"A star has just walked onto that stage,” Simon Cowell remarked when Carly Rose Sonenclar had finished her audition for Season 2 of The X Factor. She received a standing ovation from the judges because it was obvious the 13-year-old was indeed the embodiment of that elusive X Factor, that extra special something, that star quality that separates a performer from the pack.

In less than 24 hours, the audition was viewed by millions around the globe, and Carly was an overnight sensation. But it is important to note that even before X Factor, Carly was making a lasting impression on television, stage and screen. She made her Broadway debut at the age of 7 in Les Miserables as Young Cosette. In 2009, she appeared in the national tour of Little House on the Prairie, the Musical, playing Carrie; and in 2011, in keeping with what seems to be a Broadway tradition for her, Sonenclar played yet another character whose name starts with "C," Chloe (Alice's daughter) in the musical Wonderland. Although the show was short-lived, Sonenclar's performance was given rave reviews and she was named the 2011 Best Young Performer by broadwayworld.com. Alongside her Broadway roles, Carly appeared in two feature movies, The Nanny Diaries and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. She made her TV debut as Gilda Flip in season three of The Electric Company on PBS.

Fast forward to 2015 and find Carly Rose Sonenclar still hard at work.“It really is quite amazing…sometimes it seems like she is Superman…leaving school and transforming into a professional recording artist in the blink of an eye!” says her mom, Terri Edelman.

Now for the best news of all! The wait for Carly’s music is almost over. Carly wrote a song with the group Timeflies, and it appears on their album, Just for Fun, which was released on September 18th, 2015. The song, “Runaway,” on which Carly is also featured, is available on iTunes - CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE.

And she is determined to release more original music by the beginning of next year. For Carly, who is still only 16 years old, time is definitely on her side. www.carlyrosesonenclar.com

RAINE: How do you balance your career as a pop star and your life as a teenager?

SONENCLAR: Actually it is really not that easy, to be honest! I have to be very focused and work really hard. I am so lucky to have a very close group of supportive friends, a school system that goes out of its way to help me, and a family that will drop everything to make sure I get where I need to be. I do have to put in very long hours when I have vocal lessons, recording sessions, performances, and appearances at night and on weekends and then still have to fit in all the homework–it makes for some very late nights!

RAINE: In 2014, you were named one of the most powerful women under 21 by Seventeen magazine. How does that feel and what kind of pressure does that put on you to continue to grow into that role?

SONENCLAR: That was obviously an incredible honor. I don’t feel pressure from that, actually. It just makes me more motivated to maintain that stature and role. I love being able to share who I am with my fans, whether it be through my own music when it comes out, or music I am listening to, charitable efforts, fashion, or anything else I am into; if people respond well to that, and I can be a positive influence in their lives, I feel I am succeeding.

RAINE: Talk more about the charitable work that you do as the Ambassador for The Starlight Children’s Foundation?

SONENCLAR: I started working with Starlight when I was 13 years old and the great thing about this particular charity is that I actually get to hang out with the kids and form relationships with them. It is not just going and performing at an event, raising money, and leaving. It is so much more meaningful when you get to spend time with the kids and actually get to see the challenges they have to face on a daily basis. It is really an inspiration to me and has encouraged me to want to study more about the relationship between music and healing.

RAINE: What can we expect from you in 2016?

SONENCLAR: Original music! I know my fans have been extremely patient and since I am writing all of my own music it has taken longer than everyone hoped, but I am taking my time to write the kind of music that I will be proud to put out. I have also been developing my own sound, which is very different now than it would have been had I rushed to put music out when I was 13. The music business is really different today than it was years ago, and it takes a lot to stand out from the crowd. And that is what I want to do. So all I can say is I promise when it is ready it will be worth waiting for!