CRS 2021 New Faces Showcases – The Full Recap
This year, CRS (Country Radio Seminar) looked quite different from years past. We weren’t all gathered at the Omni Hotel in Nashville celebrating the incredible people and artists that make the country genre so popular. Instead, we were in our respective homes or offices, watching on laptops across the country. The virtual CRS however did allow for a spectacular chance to network with radio programmers, personalities, media, and people involved in all facets of the industry.
Each year at the conclusion of this great seminar, five rising talents take the stage for a one-of-a-kind showcase called New Faces. Here at NYCountry Swag, we cherish the new artists that we choose to champion and so many of the artists who were nominated and voted for tonight are not new to our followers however they are just on the verge of their superstar careers.
HARDY kicked off the night of performances with songs from his debut LP, A ROCK including “BOOTS”, “UNAPOLOGETICALLY COUNTRY AS HELL”, and his first number one song as an artist “ONE BEER”. He was also grateful to be able to perform his current radio single, a song for anyone who is missing someone they have lost called “GIVE HEAVEN SOME HELL”. His signature grit and energy was the perfect way to showcase his talent for anyone who already wasn’t a fan. Learn more about HARDY and check out an acoustic session from his last trip to New York City in our video above.
Next up was Matt Stell who not only performed his back-to-back number-one singles “Prayed for You” and “Everywhere But On” but also included a video package that surely brought the audience to tears featuring his proud mother. Stell’s mix of rock and country and his stage presence absolutely earned him a spot in the five artists featured. Check out our Swag Session with Matt Stell in the video below.
Tenille Arts, one of our 2021 Artists to Watch, showcased her vocal prowess and catchy lyrics with tracks from her most recent album including “Everybody Knows Everybody”, and her current top 15 radio single “Somebody Like That”. She also performed her latest release, “Give It To Me Straight” and her personality and her talent glittered just like her gorgeous hand-decorated guitar.
Travis Denning was up next, his performance of his first number one song “After A Few” and his next radio single “ABBY” was electric, and he even dazzled attendees with a brand new song, “I’m Gonna Love You”. Denning joined us for a Swag Session in New York City. Revisit the interview and performance in the video below.
To close out an already remarkable evening of live music, Ashley McBryde, a current GRAMMY nominee brought her delicate vocals and honest storytelling to the stage. Starting her set with songs from her first album that put her on the map “Girl Goin Nowhere” and “A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega” she told the story of her journey so far in the industry. “One Night Standards” and “Martha Divine” from her current album Never Will showcased the magic she can bring to a room.
While we anxiously await the return of concerts and live music, it’s a positive thought to know that when we do all gather again, country artists have written and recorded some amazing music for us during this past year.
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