Steve Madden has already lent his support (and shoes) to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry back when they were up-and-comers. Now, he's putting his money on pop-country artist Jessie James.

"Jessie is going to be a big star," said Madden before James hit the stage at his Steven store in NYC last night. "She has her little Southern thing going on."

The lightly accented James, donning an Urban Outfitters jumper, metallic Steve Madden platform heels, and "Smurf" blue nails, was happy for the encouragement.

"When I was in middle school I used to cut out pictures from magazines and I was obsessed with the Steve Madden ads of the little girls with the big animated heads," said the 21-year-old "Wanted" crooner. "So when I was approached by Steve Madden, I was totally pumped."

Many a shoe fiend's fantasy, James was given free reign to pick out anything her heart (feet) desired at the Steve Madden store earlier in the week so she could promote her self-titled debut disc -- out August 11 -- in style.

Of the experience, the singer says, "I was a little overwhelmed when they asked me which ones I wanted." Adding, "I didn't even care about shoes, but now I'm obsessed. I like the platform pumps and gorgeous over the knee boots. Since I'm five-foot-zero, they help."

With Madden revealing that he will be rolling out a full line of "very girly, very cool" women's clothing for Spring 2010, the newly tattooed James (the guys from Hinder gave her an Aries sign on the back of her neck) may soon be getting some help in the wardrobe department, too.

Check out tour dates and James' Billboard Top 100 "Wanted" single, here. Plus, be on the lookout for her next video "I Look So Good (Without You)," which she's filming today.

"Sometimes you can date a guy and not realize that you don't feel confident in that relationship," she says of the personal track.

"The song is about seeing that I'm a good looking girl inside and out and I don't need him to be beautiful. I think a lot of girls can relate to that." Amen.