Kayla Armstrong is an American girl through and through, with a voice equally wholesome and sincere. Though only twelve years old, big things have already happened for the small town gal from Dahlonega, Georgia . You may have already seen her as she appeared around the country in McDonald ads, the winner of 'The Gift' inspirational talent search in 2008. She was also first runner up in the Colgate Country Showdown, competed in the Junior Fifteen Minutes of Fame on Nashville TV, and is sought far and wide to perform the National Anthem before sold out crowds.

"I get nervous like five seconds before I go on stage, then I get on in front of everybody and I don't even remember I was nervous. It's like it never happened," she says. Despite her love of performing she hasn't become a spotlight chaser, preferring the surroundings of a more humble environment. "I sing at different churches, but my church is Friendship Baptist. That's where I enjoy singing the most. When I sing gospel, it's just singing about the Lord and telling people about Him."

"She's always been outgoing, and she's always sang," her mother recalls. "She looked at me one day at a Christmas play at church when they asked if there was anybody who wanted to sing, when she was about five, and said, 'I want to sing'. I said, 'Ok, you want to sing with the other angels?' She goes, 'No, I want to sing by myself!'"

Before this solo career began, Kayla was ever eager to get up before others, even if she had only recently learned to stand. "We were at the Old Oyster Factory and we were waiting on our dinner. There was a couple out there singing and all the kids got to come up. The lady just took Kayla and Kayla grabbed the mike and sang and got a standing ovation."

"I want someday to sing at the CMA awards and walk the red carpet," Kayla says with a grin, for if gospel is her bread, then country music is her butter. "It's just fun to sing! My favorite song is ‘My Wish.’ My teacher in fourth grade was one of my best teachers, and her husband was in the army. They were leaving at the end of the school year and she'd played that song for me. I learned it and it's been my favorite ever since. ‘Country Pickin's’, a song my Nana wrote, is another that tells about the guys I'm going through on a list. You think they're talking about country pickin' music, but what I'm doing is picking a boyfriend. It's got attitude."

Outside of performing, Kayla is your average twelve year old who enjoys school, sports and spending time with friends. "I play softball, which my Dad coaches, and I like to play with my puppy. He's a little Yorkshire . I named him Rascal after Rascal Flatts," she admits with a laugh. "I'm also thinking about trying to learn guitar and the piano this summer. I only know how to play Amazing Grace."

The behind the scenes members of her backup band is her family, who've been with her every step of the way, each playing their own part in propelling her forward. "My Mom supports me a lot and my Nana and Papa always back me up. My Dad thinks he can out-sing me, but Rascal is better," she giggles. "My Nana also sings, so that's pretty much the most musical folks in our family. She doesn't sing out any more, but just plays piano for me. She wrote ‘I Sing For the King’ and I wrote ‘When I Open the Book’. My Nana had thought on it and she asked me for help so I just came up with a few things. Don't know what made me come up with it. It's talking about when God opens the book, and then it tells about when I open the book, I read His name in the Bible. Then it talks about when He reads my name in the book to be called into Heaven. Then at the end, it says when He opens the book, will He see your name. That's the song we hope to record."

The Country Music Gospel Association provides her with venues. “We go to different places,” Kayla’s mom says. “It's fun. We meet a lot of new people.”

Kayla agrees, "It's fun meeting people and seeing new things, but I usually fall asleep in between. I can't stay awake on the road!"

"The most difficult is scheduling everything," her mom continues. "She's an honor student. It's hard to juggle all that, plus we parents work full time jobs. We want her to have a balanced life. Singing is obviously a gift she's been given."

Kayla has barely even torn the paper on the package that holds her potential, but someday it will be revealed, and maybe we will all watch her stroll down that red carpet.