who-is-colin-stough

Who is Colin Stough? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-colin-stough

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Colin Stough
Birthdate – 07/28/2004
Hometown – Gattman, Mississippi
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Lynyrd Skynyrd, Chris Stapleton, The Allman Brothers, Marcus King, Stevie Ray Vaughan
Label – 19 Recordings/BMG
Current Single – “Til the Day One Does” // as of date of article: 12/26/2023

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight shines on an artist that has already won the hearts of America. Colin Stough graced our television screens on the hit show American Idol, earning third place during his season. Today, he is continuing to build his fanbase with brand new music. We caught up with the singer about what he is doing, where he’s been, and where he’s going.

“I come from a small town in Mississippi,” began Stough. “I grew up living the life – raising hell, hanging out, just a regular guy around there, and I picked up music at a young age. I started doing it for fun, and it turned into a way to cope, so I just kind of rolled with it that way.”

Throughout his childhood, Stough believed in working hard and remembering your roots. These notions are evident today in his music too. He recalls loving music and listening to artists that span different music genres.

“I was listening to everything from Tupac to George Jones and people like that,” shared the singer. Adding, “I definitely have a lot of country influences. My mains were probably like Hendricks, Skynyrd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and definitely people like that. In today’s world, I jam out to a little bit of everything like Marcus King and Luke Combs.”

Despite loving music, he never in a million years thought it would be a reality for him. “It was always a dream of mine, but I never thought it would come through where I’m from.”

The Turning Point:

At just eighteen years old, Stough’s mother convinced him to audition for American Idol. “My mom signed me up for Idol, and I went on to do that. Stough impressed all three judges, during his audition, singing an emotive cover of the Lynyrd Skynryd song, “Simple Man.” His incredible vocal tone and heart proved his staying power from day one.

The singer-songwriter ended up earning third place on the competitive show. “It was definitely a good experience. After auditions, I was a little on edge, having to live in Los Angeles for a little bit,” he shared. Adding, “It took a lot of getting used to, but all and all, I can’t be more blessed with the support and the platform, and what that network has given me.”

Right after the show ended, Stough made the move to Nashville. “I got off the show, moved to Nashville, signed some deals, and am just living the dream now.” However, it was important for him to start releasing music as soon as possible, and to not get lost in the sea of talent in Music City.

“I told my team, I’m a worker, I’m a workhorse that’s what I was raised to do, that’s what I was born to do, work my ass off […]. My team put it together and they’re a huge inspiration, but I really think me stepping up kind of kept the ball rolling and kept my career moving in a fast pace.”

Today:

Flash toward to today, Stough wasted no time cranking out new music. American Idol wrapped in May of 2023, and by October, the singer released his brand new, debut EP, Promiseland. With six incredible songs, the singer showcases his talent both as a singer and as a songwriter across the entire record.

“I’m in a writing session a lot of the time. If I’m not on the road, I’m in sessions and stuff in Nashville. […] My thing as an artist and stuff is that I want to tell my story. That’s kind of always been the look at it that I had,” shared Stough, when asked about his writing prowess on the project.

While all of the songs are true hits, our personal favorite on the record is a song called, “Lonely Hour.” “When the idea first came about, I had made it to like top 12 on the show,” shared Stough. ” I was sitting there, and I was with a buddy, and he left and whatnot, and I was sitting there, and I was like “man this hotel is lonely.” […] It was probably like 2 in the morning and I grabbed my guitar and starting playing a few chords. I kept hearing that “I’m in a lonely hour.” I kept hearing that melody. I put the chorus together and a little bit of the verses, Then, when we got to Nashville and we were talking ideas and whatnot, we finished ironing it out and writing it, and bam it was on the EP.”

Other standouts on the project are “‘Til The Day One Does” and “If Not For Me.” Both songs evoke meaning, story, and honesty. Stough is the real deal, and we are excited to see what he has coming down the pipeline next for 2024. “We just announced some tour dates with one of my good buddies, Chase Matthew, and we’ve got some more new songs rolling, so keep your ears open and 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 Colin Stough releases.

To keep up with Colin Stough, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Colin Stough’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 Bryce Leatherwood? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-bryce-leatherwood

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Bryce Leatherwood
Birthdate – 2/3/2000
Hometown – Woodstock, Georgia
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Conway Twitty, The Allman Brothers, Tim McGraw
Label – Republic Records
Current Single – “The Finger” // as of date of article: 12/18/2023

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight sines on an artist that you may recognize! Bryce Leatherwood, recent winner of the hit show, The Voice chatted with us all about his upbringing, his time on The Voice, and what fans can expect coming into 2024.

“I’m from Woodstock, Georgia. I grew up in a small little town and got to experience the best of country and the outdoors, and country music through my grandfather, who lived in Macon, Georgia,” began the singer-songwriter. “He had a farm down there, and I worked the summers there with him. He was my biggest hero and I got to learn the best of Conway Twitty, Merle Haggard, George Jones, and that’s where I grew up. It really shaped me and made me a respectful southern gentleman.”

Leatherwood took a liking to traditional greats of country music at an early age, but he also appreciated country and rock artists that his father introduced him to. My father was a big country music fan,” shared the singer, “I was raised on Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, artists like that, and besides country music, Southern Rock & Roll. My father’s a big Lynyrd Skynyrd  fan. […] I found southern rock to be as much of a love for me as country music.” Additionally, the singer recalls falling in love with Chris Stapleton’s Traveller album, mentioning Stapleton as one of his influences as well.

The rising artist still finds ways to infuse the country and southern rock sound into the music he loves and creates today. “I think country music and Rock & Roll share very similar qualities, and it was a great time to grow up as a kid and have an old soul.”

