Rimes began singing at age two and won her first competition when she was five. Like Cline, Rimes first gained national exposure on a television talent show, appearing as champion for two weeks on Star Search when she was eight. She recorded her first full-length album three years later for a local independent label and was soon signed to Curb Records. It was with Curb that her career took off, and her debut album, Blue (1996), brought the teenager a number one hit and a pair of Grammy Awards. Her label was quick to capitalize on this success, releasing two albums of cover versions (previously recorded material)—Unchained Melody: The Early Years and You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs—in 1997 before Sittin' on Top of the World reached the market the following year. Subsequent albums include the eponymous LeAnn Rimes (1999), the pop-tinged Twisted Angel (2002), and the European exclusive Whatever We Wanna (2006). Rimes's 2007 release Family showcased her talents as a songwriter and pushed her total album sales over the 37 million mark.