Outlasting 8,000 competitors in a year-and-one-half online talent search conducted by the Miley Cyrus fan club organization, the Plum singer-songwriter has emerged victorious in the “Are You A Superstar” contest.

She wins a record contract through the Cyrus organization and vocal coaching from Cyrus.

Colalella, whose first single could be released within eight weeks, was 15 when the contest began. She turns 17 in April.

“I’m ecstatic. I started crying when I found out. The whole thing is completely surreal to me, and it is all starting to sink in. I’m so blessed to be in this situation,” she says. “The journey was extremely long, stressful and tiring, but a complete thrill. I have met an amazing group of people from all over the world that have been extremely supportive of me.”

An estimated 250,000-plus votes were cast in the final round of video performances, for which balloting ended Sunday. Colalella sang a song she penned, the aptly titled, “Storybook Endings.”

“This is an overwhelming success for Amy. Over the course of the last four or five rounds, she was among the top in every single one. That was quite amazing,” says Jason Gluck, director of digital media for the Miley Cyrus organization, in announcing Colalella’s win Wednesday night.

He calls her vocal talent “extraordinary.”

“Every week, people from around the world watched in anticipation of Amy’s vocal displays,” Gluck says. “Each week she got stronger, putting her own spin on some great songs by truly wonderful vocalists, and held her own.”

The public connected to that, he says. “She earned the respect of her peers as a true artist, one with both musical and vocal talent.”

Colalella, a former Plum High School student, now a junior in Pennsylvania Cyber School, says she always has been the girl that sings in the shower and on car rides. “So this is an amazing experience for me,” she says.

It has been so for the entire family as well, say her parents, Gabe and Carole Colalella.

“We feel extremely blessed. She smiles a lot when she sings, and I think that her smile makes people feel good,” her dad says. “Through it all, she has not let this contest go to her head.”

It’s all “pretty exciting,” her mom says. “I feel once this takes off, it will really take off. She already has support from people around the world.”

Source: PittsburghLive