Determined Tulsan Charting Her Own Path To Stardom

Have you ever given everything you've got to make a dream come true? If so, you know it can be a thrilling and painful ride.

A young Tulsa girl is in Nashville shooting for the stars. Even in a city built on dreams, Adley Stump's story has the makings of a fairy tale.

She appeared on The Voice, where she was chosen as a finalist by country music star Blake Shelton.

"There is hardly one public place I've gone to that someone hasn't recognized me," Adley said.

Eighteen months ago, Adley had never publicly performed as a singer.

"In high school I tried out for a musical once," she said. "It was an 8 person musical, and I got cast as the mute in the musical."

But in her senior year at OSU she took a dare at an audition, and it changed her life.

"They gave me the solo and I won an award with it," Adley said. "I felt like this little torch light up."

That torch carried her to clubs in Stillwater where she was soon packing the house.

Her mom posted a video on Facebook, and then came a series of remarkable events: the video caught the eye of an investor in Nashville.

"He said, ‘I believe in you. And I see something special here,'" she said, "'and if you move to Nashville, I'll back you.'"

And just a few months later, Adley learned that out of tens of thousands of hopefuls she'd made the final cut of 48 contestants on The Voice.

She packed her bags again; this time headed for LA where she would spend the next two and half months preparing for the show.

"I've had to learn really quickly who I am," she said. "What do I want people to know about me? And am I going to be proud of that?"

If you watched The Voice, you know what happened next. Adley dueled with 17-year-old competitor Raelynn. Blake Shelton chose Raelynn as the winner.

Like many others, Adley was stunned.

"At the end of that battle, I thought it would go in my favor," she said. "I wasn't expecting that."

But it turns out that behind the blue eyes, blond curls and bling -- lies a solid core of determination.

Adley returned to Nashville, signed a record contract and is shooting the final segment of what she hopes will soon be a nationally broadcast reality show.

The premise of the show, which she calls "getting stumped," centers on random acts of kindness.

Today, Adley is giving a Nashville mother of 6 a day to herself while she fills in as chauffeur, teacher, gymnast, music instructor and general entertainer.

Adley Stump has taken more than one tumble in these past 18 months. But in chasing her dream, she's also found moments of glory -- like her homecoming last month at Tulsa's Bishop Kelly High School.

Just a few years ago, Adley was a kid in the stands, now she's shooting for the stars. And come what may, she plans to give it everything she's got.