated, “Hide Your Matches” is filled with smoking sensuality. On “Hello,” she admonishes a pal for her bad choices in men while “Help Me, Help You” finds her assisting a friend struggling with alcohol addiction. Some of Nashville’s top songwriters contributed and Hough handles their offerings with the grace and style that Dancing With The Stars viewers have come to expect.
Julianne Hough Launched!
On May 20th Julianne was the featured LAUNCHED! artist. Be sure to check out her debut video and watch the exclusive interview with a Mercury Nashville A&R executive.
COUNTRY WEEKLY - 3 1/2 Star review
With artists flooding into Nashville from rock 'n' roll and reality shows, it's easy to be skeptical of a newcomer who initially rose to fame through her fancy footwork on TV's Dancing With The Stars. But in this case the skepticism shouldn't last long-Julianne Hough has been singing since childhood, and her chops are fully evident throughout this ebullient pop-country charmer of a debut. The single "That Song in My Head" is just as insidiously catchy as its title suggests, and tracks like the slow-burning "Hide Your Matches," the sassy "Hello," and the small town parable "Jimmy Ray McGee" are just as instantly memorable.
Julianne recently discussed her new album with country music blog the9513.com.
Country Life U.S.A. - Story
Julianne Hough Dances Onto the Country Stage
Two-time dancing with the stars champion Julianne Hough loves singing as much as dancing, so recording an album was a natural next step. “People will be surprised by my voice,” Hough says. “It sounds a lot older than a 19-year old should – at least that’s what I hear. People who know me from DWTS only see me as a dancer and a teacher, but with my music, you see all sides – my personal life experiences, some controversial sides, and the fun, energetic sides too.” Country’s gain is TV’s loss as the shows fans will have to do without Hough for a while. “Dancing will always be a passion,” she says, “but I want to focus on the music and give my whole heart and soul to it.”
JULIANNE HAS THE #1-SELLING COUNTRY ALBUM!
JULIANNE HOUGH HAS #1-SELLING COUNTRY ALBUM & #3 OVERALL ALBUM
HIGHEST COUNTRY DEBUT SINCE 2006
NASHVILLE, TN - Mercury Nashville and Julianne Hough are celebrating the newcomer’s self-titled debut album sales in excess of 67K, which made it the #1-selling country album and #3 overall album during the final week of May. This also marked the highest country debut of an artist since 2006.
“Country music has always been my passion,” says Julianne. “Having the opportunity to make a record in Nashville and then getting to share that with the world is beyond my wildest imagination. A big thanks to Luke Lewis and the entire Mercury staff.”
The end of May was huge for Julianne. Her schedule included performances on Good Morning America and The View, and singing the national anthem at the Indy 500.
“There are so many people to thank for helping me achieve this dream,” Julianne continues. “From my family, the writers and musicians, and to everyone at Dancing with the Stars.”
Catch Julianne on the 42-date “The Paisley Party” Tour this summer where she will sing her current single “That Song In My Head”.
BILLBOARD.COM - feature
Ken Tucker
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 two previous champions, Apolo Ohno and Helio Castroneves, and last season was paired with TV/radio star Adam Carolla. Her debut self-titled album 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: at the end of May, it jumped 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.
Hough is now out on the road, touring with Brad Paisley.
PALM BEACH POST - cover feature
Singing is first love of two-time dance winner Julianne Hough
By JANIS FONTAINE
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Julianne Hough danced into our hearts when she won back-to-back titles on Dancing with the Stars. Now she's trying to sing her way in.
Hough released her self-titled, debut country album last week. The first single, That Song in My Head, is a catchy tune about young love that might just get stuck in your head. Time will tell if it translates into record sales.
"People may be a little bit skeptical about this dancer girl going over to singing," she said. "But what they don't know is I've been singing longer than I've been dancing. And singing, that's where my heart is."
It's hard enough to break into mainstream country, and with a half-dozen young, cute blondes on the horizon, it may be difficult for Hough to stand out.
