They don’t make ’em like Mae Estes anymore. Fresh-faced and truth-telling, she was raised on the kind of country music most people can only name drop, not talk about for hours on end. Mae, born and raised in Hope, Arkansas (population just over 8,000), stirs up the kind of plain dirt country that understands how hard most people work to make ends meet and how much blowing off steam on Friday night actually means.

Singing around Nashville, Mae has been making noise and critically acclaimed songs that show both mettle and a genuine vision, earning her critical and industry acclaim. She was named the Association of Independent Music Publishers’ Rising Artist-Writer of the Year in 2024 and won the Arkansas Country Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year three years in a row.

"Every step of the way,” she says, “I knew one thing: I wanted to make honest country music. God sure gave me a unique perspective and story to write songs from, but it’s always been important to me to also celebrate and remember the timeless music that came before me.”

In a 10-year town, Mae is right on time. She’s taken that decade to internalize how much the music means to her. Her influences run deep; her style is unflinchingly candid and frank, and she sings not only about the tough actual life stuff, but also the power of letting go at the end of a long week.
To that end, today she drops “The 90s Called,” the embodiment of wry, straight-up and full-on country gold and a dance floor juggernaut designed for scuffing boots and booty shaking. Watch the lyric video HERE.

Written by good friend and Grammy Award-winning Aaron Raitiere alongside Benjy Davis, Mae’s Blue Highway Records debut is a slice of pure beer joint perfection. Rocking a massive pocket from old school drummer Lonnie Wilson, while citing bits of hits from Brooks & Dunn, Conway Twitty, Billy Ray Cyrus and Alan Jackson, “The 90s Called” is half-comic, half-throwdown for people who know the difference between unfiltered and real and a mere notion of throwback country.

"In middle school, singing on the AM country station every Tuesday was the best,” Mae explains. “What was on the radio was so amazing – Alan Jackson, Brooks & Dunn, Reba, Lee Ann Womack, Martina McBride, Shenandoah. My taste spans wider than just the country genre, but the artists and songwriting I grew up on really inspired the music maker I am today.”
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With fiddle from Grammy-winning Time Jumper, John Anderson vet and O.G. Lower Broadway legend Joe Spivey, flaring dobro from Josh Matheny and a sense of whimsy, Mae creates an animated take on what made country great in a time where name-checking older artists is meant to suggest authenticity.
While readying her much-anticipated 2027 full length Blue Highway debut, Mae is taking a moment to honor her bona fides by looking back and showing her kind of country from the source. Beyond the euphoria-delivering single, she flips Country Music Hall of Famers Brooks & Dunn’s heart-rending “She’s Not the Cheatin’ Kind” – also out today – to inhabit the song from the woman finally letting go’s perspective. Honest, raw and real, like “90s,” she knows how to make a song sparkle, but also hit overdrive to deliver the kind of power-forward performance that makes a song crescendo from the vocals – not the guitar.

For Gloria Anderson, this year's CMA Fest marked a full-circle moment.

"I used to work these events as a volunteer," she shared. "To finally be a part of the music side is a dream come true."

The singer-songwriter made her official CMA Fest performance debut while also celebrating the release of her new album, Run of the Mill. The 10-song project, which was fully crowdfunded by fans, reflects Anderson's love for storytelling and is the perfect introduction of her.  

"My hometown has a little mill, and after a while you stop noticing it," she explained. "I hope the album reminds people to slow down and appreciate the places and people around them."

The record includes "A Little Bit of Cowboy," the song that earned Anderson recognition through the Tractor Supply Emerging Artist Program. After applying on the program's final day, at her mother's encouragement, Anderson was selected as the winner and later opened for Cody Johnson at a Tractor Supply event at Bridgestone Arena.

"It's been a whirlwind," she said. "Their team has been incredibly supportive, and it's been amazing to have champions like that in the industry."

Known for her vivid songwriting, Anderson describes her music as songs people can "see."

"I hope I write songs that stay with people through different seasons of life," she said. "Whether you're getting your first car or having your first baby, I want the songs to feel timeless."

The excitement doesn't stop with CMA Fest. This summer, Anderson is preparing for her first international run of shows in the United Kingdom, bringing her music overseas for the very first time. With a brand-new album, growing fan support, and international shows on the horizon, Gloria Anderson is proving that sometimes the biggest dreams start in the smallest hometowns.

Taylor Austin Dye is making waves with her unique blend of Southern rock and country. A Kentucky native, she may have grown up playing bluegrass music, but today describes her sound as "Shania Twain meets Nickelback"—a combination that perfectly captures her unique style.

During CMA Fest, Dye performed on the Close Up Stage in a songwriters' round, sharing stories behind her songs alongside fellow artists. While she loves the connection that songwriter rounds create with fans, she admits full-band shows are her favorite.

"A lot of my songs are high-energy and rocking," she said. "It's fun to get that big energy from the band."

Dye has released two full-length albums, Out of These Hills and Sick of Me, and credits her loyal fanbase, affectionately called the "Ride or Dyes", for helping fuel her success. Fans can also look forward to more music soon, as she's currently working on a larger project expected later this year or early next year.

One of the biggest moments of Dye's career was making her Grand Ole Opry debut after being personally invited by country star Jamey Johnson.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack," she recalled. "It was honestly the best day of my life."

When it comes to dream collaborations, Dye names Ashley McBryde, Ella Langley, Miranda Lambert, Jo Dee Messina, Gretchen Wilson, and Lainey Wilson among the powerhouse female artists she'd love to work with.

With new music on the way and a growing fanbase behind her, Taylor Austin Dye continues to prove she's one of country music's most exciting rising voices.

HunterGirl returned to CMA Fest this year with a packed schedule and a deep appreciation for the journey that brought her here.

"It's the most fun week in country music," she shared. "Getting to meet fans and put faces to names from social media is always so special."

Beyond the music, HunterGirl remains committed to supporting veterans through organizations like Operation Song, Freedom Sings USA, and A Soldier's Child. Coming from a military family, the cause is deeply personal.

"I write songs with veterans about what they've been through," she said. "It's been such a blessing in my life."

That passion recently came full circle when she invited Army Sergeant Sarah Lee onstage at the Grand Ole Opry to hear the song they wrote together performed for the first time.

The singer also reflected on her debut radio single, "Ain't About You," which made history as the first debut country radio single by a female artist in 30 years written entirely by herself. Written during a difficult season, the song was inspired by a simple realization: "What if it isn't about you? What if it's about the people you can help?" Despite her rising success, HunterGirl continues to live by this philosophy, and it shows in everything she does. 

Now, following the release of her Tennessee Girl EP and several new singles, HunterGirl says she's excited for fans to continue growing with her through each chapter of her music. With a successful CMA Fest behind her and new music on the way, HunterGirl is embracing every moment.

"It feels like everything I've worked toward my whole life is finally on the right path," she said. "I'm just really grateful to get to do it."