Actually, until this summer, when "Call Me Maybe" became a huge hit, she was mainly famous in Canada, since she did not have any big hits in the United States yet. How she became famous in Canada was through appearing on "Canadian Idol." She also wrote and recorded some songs that did well on the Canadian pop music charts, and she performed throughout that country. Carly's friendship with Justin Bieber helped her to get a U.S. recording contract, and now, in the summer of 2012, it seems everyone in top-40 radio has played "Call Me Maybe." It should be noted, however, that many talented performers have been "one-hit wonders," so whether she will have other hits remains to be seen.
Carly Rae Jepsen, Justin Timberlake, back up singer to Beyonce, and more