By instinctively following her muse, sticking steadfastly to her dream and singing her heart out at every opportunity, 15-year-old Payton Rae has already achieved the impossible, and she's just getting started. Part of a new generation of performers who are taking their music directly to the fans, this 7th-generation Texan has harnessed the exponential promotional power of the Internet to become a bona fide YouTube sensation, amassing an impressive domestic and international audience for her fresh-faced blend of pure country music and genuine Lone Star charm. From her hometown in the Houston suburb of League City, north to Canada, and all the way to Europe, Asia and Middle East, Payton Rae and her music have also inspired countless young female fans to follow their own impossible dreams. Simply put, when Payton Rae steps up to the microphone to sing, people react. And, more often than not, they respond. Payton keeps the songs flowing and the online conversation going, winning more country music converts with each passing day. "Ever since I was really little it has always been country music," says the petite singer with the big voice. "My dad has always been a country fan. Country songs tell a story, and there's so much thought that goes into the lyrics...it's just really cool." Her YouTube tributes to some of her favorite artists – including everyone from Carrie Underwood to Taylor Swift to newcomers like The Band Perry – have become viral hits in themselves, igniting Payton's singing career and making that all-important fan connection with no major management or label help. It all started with her first public performance, singing the national anthem for the Houston Comets women's basketball team when she was just four years old. "There's a funny story behind that," Payton says. "I had never sung it before, but I was sleeping with my mom one night and she says I burst out singing the national anthem. After I sang it in my sleep, she had me learn it and I auditioned after that." That pre-game performance, a vintage video of which the fans have now made a YouTube hit, touched something deep inside the singer, and her fate was sealed. "After that performance I knew what I wanted to do," she says. "I just kept singing the anthem – for my brother's baseball games, for high school volleyball games, wherever. That's pretty much how I got started." Bitten by the showbiz bug and utilizing her uncommon athletic ability and stage presence, young Payton found a natural outlet in cheerleading. As a "flyer," she spent five years in the air, performing challenging and demanding routines in countless cheerleading competitions. That led her to discover another athletic passion – volleyball. True to form, Payton dug in and distinguished herself on the court, making the top team for the Absolute Volleyball Academy (AVA), a rare distinction for someone so young. It was a tough decision, but, with the enthusiastic support of her coaches and team members, the fledgling singer finally surrendered to the inevitable. "Both cheering and volleyball took a lot of discipline and gave me that drive to get better at what I'm doing," she says. "But after 10 years of doing those things, I realized that singing was what I really wanted to do." Inspired by the Internet-aided launch of teen stars like Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift and armed with a microphone and a digital video camera, Payton went to work, posting videos and monitoring the astonishing response. In addition to her YouTube fan base, Payton's Twitter following has long since passed the 20,000 mark and continues to grow daily. "I put some videos up for my friends and family and all these people started viewing them," she says with a touch of surprise still in her voice. "It's a great way to get your music out there and connect with listeners. I spend a lot of time on Twitter and Facebook, and I love talking to my fans. It's one of my favorite things to do." Boosted along the way by great friends and a supportive family, she stays plenty busy these days between school, music and the high-tech business of keeping in touch with her growing legion of fans. But for Payton Rae, it really boils down to one simple truth. "I just really love singing – sweet love songs, songs about breakups, and songs about boys I guess," she says with a laugh. "When I'm in the studio it's like everything that's on my mind is put to the side. It's the best feeling ever."

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