Lucy Hale looked like a "bobblehead" when she first performed on stage.
The Pretty Little Liars star has moved from acting into singing with her debut album Road Between, which was released earlier this month.
Although fans know her as Aria Montgomery from the popular teen show, the 25-year-old has always loved music and has been entertaining people with her voice since she was little.
The first time she performed was a contest at Loretta Lynn's Hurricane Mills ranch. She sang Martina McBride's A Broken Wing and Happy Girl, but isn't surprised she didn't win.
"I guess I was like nine and I hadn't grown into my full head of hair," Lucy laughed to The Tennessean newspaper. "I looked like a bobblehead, but I had always loved Martina McBride. There's no way a nine-year-old can sing a Martina McBride song. It was kind of hysterical."
Now Lucy has hit the big time and will be taking to the stage at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Saturday. It's considered a massive venue for country music stars and it will be the first time Lucy has performed there. Her mother, Julie Knight, never doubted her daughter.
"We never really had a back-up plan," she admitted. "She's never gone to college. The whole time it was never spoken what we would do if it didn't work. We always knew that somehow we were doing the right thing.
"I know a lot of our friends probably thought we were crazy, but it worked out for Lucy getting to do what she loved. It was a long, winding road to the record deal, but now she is 25 and has something to say and something to sing about. But she's always been country."
Lucy admits that persuading people she was a country star was difficult after they had come to see her as an actress. However, she's excited to show the "real" her.
"A lot of people don't know my story or my background. I grew up in the South and I was born and bred on country music. I never wanted to do anything else," she smiled.
"Being part of a commercially popular show, they just assumed I was going in a different direction. This album is a great introduction to me and not as a TV character."
The whole family will be going along to watch Lucy on Saturday night, where she will be joined by Steve Wariner and The Willis Clan.
