At just 16, singer Karina Rae is on her way to the top. With her hectic schedule of touring, recording, taking classes, singing in a band and just being a teenager, there is no doubt Rae is destined for fame. Her sound resembles popular singers such as Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez. You can even find a great cover of Rae singing Ariana Grande’s “Best Mistake” on YouTube. However, Rae is not just a carbon copy of these famous young musicians; she is currently in the studio working on her own original content. Although she’s recording and writing new songs, she claims she is still trying to find her sound. Rae admits she is “still young, so it’s still changing and evolving.”

Rae has been singing since she could talk. She began her singing career at 8, when she won a contest to perform with Kidz Bop on a stop during their tour. Cue the big stage, the large crowd and the lights. Rae recalls how much she “loved it and never wanted it to end.” Since then, she has been turning this passion into a career. In April of 2013, she got her professional start when she opened for YouTube sensation Ryan Beatty. This led to small tours such as Ashe Kids Day 2014 and Playlist Live 2014 in Orlando, Fla. Rae recorded her first single “Round and Round,” which is available on iTunes, with a Grammy and BET Award-nominated production company.

As a Lowell native, Rae has spent her time performing and playing shows all around New England. She also performed the national anthem at Fenway Park for a Red Sox (vs. Padres) game in July of 2013.

With the help of social media, Rae has a strong following of young, dedicated and passionate listeners. Active on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, Rae has quickly gained a large following, which has only benefitted her career. Rae said social media has boosted her success because she “can reach supporters in places I have never even been to.”

Rae does not only excel at singing, she has a plethora of talents. One of her other loves is modeling. Rae is signed with ModelClub in Boston and can be found on the boxes of Nerf Rebelle toys.

Currently, Rae is performing with FanRave, a tour based on social media stars looking to become more mainstream. She has opened for acts such as Kalin and Myles, Trevor Moran, Midnight Red and IM5. So far, she has performed in Boston, New Jersey, Chicago, Las Vegas and San Diego and plans to perform in other cities this summer. Her plans for the future include finishing the FanRave tour while spending her off-time working with a Grammy Award-winning producer in New York City on her first EP. Rae was also just awarded a scholarship to attend a five-week summer program at Berklee College of Music. Rae is “really looking forward to the experience” and said she’s “excited for the future.”

Visit Karina Rae’s website reverbnation.com/ItsKarinaRae and follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @ItsKarinaRae and like her on Facebook.

By Tricia Wise