Only halfway through 2025, Lanie Gardner has earned multiple accolades—featured on songs on both Thomas Rhett’s (“What Could Go Right”) and Warren Zeiders’s (“Love In Letting Go”) albums, her EP Polaroids dropped June 6, and she celebrated with a release party at Chief’s on Broadway.  No better way to start off her third CMA Fest as an official performer!

Catching up with Lanie Gardner was like taking a breath of fresh air.  She was extremely excited, both to have her EP out and to perform for her fans.  And despite features on two major country album releases this year, she could not be humbler.  She shared that she was shocked when she learned she was the chosen female feature on both songs and that she could not have been more grateful for the opportunity.  (I was not shocked at all as it was very clear the songs wouldn’t have been as successful without her!)

We spoke about her latest release, Polaroids.  Each song on this EP was carefully crafted and showcases Gardner’s mature lyrics and soothing yet powerful vocals.  The standout track, “…Takin” The Slow Ride,” will have wishing you were cruising around town without a care in the world.  It’s clearly a favorite of Gardner’s, probably because it so elegantly encourages the listener to see the beauty in slowing down and appreciating the little things in life.  With Lanie’s impending challenges of opening for Gavin Adcock and promoting Faded Polaroids (Releasing September 5), I see the track’s elegant message resonating for her too.  There’s more.  Gardner’s Grand Ole Opry debut is August 6.  Her momentum is clear, and this is only the beginning for Lanie Gardner.  There’s no limit on where she might be at this time next year.  Check out Faded Polaroids HERE. 

Sass and swagger are the two words that best describe Laura Bryna. Her bold and energetic personality matches her music. Unafraid to tackle any musical genre, she relishes working with collaborators that challenge her. Her latest single “Blue Jeans Crazy,” is a feel-good, country rock, soulful, nostalgic tune that motivates you to take a trip to the nearest small town. Bryna says the song was inspired by her small town, a place where no matter what happened (good or bad) everyone rallied around and help each other out.  Check out “Blue Jeans Crazy” HERE.

When we caught up with her just before she took the Spotlight Stage this year it led to a breathtaking experience from start to finish. Her larger-than-life persona made us even more excited than we had been to catch her set. Bryna was extremely excited for everyone to get to know her better because, as she stated, “what you see is what you get with me.” She could have not been more down to earth when speaking about her fans, the “Bryniacs,” and her musical role models – Chris Stapleton, Dolly Parton, Jelly Roll, and Wynonna Judd. The “Bryniacs” have avidly supported her musical experimentation. She shared that she believes it’s good that she’s sassy and edgy, but what makes her stand out is the emotional depth she brings to her songs and performances. Her single “Painkiller,” which strays away from her typical country-rock, brings a raw, emotive, bedroom-pop tune that immediately draws you in.  It explores the idea that a loved one could be your painkiller, and Bryna loved experimenting with it.  She cannot wait for her “Bryniacs” to hear her new music and to see her perform on tour this year!

As anyone who’s seen her perform will tell you, if Alanis Morissette, Shaina Twain, and Dolly Parton had a baby it would be Sheyna Gee.  Her perfect blending of classic rock and country is undeniable, and with the addition of her mesmerizing storytelling and powerhouse vocals she has set herself apart from her peers.  We caught up with Gee right before her first ever CMA Fest performance, which she teased would evoke every emotion.  She was clearly excited that her fans have seen her growth over the years and have shared in the emotional journey it entailed.

While this might be Sheyna’s first CMA Fest performance, she is no novice, having performed at Bonnaroo, C2C in London, and numerous other festivals all over the world.  If you have been living in Nashville, you quite likely caught her playing a round or a full band performance on Broadway.  She has cultivated a significant fanbase, with a very prominent TikTok following.  Having gained all this traction, Gee has decided to release an acoustic EP toward the end of the year.  Gee is excited because the EP’s visuals and audio were created simultaneously—each song will have its own visuals.  You have to wait a little bit longer for the EP, but you don’t have to wait to enjoy her already released new singles this year, “If I Could,” “Broke,” and “Rooster.”  

“Rooster” has gained impressive traction on Spotify and TikTok and is this summer’s can’t miss party song.  As Gee states, “it gets the boots stopping and gets people excited.” Despite its upbeat tone, the song was inspired by a difficult time in Gee’s life.  When she started this creative endeavor, Gee decided to attempt to use the focus she was applying to her personal challenges to create a song that brings happiness to others.  When you hear the song for the first time you’ll see she succeeded.  Not content with her accomplishments, Gee has teased a new song due out this month that will be about opioid addiction.  As you can see, Sheyna Gee does not shy away from any topic.  She writes about what truly is on her mind and she writes with a focus on her fans. Check out Sheyna Gee’s Spotify Page HERE.

CMA Fest might be a huge leap for most up-and-coming artists, but for Remy Garrison it’s like a homecoming. That’s because she has been traveling back and forth to Nashville from Birmingham, Alabama since she was 15. Having started off playing on Broadway at Tootsie’s and Honky Tonk Central, even before she was legal, her playing CMA Fest is a full circle moment. Comfortable with the hustle and bustle of Nashville, she can enjoy the nostalgia and play her music without reserve. She told us she is delighted not only to be playing music in the city, but also to have the opportunity to watch her favorite country artists. She shared she could not wait to stop by Spotify House at Ole Red to catch Shaboozey and then go catch a full medley of artists at Nissan Stadium. She deeply appreciates how welcoming the country music community has been to her over the years and could not stop speaking about how exciting it was for her to play at CMA Fest again this year, particularly to play her new song “Sweet ‘N Low.”

And do not let the song’s title fool you—it is a clever, sassy, up-beat, pop-country tune that you will likely be blasting in your car all summer long. When we first caught up with Remy at CMA Fest, she was, ironically, drinking a Celsius Energy Drink. Ironic because it was her dislike of artificial sweeteners that inspired “Sweet ‘N Low. The song explores what happens as a relationship begins to leave a sour taste in your mouth. As Remy sees it, you are originally drawn in by all the sweet talking, but if there is no substance behind the talk you eventually realize how fake the situation is. As Remy states so beautifully in the song, you cannot exactly pinpoint what is wrong with the relationship, but “that recipe ain’t right.” You can check out “Sweet ‘N Low” HERE.