Every year millions tune in to see music’s next big act, but maybe the real show is on YouTube, KTRK Cynthia Cisneros reports from League City Texas

 

This one got half million hits.

 

What does that do to you?

 

It's amazing.

 

From the comfort of her pink room and surrounded by zebra stripes, 15-year-old Payton Rae is a worldwide hit on YouTube. Over a million fans and counting have seen her performances on the internet.

 

I’m putting videos on YouTube but you didn't know something could come from that, I’d never thought putting YouTube song videos could build the fan base like it does, and fans, they brought me to what I am today.

 

What she is today is mind-boggling. Over 23,000 subscribers to her website, over 40,000 followers on Twitter. Payton Rae's postings have caught the attention of Nashville where she is now traveling regularly to meet with her manager, and is recording an album. 

 

Payton Rae started big. She was just 4 years old when she sang the National Anthem at a comets game. The song she said she first sang in her sleep waking her mother.

 

I've never learned it before; she said I just sang, she can't remember what verse I was singing, but when I woke up in the morning. I didn't know that I sang, I didn't know the words, so she was like, "man, I didn't know she can really sing." so she put me into singing lessons.

 

We are allowing her to follow her dream, and as long as she's having fun and that's what she wants to do, we will support her.

 

I want kids of all ages just be inspired and get the message across that just follow your dreams.

 

What a great voice she has. 

 

Wow,power YouTube.

 

Yeah,you know, a lot of people want to think of YouTube, they of course think of Justin Bieber and the millions upon, potentially billions that he has made, but it's interesting, there are ten independent YouTube stars right now who make 100,000 -- more than 100,000 a year, it’s selling banner ads. So YouTube really is becoming this marketing engine for people to make money and of course for stars to be noticed.

 

That’s a good taste of the middleman, I mean that’s straight money, and that’s fantastic.