The Turning Point:

Despite loving music at an early age, Leatherwood did not see it as a potential future until college. “I always saw music as an escape from the real world. Growing up, I never really showed my talent. In high school, I thought I had to be a tough nose guy, and didn’t do any music,” he shared.  “When I moved to college at Georgia Southern University, I figured out quickly that I could drink for free and get paid to sing, so I decided to pick it back up, and I made a little career out of it down there and earned my stripes.”

As he garnered fans and honed in on his talent, Leatherwood knew that country music was in his future. After auditioning for the 22nd season of the hit show, The Voice, the singer appeared to be living in his purpose. He went on to win the show, and secured himself a record deal.

“I went out there and I stuck out pretty well, ya know the redneck with an accent […] It was a long, tough experience, it was hard being away from home and what you know for so long,” he shared. Adding, “Getting to perform for millions of people every Monday, Tuesday night, it was a very, very cool experience, getting to inspire so many people. […] It was truly a life-changing experience and thanks to that show, I get to do what I do professionally.”

Immediately after the show, Leatherwood made the move to Nashville, Tennessee. “After leaving the show, I moved directly up here to Nashville after Christmas and slept on a couch for five months. I finally got a room up here in July. […] I was writing songs Monday to Friday over here at SONY,” shared the singer. “I’ve just been making waves here. I’ve gotten some songs that I have written. I’ve written over 75 songs this year and kept busy writing and growing my catalog. I’ve also gotten the opportunity to pitch songs for artists who are even bigger than me.”

Today:

Now, Leatherwood is emerging a recording artist and entertainer. In just one year, the singer has garnered praise from both country music fans and the industry. Earlier this year, the singer shared his major-label debut song, “The Finger.” “For how much I’ve written, there’s sometimes songs that you hear that you’re given the opportunity to cut that just say ‘that’s me, that’s exactly who I am.’ I’m always going to put music out there that’s me. I’m never going to shy away from that.”

While Leatherwood didn’t pen the song, the track is the perfect example of the type of music that the singer wants to share and showcase with his growing fanbase. “I was like ‘that’s my song’,” shared the singer upon hearing the song for the first time.

For Leatherwood, it is important that his music speaks to his experiences, as well as, cultivates a feeling in his listeners. While 2023 was a monumental year for Leatherwood in a lot of ways behind the scenes, 2024 is slating to be a year to remember for the singer, who promises that there is much more coming down the pipeline next year. “2024 is going to be a big year for me. We’ve got some things in the works.”

Stay tuned and keep your eyes and ears open for more from Leatherwood!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Bryce Leatherwood, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Bryce Leatherwood’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-tanner-usrey

Who is Tanner Usrey? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-tanner-usrey

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Tanner Usrey
Birthdate – March 11th
Hometown – Prosper, Texas
Current City – Texas
Musical Influences – Whiskey Myers, Faces, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Wade Bowen
Label – Atlantic Records
Current Project – Crossing Lines (as of date of article: 12/11/23)

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight shines on country artist and entertainer, Tanner Usrey. The Texas native has had music in his bones since day one and it is evident across both his journey and his music catalog.

“I grew up in a small town in Prosper, Texas. From early on, I was always singing,” began Usrey. “They used to tell me to shut up all the time,” he laughed. “I was the kid in class that was always singing and I kept doing that until my senior year of high school. Then I saw a Wade Bowen concert.”

Usrey recalls being enamored by artists and the country music genre throughout his upbringing. “Me and my buddy would just roll around, playing and listening to music like Whiskey Meyers, Wade Bowen, and old-school Alan Jackson, stuff like that.” He also credits his brothers for introducing him to Texas country. Nowadays, Usrey still appreciates the music of his youth, but tends to lean more towards the old school stuff in the genre like Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Clearly inspired by music and the Bowen concert he attended, Usrey began taking music more seriously, playing gigs wherever he could. “Two months after I started playing guitar, I started playing more actual shows, acoustic shows, after I graduated.”

The Turning Point:

Usrey became a staple on the Texas country music circuit. He played gigs around Texas and nearby states for years, while simultaneously holding down odd jobs. “I did that for five, six years, maybe longer,” he shared. After growing his fanbase and honing his craft, Usrey finally took the leap of faith and focused only on music.

“In 2019, I quit my job and went full time playing music and touring,” he shared. Adding, “COVID hit right after I quit my job, so I was like I guess this is do or die. […] We would just play wherever we could for however much we could.”

This led to Usrey finding new pockets of places to play his music at. “That’s how we got started playing in Oklahoma and the midwest, and then Nashville was next up. […] That’s how we broke out of Texas, I think because we had to.”

Despite the fact that Usrey still resides in Texas, his music has transcended the Texas country scene as he continues to play show after show, while creating music that country music fans love. “We played 180 dates last year and 180 dates this year.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, while maintaining a rigorous tour schedule, Usrey was able to create a 15-song debut album called Crossing Lines. “Finding time to do the studio in between that was pretty difficult, so we would get off the road, and we would go straight to the studio and just do one song at a time. Usually, I would have a song idea, and I would have it halfway written, and I would take it to my producer and we’d finish it. Then the band would come in and we would just figure it out, which I kind of liked. It was kind of letting the song be what the song was meant to be.”

The record features confessional-style lyrics and music that expresses vulnerability and reliability. With a soulful voice and confessional lyrical style, the country newcomer shows off his undeniable talent, charm, and charisma throughout each and every song off the project. “The writing is just stories that I have written, my own personal stories about being on the road,” shared Usrey. Adding, “Lyrics started coming to me and I’ve lived a lot of life in 29 years, so I just wanted to write about what was real to me, my experiences, and hope that people would resonate with it.”

