Tennessee Vibes 7 to Watch in 2026

These are the seven independent artists I wrote the most about in 2026. I listen daily to all of them, and they also happen to be the ones who resonated most with my words this year too. Although I had no strategy when I started in February, I quickly realised it would be more than a full-time job to chronicle the enormous number of talented performers in Nashville alone, never mind taking in other voices from around the USA. So I gradually evolved a policy of trying to keep my own quality levels high, and the way I did that was to focus mainly on these seven artists.

Ali Angel

Stone Cold was the first Ali Angel song I heard, and I played it so much during February and March that it became one of my top five most-played songs of the year. Her new album is out on January 16 and I will review all the tracks in due course.

Ali Angel

What would a queer Sheryl Crow sound like? It’s not a question anyone is ever likely to ask you. Nobody has ever asked me. But it turns out the answer is Ali Angel, the Queer Crow. I mention it here because she so evidently loves the name herself. It was quite a long time before I understood Ali is queer, but then... it took her a while to realise herse…

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Lighter by Ali Angel

There’s a grungy, retro intro to the latest brilliant single, Lighter, from LA Angel: Ali Angel. I think she’s a little bit angry this week although the anger builds steadily from a gentle start. It seems like so much water has gone under the bridge since I first wrote about Ali back in cold April now that we’re in cold November. Her releases since then…

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Chloe Kimes

Lola Kirke introduced me to Chloe Kimes during their tour together in the US back in the summer. Chloe’s 2025 songs are thrilling and hilarious, catchy and infectious. If you prefer something a little more reflective then her 2022 debut is for you, a more traditional country sound.

Chloe Kimes' Debut Album

I wrote a few months ago about Chloe’s 2025 singles, which surely point to a second album at some point in 2026. I recently met her at Oslo Hackney after her London show on Thanksgiving, and managed to grab her self-titled debut album on vinyl. So here goes!

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Kirke & Kimes in London

I thought I had seen and written it all before. I’d read the book, played Trailblazer to destruction, including the deluxe edition. My wife had made me watch a bit of Girls. I had re-listened to All Right Now. I was at Sinners in an actual cinema and watched it twice. I had become determined to out-research myself. I have seen 100% of the

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Cyrena Wages

Cyrena has become a regular on my CD player this year. Her infectious laughter echoes through the corridors here at Tennessee Vibes HQ as we keep finding new things to talk about on our podcast. This might be the last written piece of the year, but there is one more podcast episode coming on 20 December so make sure you follow and subscribe wherever you listen. That one features special guest and fellow Substackian .

Cyrena is busy on her second record, Miss Melancholia, and the tracks I have heard indicate it will be every bit as good as 2024’s Vanity Project. I wanted to re-share my first ever profile of Cyrena, before I got to know her, and before my 2025 took a thrilling 180, in part due to her encouragement.

Cyrena has a single out on January 9 and you can pre-save it here.

Cyrena Wages

Who? You're about to have your mind blown. Just say Serena. A Memphis and Nashville veteran yet only in her mid thirties, Cyrena Wages has worked with producers like Mark Needham and Marshall Altman. (I heard of Mark through my Fleetwood Mac obsession.) Her school run – get this – was in a gold 1967 Cadillac. Life was never going to be normal. Who wants…

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Find Out by Cyrena Wages

Find Out is slower and has more of a swing than that brilliant first single, If It Ain't Broke, which has been out almost a month now. And what a hectic first week that was. I have not been that closely involved with a record release before and the pace of it, the excitement, the thrill of the chase, was addictive. I had dopamine running down the walls …

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Lilly Winwood

It was Lilly Winwood’s music that inspired me to write my first musician profile for about 8 years back in February, and I loved watching her release some old-time covers this year. Lilly has been busy playing and touring solo and with father Steve, but her recorded music highlight of 2025 was an EP, The Waiting Room. I forecast an enormous 2026 for her as she plans the release of a new album of original songs.

Lilly Winwood in The Waiting Room

I first started listening to her song Sleep Issues in February, and quickly became Lilly Winwood’s No. 1 fan in England. I’m still playing it, and I have all of the music she has recorded in the last few years, including her Bandcamp album Time Well Spent

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Lilly Winwood

I have been writing occasional articles for ten years about cultural inspirations of mine including Maria McKee, Stevie Nicks, Phoebe Price and Jessica Dorfman Jones. I thought it was time to bring this strand back with a new subject: Lilly Winwood.

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Miller Campbell

Watching an artist live is seeing them in their true environment, and has more impact than even the most expensive record player. Miller’s appearance at Bush Hall, London felt like a special treat because she had told me of the show herself. I was the only one in the audience who had bought a Lera Lynn ticket just to see Miller’s support set.

Miller is so busy, claiming to perform up to 160 times a year, which I find staggering. She’s on the up and I hope I played a small part in bringing her music to a UK and European audience in 2026. She’s even nicer in person than you would expect from her interviews!

Miller Campbell, pt. 3

Miller Campbell might have grown up virtually on an island in Washington State but she is a classic rock ‘n’ roller. Miller also brings a classic Hollywood style to her music and to her image. Her new album cover calls to mind Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. MC is pure class and brings attention to detail to every aspect of her craft.

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Lera Lynn & Miller Campbell: Live in London

It was 4th September when Miller Campbell slid back into my DMs. I’m coming to London! 5th October! Supporting Lera Lynn! And so it went. On a Sunday night, a school night for muggles, as dusk turned to black, we waited in silence. We could hear the final sound check blasting through the walls. After things fell silent again, someone emerged from within…

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Pearl Charles

Pearl Charles was my first solo gig of 2025, the one where I realised it can be just as much fun sometimes to turn up on your own. Pearl was so engaging and easy to chat to on the merch stand. I have seen Pearl twice now and have recently obtained a third ticket for 1st May 2026.

Desert Queen by Pearl Charles

I've been having an absolute blast with Pearl Charles for the last couple of weeks. The midpoint in our short relationship was at Hackney's Moth Club on the night when Beyoncé kicked off her London residency. The best people were at the Moth that night

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Neal Francis & Pearl Charles

Francis is his middle name, it turns out. Neal Francis was unknown to me back in June when I booked my ticket. I heard through Pearl Charles that she was coming back to London to support Neal, and I booked immediately. So much else has happened since that day, 9 June 2025, just days after her 5 June Moth Club show to celebrate the release of

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Zoee

Zoee easily has the fewest letters of any artist I wrote about this year, even with her trademark double E. I loved her debut album in the summer and she was such a pleasure to work with on several song reviews. For a few weeks before and during the album release she was always one DM away and the very first artist to agree to a Q&A with me. She’s really blowing up in Nashville and we’re all hoping she can tour in the UK and Europe soon!

I Could Complain by Zoee

I've already written a substantial profile of Zoee, so by now you will know that I rate her highly and love her positive tunes. Her life story so far takes some believing, and involves an accident on a dirt bike, but it helps to understand her relentless pursuit of positivity. I sense she will steer very clear of negative people. As my Brizzy friend Cla…

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The Butterfly Effect (Side 2) by Zoee

Welcome to my whole album deep dive of The Butterfly Effect, Zoee's debut album which she released on her birthday, Independence Day! You can read about Side 1 of the new album here on Tennessee Vibes. I have written about a couple of these songs before, but I have brought the second half tracks together below to give you a comprehensive article about t…

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Encore

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the first year of Tennessee Vibes. Most of my more successful projects have happened by complete accident. British Gangs is not a topic I knew anything about and I was shocked to be asked to write a hardback book about them. That relationship with Pen & Sword opened the door for next year’s two-volume history of Fleetwood Mac.

When I wrote the very first Lilly Winwood profile in February I had no plans to write any more. But it was the second profile, of Cyrena Wages, that really opened up a door into the Tennessee music scene. Fast forward to the autumn and I found myself not only meeting Pearl Charles, Chloe Kimes and Miller Campbell in person, but all of them recognised me! Such a surprising and rewarding end to a really fun year.

Thanks for coming on the journey, and do recommend Tennessee Vibes to your friends. I have no plans to paywall any content, although I do promise that all new content is free for at least 6 months.

See you in 2026!