who-is-madeline-consoer

Who Is Madeline Consoer? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Madeline Consoer? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-madeline-consoer

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Madeline Consoer

Birthday – January 16th, 1996

Hometown – Eagle River, Wisconsin 

Musical influences – Shania Twain, Maren Morris, Taylor Swift

 

The Beginning:

Today our spotlight shines on an artist you might recognize from NBC’s hit show, The Voice. Madeline Consoer is a talented singer-songwriter, who charmed her way to the top 17 of the competition show, cut her teeth in Nashville, and now is finally working on her own artistry. It has been a long time coming for the incredible songstress.

Growing up in a very small town in Wisconsin, Consoer recalls always being into music. “I always knew I wanted to be a musician. I swear there was never anything else for me,” she shared. Confidently adding, “I knew, I was going to be a singer.”

As a child, the songstress remembers having movie nights with her parents. “I would always pick the Shania Twain live concert DVD,” she shared. “I loved it. I was so obsessed with it. I knew all the moves that she did on the stage […] She was, and still is, my biggest icon.”

Consoer continued to find inspiration in powerful female artists in the industry, such as Taylor Swift and later, Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini. “When you see them out there and making it, you’re like ‘I can do that.’”

At just fourteen years old, Consoer won her first music competition. “I got a waitressing job and did the competition at the place I worked at […] I was too young to even enter, but they let me do it anyway, and I won the whole thing,” shared the singer. She went on to play her first gigs every Tuesday night for a few summers.

The Turning Point:

After graduating high school, Consoer headed to Minnesota for college. Admittedly, she hated it, but thought it was something she had to do at the time. Eventually, on spring break at just nineteen years old, Consoer took a trip to Nashville that would go on to change her life.

“I came to Nashville on spring break and I got pulled up on stage when I was like 19 by this guy that I knew, because he had moved to Nashville prior and I sang a song,” she began. Adding, “the guy who booked the bands at Tootsies heard me, and asked “what are you doing Saturday?'”

Although she knew that she did not technically live in Nashville (yet), she auditioned anyway. She got hired on the spot. “I started playing in Nashville and then I had to make up this whole story that I had to go home,” adding later, “I went back to Wisconsin for a few weeks, packed everything up, and moved to Nashville.”

She began playing on Broadway, five to six nights a week, while continuing to write music and expanding to co-writing music with friends. “I started to use social media as a tool to reach out to people and form new connections.” 

Eventually her hardworking and talent led her to land a spot at the blind auditions on The Voice.  “It was the craziest experience of my life. […] Obviously, I got voted off, top 17. At first, I was really bummed at the time. But then I was like ‘Oh My Gosh, I have this huge audience now.’”

She later added, “Now I have 14K followers that want to hear my music. It was honestly this boost in confidence and work ethic.”

Today:

Since her experience on The Voice, Consoer yearned to create even more music. She slowed down her gigging on Broadway and decided to focus on her artistry. She got a day job and began to write and record music every waking moment that she could. “I released that cover of “Die From A Broken Heart.” It did so well for me. It got like 2.3 million views on TikTok on a video.”

Since then, Consoer has started to release original music. Just a few weeks ago, the singer-songwriter released her song “Wish You Away.” “I just remember saying don’t you wish you could go back to those good times again. When you were sixteen, you wished you were eighteen so you could go to college,” shared the artist. “You keep wishing these great years away because you just want to feel a bit older.”

Most recently, Madeline Consoer dropped her latest new track, a brand new song out called “How Do I Not.”

This is clearly just the beginning for Consoer. She will continue to share music, just as often as she has feelings, so keep your eyes and ears open! “I want to keep cranking them out to tell my story. […] This is what I do. I have to write these songs.”

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Madeline Consoer releases.

To keep up with Madeline Consoer, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Madeline Consoer’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-sophia-scott

Who Is Sophia Scott? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Sophia Scott? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-sophia-scott

Sophia Scott // Credit: Alex Berger

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Sophia Scott

Birthday – December 26th

Hometown – Boulder, Colorado

Musical influences – Mariah Carey, The Chicks, James Taylor

 

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight artist is taking the country music world by storm in her own, individual way. Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Sophia Scott has always had a connection to country music.