While each of the songs are an important component of the project, the collaboration with Ella Langley, “Beautiful Lies,” is a true standout. “The “Beautiful Lies” thing wasn’t really my idea, I didn’t even necessarily want it to be on the record, but I think my booking agent had an idea to get Ella on there, and I was like “you know what that’s kind of a a good idea.” We decided to make a full production of it,” he shared. “I think it turned out really well. Ella’s amazing at what she does. She’s the full package.”

Crossing Lines is just the beginning for Usrey as he paves his way throughout the more mainstream country music scene. Next year will bring a lot more shows and possibly a new project for the rising artist. 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 Tanner Usrey releases.

To keep up with Tanner Usrey, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.

Tanner Usrey’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.

Wyatt-flores-half-life

Who is Wyatt Flores? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-wyatt-flores

Wyatt Flores // Photo credit: Matt Paskert

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Wyatt Ryan Flores
Birthdate – 6/29/2001
Hometown – Stillwater, Oklahoma
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isabel, Turnpike Troubadours, The Great Divide
Label – Island Records
Current Single – “Life Lessons” // as of date of article: 12/4/2023

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight is shining on an artist that we think is about to have a huge 2024. Wyatt Flores is one to lookout for. The Oklahoma-native quietly and steadily continues to impress both fans and industry alike with each and every song.

“I was always surrounded by music. My dad was a drummer and my uncle was a guitar player and they were in plenty of bands together,” began the singer-songwriter. “My entire family is just submerged in music constantly. There was always music playing inside the house.” Flores recalls being exposed to many different genres of music that influence his musical preferences today.

“That’s why my taste is so different. My dad loved blues and classic rock, and my mom loved 90s country and Alan Jackson and George Strait. My sister was all over the place with rap and pop, and red dirt.” The singer also took a like to Sturgill Simpson. “I love his voice and I love his entire idea of what music is. It’s not about genre, it’s about creating good music.”

At a young age, Flores recalls sitting around the campfire making music with his family and friends. “My goal was just to be a guitar player. I wasn’t good at singing until 18, 19,” he shared, when asked about his hopes and dreams. “I started singing, and I was like ‘screw it, I’ll play for anyone who will listen.’”

The Turning Point:

Upon graduating high school, Flores headed to college, but found himself still fixated on music. “One thing led to another, and then the next thing I know, I’m playing in bars Then I quit school, because I was way too focused on music at that point, and I just went for it.”

In June of 2022, the entertainer headed to Music City to hone in on his craft. “When I moved to Nashville, I didn’t have too many strings in Nashville because I didn’t go out to network like many people do in Nashville. I moved there to get away from my hometown and remove any distractions,” he shared. Adding, “I just sat in my apartment with my now manager and my guitar player. We shared one room on air mattresses, and every single night, we’d either be making content or writing more songs or we’d be learning new music, just to study. That’s all I did. It was honestly a school for music.”

Throughout that first year in town, Flores focused on building his music catalog, writing more than he ever had in his life. “I was just trying to hone in on my craft and get better at songwriting,” he shared. “I had only written maybe 15 songs at most before I moved there.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Flores is emerging as an artist to lookout for. Most recently, the singer-songwriter shared his brand new project called Life Lessons, featuring seven unique songs. Flores’ creation is a collection of great music that do not necessarily fit into one genre or another, exactly what the singer intended.

“That’s kind of why this project, and everything I’ve done, the songs aren’t similar to one another. We’re in a different age where music is consumed so fast, that I don’t want to cut myself off to one sound. I don’t want to be labeled as one thing, so anything I love, I want to go after, and all the different styles of music.”

For Flores, it was important that his music related and spoke to other people in a way that fostered connection. “It’s the coolest thing ever when you can relate to someone else, and that’s the best part of all of this. I’ve been told that I’m super easy to relate to. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. I want people to know that they’re not alone in this world, and that someone else is going through what they are going through.”

While all the songs speak to the singer’s life experience, many of the songs are still universal. On “Life Lessons,” Flores speaks to all the feelings that life’s windy road brings. “Everyone is on a life adventure, and I am just hoping that these songs help them go out and do something and try to go towards the pursuit of happiness. That’s why “Life Lessons,” the song itself is so innocent and in a space of happy, go-lucky, like here we go it’s freedom. Let’s go chase something down. Let’s go live life. Then you go on and chase the dream, there’s a lot of upset that comes with it.”

Flores’ project is just a taste of what’s to come for the singer in 2024. Be on the lookout for more new music and even bigger shows!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Wyatt Flores, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Wyatt Flores’ 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-lauren-wakins

Who is Lauren Watkins? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-lauren-wakins

Lauren Watkins // Photo credit: Brayln Kelly

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Lauren Watkins
Birthdate – 08/25/1999
Hometown – Nashville, Tennessee
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Sheryl Crow, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Willie Nelson, Miranda Lambert
Label – Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters
Current Single – “The Table” as of date of article: 11/27/23

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight artist is a Nashville local that we truly believe is about to have the biggest 2024. Lauren Watkins, Songs & Daughters and Big Loud Records recording artist shared with us all about her upbringing, her journey to music, and everything in between.

“I grew up in Nashville, which I know is pretty rare. Nobody believes me anymore when I tell them that,” began the songstress, “I grew up with three sisters and my older sister, who is two years older than me, she’s super into music too. She’s a songwriter in Nashville, and I guess just growing up around country, we were around it all the time. My parents are not musical, but they are music lovers. So the two of us got into singing and playing guitar really young.”

