League City, TX

Raised in the suburbs of Houston, Texas, country singer Payton Rae developed a small following in her hometown before turning to the Internet, where she multiplied her fan base with help from Twitter and YouTube. Like Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift, she began uploading her own performances of current hits, using little more than a digital video camera, her voice, and a friends accompaniment on acoustic guitar. Shed earned enough online buzz by the age of 15 to warrant a trip to Nashville, where she landed the support of producer Brian White and began working on her debut EP. Dare to Live was released in 2011, featuring contemporary country songs co-written with the likes of Steve Bogard and Brett Beavers. ~ Andrew Leahey