“I grew up in a musical household. My entire family is very musical and all play instruments,” began the singer-songwriter. “There was a close connection to country music. I grew up listening to a lot of country music, and it was just the natural direction for me to go.”

During her childhood, Scott was in a two-family band with her cousins, as well as, started to write music. “I was [also] in choir and theater and all of those things growing up,” shared the songstress.

Despite her love for country music, Scott credits soul and pop music for her vocal ability. She is inspired by artists like Mariah Carey, TLC, Whitney Houston, and country artists like The Chicks, James Taylor, and Willie Nelson. “I was so in love with country lyrics and just the storytelling side of that, but I love soul vocals. I sort of blended those two things together, and that’s basically how my influences have created me and my sound.”

The Turning Point:

Although Scott knew she wanted to pursue her artistry as a living, she followed the advice of her father and went to college in San Diego. Upon graduating, the singer moved to Los Angeles to begin her career. “I moved to LA and was there for almost 7 years, doing country music there […] I was back and forth between there and Nashville quite a bit,” shared the singer.

While residing in LA, Scott kept being told that she needed to go to Nashville to write. Eventually, she took the plunge and has been living in Nashville for the last few years. “Once I got here, I felt like I was home. It just felt right.”

Upon moving to Nashville, the singer began working on releasing a full project. Although the pandemic set her back a year, she finally has that project out for fans.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Scott’s EP, One Of These Days is officially out. The six-song project was a long time coming for the singer-songwriter. “I have been working on a lot of these songs for over four years. […] I have been working towards a project since 2019.

Scott later shared, “When things started opening back up, I signed my label deal with Empire, up until that point I had only ever released singles, and I really wanted to make a name for myself in town [with the EP].”

The project, as a whole, gives fans a taste of Scott’s personality and her talent as a singer, and as a songwriter. According to the songstress, “I really wanted to have a full project, a full story of me.” Adding later, “I picked these six and some of them are vulnerable sad girl songs, and others are female empowerment, and party anthems too.”

Although currently leaning into the more fun tracks on the EP, such as “Don’t Tempt Me,” Scott shared with us that her favorite is the title track. “I’ve been holding on to it the longest. It came from a very real, vulnerable, emotional place. It’s become this reminder to myself that I can kind of go through anything.”

If the EP is any inclination, Scott’s music is only going to continue to evolve as the years go on. She promises more music is on the horizon and more live dates to see her play soon! Keep your eyes peeled!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Sophia Scott releases.

To keep up with Sophia Scott, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Sophia Scott’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-tyler-dial

Who Is Tyler Dial? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Tyler Dial? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-tyler-dial

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Tyler Dial

Birthday – October 20th, 1995

Hometown – Arizona

Musical Influences – John Mayer, Keith Urban, Sam Hunt

 

The Beginning:

In this week’s feature, we are sharing about an artist that we are loving lately, Tyler Dial. Recently, the singer-songwriter put out his latest EP, Way Back When, and we were immediately hooked. Now, we get to share his story with you all.

Dial grew up listening to country music in Arizona. Thanks in part to his dad’s career, a concert promoter, the singer often attended concerts as a kid and was always in rooms where guitars were readily available. “Country music was prominent in my life, but all my friends growing up and stuff were listening to rap and pop and stuff, so I felt a little bit like an outsider,” shared the singer. Adding later, “My dad is from Texas, so I learned a lot about country music from him.”

Thanks to his father, Dial grew up loving artists like George Strait, Garth Brooks, and James Taylor; however, it was country radio that really excited him personally. “On country radio, when I first started thinking about doing music, it was people like Keith Urban and John Mayer, who really influenced me early on,” shared the singer.

Dial added later, “And seeing people like Taylor Swift and Sam Hunt, Maren Morris, coming up – I was the guy who loved finding new country artists before they broke and burning my friends CDs of their songs. I was kind of obsessed with finding new country artists, while I was trying to be one myself.”

The Turning Point:

Dial took his love of music to the south, where he attended the University of Texas. “I went to UT and I had a few offers to play soccer in college, but I really just saw it as an opportunity to do music full-time.”

While attending school, the singer learned about the bustling Texas-country music scene, as well as, more about the industry as a whole. “I have this country radio background, but also [this] inspiration of living in Texas for four years and playing in Austin pretty much every weekend, and playing in that scene down there.”