At an early age, Watkins recalls always being captivated by the country music genre. “Honestly, country has always been at the top for me. It’s always been my favorite,” she shared. Adding, ” I was born in ’99, so I grew up in the Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Zac Brown Band era. That was sort of my middle school.” Watkins also credits artists like Miranda Lambert and Eric Church as some of her biggest music icons.

Additionally, the singer learned to appreciate older country artists, like Alan Jackson and George Jones, from her dad. While her mom brought a different flavor of music to her catalog. She loved entertainers like Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson,” shared Watkins. “I actually have so much of that piano pop influence in my songwriting and even Colbie Caillat, like the early 2000s girls that were killing it.”

With that love of music intact prior to college, Watkins and her sister, Caroline, would play the Nashville music scene as often as they could. “I try not to take it for granted, so we’d play little bars, all the Pucketts locations in Nashville, and then when we got old enough, we’d play the Broadway bars.”

The Turning Point:

Upon graduating from high school, Watkins headed to Ole Miss for college and decided to put music on the back-burner. “When it was time for me to go to college, I don’t know if it was out of fear or what, I was like ‘I don’t think I’m going to do music for a career.’” However, while in school, Watkins never stopped loving music.

“About two years in, I was having the time of my life in school, I realized that I had to go home to Nashville, when it was over. It was in my soul. I couldn’t get rid of this pull that kept saying ‘You gotta do music.'” Still, Watkins decided to finish out her degree, but began posting some clips of her singing and playing guitar on her Instagram. “I would just sit all night in my room and play my guitar, and I would take little videos, and post them on Instagram.”

Serendipitously, Rodney Clawson, famed songwriter saw one of her Instagram posts. At the exact time, Clawson’s wife, Nicolle Galyon just started her venture as the label-head at her record label imprint, Songs & Daughters. “He showed it to Nicolle, who had just started Songs & Daughters, and she reached out to me,” shared Watkins. Adding, “I went home for a weekend, and I met with her, we had breakfast, and she basically introduced me to the team at Big Loud and introduced me to a ton of songwriters, and set me up with a bunch of writes.”

For six months, Galyon and Watkins stayed in touch before Watkins landed her publishing deal and later,  her record deal. “I had a lot of developing to do as a songwriter and an artist, and eventually it led to a publishing deal. Then for another year, they just kind of let me work. I just hustled and wrote a bunch, and played shows when I could. I was just sorta booking my own shows, and just tried to play to whoever would listen. And then that turned into a record deal.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Watkins is quickly becoming one of the most buzzed about newcomers on the block. With only two EPs to her name, she already boasts opening spots on Conner Smith’s headlining tour, as well as, Morgan Wallen’s record-breaking stadium tour this spring. We also anticipate more new music coming down the pipeline soon.

For Watkins’ current EPs, while they are different, they each tell a story that connects. Her debut EP, Introducing: Lauren Watkins came first and was followed by her latest EP, Introducing: The Heartbreak. “Accidentally, all the writing turned into ‘Introducing: Lauren Watkins’. […] Those seven songs that we put out felt like the perfect fit for ‘Introducing: Lauren Watkins,’ because it’s about where I went to school, things I have gone through, and the way I think about things. It was just the perfect little touch of what’s to come next.”

After writing some more, her second EP fell out. “I kept writing, and that’s where ‘Introducing: The Heartbreak’ came in, and without saying too much, I kind of feel like this one is going to be the middle ground for what’s to come next, because I wanted to introduce me and introduce what I’ve gone through, and I feel like that’s the perfect set-up for whatever else comes next.”

Watkins’ catalog of music continues to impress both fans and the industry, and it is only a matter of time before everyone knows her name!

Connect:

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

For tour dates and more, visit the singer-songwriter’s website here.

To keep up with Lauren Watkins, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Lauren Watkins’ 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 Dasha? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Dasha
Birthdate – 2/27/2000
Hometown – San Luis Obispo, CA
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Kacey Musgraves, SZA, Medium Build, Noah Kahan, Tyler Childers
Label – Version iii
Current Single – “Austin” (as of date of article: 11/20/23)

who-is-dasha

Dasha // Photo credit: Adam Budd

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight shines on a promising entertainer has been an artist and a performer her whole life. California native, Dasha has always had a knack for songwriting and a love for music. While, she started her career creating pop music, the songstress decided to head back to her roots to create country music. We chatted with her all about the switch and her story.

“I grew up in San Luis Obispo, California. It’s a small town on the coast, and I was super influenced by my community, because they are so big on live music and songwriting. There were always writer’s rounds happening, and a very big songwriting presence in my small town,” began Dasha. While her town was not known for anything musical, the songwriting community was something that spoke to the songstress at an early age.

“I first got into the whole world of entertainment when I got into musical theater around age five. I became obsessed with performing and storytelling on stage, basically just putting on a show,” she shared. Adding, “By age eight, I picked up piano and guitar. I had always been really into poetry as a kid, too. I was a really dramatic child, so the idea of writing all of these poems about the boys I liked in class, I loved it, and it was really exciting for me. I was already songwriting without knowing what songwriting was.”

At just ten years old, Dasha found herself performing at coffee shoppes with a local songwriter, who took her under her wing. “I just kept writing and writing. I released my first song at thirteen. It was my birthday present to get a song professionally recorded.” Dasha recalls finding inspiration in powerful female artists like Dolly Parton, Kacey Musgraves, and Avril Lavigne. She knew she wanted to be an artist.

