Like many girls her age, 13-year-old Tiffany Evans practices dance moves in front of the mirror, pours over fashion magazines, goes to the movies, spends time reading (she's fond of history), and loves hanging out with her friends. Though her interests might be typical for a teen, her musical gifts are another story.

Thanks to faith, family and friendship, Tiffany's learned the importance of courage and faith from first-hand experience. Born in the Bronx, one of ten children, Tiffany was raised by caring parents who sang to their kids and encouraged their artistic expressions. From a young age, Tiffany's been in love with music. She would practice for hours and, before long, it became obvious she was blessed with a special talent. But, the Evans family had hard times to face before Tiffany would realize her dreams.

When the house they'd been renting was sold out from under them, Tiffany's father moved the family to Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the hopes of securing work and a new home. To a little girl born and raised in the Bronx, the faded elegance of Atlantic City held out the promise of a new beginning. "When we got there--oh my goodness--the lights looked like stars!" Tiffany remembers.

As the family toured the city, Tiffany noticed a hotel showcasing a room called the Tiffany Lounge. "Oh, Daddy! Look!," she exclaimed, "It's named after me!" Since the Tiffany Lounge was an all ages venue, Tiffany and her father decided to check out a show. The master of ceremonies looked out into the audience, saw Tiffany, stepped off the stage, handed the little girl a microphone and asked her if she could sing. Tiffany responded with a heart-stopping rendition of "I Will Always Love You" that left the audience slack-jawed and mesmerized.

Before long, Tiffany was working with a vocal teacher who told the 10-year-old chanteuse she had "a gift from God" and should audition for "Star Search." Tiffany went to New York City to stand in line for four hours in the dead of winter before her audition. Delivering a roof-raising rendition of "Stormy Weather," she aced the audition and secured a spot on the show.

In February 2003, on her fourth "Star Search" appearance, Tiffany Evans won the Grand Champion title in the junior singer division, becoming the only performer in "Star Search" history to receive perfect five scores on all of her appearances.

That same year, Tiffany sang for executives at Columbia Records and was quickly offered a deal. With her musical career already on the upswing, she landed a small role on CBS's "The District," and appeared in the hit film, "The Diary of a Mad Black Woman," in 2004. Tiffany continues to pursue acting with an eye on more film and TV work.

"I hope people will get to know who I am and get the chance to connect with me through my songs," she says. "I've had some tough experiences but I've come through it all. I know if you can dream it, you can achieve it."