"The other blondes each have their little thing that sets them apart: Taylor (Swift) is young, and she plays the guitar and writes her songs; and Carrie (Underwood) is known from American Idol and has amazing vocal chops. But not a lot of other country artists dance. I feel like that can be something that sets me apart but at the same time I want people to know singing has always been my first love."
Getting this album made at all took tremendous persistence. Hough balanced the rigors of two victorious seasons on Dancing with the Stars, in which she paired with race-car driver Helio Castroneves and speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, with recording in Nashville.
"Before I was on the show, I was planning to move to Nashville, but then I was asked to be on Dancing with the Stars. I thought, I can't turn down this much exposure. This could be a very big platform in helping me get my foot in the door. So we put (the music) on hold, and after the season, we went straight to Nashville and started meeting with producers and songwriters and record labels. It was going really well, and then the next season of (Stars) started, and I had to put the music on hold again. But even if I wasn't going to get signed, we were going to go ahead and do it ourselves."
That didn't happen. "Luke Lewis (head of Mercury Records) had never seen the show, but he'd heard about me. When I met him, it felt like I connected with him really well. It just felt right. The minute I got finished with (Stars), I went to Nashville, and we started rocking and rolling. We literally made the album in two months."
Most of the songs on her album are lighter fare, and if it lacks anything, it's the big power ballad. But Hough is only 19, and this is her virgin effort. She left room for growth vocally and emotionally on the album, but she'll get an opportunity to stretch herself by appearing on Brad Paisley's tour this summer.
Overall, the album's a solid country offering that Hough can be proud of.
"I had a say in every single song," she says. "The label said, 'At the end of the day, you're the boss, and don't sing anything you don't want to sing.' I hand-picked every single song, songs that best suited me and who I was. That's why we picked my single, That Song in My Head, because it's a very uplifting, positive song that shows my personality. I think my fans who've seen me on the show know my personality, and the people who don't will get to see my personality. That's my biggest thing, to show people who I am."
But could Hough be too sweet, too innocent for a country music career?
"A lot of people might know me as the goody-goody Mormon girl, and I am that way now, but I haven't always been. I've been through experiences at such a young age that most people my age don't go through, or they go through and can't get out of. And so I feel like I can relate to those people and they can relate to me.
"I've been through some experiences with friends and family that have been alcoholics, and I've tried to help them. So I'm not singing anything on this album that I can't truly relate to."
Even the production of the album didn't escape Hough's attention. "It's very organic. And we tried to kind of under-produce it, not filling in all the missing holes, letting it be natural, and not tweaking my voice as much as we can. I love the old sound - you know, Frank Sinatra when he was just a tad flat. It's so real, and that's what I want to portray, that it doesn't have to be perfect."
Hough is anxiously awaiting the important milestone of hearing her own song on the radio.
"I've never heard my song on the radio yet! All my friends have, and my family have. When I do, I hope I'm not driving, because I'm a terrible driver, so I'll probably run into something!"
Julianne LIVE and UNPLUGGED at Studio 330 on CMT.com
Don’t miss Julianne’s UNPLUGGED at Studio 330 performance live on CMT.com. This features live performances of “That Song In My Head”, the title track from her self-titled debut CD, as well and “About Life”, “Hello”, and the powerful “Hide Your Matches.” In addition to her live performances, Julianne sits down and talks about her musical influences, her love of country music since birth and how her career has taken her from London to LA, and now to Nashville. Don’t miss THIS candid look at one of country music’s rising stars.
MSN.com's Next Generation of Country Stars
Next-Gen Country Stars - JULIANNE HOUGH
By Melinda Newman
Just as Underwood used television as her launching pad, another reality show star has turned country diva. "Dancing With the Stars" professional hoofer Julianne Hough is soaring up the country chart with a lilting toe-tapper, "That Song in My Head." The 19-year-old's sassy, sweet style recalls that of Jennifer Nettles, front woman for Sugarland, another country act that knows a thing or two about appealing to the younger set. Hough has already landed a coveted slot as opener for Brad Paisley's summer tour. (Beth Gwinn/Retna Ltd.)
SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER - story
People in the News: 'Dancer girl's' heart is in singing
Julianne Hough danced into America's heart when she won back-to-back titles on "Dancing With the Stars." Now she's trying to sing her way in.
Hough released her self-titled, debut country album on May 20th. "People may be a little bit skeptical about this dancer girl going over to singing," she told the Palm Beach Post. "But what they don't know is I've been singing longer than I've been dancing. And singing, that's where my heart is."
Hough balanced the rigors of two victorious seasons on "Dancing" -- in which she paired with race-car driver Helio Castroneves and speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno -- with recording in Nashville. "Before I was on the show, I was planning to move to Nashville, but then I was asked to be on 'Dancing With the Stars.' I thought, I can't turn down this much exposure."
Get A Free Download And Enter To Win Tickets To See Julianne Live
Get your FREE download and enter to win tickets to see Julianne live at JulianneSings.com! One lucky Grand Prize winner will receive 2 tickets to see Julianne in concert and 10 First Prize winners will receive a copy of her debut album.
Julianne's Unplugged Studio330 session
Julianne Hough, UNPLUGGED AT STUDIO 330 premiered on May 27th at CMT.com. To view clips from the live performance click HERE.
NY DAILY NEWS - release story
Adam Carolla and Julianne Hough gave it a shot, but were eliminated from 'DWTS.'
"Dancing with the Stars'" Julianne Hough and her partner Adam Carolla were the fourth pair to be eliminated from the competition this season, so Hough says she has been watching the show from home like any other fan. And even she has been shocked by some of the big eliminations.
"I didn't expect my brother [Derek Hough], who also appears on 'DWTS' as a professional dancer] and Shannon [Elizabeth] to go that early," Hough told the Daily News. "I understand why they did, as far as their comments about the judges, but everybody has moments like that. I don't think their dancing should have eliminated them."
Hough, 19, has appeared on ABC's "Dancing" for the past three seasons. She is the youngest professional on the show, and has already won the title twice, with partners Apolo Anton Ohno and Helio Castroneves.
After her and Carolla's early ousting, Hough turned her attention to other pursuits, including acting as a spokesperson for MasterCard's new travel Web site priceless.com/travel and a country music career, with her debut album, "That Song in My Head," hitting stores today.
"A lot of people know me as a dancer, but this album shows a different side of me," said Hough. "I've experienced a lot for someone my age that a lot of people will be able to relate to."
Hough will be going on tour with Brad Paisley this summer and promises that fans who come out to see her sing will also get to see her moves on stage.
"Obviously I'm not going to be breaking out into a samba, but I'm a natural performer and I can't sit still when the music comes on," Hough said. "No matter what, I'm going to be moving."
Though Hough says singing is her passion, she does hope to return to the "Dancing" floor, if producers will have her.
"It's just such a great show," she said. "It's not nasty, there's no backbiting and no drama. It has its dramatic moments, but not in a negative sense and people enjoy watching that. Plus, you get to see your favorite celebrities make fools of themselves and take risks."
She even has a new partner in mind for next season.
"Who's that dude in the 'Prince Caspian' Narnia movie?" said Hough. "I just saw a picture of him in a magazine and wow, that would be awesome."
So who is Hough's pick to take home the title tonight at 9 on the "Dancing With the Stars" season finale?
"Kristi Yamaguchi is definitely a front-runner."
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE - review
Utahn delivers a catchy summer album
Grade: B
Set aside the fact that starlet Scarlett Johansson's (terrible) debut album drops today. Utahns will be more interested in the debut album of another celebrity known more for something other than singing, Julianne Hough of "Dancing with the Stars."
Hough has delivered something that not many cynics expected: a charming introduction by someone with a sweet, country-tinged voice.