Through high school, the singer-songwriter worked with her brother, who was into the production side of music. She spent time at her family’s studio writing as much music as she possibly could. Eventually, she headed off to Belmont University in Nashville to progress her knowledge and artistry.

The Turning Point:

With eyes only for Belmont, Dasha was on her way to chase her dream. “I got in early acceptance, and got into the songwriting program. I went out there fall of 2018 and absolutely loved it. I learned so much in my two years there. I already had a good grasp on what makes a good song, but it’s really interesting learning the names for the tools or the names for the techniques that these huge songwriters use. […] I got my songs torn apart in the best way.”

While in college, Dasha primarily wrote and recorded pop music. Eventually, during the pandemic, the singer trusted her gut, and decided to quit school in favor of moving to Los Angeles to further her budding pop career. “COVID hit in 2020, and we all got sent home. Around that time is when I decided I was going to dropout, and move to L.A. because during 2020, I had started posting my songs to TikTok and I had a few viral videos, which was awesome. It got me my management. It just felt right at the time,” she shared. She even dropped her debut album, Dirty Blonde, which consists of seventeen songs.

However, despite still loving music, she was no longer feeling drawn to pop music. “I had this epiphany and was like ‘I have to go back to my roots and start making country music again’, so in the last nine months to a year, I’ve really dove into that […] I have never had such an amazing time making music before. Music has never come so effortlessly to me before as it has with this music. It’s the beginning of this new country era.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Dasha has spent the last nine plus months falling back in love with country music, the music she would write and create as a little girl. After two years in L.A., the songstress made the move back to Nashville yet again. “I really try to incorporate the love of rhyming and poetry and storytelling into my songs because that’s what I love about it,” she shared.

Earlier this year, Dasha shared her first country single, “Even Cowboys Cry,” which showcases her incredible talent and knack for honest storytelling. She recently followed up that single with an anthemic and haunting song called, “Austin.”

“‘Austin’ is one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever written. The story behind writing the song is really cool,” she began. “We were all writing this song called “Play Dumb.” It was like this cheating song about knowing someone’s cheating on you, but playing dumb, so you can hold on a little bit longer, and I didn’t relate to the song, so I was having trouble writing it.”

Dasha went on to add, “We were trying to get the chorus, and I was like we need to country-fy this, and Adam started playing the chords for “Austin” exactly how you hear them, and I was like that’s good, even though it wasn’t in the same key or the same chords. I started freestyling over it, and I started the chorus for “Austin”… exactly how you hear it.”

Dasha and her fellow collaborators went on to ditch the song that they were originally working on in favor of creating “Austin.” The song was done in a matter of an hour. “We started creating this whole story about this guy who kind of screws you over and you leave him at this bar, and I love how angry it is. […] It crawls under your skin, because it’s not that you’re mad – mad, it’s like you’re hurt – mad, and I feel like that emotion really comes through in that song. We wrote it in an hour, which is crazy fast for a song.”

“Even Cowboys Cry” and “Austin” are the first of four singles for Dasha, as she expands into the country must genre. With a promise of a full-length album in the works for early 2024, fans can expect a lot more of the singer coming soon. Keep her on your radar!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Dasha, follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Dasha’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 Mike Gossin? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-mike-gossin

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Mike Gossin
Birthday – 11/26/1984
Hometown – Marcy, New York
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Tom Petty, Keith Urban, James Taylor
Current Single – “Let’s Ride” ft. Cheyenne Kimball (as of date of article 11/13/23)

The Beginning:

Today’s spotlight artist has been in the music industry for over a decade; however, for the first time, Mike Gossin is stepping into his artistry as a solo artist. We caught up with the singer-songwriter to chat about his story, his Gloriana days, and where he is headed.

“I grew up with two older brothers, in upstate New York in the Adirondack mountain region. I was raised on an 1800s farmhouse on some acreage,” began the singer. “It was a cool way to grow up as a kid, being outdoors a lot, and helping my dad maintain the land, bonfires, four-wheeling, and all that stuff.” As a young child, Gossin recalls having a love for music, even starting his first band in middle school.

“The rule in our house was that you had to play one instrument and one sport, as long as you were under mom or dad’s roof. You got to pick which one you wanted, but you had to do it, so I started on the piano, I was like four years old, taking lessons, and then that turned into drum set lessons when I was like seven. When I was about eleven, my older brother taught me how to play my first guitar chords, and the rest was history,” shared the singer.

Throughout his upbringing, Gossin was a fan of both country and rock music, drawing inspiration from both genres in creation of his own sound. “There’s a country station in my hometown called Big Frog 104. […] I grew up listening to that station. It’s a small town, so the DJs are friends with my mom. My dad was actually a truck driver and a college radio DJ, so he always had music playing in our house growing up. There was always a soundtrack going,” he stated. Adding, “I remember in high school when Keith Urban’s ‘Golden Road’ came out, that did it for me. I’ve always kind of been a fan of country and rock, and I thought Keith Urban just mastered that lane.” Gossin also shares a love for artists like Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson.

The Turning Point:

Gossin’s love for music was a mainstay in his life, as he graduated a year early from high school to pursue music. “I had my own high school band, and we were getting some momentum going. It started kind of locally, then I ended up moving down to North Carolina. My brothers were going to college there, so I stayed and performed in North Carolina five nights a week for like ten years,” shared the artist.

Eventually that led to Gossin and his brother forming a band with Cheyenne Kimball and Rachel Reinert called Gloriana. For several years, Gloriana graced the stages and won hearts of country music lovers everywhere. “That led into Gloriana which was crazy, and I went to Nashville, and it was such a cool journey going through all of that.”

