Not many high school juniors can say that they are selling their music on iTunes and living their musical dreams. Junior Marin Ryles is an exception. “I’ve always been performing,” Ryles said of her already blossoming career.

She realized that performing for large crowds was her dream job during a Gavin DeGraw and Colbie Caillat concert at the Town Toyota Center.

“I watched the show and thought to myself, ‘This is it, this is what I want,’ ” Ryles said. Since that moment, Ryles has taken advantage of every opportunity that has been presented to her as she worked to jump-start her emerging career.

“I heard about Seattle Talent auditions from an ad on the radio, and went to the auditions. That was during freshman year,” she said. From there, Ryles got into a showcase performance, where she was picked for Seattle Talent’s IPOP team. IPOP is a series of auditions for different agents and managers. People interested in you will ask for a callback audition. It takes place biannually in Los Angeles.

“I got seven callbacks total. Three for singing and rest acting! So we picked one agent and started working on my record,” Ryles said. She won many overall awards such as both actor and singer of the year, best headshot and placed in the top 10 for monologue and commercial. The summer between freshman and sophomore year, Ryles flew to Los Angeles to record her first album. Her three-track album was released online on June 9 and on CD July 5. This year on Oct. 12, her single, “My Young Heart,” was released on iTunes. The experience has been surreal for Ryles.

“I have always dreamt about it and now that it has happened, it’s crazy!” she said.

Her songs are not original but she does plan on writing her own. “My producer wrote the songs and sent them to me. He and his team wrote them and then I just tweaked them,” Ryles said.

Ryles has also participated in choir since fourth grade, as well as the school musicals. This year is the first year she has held a title role in a musical.

“It’s exciting to have a lead role,” Ryles said. In this year’s Shrek: The Musical production, she plays Dragon. “I basically just lead the dragon around and sing.” Last year she played a background role in The Phantom of the Opera.

“It’s [the musical] so tiring, but so rewarding. Sometimes I wish we had more shows but then I realize that I wouldn’t have a voice anymore,” she said, laughing.

Her father, Dave Ryles, was her first inspiration.

“He has always been musical, he’s been in a band since, well, high school. So I grew up being a groupie,” she said.

The total immersion into the life of a musician helped her to realize her passion.

“Both parents have encouraged it, and it’s always been there, so I thought why not try?”

And try she has. Having an album and music on iTunes is just the beginning. However, Ryles is unsure how to further her career after high school, bouncing between pursuing a degree or jumping straight into the music industry.

“I’d really love to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston, that’s a total dream of mine. It all depends on where I’m at with my album, if it picks up. If my CD picks up, I’d sign with another label and work on a new record. Maybe tour, we’ve talked about it. I don’t know yet,” Ryles said. “I definitely see it [another album] in my future but not for at least another year or so. I”m definitely pumped to get back in the studio!”