Actress Yang Mi recently released her debut album, Close to Me, in Beijing. Yang became one of the most popular actresses with a rise to instant fame in 2011. The 25-year-old signed a record deal with singer Jane Zhang's record company last September in Hong Kong.

Yang finished the album in four months with the help of musicians from Hong Kong, Taiwan and the mainland. It has topped four charts across China. The Beijing native began acting at 4 years old and rose to fame for her roles in TV series, including Palace in 2011.

The small budget horror film Mysterious Island, in which Yang plays a leading role, won an unexpected 90 million yuan ($14 million) at the box office. Her debut album continues her girl-next-door screen image.

Yang says it's her childhood dream to become a singer. She plans to do dancing and songwriting for her next album.