JULIANNE HOUGH TO QUIT DANCING WITH THE STARS—AND GO FULLTIME COUNTRY STAR?!?!
She’s only 19 years of age, and for former Vegas Academy graduate, Julianne Hough stardom awaits, but she’s torn between her existing Dancing with the Stars professional teaching contract and her new career as a country music star. Tonight (TUES) she’ll be reunited with her partner Adam Carolla for the finale of this seasons top rated ABC-TV show.
“He is hilarious,” she noted. “I rehearsed with him on Saturday and he’s in serious shape.” Rio headline magician Penn Gillette will also be back on the show for the finale. By total coincidence today (TUES) is also the day Julianne’s first debut album is released and she’s now going out as the opening act on tour with top-country superstar Brad Paisley who won Top Vocalist of the Year at the weekend Academy of Country Music awards at MGM Grand.
She told me: “Right as I stand here with you it’s all happening, Dancing with the Stars and my country music career. I am so grateful and fortunate that everyone has been so welcoming for me to come into this country field. This has been my dream and passion all along, more so than the dancing. Singing has always been my number one passion. I am really bad at analogies but if you think of it as my tree trunk, my base, which is my singing; Dancing is my passion, but this is my foundation. Actually in the two years I was at the Vegas Academy I was acting and doing musicals.”
I asked the beautiful blonde about her new album coming out today: “It is self-titled; It’s really just is me,” she said. “Everyone knows me as a dancer and they don’t realize that being a 19-year-old, I have gone through so many experiences with family and I get to get those experiences across through my music and I feel like a lot of people will be able to relate to it. It is very organic; it takes you back to the sounds of Frank Sinatra. The character comes through. We tried to under produce it as much as we could, to bring the raw sound. It is amazing and I get to promote it on tour this summer with Brad. I am such a huge fan and he is such an amazing, talented artist and human being. We don’t come to Vegas this time, the nearest tour date will be in Phoenix.
“I think the tour runs all the way till November. I am only signed on till August. But we will see if the producers from Dancing with the Stars ask me back. I’m going to be torn about going back. I really want to focus on the music, that is where my heart is, but I am on a contract. I only want to pursue the music now. I’m ready to give up on the dancing. I know I’m young but I’m ready for this. I feel like I have a good head on my shoulders. I have a great family. I grew up fast. I lived out of my home from age 10 to 15, without my family. I feel like I experienced all of that where I should be now.”
As promised each day this week Luxe Life will feaure another aspect of the Academy of Country Music Awards. From Julianne on the red carpet to award-winners Rascal Flatts out at their golf tournament and winning-duo Montgomery Gentry on their motorcycle run through the desert.
