Laci Kaye Booth is a name you are going to want to remember. The singer-songwriter grew up with country music in her heart and in her blood. After a successful stint on American Idol, Booth found her path in Nashville, ultimately signing a record deal. We chatted with the songstress about her entire journey.

“I’m a singer-songwriter from East Texas. I was born and raised in Livingston, Texas,” she begins. “My dad is a Texas artist […] So he introduced me to Willie [Nelson] and Waylon [Jennings] and Merle [Haggard],” shares Booth. The songstress recalls singing in church with her mother and performing on stage at the tender age of eight.

“It was just second nature to be involved in music at a really young age. I don’t ever remember a time where I wasn’t playing around with guitars, singing, or on stage.” Later, Booth tells us that she even learned how to play guitar at nine years old and sang the national anthem at pep rallies in school. 

“For some reason, I always had it in my mind that I was going to be a country singer.” Despite her dad’s connection to country music, Booth also credits her mother for introducing her to some of her favorite acts. She names artists like The Chicks, Shania Twain, and Lee Ann Womack as some of the women she was raised on.

Despite her love for country music, the songstress finds inspiration in all sorts of genres. Discovering music on her own became a passion for her. “When I was about eleven, Fleetwood Mac came on and I was like ‘who the heck is this?’ And I just became obsessed with Stevie Nicks and even Norah Jones, […] Anyone with a really unique voice just captivated me.”

Currently, Booth still loves traditional country music and the oldies that she grew up on. However, she runs the gamut of music influences, naming artists like The Weeknd, Olivia Rodrigo, and Lana Del Ray as some of her favorites right now.

The Turning Point:

Despite knowing that she wanted to become a professional artist, Booth yielded her mother and step-father’s advice and went to college straight out of high school. “They wanted me to have a backup plan,” she tells us. Still, Booth found herself immersed in music. “I was playing shows on the weekends for money and like 3-4 shows every weekend, when I decided to try out for American Idol.”

Just thirty hours shy of a Bachelor’s Degree, Booth auditioned and made it on to American Idol. “The right place at the right time was exactly what it was with American Idol,” she tells us. “I didn’t even want to get out of the car at the audition, that’s how fearful I was of rejection.”

Clearly, it was fate that Booth did get out of the car. Her American Idol journey landed her in the top five and helped secure her a record deal with Big Machine Label Group Records and 19 Recordings. Booth moved to Nashville two years ago. She is officially honing her craft as a singer and a songwriter with some of the most established producers in the industry today.

Today:

With her debut major-label EP slated to come out at the end of this week, Booth has a lot to be proud of. The eight-track project is a culmination of all of her influences over the years. It reflects her journey beautifully. “I still have problems believing that these things are even happening to me because it’s something I dreamed about my whole life,” shares Booth as she reflects on her journey.

Fans will definitely relate to her humble attitude and vulnerability, which is so easily conveyed through her music. Although trying to keep the details behind the project under wraps, the songstress lets us know that each track is so different from the other. “Having a little something for everybody. I’m excited to see what people think!”

Besides the project, fans can catch Booth playing Stagecoach this season. This is a huge upcoming moment for the new artist. Check back on Friday for our full review of the EP. We can tell you, it’s one you’re going to want to listen to!

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