While in college, Dial still set his sights on Nashville. “I lived in Nashville, pretty much every summer of college, and interned at studios and management companies, kind of as an excuse to be out here and started writing songs.”

Upon graduation, Dial officially made the move to Music City, even convincing his college band to make the move with him.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Dial is continuously cutting his teeth in Nashville as both a singer and a songwriter. “I’ve been living in Nashville for the last four years and am working on an album,” shared the singer. “We’re finally putting music out in the world again […] It’s been fun, it’s been a dream come true.”

Most recently, Dial released his Way Back When EP. The project has six incredible songs that really showcase his artistry and his spirit as a person and as an artist. “These six songs are kind of some of the older ones that I have been sitting on for the longest time. I think it’s important to show my growth as an artist […] These are the songs that moved the needle for me behind the scenes,” shared Dial.

Songs like, “Left of Center” sum up exactly who Dial is and what he has to say, while the title track bods wells a classic, nostalgic, radio type of song. The EP truly has something for everyone.

This is only the beginning for Dial. He is planning on getting out on the road more this year and has more new music on the horizon. A new project, possibly an album is already in the works. Keep your eyes and ears open!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Tyler Dial releases.

To keep up with Tyler Dial, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Tyler Dial’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

robyn-ottolini

Who Is Robyn Ottolini? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Robyn Ottolini? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

robyn-ottolini

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Robyn Ottolini

Birthday – July 31st, 1995

Hometown – Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada

Musical influences – Kacey Musgraves, Maren Morris, Taylor Swift

Favorite song right now – “I Don’t Go Back” – Kassi Ashton

 

The Beginning:

Today we are introducing you to a new country artist that is sure to blow up. Robyn Ottolini is a songstress from Canada, who recently signed with Warner Music Nashville. Her voice and songwriting talent rival any artist in country music today. Keep reading to learn her story.

“I grew up in a small town just north of Toronto in Canada,” began Ottolini. “I loved music since I was a kid, but I didn’t come from a musical family. It was just me who loved to sing and play guitar and do all that stuff.”

The songstress always gravitated towards music and often used music to express herself. At the early age of thirteen, Ottolini started writing and crafting songs in her bedroom, drawing inspiration from artists like Taylor Swift and later, Kacey Musgraves and Maren Morris.

“I started writing songs at 13 and picked up a guitar at 14 and just kept playing. I kept going and [eventually started] playing small shows in my town,” continued the singer.

Still, despite a clear love and knack for music, Ottolini did not envision a path where she could make it in the industry. “The thought of having a record deal only happens to certain people, and I wasn’t one of them.”

The Turning Point:

When the pandemic hit, Ottolini’s focus shifted. “I was doing music independently, trying to work social media, and doing my day job,” shared the singer, adding, “Then the pandemic hit, and I just started really honing in on social media because that was the only way to connect with people at the time.”

While using social media to spread her music, her song “F-150″ went viral. “I put F-150 out in February and then the pandemic hit, and from there on out I was posting it on social media, trying to make trends happen, and soon enough it picked up,” shared the singer-songwriter.

As fate would have it, industry executives in Nashville started to notice Ottolini’s talent through her online presence. “Eventually, people in Nashville heard of me and they were wondering who I was,” shared the singer. “I kept going and going, and eventually I got signed with Warner Music Nashville.”

Today:

Now a Nashville resident and a signed artist, Ottolini is eager to share more music with her growing fanbase. Most recently, the songstress dropped her killer song, “Say It.” The single has already resonated with fans across the genre. We happen to love it too.

“Back when I was dating the F-150 guy, I felt like I really had to beg for a compliment,” shared Ottolini, when asked about the inspiration for the new song. “It was one of those things, where I was like ‘do I like me? do I think I’m pretty?’ You have to go through this journey about what do I wish I would have heard that could have made me a better, more independent person, that I could of gave myself.”

Ottolini further encourages others to “Give yourself the power. Tell yourself how cool you are and get the heck on with ruling the world.”

While you are doing that, make sure you remember Ottolini’s name! She is not going anywhere anytime soon. Fans can anticipate more music coming in the upping months, as she works towards a collection of songs and becomes a mainstay at festivals all season long.

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Robyn Ottolini releases.