When Gloriana played their last show in 2016, Gossin found himself at a crossroads. “I had a publishing deal at that time with one of the majors, and I finished that deal out for about a year, and that deal was up. My brother was moving back to North Carolina with his wife and I think I just needed to kind of step away for a minute,” he shared. “It was such a crazy rollercoaster, almost a decade on the bus, living our dreams, amazing fans, and country radio, and awards, and getting to see the world, it was just a lot.”

Gossin headed back to North Carolina where he got reacquainted with his musical roots. “I started playing solo acoustic shows. I wanted to go back to the beginning and kind of start over really, like how did this all start, where was my heart at the beginning of all of this. […] I wanted to rediscover the magic and the passion that I had in the beginning,” he shared.

After playing again in North Carolina, Gossin eventually found the inspiration to begin writing music again. “It came naturally, it wasn’t forced. There was a good bit of time between playing those gigs and being ready to sit down and write some songs.” With the support and encouragement of his good friends and fellow industry connections, Gossin was finally ready to pursue a bucket-list goal and create a solo-project.

Today:

Flash forward to today, Gossin’s first solo-project is officially here. His record, Coming Home is an impressive body of work that the singer created through hard work and determination. “In this process for this new stuff, I really wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to try new stuff, and write, sing, produce, and play almost all the instruments on my own solo project. I set out as a goal of mine to try to make that happen.”

Each of the eight songs on the project speak to Gossin’s signature sound and growth as an artist. All created in a home studio, the project is a special gem. “It was just a homegrown, authentic test, and fun project about what has been going on in my life through these songs,” shared Gossin, adding, “I wanted to stay true to myself and the Gloriana fans and the country music fans that have supported us over the years, and I wanted to shape the sound to pay tribute to those songs, but also where I’m at now, a kind of new and evolved sound.”

Coming Home is just the start for Gossin as he embarks on his solo career. The record is a true coming home for the established artist, and fans can look forward to the singer continuing to crank out new music. Gossin is also hopefully about playing the songs live sometime soon. Stay tuned!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Mike Gossin, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

Mike Gossin’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 Troy Cartwright? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music (2023)

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

who-is-troy-cartwright

Troy Cartwright | Photo credit: Erika Rock

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Troy Cartwright Dixon
Birthday – 04/03/1990
Hometown – Dallas, Texas
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Tom Petty, Jimmy Buffett, Brothers Osborne, Chris Stapleton
Current Single – “Girl I Loved Before” (Out 10/30/23)

The Beginning:

Back in 2021, we introduced you to singer-songwriter Troy Cartwright. At the time Cartwright had just released his project called, Halfway To Houston. Much of Cartwright’s career has evolved since, but for the singer, it is all good things! We caught up with the artist and chatted about the last two years and what fans can expect moving forward.

Growing up in Dallas, Texas, he recalls always loving music. “I’ve always been into music. I always joke that writing songs is the only thing that nobody told me to do.”

At just twelve years old, Cartwright started playing guitar. “Once I could play, I just kind of stopped practicing, and just started writing songs,” shared Cartwright. “I always sort of had a knack for that part of it.” Despite loving music, interestingly he tried to avoid the country genre at first because it was his older sister’s favorite.

“When I was kid, it was just sort of whatever was popular at the time like Simple Plan and New Found Glory and stuff like that […] There was some singer-songwriter stuff that I fell in love with like Pete Yorn.” On the contrary, now, Cartwright also draws inspirations from artists that his parents listened to when he was younger like, Tom Petty.

“I find that I’m doing even more and more digging into the stuff that has stood the test of time. I have probably listened to more Tom Petty in the last two years, then I have my whole life,” he shared. Adding, “At a certain point, like an artist that is a legend like that, it’s something that your parents listened to and then it changes over to something you choose to listen to. I guess for me, I don’t why, but it’s hitting different these days.”

The Turning Point:

Cartwright loved music so much that he took a leap of faith. He headed to Boston for college to pursue a degree in music business. Little did he know, this move would soon change the trajectory of his life.

During his junior year of college, Cartwright participated in an internship that became a major turning point for him. “I realized that was not the path that I wanted to go down,” shared the singer about the business-oriented job. “I realized through that process like ‘hey if you’re going to be an artist’ you just got to go for it.”

Upon graduating college, Cartwright headed back to Dallas to pursue his career as an artist.“ I was able to pretty quickly string together enough shows to pay the bills. […] That was kind of my start in country music, just playing the honky tonks and the bars that would have me.”

“After I came to Nashville for the first time and got to co-write, I knew I was going to move to Nashville no matter what… I just had to figure out how to get there,” Cartwright explains. Eventually, he caught the ear of a publisher in town who offered him the opportunity to write. He also landed a record deal with Warner Music Nashville; however, now, the singer is happily an independent artist.

“I’ve since gone independent, and that happened pretty soon after we put out that record. That’s been pretty life-changing for me. I think at the time it was pretty scary, but it’s actually been great. The results have hopefully spoke for themselves, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to forge my own path in my career and with the music and get to release whatever is inspiring me at the time,” shared the singer.

In the last two years, since we last spoke, Cartwright has reinvented himself, drawing on new inspirations both as a songwriter and as an artist. “It’s interesting like I write so often, I’m probably writing 3 or 4 days a week that like you actually oddly listen to less music, which seems counterintuitive, but from a songwriting perspective, I think I’ve been spending a lot more time trying to source interesting topics. […] I’ve been reading a lot more books and trying to watch more film and TV to get different ideas, and for all my melodies and stuff, I’m constantly trying to switch it up.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Cartwright is cranking out new music. “It’s been a really wild two years. If you would have told me the ride it was going to be, I wouldn’t have believed you, but it’s been fun. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been a lot of rewarding work,” he shared.

