who-is-shawn-austin

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

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

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 16th, 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 Parkand 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

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.

who-is-alexander-ludwig

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

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.

who-is-Jillian-Cardarelli

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

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.

who-is-canaan-cox

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

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, TikTokFacebook 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.

Who Is David J? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

Quick Facts:

Full Name – David J

Birthday – October 2nd, 2003

Hometown – Rotterdam, New York

Musical influences – Justin Bieber, HARDY, Chris Brown

The Beginning:

Today we get to introduce you to a fresh new country artist, who is a New York native! David J is a Nashville-transplant, who is already making waves in the music industry at just eighteen years old. We chatted with the singer all about his journey thus far.

The Rotterdam native became attracted to music at the tender age of thirteen. “I started doing music when I was like 13, after watching the Justin Bieber movie one day,” shared David J, adding later, that he still loves that movie and Bieber. “I thought it would be cool to do what he was doing, so that whole summer when I was thirteen, I taught myself to sing and play guitar.”

What started at first as a hobby, music soon became a passion for the young entertainer. “I fell in love with music, while trying to do what he was doing. It was a big inspiration for me,” stated David J.

With access to so many different musical genres, the singer-songwriter found inspiration that runs the gamut. “I was listening to country for sure that was definitely thrown in there, but like, from my mom, I would get like rock music and pop and kind of like rap from my friends and stuff. It was kind of just like one big ball of music I guess, like not just one genre,” shared David J. Currently, the singer shares a liking to artists like HARDY, Lewis Capaldi, Morgan Wallen, and old Chris Brown.

Soon thereafter, the artist started to post videos on social media, blossoming into the artist he is now.

The Turning Point:

“As I started going with it and just started posting videos and stuff on YouTube, and Instagram, and TikTok, they started blowing up a little bit. Then I got my one video that got 10 million views, and that started to snowball a bit.”

While David J was hard at work growing his social media presence, he yearned for a record deal to continue to pursue his dream. “It was New Year’s Eve, two years ago, I think, and I was like it would be really nice to just get signed this year,” began the singer. “And then New Year’s Day, one of my fans sent a video to my now managers, and I was on a plane to Nashville two days later, and I got signed by them.”

David J continued to grow his talent, while in Nashville. “Once I started learning guitar, I just started writing and stuff. […] I worked really hard at it, and stayed up late nights to get good at it.” The singer later shared, “I just like making stuff that I think is good content and people seem to enjoy it. I always want to make people laugh at my stuff or make them feel a certain way.”

Today:

As his career continues to blossom, David J recently released his debut EP, Lost My Heartbreak. The six-song project showcases the best of the singer-songwriter’s talent, featuring songs that fans have been begging for on social media too. “It’s got three new songs on it. I wrote one of them, a song called “First Kiss,” it was the first song I ever wrote after getting signed,” shared the artist.

“Because Of You” is another standout track on the record. It is the perfect love song for anyone who is looking to swoon from a country song. Similarly, David J’s song “U or Nothing” is another heartfelt bop. “That song I wrote with one of my best friends, Dylan Brady, and we were just messing around, listening to one direction on the way to the session. And we were inspired to write a One Direction country song,” shared the singer, about the track.

Fans can anticipate even more music coming out soon. The sky is the limit for the rising artist!

Connect:

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

To keep up with David J, follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

David J’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-seth-ennis

Who Is Seth Ennis? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-seth-ennis

Seth Ennis

Quick Facts:

Full Name – Seth Ennis

Birthday – November 30th, 1992

Hometown – Valdosta, Georgia

Musical influences – Eric Church, Vince Gill, Taylor Swift

The Beginning:

Ever since he burst onto the country music scene with “Woke Up In Nashville,” we have been huge fans of today’s spotlight artist. Seth Ennis is an absolute force in the pop-country world and will continue to rise to greater heights. We chatted with the singer-songwriter all about his story thus far.

Growing up, Ennis’ father was in the military, which allowed him to live all over the world. “I kind of call Valdosta my hometown because that’s where I lived the longest,” began the singer. Despite living in different parts of the world, the south always felt like home. “My parents are both from the south, so I kind of grew up on country music.” Adding, “My mom’s dad, my Papa, was super huge into bluegrass,” explained Ennis.

Music was such a staple in the singer’s life. At the age of five, Ennis’ dad encouraged him to get into piano lessons. Later on, he learned to play guitar too. When he was old enough to choose his own music, the singer gravitated towards the likes of Eric Church, Vince Gill, and even Taylor Swift.

