5 ▁and ▁placed ▁in ▁the ▁Top ▁ 1 5 . ▁ ▁Page ant ▁career ▁ ▁Early ▁cont ests ▁Mal one ▁began ▁singing ▁public ly ▁at ▁age ▁ 9 ▁and ▁started ▁regularly ▁performing ▁" The ▁Star - Sp ang led ▁B anner " ▁before ▁West ▁Virginia ▁Mount aine ers ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁games ▁when ▁she ▁was ▁ 1 2 . ▁While ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁M org ant own ▁High ▁School , ▁she ▁won ▁the ▁West ▁Virginia ▁Id ol ▁competition ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁which ▁earned ▁her ▁an ▁aud ition ▁for ▁American ▁Id ol . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁student ▁at ▁West ▁Virginia ▁University , ▁Mal one ▁won ▁the ▁Mount aine er ▁Id ol ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁title . ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁she ▁won ▁Jack town ▁Fair ▁Id ol ▁in ▁Wind ▁R idge , ▁Pennsylvania , ▁taking ▁home ▁$ 1 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁c ash ▁plus ▁ 1 5 ▁hours ▁of ▁studio ▁recording ▁time . ▁ ▁Early ▁page ants ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁Mal one ▁won ▁the ▁Miss ▁Capital ▁City ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁title . ▁She ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Miss ▁West ▁Virginia ▁page ant ▁on ▁a ▁platform ▁of ▁" M ental ▁Health ▁Adv oc acy ▁at ▁its ▁CO RE : ▁Community ▁Out re ach , ▁Research , ▁and ▁Education " ▁and ▁performed ▁a ▁vocal ▁in ▁the ▁talent ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁competition . ▁She ▁was ▁named ▁was ▁third ▁runner - up ▁for ▁the ▁state