Julianne Hough: Singing Is My 'First Love'

Julianne Hough may be a two-time Dancing with the Stars champ, but before she was scoring 10s for her foxtrot, she was singing the country blues.

“I’ve been singing longer then I’ve been dancing,” says Hough. “I’ve wanted to sing country music my whole life, and that’s always been my first passion.”

That passion is poured into her debut album, Dreaming Under the Same Moon, which was released Tuesday. And her first single “That Song in My Head” is already getting airtime on CMT. (For a free download of another track, “Hello,” click here!)

“I feel like I’m right where I’m supposed to be and where I belong,” says the 19-year-old of recording a country album. And making the jump from dancing to singing was natural: As a young girl, Hough was a member of White Lightning, a singing group her family formed.

Today, singing is still a family affair. Julianne’s sister wrote a song on her current album, which she performs with her brother, fellow DWTS pro Derek Hough.

While she’s currently promoting the new Mastercard travel site priceless.com/travel, Hough begins touring with country star Brad Paisley June 11, an opportunity that has her listening to her favorite Paisley tunes on her iPod–just in case the “Online” singer asks her to join him onstage.

But her DWTS fans need not worry: Music may be her “first love,” but Hough says, “if the Dancing producers asked me back to the show, I’d love to go.” — Katie Kauss

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