To keep up with Robyn Ottolini, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Robyn Ottolini’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-shawn-austin

Who Is Shawn Austin? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Shawn Austin? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-shawn-austin

Shawn Austin // Photo by Chris Hornbuckle

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Shawn Austin

Birthday – January 13th

Hometown – Vancouver, Canada

Musical Influences – Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Stevie Ray Vaughan

 

The Beginning:

We are back again with our next installment from our Spotlight series. Today, we are urging you to take note of singer-songwriter, Shawn Austin. The talented Nashville transplant is as talented a vocalist, as he is, an overall artist. We enjoyed getting to know Austin and his story of becoming a signed country recording artist.

Shawn Austin grew up in Vancouver, Canada. “I grew up in a very musical house, but I was kind of that typical jock. Baseball was the focus for a long, long time,” began Austin. Despite being surrounded by music, the singer was all about sports. However, in high school, he began to shift his focus to another hobby, music.

In order to to take the jazz band and rock band classes offered at his high school, Austin picked up the guitar. “It was a really good opportunity to hone my craft and boost my GPA at the same time.” He added later, “It certainly set the foundation for me getting here today. Shortly after I got out of high school, I started playing restaurants and bars all over Vancouver and Whistler, anywhere I could play.”

With his baseball career sidelining him due to injuries, Austin became fixated on music throughout his time in college and thereafter. “I dove in with everything I had and thank god that happened.”

The Turning Point:

Since becoming a diehard music fan, Austin studied different genres of music in order to find his own unique sound as an artist. “I’ve always considered myself a mutt of music. […] There’s a lot of classic rock, a lot of country, a lot of pop, a lot of R&B,” shard the singer when asked about his musical influences.

“It’s been a great opportunity to explore all the different genres and pull influences from other genres, but country music was always going to be the foundation,” shared the singer. Adding later, “for whatever reason, the country sound, the country storytelling, the songwriting process of that always resonated with me the most.”

Continuing to develop his sound, Austin entered into a few musical competitions back in 2013. “It exposed me to so many great artists. We all got a chance to exchange stories and I kept hearing over and over again ‘you have to move to Nashville, you have to move to Nashville’,” began the singer.

“I made my first trip down [to Nashville] in 2015 and walked Music Row and did everything you’re not supposed to do, knocking on every door, getting a million ‘nos,'” shared the singer reflecting on his first time in Music City.

“I wouldn’t trade that now, because I think it gave me so much more appreciation for when things start to roll for you. It gave me a really great opportunity to explore Nashville as well.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Austin is a signed Nashville recording artist. He inked his record deal with Big Loud/Dallas Smith joint venture, Local Hay back in 2021. Tomorrow, June 29th, the singer is dropping his brand new EP, Planes Don’t Wait.

The record has felt like 2.5 years in the making for Austin, who really credits the time spent during the pandemic for the creative process.  “Had we not had the downtime that the pandemic brought, we would not have gotten this more concise, true project to who I am now on these seven songs,” shared the singer “These songs reflect me as a person and me as an artist, and kind of where I am in life now.”

The seven-song project is slated to be some of the best work Austin has put out yet. One of the unreleased songs, “Somewhere in Austin,” is the singer’s current favorite on the project (although it changes). Written by Jordan Dozzi, Jacob Durrett, and Craig Wiseman, the song was a late addition that Austin just fell in love with. “It’s a special song that takes me back to that sound and that kind of vibe, but elevated.”

Austin also adds, “I also really have a really big soft spot for “Tailgate To Heaven” simply because it was so full circle to have Chris Lane on a track now.” As we wait for the record to be released, fans can expect more music and live shows on the horizon for the blossoming artist. He is definitely not going anywhere!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Shawn Austin releases.

To keep up with Shawn Austin, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Shawn Austin’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Peytan-porter

Who Is Peytan Porter? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Peytan Porter? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

Peytan-porter

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Peytan Porter

Birthday – January 14th, 1998

Hometown – Dawsonville, Georgia

Musical influences – Taylor Swift, Brandi Carlile, Beyonce, Maggie Rogers

 

The Beginning:

In a special spotlight feature, we are introducing you to an incredible new singer-songwriter, Peytan Porter. The songstress is the type of artist who has a vocal range for days, but also creates songs with substance. We chatted with Porter all about her journey to where she is now and of course about her brand new EP, ‘In My Head’ out today.