Her first single, "That Song in My Head," is a song about a catchy song, and the same can be said for this number.
The album, despite some lyrically downbeat numbers about alcoholism and being dumped, is a good summer album shot through with Hough's engaging voice and personality.
- David Burger
ASSOCIATED PRESS - feature
Julianne Hough sets aside her dancing shoes
By JOHN GEROME, AP Entertainment Writer
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
When "Dancing With the Stars" champ Julianne Hough came to town to make her debut album, Nashville's songwriters went to work churning out a bunch of songs about — what else? — dancing.
Big mistake.
"Each one that said dancing (in the title), I said 'Nope, sorry,' Hough, 19, recalled over coffee recently.
For now at least, Hough, whose self-titled CD comes out Tuesday, wants people to forget she's a dancer and think of her as a singer.
She's been doing both since she was a little girl and had actually begun pursuing a career in music before "Dancing with the Stars." She had reservations about doing the show in the first place.
"I didn't want to get pigeonholed as being a dancer, and then when I start in music people think 'Oh, just because she got this exposure, now she thinks she can sing,'" said Hough, a blonde with a bubbly voice and sparkly blue eyes.
The youngest of five children, Hough comes from a family of dancers and singers in the Salt Lake City area (her sister Marabeth Poole co-wrote one of tunes on her CD, and her brother Derek, who was also on "Dancing with the Stars," sings on it). She was playing bongos and singing in the family's country band by the time she was 4.
"We're all blond and we were kind of known as the blond Osmonds," she giggled. "We were known as 'White Lightning' because of our hair. It's kind of embarrassing now. But we were in these bold Spandex and black cowboy boots and black fringe vests and black cowboy hats."
She studied dance in Utah and then in London for five years. But by 14 she yearned for a more conventional life back home with her family, and she realized that it was singing, rather than dancing, that was her greatest passion.
"I knew if I stayed in London my whole life would be dancing. I'd won almost every major title you can. I thought 'This really isn't my passion. I really want to sing,' and I knew I wouldn't be able to if I stayed there."
She returned to the U.S. and began pursuing music seriously — until "Dancing with the Stars" came along and was too good to pass up.
Hough joined for the show's fourth season and won with her partner Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno. She repeated the next year with Indianapolis 500 champion Helio Castroneves. For her third season, she teamed with comedian Adam Carolla but was eliminated in April.
"I wouldn't take it back, even though it might have slowed my singing down a little," she said. "I feel that now that I've mastered dancing I can pursue singing."
Her sound is country-pop in the vein of her musical heroes Faith Hill, Shania Twain and Martina McBride. The CD's first single is a breezy uptempo tune called "That Song in My Head" that was No. 31 on Billboard.
"Obviously it's still very young on the charts, but I think it has a lot of upside," remarked Tim Roberts, program director at WYCD in Detroit. "I think it really connects with women her age."
With her TV popularity, comparisons to "American Idol" alum Carrie Underwood are inevitable. But Underwood's path from music show to music career was much more direct. Hough's situation is more akin to an actor trying to become a recording star, and, historically, those transitions don't always go well.
"Does it help? Of course it does," said Luke Lewis, chairman of Universal Music Group Nashville, which includes Hough's Mercury Records label. "She's a highly recognizable celebrity at this point, so we don't have to spend a lot of time trying to educate people to who she is — just to the fact that she can sing really well."
So well that Lewis says he signed her without even seeing her on "Dancing With the Stars." He considers her dancing a bonus that reminds him of Twain, who's also on his roster. But don't look for the label to play up Hough's fancy footwork. On that, Lewis and Hough are dancing to the same tune.
"We don't want it to be the first thing that comes into somebody's mind," Lewis said. "She's got to build a career as a country artist just like everybody else."
COUNTRY STANDARD TIME - album review
Reviewed by Michael Sudhalter
Julianne Hough has spent much of her 19 years building a successful professional dancing career. If her self-titled debut is any indication, she may have a bright future moonlighting as a country singer.