Most recently, Cartwright released two songs called, “Girl I Loved Before” and “Can’t Stop Falling Apart.” The former was inspired by the crossroads between possibly breaking-up and falling in love.

“Well “Girl I Loved Before” more or less I was just kind of chasing this idea of there’s a lot of songs about break-ups and about being in love, but there’s not a lot of songs about trying to accept where a relationship might be at, if it’s going to workout or now,” he shared. Adding, “To me in the song, the person is deciding that we’re going to do this thing and make it work, and there’s a spark in that, a rekindling of a frame that’s an exciting concept to tackle as a writer and an as artist for me.”

On the other hand, “Can’t Stop Falling Apart” is an introspective song that uncovers the messy truth of being human in today’s day and age. “Then “Can’t Stop Falling Apart” is one of the most honest songs I’ve written,” began Cartwright. “It was really just a day where the advantages of the new music landscape with TikTok and Instagram reels are so amazing, but it’s also really exhausting because you feel like you never have any rest period. It’s always I have to create today, and you can choose to say I have to or I get too, and most days I say “I get to,” but some days it gets to me, and that day I was coming from this place of ‘man, I’m super burnt out right now’.”

Both songs really speak to Cartwright’s growth as both a vocalist and as a songwriter. According to the singer, more new music is coming down the pipeline soon. Fans can get excited for more authenticity and honesty showcased throughout the singer’s music.

“I’m really excited about the future and some of the music that I’m making. I think one of the things that I love about being independent is getting to try different things, and I really look forward to getting to continue that and trying some different angles, and experimenting with releasing stuff not just as singles but a whole project or something like that.”

Connect:

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

To keep up with Troy Cartwright, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Troy Cartwright’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 Tiera Kennedy? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music (2023)

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

who-is-tiera-kennedy

Tiera Kennedy | Photo credit: Alexa Campbell

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Tiera Kennedy
Hometown – Birmingham, Alabama
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood
Current Single – “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist” (as of date of article 10/23/23)

The Beginning:

A little over three years ago, back in 2020, we introduced you to a new artist, who was making waves on social media: Tiera. Flash forward to today, Tiera, who now goes by her full name, Tiera Kennedy has landed herself both a publishing deal and a record deal. We caught up with the singer-songwriter to learn about how she got to where she is today and to talk all about her new music. Keep reading to find out more.

“I’m from Birmingham, Alabama, and I’ve always loved music for as long as I can remember,” she began. “I guess it kind of like blossomed when I was in middle school. I started writing songs and fell in love with country music.” Throughout her upbringing, Kennedy recalls listening to a ton of country music and writing songs at a young age.

“I grew up in the age of Taylor Swift, the beginning of her career, and I just fell in love with all of her songs, like so many of us did,” shared the songstress. “She was writing a lot of songs about boys, and that’s where I was in my life. I started to do the same, I would perform those songs around my school, and just like the response from that made me actually believe I could do it for my career. I was definitely in to do it for the long haul.”

Kennedy credits influences from 90s country and artists like Swift and Carrie Underwood for her early love for music and songwriting. These influences stayed with her throughout her career while she built upon even more musical influences too. “I listen to just about everything. I love 90s country, that’s my ultimate jam,” shared Kennedy. Adding, “I’m super random with what I listen to. I listen to Scottish music and Irish music sometimes, and R&B stuff. I really gravitate towards things that make me feel good. When I get into the writer’s room, those are the kind of songs I like to write. I feel like everybody has a bunch of different influences, nobody listens to one thing.”

The Turning Point:

After writing her first song in high school and teaching herself how to play guitar, Kennedy had her heart set on attending Nashville’s Belmont University. However, as plans changed, she ended up attending the University of Northern Alabama for one year on a full-ride scholarship instead before changing trajectories. “Eventually, after a year in college, my parents let me drop out and move to Nashville, and I’ve been here about 7 years.”

Throughout her seven years in town, Kennedy networked with as many people as she possibly could to get her name and her music out there. “I just hit the ground running as soon as I got here. I had a show my first night there, at the Listening Room, and I was really just trying to get a foot in everywhere I could. I would write with anybody and everybody. I would take every single meeting.”

In the early stages of her career, Kennedy did whatever it took to advance her career and dream. “Those first couple of years, I played at a couple of restaurants and hotel lobbies. I was just making tips from there, and looking back, I feel like it really taught me how to hold a crowd and how to entertain people.”

After a few years, Kennedy finally landed her publishing deal as the flagship songwriter for Nicolle Galyon’s Songs & Daughters. “They signed me to my deal with Big Loud’s Songs & Daughters and Warner Chappell, so I finally got my publishing deal.”

At around the same time, Kennedy’s music started taking off on social media. Her song, “Found It In You” became her first viral hit. “Record labels started to take notice and I started taking those meetings, and I wasn’t really planning to sign a deal at the moment, I just thought it would be fun because I really loved being an independent artist, so I was kind of going back and forth, but then I had a meeting with Big Machine, and I just fell in love with them. They were everything that I wanted in a label.”

Today:

Flash forward to today, Kennedy is a signed artist who is ready to take the world by storm. “I really hope when people hear this music they think I’m a friend,” she shared. Her current single, “Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist” is growing in popularity, as the song really speaks to the singer’s talent as a vocalist and as a storyteller.