Porter grew up in North Georgia with a family who loved basketball, a sport that she also played. “I’m the only person in even my extended family that ever picked up an instrument. I am definitely the weird, artsy one of the sports family,” shared the singer “When I started writing songs, it became a thing like, I want to skip practice and audition for The Voice. And my mom who was a coach, would make me ask my teammates if that was okay.”

Despite her family’s interest in sports rather than music, she recalls her family and her small town always encouraging her to pursue her passions. At the early age of eleven years old, Porter even started to write her own lyrics and music.

“I started writing songs when I was probably eleven or twelve,” began the singer. “My first concert was Rascal Flatts, and Taylor Swift was opening for them. It was the first time I saw someone close to my age being a country singer and she talked about how she wrote her own songs about her experiences.”

Despite secretly loving Swift, Porter still did not see a path for herself in country music. “There’s a lot of songs about loving your hometown and wanting to live there forever and that just wasn’t something that represented how I felt, so I wasn’t sure that I was going to be great at writing a country song, because I felt differently than them.”

Eventually Kacey Musgraves came out with her record Same Trailer Different Park, and Porter felt seen. “It was the first time I saw a different perspective of like “I love it here and I can care for the people and where I came from, but it doesn’t mean I fit in here.” That was the first time I really felt like I could have a voice in country music that didn’t have to be the same narrative that I kind of grew up around.”

The Turning Point:

Shortly there after, Porter knew her path was to head to Nashville, Tennessee. After graduating high school, she started college at Lipscomb University in music city. While in college, the singer honed in on her songwriting talent, writing music in her dorm room, and eventually beginning to co-write during her sophomore year at college.

Porter continued her education by landing herself an internship at a publishing company. “I just tried to be invisible and listen to all the songs that were being turned in and at the time the songs that were getting turned in were like HARDY’s “One Beer” and all of these songs before they came out,” shared the artist, adding later, “We had all of Chris Stapleton’s catalog there and I just got to study great songs.”

This led to her receiving her own publishing deal offers, just before her senior year of college. Despite wanting to pull the trigger, something kept Porter from signing. As fate would have it, then the pandemic hit, which sent the singer right back to Georgia.

“Spring semester senior year I had almost gotten a degree for something I didn’t want to do and said no to the job that I wanted, so my mom was like ‘you need to figure this out,'” shard Porter, “So I kept writing, kept taking meetings, and then by the fall of 2020, I had an offer from the company I am with now, Jody Williams Songs and Warner Chappell Music”

Today:

Now with a publishing deal, Porter’s focus was completely on writing music. However, after a viral TikTok moment occurred for her in February of 2021, it was evident that the singer needed to start releasing her own music to her growing fanbase. “I just tried to collect as many fans as I could. And started giving them unreleased music,” shared the singer. This led to her team helping her create her EP, In My Head, out today. Check out the brand new music and our full review of the project here.

“I never wanted my music to be red dirt, Georgia. I always wanted it to be more mountainy, Georgia. Those sound and feel very different, so I always wanted to be able to grab the breezy, mountain air feel from where I came from in my music.”

In My Head is certainly that! The record is filled with songs that speak to Porter’s experience so far. “This first one covers a lot of ground,” began the songstress. “I think it’s a big kind of introductory to all the different sides of my personality and kind if my perspective one the world. It covers the gamut of emotions. It’s got me at my worst and me at my probably better.”

Fans can certainly expect even more honesty, authenticity, and music from Porter very soon. According to the singer herself, “The only reason I want to be an artist is so that I can meet people and connect people and hopefully make a little girl in her bedroom feel seen in her small town who is not finding music that says exactly what she, or he, feels.” We think it’s safe to say, she has accomplished that!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Peytan Porter releases.

To keep up with Peytan Porter, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Peytan Porter’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

who-is-morgan-johnston

Who Is Morgan Johnston? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Morgan Johnston? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-morgan-johnston
The Beginning:

Today we are shining our spotlight on Morgan Johnston, a talented singer-songwriter from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The songstress grew up singing and performing on stage with her eccentric, yet supportive family in tow.

“I grew up playing at these local bars. Both of my parents are in the animal entertainment industry. They are both dog trainers,” began Johnston. “They would travel and do these fair circuits and my dad would try to get me to just try to sing in front of people by singing the national anthem at these events.”

