DaNica Shirey of Red Lion entered the "world's first and biggest" online singing competition, and can now officially be declared a "Total Pop Star."

"Total Pop Star" is an online singing competition in which contestants showcase their vocal skills via video. Visitors to the site then vote for their favorites. Unlike American Idol, the competition's judges decide which finalist clinches the championship in a live finale performance.

Shirey, 19, performed in high school musicals and at The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center in York and the Apollo Theater in New York. Shirey won the Lancaster Idol competition in 2004 and served as a judge in the Lancaster Headliners competition in 2007. Both contests were sponsored by the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal's Freestyle section.

Shirey entered the singing contest in April, received thousands of online votes and, during "Total Pop Star's" finale, appealed to a live studio audience which included entertainment press, music industry VIPs and celebrity judges Joey Lawrence, Deborah Gibson, Annette DuCharme and Andrew Van Slee.

After securing her status as a finalist, Shirey left her Windsor Township home for Los Angeles on June 14 to work with the judges in a recording studio, where Shirey said she ran into singers JoJo and Norah Jones.

During the June 29 finale, each finalist performed an original song written by Van Slee and songwriter Ducharme.