Country rookie Julianne Hough dancing up charts

By Ken Tucker

NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Country singer Julianne Hough, whose debut album opened at No. 3 on the U.S. pop chart this week, 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, and eventually relocated to Los Angeles, where she joined the cast of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars."

She partnered with the show's 2006 and 2007 champions, Apolo Ohno and Helio Castroneves, respectively, and this past season was paired with radio humorist Adam Carolla.

Hough signed to 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."

Her self-titled album, which sold 67,000 copies in its first week, is led by the appropriately infectious single "That Song in My Head," which debuted at No. 88 on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart Thursday.

Hough is gearing up to hit the road as the opening act on Brad Paisley's 42-date tour, which begins June 11 in Albuquerque, N.M.

Reuters/Billboard