The Utah native's brand of country fits squarely into the young, energetic and playful mold of contemporaries like Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift and Kellie Pickler with light-hearted songs like the single "That Song In My Head" and "You, You, You," which features the repetition of words throughout the lyrics.
Hough, who didn't write songs for the CD, enlisted the services of several top songwriters/fellow singers for the 11-tracks, including Jessica Andrews, Marcel, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Craig Wiseman, Hillary Lindsey and Scooter Carusoe, and it paid off with an album that's equal parts fun and serious. The two-time winner of Dancing With The Stars is versatile enough to go from bubble-gum material to a Christian Contemporary feel with "Hallelujah Song" to a trip down memory lane about an old flame, "Jimmy Ray McGee." "Hello," co-written by Howard, is the tale of a conscience telling a girl to stop dating losers; it's humorous and original. More affirmation comes into play with the friend-to-friend message of "Love Yourself."
Hough tackles material far beyond her years with the album's most serious song, "Help Me, Help You" about a recovering alcoholic. It's perhaps the best country song about the subject since Kenny Chesney's "I've Been There" a decade ago.
VISIT COUNTRY STANDARD TIME HERE
USA Today - 3 Star Review
The world needs another reality-TV alum-turned-recording artist like it needs a new tsunami, but on her debut, Dancing With the Stars ballroom pro Hough does a serviceable job of channeling her sweet-and-sassy persona into accessible country fare. The supple-voiced bombshell proves that she's got more than legs.
~Elysa Gardner
"My Hallelujah Song" - free iTunes single of the week
"My Hallelujah Song" is currently the Free Single Of The Week at iTunes. CLICK HERE to download. While you are there, be sure the check out Julianne's entire album - JULIANNE HOUGH is available now for only $7.99.
SHAPE MAGAZINE - cover feature (July issue)
Stay tuned for the July issue of Shape Magazine. Julianne is featured on the cover, and inside she shares some of her favorite workout moves. The July issue will be available June 1st.
Win an autographed guitar - courtesy of Lulus.com
Visit Lulu's fashion lounge HERE and enter for your chance to win an acoustic guitar autographed by Julianne Hough. Sweepstakes ends June 15th.
NORFOLK DAILY NEWS - 3 star album review
Dozens of celebrities have stunned viewers on "Dancing With the Stars," so it shouldn't come as that big of a surprise that Julianne Hough can belt out a tune as well as she can slash across the floor.
Declared one of the "very best dancers on the planet," the two-time "Dancing" winner will release her self-titled country music debut next Tuesday on Mercury Records.
Push your skepticism aside, Hough is as good as gold. Her debut single, "That Song In My Head," is climbing the charts, and it's not even the best song on the album.
With catchy melodies and great arrangements, there's a refreshing mandolin throughout for a strong organic feel. Vocally, Hough shows a lot of depth. She's edgy and raw at times, husky others and simply breathtaking throughout.
The up-tempo "Hallelujah Song" shows her fun side, while "Jimmy Ray McGee" tells of priorities and strength. "Help Me, Help You" touches on overcoming alcohol abuse.
Strength is a theme throughout the album, which is clearly an attribute of Hough's, who seems to be someone who succeeds at everything she attempts. If she's a singer first and dancer second, her live show should be something to behold.
By CARRIE PITZER
News Staff Writer
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE - cover feature
Reality TV favorite Julianne Hough hopes to dance into hearts of country fans
Julianne Hough has already won two seasons of "Dancing with the Stars," finished recording her debut album and is a fixture on "Entertainment Tonight," "The Insider" and Extra."
But at 19, the Utah native admits to feeling some performance anxiety - just like all teenagers. "I always get nervous energy, but I like the nervousness," she told The Salt Lake Tribune.
Anxiety might be expected for Hough, as she steps away from the spotlight of professional dancing into a new arena, where success isn't predestined. She releases her first m