Her family always encouraged her to sing and use her beautiful voice. At the age of thirteen, Johnston began adding writing to her repertoire.“I started writing at 13 years old. Just the classic, heartbreak, boy songs,” shared the singer, adding, “It was a way to get my emotions out on paper.”

Johnston found early inspiration in artists like George Strait, The Chicks, Britney Spears, and Shania Twain. Nowadays, she still finds inspiration in talented female artists in the industry. “I am so fascinated by the up and coming journey of it to, who may not be huge, but are grinding and doing so well like Lainey Wilson or Ingrid Andress. My icons, however, are Kacey Musgraves, Miranda Lambert, and Maren Morris.”

Despite a clear love for music, Johnston never truly saw it as a career path, so she attended college in Ohio on a scholarship for riding horses. When she turned 21 and went to Nashville, all of that changed.

The Turning Point:

“On my 21st birthday, I came to Nashville, and I had a friend who was dating Brett Young at the time,” began Johnston. “When we got there, he asked me if I wanted to play Whiskey Jam.” During that trip, the songstress learned that there was a path for her to play music for a living.

“I always tell that story because I moved [to Nashville] three months later after that weekend trip to Nashville […] I usually say that Brett pretty much gave me that power and knowledge that there was a path to do it.”

In 2016, when she made the move to Music City, Johnston found herself wanting to soak in as much as she could with people who were also beginning in the industry. “When you get here, you don’t want to hang out with [more established artists]. There’s so much learning and growing that you have to do. Learning about the industry, learning about yourself, learning about what you want to do yourself in the industry,” shared the singer.

During her time cultivating her sound in Nashville, Johnston found her people. “I came here and just started to hang out with people who also just got here and were trying to write with whoever they could and were looking for friends, real friends.”

She added later, “That’s kind of how I found the group of people that I just love and are inspired by, and they might not be hit writers yet, but I believe that we are all going to have success together. That’s my favorite part of being in Nashville.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Johnston is a working singer-songwriter in the industry. For the last six years, she has been paving a spot for herself in the talented landscape that Nashville has to offer. Most recently, the singer released an incredible new song called “The End.”

“This is kind of funny because it is probably one of the most lighthearted songs I have put out. I really struggle with love songs,” shared the singer, when asked about the inspiration for the clever track. “For some reason there is a lack of substance to love songs to me sometimes, if they are a little too bubbly.”

Johnston went on to share that the concept of “The End” inspired her to want to create a love song. “When people talk about love and are like ‘I fell in love and never looked back,’ and for me, yes, I have fallen in love and not looked back in a sense, but there’s a nervousness and a scariness that you feel when you meet the person and you’re like I think this is going to be it, and no one ever talks about that.” This creative new outlook on love is both relatable and inspiring.

The singer has another new song coming down the pipeline too! “After Me,” a fan-favorite on socials, is slated for release on July 1st. If that news is not enough, the singer also shared with us that an album is coming later this year. Johnston is continuing to up her staying power with each and every exciting announcement!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Morgan Johnston releases.

To keep up with Morgan Johnston, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.

Morgan Johnston’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Alexander Ludwig? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Alexander Ludwig? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-alexander-ludwig

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Alexander Ludwig

Birthday – May 7, 1992

Hometown – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Musical influences – Alan Jackson, Lainey Wilson, AC/DC

 

The Beginning:

Today our spotlight shines on an entertainer that you may already be familiar with. Alexander Ludwig, an accomplished actor, is finally living out his dream of being a country music singer-songwriter. Despite what you may think you know about Ludwig already, we can promise you that you will agree that he belongs in country music.

“I grew up in Vancouver, Canada, but I spent most of my time in a place called Whistler Mountain,” began the singer. “When I first started to play guitar at 9 years old, I learned to play, and write songs, at a cabin in Whistler.” Ludwig credits the time he spent at an early age in the mountains, listening to country music with his family during the car ride, for his love for music today.

“So much about what I love about country music was just my love for the outdoors, the backwoods, and the simple things in life,” shared the singer. According to Ludwig, some of his favorites growing up were artists like Alan Jackson, James Taylor, and Garth Brooks. Nowadays, he appreciates artists that bring a modern take to the traditional sound of country music, such as Lainey Wilson, Morgan Wallen, and HARDY.