““Jesus, My Mama, My Therapist” is this new era of music for me,” she begins. Adding, “I wrote this song on a writer’s retreat with some of my favorite co-writers. […] It was one of the last songs we wrote for the retreat, so we really got to just have fun, and write a fun song, and not think too much about it. […] It’s a story about being from a small town and how words spread fast, but I like to say that even people who aren’t from a small town can relate to this, because not everyone can keep secrets to themselves.”

According to Kennedy, the song is meant to be a relatable, fun song with heart. “The three people I can depend on are Jesus, my mama, and my therapist. It was really cool to have fun with this song, and not be too serious. It’s a little different, sound-wise, from anything I’ve put out, and it’s really shaped the next music we’re going to put out, too. It’s a lot more country, which I love and I think the fans will love it too.”

Fans can look forward to more new music from Kennedy coming down the pipeline soon. “I have pretty much finished the album, so we’ve got all the songs together, and I’ve been teasing some of them, but there’s definitely songs people haven’t heard. People can expect to get to know me better.” 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 Tiera Kennedy releases.

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

Tiera Kennedy’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 Peytan Porter? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music (2023)

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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…

who-is-peytan-porter

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Peytan Porter
Birthdate – 1/14/1998
Hometown – Dawnsonville, Georgia
Current City – Nashville, Tennessee
Musical Influences – Elvis Presley, Fleetwood Mac, Linda Rondstat, Eric Church, Chris Stapleton
Current Single – “Speaking of Georgia” (as of date of article 10/16/23)

The Beginning:

A little over a year ago, we introduced you to singer-songwriter, Peytan Porter. In just that short amount of time, that once pop-country artist has reinvented her sound and come into a style of music that feels more true to who she is right now. While part of her story has stayed the same, much of it has also evolved, and her new music is even better than ever.

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,” she shared. “I started playing guitar and getting really into music probably in middle school.”

As the middle child of her family, she found herself often yearning to express herself, using music as an outlet for that self-expression. “I started writing songs when I was twelve-ish, and I tribute that to seeing Taylor Swift opening up for Rascal Flatts at my first concert, and her talking about how she wrote songs about the boys in her school,” she began. Adding, “Once I started singing, my parents moved me to the basement bedroom because there was plenty of noise on the main floor, and me learning to sing was not a needed addition to the sounds that were happening in the house […] I spent a lot of time by myself trying to communicate my feelings and find a way to present them to people where I could really articulate them and get their attention. For me, that was songwriting.”

Despite loving music, Porter found herself not loving the ‘bro country’ music that was popular in mainstream country music at the time. Instead, she dove into female musicians like Carrie Underwood, Loretta Lynn, Kacey Musgraves, and Dolly Parton. “I really dug into female artists and what they were saying and what they weren’t saying, and tried to figure out the parts that I could take with me and where the holes were.”

The Turning Point:

In 2016, Porter made the move to Nashville, Tennessee to attend Lipscomb University. Empowered by records like Kacey Musgraves, Same Trailer Different Park  and Maren Morris’ HERO, the singer knew that her voice was important, despite thinking she was going to become a worship leader at first.

While many artists paved the way for Porter, those two albums helped to define her path.“It was a big permission slip for me to question the norm of the world I was growing up in and poke holes in the reality of the small town that I was growing up in. Also to be able to just think differently and it be okay. It was a concept I didn’t really know was an option,” she shared. Adding, “It changed the soundscape of the format, and I always knew that I wanted to do something that would do that to country music, because I’m such a fan of the history and the family that is country music that I think my worst fear is not doing something to push it forward in some ways. To change things you have to disrupt things, and I was working my way into to understanding that I can’t do what everyone else is doing.”

The summer after her Sophomore year at college, the singer-songwriter interned at a publishing company which continued to broaden her love and passion for country music. “I started writing and co-writing, the summer after my sophomore year of college. That’s also when I started an internship at a publishing company, and that’s when I really got to learn what songwriting is. I got to dig into catalogs of people like Chris Stapleton, and Lee Thomas Miller, and Chris DuBois, and all of these amazing people. I really learned what the bar was for what songs needed to be.”

Eventually, Porter graduated college in 2020, with one goal in mind: to be a country music artist. After turning down one publishing deal, in December of 2020, she finally found a home with with Jody Williams Songs, in partnership with Warner Chappell Music and signed her publishing deal.

Today:

Flash forward to present day, Porter is creating music that speaks to where she is at in her life currently. Heavily influenced by the females of her past, as well as, Laurel Canyon country music from the likes of artists like The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, Porter’s sound has evolved into a more folk-inspired country sound. “Part of my journey over the last year and a half was accepting that, and being honest about that in my music, and not continuing to do pop-country music.”

Her latest single, “Speaking of Georgia” is one of her best to date. The song was inspired by the bittersweet moments of the past that have a way of coming back up. “Around the same time my high school sweetheart had just gotten engaged, and it was definitely a nod of agreement that we were both where we needed to be and that was not together. It was kind of bittersweet, as it is when anyone’s first love moves on officially like that,” she shared about the writing experience. “I think that the win of writing “Speaking Of Georgia,” was keeping it as an open thought of ‘you’ve been on my mind, but I’m not going to do anything about it, and I don’t want to change anything about my life.’”

More songs like “Speaking of Georgia” are coming sooner rather than later. Porter shared that she has a project in the work titled Grown, which is slated for release in Spring of 2024. “It is all around these themes of coming of age and self-acceptance, and empowerment, and the freedom that comes along with figuring out more of who you are and not apologizing for it. And wanting to be loved authentically and understanding that that means that you have to give people the chance to actually know who you are for them to accept you for who you are.”

As we all wait patiently for music, make sure to catch Porter on the road. Head to her website for a full list of shows.

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 her 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.