The country music realm appears to have gained another self-proclaimed “good girl.” But from her quirky performances to her dark brown locks, rising artist Katie Armiger insists she is different from Taylor Swift’s pre-existing persona.

“I’m a singer/songwriter,” Armiger said. “You get this whole singer/songwriter vibe as well as the fun quirky side of me all mixed in.”

The 20-year-old Texas native grew up like many other aspiring country performers – displaying a passion and talent for music.

“I’ve just always grown up knowing that I wanted to sing country music,” she said.

Then at 14, Armiger competed in Houston’s Best Country Singer competition where she ultimately won the grand prize and an opportunity to record a two-song demo.

Since then, Armiger has spent the past six years writing new lyrics, recording new songs and opening for acclaimed country artists such as Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley.

In October 2010, Armiger released her third studio album, “Confessions of a Nice Girl.” She says her musical inspiration for the album stemmed from her personal experiences and feelings.

“I would describe it as probably a melting pot of emotion,” she said.

As for creating an original reputation, Armiger says it is common for new artists to be compared to big name performers.

“I’ve gotten comparisons to Taylor [Swift] as well,” she said. “It’s fine because she’s a great artist, but I think when you see our shows you can tell that we’re very, very different. So I’m totally fine with it.”

While the life of an aspiring country star may seem exciting to many, Armiger says it can be difficult to juggle normal activities in a fast-paced environment.

“You miss family birthdays,” she said. “You always hope that you’re not missing out when you’re on the road.”

In addition to aspiring to be nominated for a new country artist of the year award, Armiger said she hopes to create memorable lyrics and enjoyable music.

“Having good music would be the goal for me,” she said. “I would want to have songs that are classics that people can listen to years and years from now and still be like, ‘that’s great.’”

For Armiger, that goal is quickly becoming attainable. Her music videos for “Best Song Ever” and “I Do, But Do I” have earned back-to-back No. 1 spots on the Great American Country Top 20 Countdown.

On March 23, Armiger kicked off her “Get Smart Tour,” which will span 26 different cities throughout the country. Armiger says she hopes the tour will help her form connections with people her own age.

Armiger performed at the Rocky Top Student Center last Saturday in an event sponsored by the Student Programming Board.

“The students enjoyed the show and were amazed by her talent,” said Alysse Zaffos, SPB’s Arts and Entertainment Chair.

Zaffos said she saw Armiger perform at a conference this past November, and was impressed by her vocal talents.

“She was amazing and we decided she would be perfect for a show at Quinnipiac,” Zaffos said.

For those who were inspired by Armiger’s show and wish to pursue a career in country music, Armiger says perseverance and passion are two important qualities.

“The best advice I could give somebody is just to stick to it, because it is a very hard industry to get into, and there are so many great, talented artists that are trying to break through,” Armiger said. “So if you really want to do that, then you’re going to have to keep at it for a while.”