ÍøÆغÚÁÏ

A country singer with a distinctive style and a playful swagger, Reyna Roberts' brash country-pop sound draws from a wide array of influences. Born in Alaska, raised in California and Alabama, and based in Nashville, Roberts grew up listening to trap, blues, hip-hop, classical, rock, and country, and those myriad styles helped shape her unique sound, which garnered mainstream attention with the release of 2020's "Stomping Grounds." Three years later, Roberts unveiled her debut long-player, Bad Girl Bible, Vol. 1, which included the hits "Country Club" and "He Gon' Be a Problem."

Born in Anchorage to a pair of Army combat engineers, Roberts took to music at an early age, performing karaoke at local bars and honing her skills on the family piano. When she was ten, her parents lost their home but retained a storage unit for her beloved piano, where she continued to practice. After a short stint in Alabama, her family relocated to Los Angeles, and it was there that Roberts began honing her songwriting skills. Inspired by artists like Gretchen Wilson, Jamey Johnson, Charlie Daniels, Rihanna, the Chicks, Miranda Lambert, Johnny Cash, Adele, and Beyonce, she released an independent EP, The Beginning, while still in high school.

Bouncing between L.A. and Nashville, she eventually moved to Music City full-time in 2020. An uploaded video of her singing Carrie Underwood's "Drinking Alone" caught the attention of Mickey Guyton and Underwood herself, both of whom re-posted it, prompting Roberts to commit to country music in full. "Stomping Grounds," a punchy amalgam of rock, country, and pop with savvy electronic elements, arrived later that year and helped put Roberts on the map. She opened for Jamey Johnson on his 2021 summer tour and inked a deal with Nashville-based publishing company Eclipse Music Group. "Pretty Little Devils" appeared in 2022, and in early 2023, she teamed up with Tayler Holder on the boozy hit "Another Round." Bad Girl Bible, Vol. 1, Roberts' first full-length effort, arrived later that year. ~ James Christopher Monger

Possessing a clear, sweet voice and a sensitivity to match, Sarahbeth Taite grounds her country music in older sounds: among her first digital single were covers of Waylon Jennings and Dolly Parton, she nodded to Tom Petty on 2020's "Happy Hour," and her sensibility is grounded in the softer country-pop of the 1990s, particularly Reba McEntire. Despite her fondness for old ways, Taite seized the opportunities provided by the digital landscape of the 2010s, leading to the 2020 viral hit "Long Way."

A native of Fort Collins, Colorado, Sarahbeth Taite began playing music as a child, first learning piano, then picking up guitar. Taite's musical interests intensified as she reached her teens, leading her to attend a Nashville Songwriters Association International workshop in Nashville, an experience that soon led to a publishing contract with Green Hills Music Group. She was still attending high school at the time. Her deal with Green Hills Music Group expired before she moved to Nashville at the age of 17. After relocating, she pursued a career as a performer as well as a writer, having her single "He Loves Me" aired on CMT in 2016. "He Loves Me" was the lead track on her eponymous 2016 EP.

Taite began cultivating a fan base online, releasing a series or digital singles beginning with 2018's "Issues" and a series of covers under the umbrella title "Songs I Wish I'd Written" in 2019. Her popularity began to spike in 2020 with the viral hit "Long Way." ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

A pensive singer/songwriter with a gentle touch, Carter Faith follows in the footsteps of Taylor Swift, using such early records as Fearless as a blueprint for her own songs of love and dreams. Faith offsets her inherent sweetness with subtly textured productions that emphasize feel as much as melody. After a pair of EPs, her 2022 single "Greener Pastures" found a bigger audience, setting up expectations for her third EP, Man, in late 2023. The Aftermath, followed in 2024 and featured a duet with Alison Krauss.

A native of Davidson, North Carolina, Faith learned how to play piano and guitar in middle school. By the time she turned 16, she had started writing original songs. After high school, she relocated to Nashville to attend Belmont University and pursue a career in country music. Faith quickly made inroads in the Music City, becoming a regular at Song Suffragettes, a weekly roundtable of women songwriters in Nashville.

Faith's debut single, "Leaving Tennessee," arrived in July 2020, earning a big enough audience to attract the attention of Altadena, an entertainment company founded by the late producer busbee. Altadena signed Faith to an artist development deal, and she quickly released "Sinners in a Small Town" and "Easy Pill." The 2021 EP The Dusk Sessions presented stripped-down piano-and-voice versions of "Leaving Tennessee" and "Easy Pill," as well as a cover of Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time." Faith next released "Joyride," which was a single promoting her official debut EP, Let Love Be Love.

Throughout 2022 and the front half of 2023, Faith issued a prolific array of singles including "Greener Pasture," "Cowboy Forever," and "Wild," each one showcasing her layered pop-country blend. Led by its torchy title track, the Man EP appeared October 2023. Over the coming year Faith continued turning out high-quality, thoughtful singles like 2024's "Late Bloomer" and the Alison Krauss collaboration "Blue Bird," both of which were included on her next EP, The Aftermath. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine