Every month, Girl Gang Music updates our playlists with new artists.
Welcome to the vibrant world of Americana, folk and country music! In this month’s edition of Girl Gang Music’s country music playlist, get ready to immerse yourself in a slew of new artists.
New Artist Discoveries
Girl Gang prides itself on covering and playlisting artists before they have that big viral moment. Check out some of the stand out artists we discovered this month.
Taylor Austin Dye
If you don’t know Taylor yet, obviously you don’t use social media, because her songs have been popping off left and right.
Written By: Taylor Austin Dye, Chris Utley, Nicole Croteau
Accompaniment: Jason Bowling (Guitar), Scottie McClease (Bass), Ben Williamson (Percussion)
Sarah McCulloch
Sarah McCulloch is a renowned folk singer-songwriter and country artist known for her exceptional ability to weave captivating stories through her music.
Her upcoming full-length acoustic album, ‘Driving Me Home,’ is slated to release on May 3, 2024 and was produced by Jim Bickerstaff (Widespread Panic, Loretta Lynn, Chuck Leavell, Gladys Knight) and written entirely by McCulloch. ‘Driving Me Home’ is an inspiring collection of 12 song stories, many of which feature strong, capable female archetypes who showcase the strength to triumph over adversity and the courage to move forward with independence. “Because of my own life experiences, I’ve learned no matter how bad your situation is, you have to keep moving,” shares McCulloch. “But the last song I wrote for the album, ‘Driving Me Home,’ which ended up being the title track, is ultimately about relinquishing a little of that independence and allowing for vulnerability.”
Sarah Lake
Sarah grew up in North Carolina. She appeared on American Idoll Season 4 and made it to the finals. After her departure from AI, she moved to NYC, where she met her Grammy-nominated producer husband, Ernie Lake. She took a brief break from music to start a family. The Lakes decided to relocate the family to Nashville in early 2017 and have been thriving in the richly creative community since.
Annika Catharina
Though pop and rock were the genres that Annika Catharina first loved, it was the songs of Patsy Cline that drew her to country music. After hearing “Walking After Midnight” and “Crazy”, she wanted to perform country songs any chance she got.
Based in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Annika started singing country covers along with other classics, placing in various competitions, such as Variety’s Got Talent, PNE Star Showdown, and Youth Talent Search BC.
In 2017, a bad accident changed Annika’s course, requiring multiple surgeries and reconstructive facial surgery as part of her recovery. While her new circumstances made singing challenging, it hardened her resolve to pursue music.
As she celebrates her first single of 2024, “What if I”, Annika Catharina is excited, inspired, and – more than anything – grateful for being able to record music and share it with the world.
DINER
Born and raised in Portland, and now making waves in Los Angeles, the vibrant singer, songwriter, and musician DINER is proud to carry her Oregon roots and eclectic musical background with her on her artistic journey. From the tender age of 5, DINER honed her performance skills and confidence, singing for local patrons at her family’s diner. This unique upbringing, intertwined with her involvement in her parents’ café, has profoundly shaped the woman and artist she is today. As DINER reflects, “I used to hide that I was the local diner girl, but I’ve found the beauty in it. I was raised by a community that knew me before I could ever see over the counter that have been instrumental to my growth.”
DINER’s musical inspiration is as diverse as her upbringing, drawing from a wide array of genres that she grew up listening to. From Broadway musicals like Dreamgirls to the iconic rock sounds of Queen and No Doubt, to the soulful voices of Jennifer Hudson and Christina Aguilera, these influences have contributed to her unique sound – a youthful yet timeless blend of pop, country, rock, and folk. She explains, “Music has always been my escape. It has given me the ability to take from my present reality and dream up my favorite scenarios. Whatever or however random it is, it becomes real when I’m immersed in music. This is the magical feeling I want to evoke in others through my music.”
Anna Josephine
Brooklyn-based artist Anna Josephine is breaking new ground with the release of her debut rock single, “Honey Pal,” on March 22, 2024. Known for her distinctive blend of indie-folk, chamber pop, and Americana, Anna’s bold venture into rock underscores her artistic reputation for pushing conventional genre boundaries.
Raising Daughters
RAISING DAUGHTERS is a country-folk music duo featuring Josette Axne and Hallie Riddick. They started their partnership in 2020 and released their first album, GET HOME l.p., in October 2021. Described as a combination of Alison Krauss, The Staves and The Indigo Girls, Hal and Jo make music to commemorate their coming of age and close the gap between their past and present. Based in NYC, the Kentucky and Colorado natives bring together the sounds of folk, country, chick rock, indie, and pop. Raising Daughters recently released their newest single, Nor’easter, in February 2023. Their new EP, Petty Crimes, was *just* released on February 16th 2024.
Paris Ray
Paris Ray is singer songwriter based in Long Island, NY. She started her career in the entertainment industry as a child, when she had roles on iCarly, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, 30 Rock and numerous soap operas. In high school she pivoted from acting to music, when she taught herself to play guitar and fell in love with songwriting.
From there, she entered the music conservatory at SUNY Purchase college where her concentration was studio composition. Since then, she’s written hundreds of songs, and opened for Steely Dan, David Crosby, Katrina of Katrina and the Waves and Jake Shimabukuru. Most recently, you may have heard her cover of Bill Withers’ Lean on Me featured in national Dawn Dish soap commercial.
Now Paris is a full time musician performing 6 days a week at Long Island’s most beautiful vineyards, restaurants, bars and breweries. She’s living the life she’s always dreamed of, and is lucky to be supporting herself with her voice and guitar while still writing music. Her newest album, Clementine, dropped February 1, 2023 and she is continuing to release singles as often as she can.
Dover Lynn Fox
Dover Lynn fox is a singer-songwriter from Burlington, ON. She tells stories about life’s hardships and victories, but draws just as much inspiration from the beauty of the natural world. Her music is by turns pastoral and striking, and her songs are driven by her powerful, yet wistful voice.