“My favorite artists in country music right now are the ones who manage to ride the line of, you can hear the influences from the past, but it’s a fresh take on that.” Of course, this is exactly the type of music that Ludwig set out to make.

The Turning Point:

Although Ludwig’s record deal might be fairly new, he has been creating and writing music his whole life.“I’m a storyteller and country music is some of the best, if not the greatest, storytelling on the planet,” shared the artist, when asked about the connection between acting and music for him.

“Whether I’m playing an arena or a dive bar, makes no difference to me, I’d be doing this regardless,” Ludwig later added. It was evident from our conversation that whether fans knew about his music or not, the singer would always be creating music, just as he had his whole life.

When he first started taking trips to Nashville to write, he wanted the other artists and writers in the room to know how serious and passionate he was about his craft. “I want people from the country community to just see me as Alexander, the country artist. It has always been so true to who I am,” adding later, “This was something I was doing whether or not I had a deal.”

Today:

For those who may not have already been introduced to Alexander, the country singer, fans are in for a real treat. Ludwig’s upcoming album Highway 99 is slated for release this August. “I named my album ‘Highway 99’ because that drive is really where I got my musical education,” shared the singer, reminiscing yet again about the road trips to Whistler Mountain.

“So much of my musical education growing up was driving through the mountains in Canada. […] When I think of this album, it wasn’t so much a story from start to finish, like a concise story, it’s this winding road of feelings that I wanted to communicate.”

Fans can already get a taste of the album with the newly released single, “Faded On Me.” Ludwig shared, “I loved coming out with that one because I thought so many people would have expected me to come out with a country love song.” The song is the perfect combination of fun and stellar songwriting to keep us anticipating the upcoming record.

“I wrote a bunch of songs on the album. David Lee Murphy has been such a champion of mine and he’s written on a few of them,” Ludwig said. “We kind of just utilized this rollercoaster of emotions all the way through. It really was the ride of my life.”

Until the record drops, fans can expect the singer to be playing as many shows as possible! “I hope that people love this and I get to keep doing this.”

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Alexander Ludwig releases.

To keep up with Alexander Ludwig, follow him on Instagram or Twitter.

Alexander Ludwig’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Jillian Cardarelli? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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Who is Jillian Cardarelli? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about her journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-Jillian-Cardarelli
The Beginning:

This week we shine our spotlight on Jillian Cardarelli. The northeast native shares her inspiring story from a girl with a dream to a rising country music artist.

Growing up in a small town in Massachusetts, Cardarelli fell in love with country music at an early age. “My grandfather is the one who kind of got me into country music,” begins the songstress. “He was stationed in Georgia during World War II and brought his newfound love of country music back home with him. […] That’s kind of how I fell in love with the storytelling of country music.”

Cardarelli began voice lessons in elementary school, sharing that she knew she wanted to be a country music singer at the early age of five years old. “I started taking voice lessons at a young age, but it wasn’t until high school that I realized the business around it and realized it could be a real thing.” During high school, she found herself performing as much as possible.

“I had a band in high school, and we would play all the fairs up in the northeast. […] Any opportunity, I had to play, I played it,” adding later, “I fell in love with performing.”

The songstress recalls falling in love with the strong female country singers on the radio, such as Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and Reba. Cardarelli also shared a love for artists like Johnny Cash and George Strait. “The females back in the 90s and early 2000s really influenced my artistry. Also, Elvis Presley was probably my biggest influence as a performer,” she later added.

The Turning Point:

After a two-year stint at Providence College in Rhode Island, Cardarelli transferred to Belmont University in Nashville “I fell in love with Nashville, and knew that was where I needed to be to make music happen full time,” shared the singer-songwriter.

“My major was communications and PR. I interned down here for a lot of music companies, and I got to be hands-on in the business. It really let me immerse myself in the music industry.” This experience allowed Cardarelli to really make a name for herself in music city, all while networking the entire time.

During college and thereafter, the singer continued to make music. She has been blazing her own path ever since.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Cardarelli released her self-titled EP in April of this year. The six-song project is full of music for the country music lover. With roots firm in her love for the traditional country music sound, the songstress adds her own confident stamp to each of the songs on the record. “All of the songs have a confidence about them. […] Even the heartbreak songs.”