“As far as country music influences, Eric Church is kind of like my number one. He’s one of my heroes. Vince Gill has also always been a hero of mine.” Ennis even admits to respecting Swift for her songwriting talent. “As far as other stuff, I feel like it’s always changing to me, but a big one growing up for me is Taylor Swift. I was super into her songwriting. I just love songwriting so much.”

After college, Ennis decided to pursue music more seriously. The artist moved to North Carolina with some of his friends to further his talent. “[We] just kind of locked ourselves in the house and learned how to co-write songs.”

The Turning Point:

Shortly after, Ennis and his friends made the move to Music City, which jumpstarted his career. “After a year, we felt like we all had a better grip on [co-writing], so we moved to Nashville. We all lived in bunk beds in a one-bedroom apartment behind Exit-In and we just figured it out,” shared the singer.

While living in Nashville, Ennis and his friends tried to meet as many people as they could. “We would go out to Whiskey Jam every Monday night and Tin Roof Revival on Tuesday nights, and a writer’s round on Wednesday, and then I was on the road from Thursday to Sunday,” shared the singer, reflecting on his experience.

He added later, “I would try to meet people and get in the circles that we felt like they liked what we did and we liked what they did.” Armed with a bunch of new friends and connections, Ennis made a goal to play at CMA Fest.

“I didn’t have an agent or manager or anything, so I saw that Budlight was putting on this like battle of the bands thing, and I entered.” Interestingly enough, Ennis did not originally get accepted to the competition, but later was asked to play, when someone dropped out.

Some of the judges ended up being – his first producer in town, Corey Crowder and his now, publisher, Scott. “It was one of those right place, right time things, and they ended up signing me,” shared the singer, adding, “The record deal with SONY came soon after that, and we were off and running.”

Today:

Nowadays, Ennis is feeling like a permanent fixture in the music industry. He plans to release as much new music as possible this year to keep fans on their toes. “I’m not trying to be so precious about a plan with everything as I used to be,” shared the singer. “I’m just trying to like put out music as soon as I get it now, which I am super stoked about.”

Most recently, Ennis released his new song, “Hair Ties (I Dont’ Wanna).” The pop-country song is all about trying to move on without constant reminders of your ex. The singer wrote the track with Geoff Warburton, and Matt Mcvaney a few years ago in a co-write. “It was just kinda a title I had and an idea, and we got in a room, and honesty we weren’t even trying to write for me that day- we were just trying to write a song for pitch,” shared Ennis.

The song ended up not getting cut, but it fit perfectly with the singer’s catalog of music. It was a true blessing in disguise. Fans can anticipate Ennis singing the song on the road on tour dates real soon!

Connect:

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

To keep up with Seth Ennis, follow him on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

Seth Ennis’ 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-joshua-dylan-balis

Who Is Joshua Dylan Balis? The Story Behind His Journey to Country Music

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

who-is-joshua-dylan-balis

The Beginning:

Today, our spotlight shines on a rising artist hailing from Texas. Joshua Dylan Balis is an incredible musician, who won us over with his unique country-folk-rock sound. The singer-songwriter is a true-blue artist, and we are excited to champion his music.

“I grew up in Dallas, Texas, where I was born and raised,” began Balis. “Music was always there. My dad played bass in a band for most of my life. He’s been in bands all of my life. From an early age, the singer was hooked on music. “I started playing guitar probably about 5th grade. I would just noodle along in my room finding melodies, and I guess I never really looked back.”

Balis recalls being inspired by his father and his love for music. He knew that this was what he was put on earth to do. “[My father] was the one who had strict standards for not listening to pop radio, and he would burn me CDs of classics or whatever he liked.” According to the artist, he took a liking to artists like Tom Petty, Coldplay, and The Strokes. Later on, in high school, Balis found more inspiration in artists like The White Stripes, Bob Dylan, and Townes Van Zandt.

His love of music transported him into different iterations of his musical career. “I made an EP a few years ago that I didn’t promote called ‘Modern Gospel.’ […] I put that out and then instead of promoting it, I started this band, and we immediately went into the studio and made this record. We made the record and then immediately broke up,” shared the singer. After the record was shelved, Balis found himself wanting to make a major change in life: enter Nashville.

The Turning Point:

“I needed a clean start, ” shared the singer, when asked about what prompted his move to Nashville. With a desire to just record in Music City, and to see what happens, Balis set his sights on just that. After a heart-to-heart with his uncle, a fellow musician, the singer connected with Omni Studios. Interestingly enough, the studio that he ended up connecting with was actually not the one he was originally recommended to.

“Come to find out three months later that the studio we had been recommended was in Austin, and we had just called the wrong one [in Nashville], shared Balis. “It was serendipitous and we flew out and we recorded three songs, and we loved the way they sounded, and decided to go all the way.”

