Kellie Pickler Finds a Home in Nashville

Kellie Pickler has had plenty of dreams come true lately. The onetime 'American Idol' star says her recent move to Nashville is high on that list.

"It's Music City . Anyone who wants to be a country star, there's no better place to live than Nashville ," she tells AOL Music. "I came here last spring. My grandpa and I took a road trip up here, because ever since I was a little girl I dreamed of coming to Nashville . I loved it so much that I just decided to move here."

With a busy promotional schedule, she hasn't had much time to spend in her new hometown. But Pickler says the people have been great thus far: "Everybody here in Nashville has welcomed me with open arms. I just love the chemistry here and the fact that I'm surrounded by other artists, other people who want to be country singers," she says.

She got thrown into the proverbial fire recently when she played the legendary Grand Ole Opry. "A year ago October, I got in line for 'American Idol.' I never in a million years thought that I would have made it that far," she says. "It's life-changing... At night I have to sit and let it all absorb and make sure that it's actually a reality."