You may recall a couple years back, Queens of Country did a feature on an up and coming country singer with soul sensibilities named Abbey Cone. Today, Abbey Cone is a blossoming songwriter, who recently got a cut on the Lindsay Ell record. She’s tapped into the pop/soul side of her artistry more than the country side in recent years, but her writing is detailed and compelling, as you can find in the songs on her SoundCloud page.
Three years since their debut record was released, country music’s favorite female duo is back with a new label and a new perspective. Maddie & Tae went through an intense label shuffle with the closing of their label Dot Records and their subsequent move to Mercury Nashville. But they’ve gotten out the other side, and are plotting the release of their sophomore album for later this year.
Canadian singer/songwriter Tenille Townes isn’t Lori McKenna, but they were cut from the same cloth when it comes to songwriting. You can hear the love junkie in the specificity of Townes’s lyrics, even the vocal delivery. But these songs all straight story songs — something McKenna does exceptionally well but doesn’t do as much as she should.
RaeLynn is an acquired taste. She sings with major twang and not much range, and her pop-country music leans quite heavily on the pop side. Occasionally her lyrics are very strong, especially the tracks that she’s had a hand in writing. But she’s never quite been able to shake off “God Made Girls,” the syrupy, somewhat sexist song that launched her career post-The Voice.
Kacey Musgraves has long been hailed as one of the only young traditionalists in country music — ever since her debut “Merry Go ‘Round” in 2012. But her first album in three years has took a little bit of a different turn, steering away from the bluegrass and roots-influenced music of her past.
If you’ve had a chance to listen to Polish country singer Marta’s new album The Story, you likely passed over this song. On an album full of uptempo songs like “All About Us” and singles like “I Need a Love Story,” a song like “In Crowd” can easily get lost.
Last Friday, one of country-pop’s brightest new stars dropped a music video for her current single, ”Can’t Think Straight.” Lena Stone, a Nashville based singer and songwriter, released the song late last year, following up her debut single, “Nervous”.
Canadian country rocker Stevie Jewel is gearing up to release her new EP on Friday. But today, you can listen to the record early, exclusively on Queens of Country.
Taylor Grace is a high school graduate, a songwriter, and the artist behind one of the most honest and prolific tracks released so far in 2018. The catch is — she’s only 16. I had the chance to chat with Taylor about that song, “Far From Perfect,” her life, and her goals for the next couple years.
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