“We had to listen through all these songs to figure out what will make the most cohesive story […] I tried to pick six songs that really represented me as an artist, and told the story I wanted to tell,” shared the singer.

One of the standout songs on the record is a duet with Charles Esten called “Strong.” “Strong was a song I never thought I would release. I wrote it with Charles Esten,” began Cardarelli. “We met at a St. Jude’s charity golf tournament. […] We were just sitting and talking and I started talking about my mom, and said she’s so strong, she’s been battling cancer for years.”

The song was so personal to the singer that she thought about always keeping it for herself. “It was so personal. It was so vulnerable for me to get to that place,” shared the singer. Eventually, she came to the realization, “Music is so healing. If it can help one person, I think it needs to go on the project.”

As if the EP is not exciting enough, Cardarelli let us know that more new music is on the horizon, most likely coming this fall. Until then, fans can catch the songstress on the road!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Jillian Cardarelli releases.

To keep up with Jillian Cardarelli, follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Jillian Cardarelli’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

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Who Is Canaan Cox? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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Who is Canaan Cox? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…

who-is-canaan-cox

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Canaan Cox

Birthday – November 20, 1989

Hometown – Henderson, North Carolina

Musical influences – Michael Jackson, Hanson, Gavin DeGraw

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight shines on a talented and energetic artist, Canaan Cox. The singer-songwriter is a force to be reckoned with. He’s an actor, singer, dancer, writer, and even goes as far as producing, directing, and editing for his music videos.

Growing up in Henderson, North Carolina, Cox was born into a fairly musical family. “I was kind of surrounded by music. My mom and dad, they both play and write,” began the singer. “My grandma played piano in church and I would always sing, and my degree is in musical theater.”

According to Cox, he grew up listening to all different sorts of musical genres. “I remember the first CD I ever bought was a Michael Jackson CD, which is completely odd, like we were playing bluegrass,” shared the singer. “It was a huge different melting pot of music because there was so many of us,” added Cox, when talking about his big family of siblings.

Cox credits his parents for introducing him to artists like Conway Twitty and Lynyrd Skynyrd. “I grew up in country music and in the Carolinas and in the mountains, I don’t think you ever get over that being in your roots.”

Despite that, he gravitated towards pop himself. “Hanson is still to this day one of my favorite bands. Me personally, I was latching on to the more high-energy pop kind of stuff. Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Whitney [Houston].”

The Turning Point:

Cox took his love for music, and made a career out of it. After going to college for musical theater and writing while there, the singer pursed both acting and singing in new ways “After college, I got a job at theme parks, performing at Six Flags out in Texas. It was kind of a mix of acting and singing. I always knew I wanted to move to Nashville even then.”

Still, Cox did not make the move to music city. “There was always this love and desire to get to Nashville, but it was kind of  like I’ll get there when I’m ready.” While working on cruise ships, early on, Cox met someone who encouraged him to continue to pursue his dreams.

“I met a very, very famous person’s manager on one of the cruise ships. […] We became friends and he was like my only advice to you right now is, ‘you gotta move to Nashville,” shared the singer. “That always stuck with me.”

Flash forward three years after performing on cruise ships, Cox finally made the move to Music City.

Today:

Now, Cox takes his talent and knowledge of musical theatre to create music that is all his own. His pop-country sound is laced throughout his entire catalog of music. The singer recently started sharing songs off his self-titled EP. So far, fans can listen to, “As You Leave,” “J.O.Y.,” and “Wish.”

The latter two are both high-energy and fun songs that any music lover will fall in love with. Cox shared with us how “J.O.Y.,” came about during our conversation. “The acronym happened by accident. I had the idea of “Jokes On You,” began the singer. “I was dating a girl for a long time and she left me for another dude, and the next girl I started dating after her, is now my wife.”

Cox continued,“I started just writing this whole thing about ‘ wow I’m great, what a perfect situation that happened.’ If I hadn’t gone through that, I wouldn’t be where I am, not with my wife and my child.” The acronym worked out as a happy accident as well. Similarly, “Wish” is another optimistic song, a type of song we need during today’s day and age.

Fans can anticipate the final song dropping soon and even more music after that. Stay tuned!

Connect:

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Canaan Cox releases.

To keep up with Canaan Cox, follow him on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or Twitter.

Canaan Cox’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.