Who is Colin Stough? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music
Who is Colin Stough? The singer-songwriter joined us to chat about his journey to country music. Get to know the rising star here…
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:
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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.