'Nashville' stars Connie Britton and Hayden Panettiere talk singing on screen and shooting in the Music City

Everyone already knows that beloved "Friday Night Lights" and "American Horror Story" star Connie Britton is amazing, but there's a new level to her awesomeness. As country music superstar Rayna James in ABC's new soap "Nashville," Britton does all her own singing.

Britton tells Zap2it that she wasn't intimidated when she realized that she'd have to sing onscreen for all of America, probably because she didn't think about it very much.

"I stupidly probably didn't take as much pause as I should have. In fact, it was the opposite," Britton says. "I was like 'Singing? I can do that! I haven't sung in years and i'ts high time I start again!' It's been a lot of work ever since but its' been really great and really rewarding."

Costar Hayden Panettiere, who plays Rayna's rival, country teen queen Juliette Barnes, probably had an easier time with the singing considering she's recorded albums and is no stranger to the studio, but she has a different challenge. Her character is downright bitchy, and Rayna is definitely the show's hero, so she's going to have a difficult time getting people to sympathize with her character.

"I don't want people to hate her. My goal is for people to love her and understand her and be compassionate for her," she tells Zap2it.

And how will that happen? "I think that after people get to know her better and see where she comes from and see why she behaves the way she behaves and what she's running from and the fact that she's a broken-hearted little girl, then you will be able to understand her more."

Check out Zap2it's interview with the stars below for more scoop on singing, Juliette's competitive nature and the joys of filming in Nashville itself.

"Nashville" airs Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on ABC.