Every year, there’s a wealth of rising country talent that deserves your attention. To help you keep up, we’ve picked 10 artists who are heading into 2024 with excellent songs, outstanding voices and vital perspectives to share.
Autumn Nicholas
Autumn Nicholas hasn’t released a ton of recorded material yet, but everything they play leaves an impact when you hear it. And you had lots of opportunities to hear them around town last year, from the Love Rising benefit for LGBTQ rights organizations and the Together in Action benefit (that Nicholas co-organized) for anti-gun-violence group Moms Demand Action, from Bonnaroo to Nashville Pride Fest to opening at the Ryman for Jason Isbell. “Made Yet,” a ballad released in August, is about resisting the pressure to conform in a way that precious few country songs are — if you want to talk about pushing back against oppression and celebrating freedom, their work is a great place to start. STEPHEN TRAGESER