Shortly after that, Balis made the move to Nashville, and his record We’re On Fire was born. “I need to make a change, something has to happen now,” shared the singer, just prior to committing to the project. “That was truly the impetus behind this songwriting on this record.”

Today:

After spending 2019 crafting the album, Balis was forced to wait a few years before its release, due to the pandemic. Finally, we can say that We’re On Fire will officially be out this Friday, May 13th. The album is a true record of faith, integrity, and a whole lot of talent.

According to Balis, “The process for most of these songs is me alone in the room with an acoustic guitar, early in the morning. Usually, I’ll pour a cup of coffee, and starting at 7AM., I just write and whatever comes, comes. Nine times out of ten I don’t have an objective, I don’t have something I want to write about, I just like to follow the muse and see where it goes.”

When asked about the title track, the singer-songwriter further shared his inspiration for the mesmerizing song. “‘We’re On Fire’ started out kinda as a rift, it was a little melody that I was messing with. I had all the verses and the bridge written, most of it but the hook, began Balis.
“[Then] There was an apartment fire in my building, scared the hell out of me […] It shook me a little bit, got me thinking about time and its passing, and then it ended up being sort of a driver for the hook.”

As fans wait for the record to officially come out, they can anticipate hearing the record performed live at one of Balis’ upcoming shows. Click here for a full list of tour dates.

Connect:

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

To keep up with Joshua Dylan Balis follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

Joshua Dylan Balis’ 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.

Taryn-papa

Who Is Taryn Papa? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

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

Taryn-papa
The Beginning:
Today our spotlight shines on east coast native, Taryn Papa. The budding star is a natural born singer from as long as she can remember, always fixating on entertaining and making the audience feel something. We chatted with the rising artist about her journey thus far.

“I was born and raised in Connecticut,” began Papa. “I was introduced to country music at a young age. It was something my mom played in the car when we would run errands or take road trips.” Despite an early introduction to country music, it was not until age thirteen, where the singer became mesmerized by Martina McBride. I didn’t truly dive in to a lot of the artists and a lot of the stories behind country music, until I was thirteen years old, until a Martina McBride CD.”

From then on, music became a fixture in Papa’s life. She recalls both performing in a band with her uncle and singing and playing piano with her grandfather. “My family did music as hobbies. My grandfather played piano, and when he got Alzheimer’s it was something I would play for him and he would remember songs,” she shared. “It was something that let me know the impact or how important a melody can be and how it can have a time and place and it can transport you.”

During her college years, Papa had another ‘aha moment,’ when she was volunteering at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. “There was a room with this girl, her name was Jocelyn and she had [cancer],” started the singer, adding later, “I went home and the only way I could kind of pour out what I saw, I wrote a song. It was the first one I ever wrote.”

The Turning Point:

Taking her love for music and inspiring others with songs, Papa made the move to Nashville at just 23 years old. She started a band and became one of the few female-fronted bands on Broadway. “It was really cool to know how powerful music is, and from there on I decided I wanted to create other experiences for other people.”

Papa took her love for strong, female women in music to become the artist she is today.” My mom loved to listen to Pat Benatar, so naturally she became one that I needed to know every song on every record.” The songstress also professed her love for Kelly Clarkson, Martina McBride, and Shania Twain, as well as, The Eagles.I love the stories that they share. I love how honest and genuine and raw and real it all was.”

“They are singing about truth and experiences and hoping others can jump on board with their story and that’s always been so inspiring to me. That’s where I formed a foundation for my music. I want it to be 1000% authentic.”

Eventually, Papa signed on with Red Light Management, which has led her to finally begin releasing her own music and create her own experiences for her fanbase.

Today:

Papa is currently releasing new songs every six weeks in preparation for her EP. “I wrote this whole EP pretty much about my experiences with finding love for the first time and what it feels like to feel totally changed,” shared the singer. Most recently, the singer-songwriter dropped her songs “Changed” and “AWAKE.”

The latter was inspired by meeting a man, who positively changed her perspective on love and relationships.“I met a guy last year and he helped me see things in a totally different way. That’s what ‘Awake’ is about.”

Similarly, “Changed” is about realizing how much of life is actually romantic in a beautiful way. “I was so afraid of falling in love before because I didn’t want to break their heart or break my heart. […] Finding the wrong heart that wasn’t meant for you, I was so afraid of that, I kind of avoided that at all costs.”

Fans can look forward to more singles coming out soon, as well as, music videos to go with the incredible songs. Keep an eye out on Papa’s new music, and make sure to head to her website to snag tickets to her scheduled shows!

“Once you touch one, there’s a million you can empower or inspire, and that’s the goal to get people to feel something from what you’re doing.”

Connect:

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

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

Taryn Papa’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.