Holly White

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By CHAD ABSHIRE

Staff Writer

WILLIAMSON - The area has seen a large number of local musicians get discovered recently, with each one getting a start for a chance at stardom.

Holly White can now be added to that list.

The 19-year-old pop singer/songwriter from Belfry, Ky., who likened herself to Avril Lavigne and Taylor Swift, sat down the Daily News on Thursday to discuss her inspirations, influences, aspirations and dreams.

And like most musicians, she’s had experience. However, in her case, she’s been practicing for nearly 80 percent of her entire life.

“I’ve been singing since I was 2-years-old,” Holly said. “I was watching the Wizard of Oz and I just started singing along.”

The image of a toddler singing “Somewhere, Over the Rainbow,” in one’s mind was not a stretch, Holly said.

While she said she was always a fan of Judy Garland, she did not influence her. Unlike many young musicians, she wasn’t caught up in what was fashionable at the time to motivate her. Rather, it was her family that started her down a musical path.

“My brother, Brandon, influenced me a lot,” Holly said. “He plays guitar and sings. My dad, Oscar, sang in church. My mom, Sandra Cline, supports me and drives me to places to sing.”

While racking her brain for anyone else, she said that she had to mention her sister, Kayla.

“She sings as well,” Holly said. “I sort of got her into that.”

When the family is together at home, Holly said they often sing and play music.

However, Holly said she wasn’t interested much in instruments. Despite that, she still called herself a “triple threat.”

“I sing, dance and act,” Holly said. “I took dance lessons since I was 3-years-old with Ms. Flippin, now I’m mainly self-taught”

She also spoke of how she was cast in performances at BHS, in the choir during the Cotton Patch and an extra in Steel Magnolias.

When not performing in her variety of ways, the triple-threat of Holly said that she enjoyed participating in 4-H programs in Kentucky and Ohio, most recently having helped with a military kids camp. She is currently enrolled at Big Sandy Community and Technical College, but hasn’t chosen a major yet. Though, she said she was leaning towards theatre, for obvious reasons.

Now that she has signed with John Carlin’s Lyrick Talent Group, Inc., she told the Daily News that in two weeks, she’ll be in studio laying down tracks for her demo CD. And, it is hoped, before too long, she’ll be performing around the globe.

However, everyone has to start somewhere. But that’s okay with her, since she said that she enjoys performing no matter the venue.

“I love it,” Holly said. “The biggest reward I get is when people applaud after my song. I guess it helps that I have a passion for what I’m doing.

She said that her biggest event was at the Kentucky State Fair, where she performed for approximately 1,000 people. After her performance, those 1,000 people rewarded her with an applause.

While attending WinterFest one year with a friend, with around 28,000 people in attendance, she shared a memory with the Daily News.

“I looked at my friend and said, ‘I’m going to be performing here one day.”

And she has the confidence to do it, and said Carlin has had an impact on that.

“He tells me to change my ‘ifs’ to ‘whens,’” she said.

So when she gets there, where does she see herself in one year? “Doing shows to get noticed.”

Within five years?

“Well, hopefully I’ll be a star,” Holly said, laughing.

She said that she doesn’t want to make it big by being on some reality TV show, but wasn’t entirely opposed to it.

“I’d rather come out from nowhere,” she said. “With people saying ‘Where did she come from?!’”

To brace herself for that impact, she has already fixed her Twitter name to handle her inevitable explosion of fame. She uses @RealHollyWhite, and looks forward to getting that verified checkmark to separate her from the posers that would try to be her.

Holly said she has a collection of 20 songs that she has written, that are mostly based on: love, losing love, hating love, being yourself and religion.

“I have a couple of Christian songs I’ve written,” Holly said. “My religion is very important to me.”

And while on the topic of BSCTC, she said she participated in the Big Sandy Idol competition while in high school. Although she didn’t win, she came away as an honorable mention.

That didn’t stop her from achieving her dream. This 19-year-old is now a professional recording artist.

And how might that feel?

“Awesome.”