Julianne Hough (pronounced huff) (born July 20, 1988) is an American professional ballroom dancer and country music singer. She is most-widely known for her repeated appearances on ABC's program, Dancing with the Stars, which she won twice. She earned a Creative Arts Primetime Emmy nomination in 2007 for her choreography. ABC's 20/20 called her one of the "very best dancers on the planet." Julianne's brother, Derek Hough, is also on Dancing with the Stars. Hough was signed to Mercury Nashville Records in December 2007. Her self-titled debut album was released May 20, 2008, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Country Album chart and #3 on the Billboard 200. This season Hough was partnered with Cody Linley.Julianne Hough's first country music single "Will You Dance With Me" was released to iTunes and Wal-Mart in May 2007 to raise money for the American Red Cross. The song peaked at #100 on the Billboard Pop 100 chart. She later signed with Universal Music Group Nashville.
Her self-titled debut album was recorded in Nashville and produced by David Malloy, who has worked with Reba McEntire, Eddie Rabbitt, among others. Hough's album, which met with mixed reviews, debuted at #1 on the Top Country Albums chart on May 31, and also peaked at #3 on the Billboard 200. Hough's second single, and the first to be released to country radio, "That Song in My Head" debuted on the Country charts in March.
Julianne Hough joined Brad Paisley's 2008 Tour, along with Jewel and Chuck Wicks. Hough, Paisley and Willie Nelson appear in the video for the Snoop Dogg song "My Medicine".
Later in 2008, Julianne Hough released an EP of Christmas music entitled Sounds of the Season: The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection, which is available exclusively at Target stores.
On November 18, she performed her second single "My Hallelujah Song" at Dancing With the Stars, with her brother, Derek Hough, Mark Ballas and Lacey Schwimmer dancing. She also was eliminated off the show, being in 4th place.
She can also be heard singing and seen dancing a country music styled Juicy Fruit gum commercial.