Kellie Dawn Pickler (born June 28, 1986) is an American
country music artist and
television personality. She gained fame as a contestant on the
fifth season of
American Idol, and finished in sixth place. In 2006, she signed to
19 Recordings and
BNA Records as a recording artist, releasing her debut album,
Small Town Girl, later that year. , it has sold over 900,000 copies. The album, which was certified
gold by the
RIAA, produced three singles on the
Billboard Hot Country Songs charts: "
Red High Heels" at number fifteen, "
I Wonder" at number fourteen, and "
Things That Never Cross a Man's Mind" at number sixteen. She released her
self-titled second album in Fall 2008 and has produced the singles "
Don't You Know You're Beautiful" at number twenty-one, "
Best Days of Your Life" at number nine (which she co-wrote with
Taylor Swift and her first Top 10 hit), "
Didn't You Know How Much I Loved You" at number fourteen, and "Makin' Me Fall in Love Again" at number thirty. In 2012, she was ranked as the 14th best
American Idol alumna. She also parted ways with her former record label. In October 2012, she signed with
Black River Entertainment. On May 21, 2013, Pickler and her partner
Derek Hough were declared the winners of
sixteenth season of
Dancing with the Stars.