We were lucky to catch up with Taylor Hughes recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Taylor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share a story about the kindest thing someone has done for you and why it mattered so much or was so meaningful to you?
As an independent artist, I have had the opportunity to travel and meet so many amazing fans over the years! Some of them have been there from the very beginning and basically have become family to me. Because of these special bonds I’ve made with them, I have received some of the kindest gestures and made some of the best memories. It’s hard to pick just one so I’ll share my top two. There are two couples that come to as many shows of mine as they can, they share all my exciting news, buy my music and merch, they’ve become great friends of my family and always say “that’s our girl!” One of the couples, knowing how much I love Miranda Lambert, bought me a leather jacket from her line and surprised me with it at one of my shows (I believe it was during Christmas time.) I was shocked and almost started crying at my show because it meant so much to me. The other couple showed up to one of my out of town shows and gifted me with a t-shirt that had a saying on it that was similar to an original song I wrote. They said as soon as they saw it, they thought of me and they just had to buy it for me. The fact that I have fans that think of me in their daily lives and consider me to be a part of their family means the world to me. It lets me know that what I’m doing has purpose and I’m truly connecting with them. I’m so thankful for all my fans!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I have always known from a young age that I loved to sing and that having a music career was in my future. I was always involved in church and school choir growing up and enjoyed singing for close friends and putting on little talent shows. I wont lie though, I was a pretty shy kid and young teen so I never really told anyone this is what I wanted to do till later down the road. I was heavily involved in volleyball from middle school through most of high school so during that time, it was my main focus. I loved it and had plans on going to play college ball until I severely injured my knee my junior year and never fully recovered…which turned out to be a blessing in disguise!
After realizing that was no longer my path, I decided to get back into music. I asked my parents for guitar lessons and of course, they were supportive and signed me up. Little did we know, that my guitar teacher would be someone that my dad and his siblings used to babysit and is still till this day my teacher and pretty much family! Paulie Felice (my teacher) had a few lessons with me and discovered I could sing and wanted to write music. He instantly wanted to take me to Nashville to sing on a TV Comcast show called “Nashville Spotlight” but my parents were very confused; there was no way I knew how to play guitar yet but when he explained that I could sing they were shocked, to say the least.
Next thing I know, I’m singing to backing tracks at the Nashville Palace for this TV show by myself which I had never done before! Everything went great, the show asked me to return, people were complimenting me and saying how excited they were to have me be a part of this show. When we left, my parents stopped me and asked if I was lip-syncing and I said, “nope, this is me” and that’s where it all truly began. I started coming down to Nashville every few months until I was old enough to perform in bars, music venues, etc. I worked the local circuit of my hometown of Lexington, KY for several years while attending the University of Kentucky but I knew where I needed to be was Nashville. I came to my parents and told them I was done with school because I wanted to pursue music full time and unlike most parents, they were 100% supportive. I will always remember my dad saying, “alright, if your’e going to do this, you have to be all in. There is no plan B” and that’s how I’ve looked at my career the entire journey. I eventually met my husband and told him what my future plans and intentions were and he was crazy enough to come along for the ride! We made the move to Nashville in December of 2017 and never looked back.
I’m not your typical pop country artist. With southern rock and blues influences, my voice delivers a powerful, unique, and sassy sound that demands attention. Award winning Gospel singer and vocal coach, Christy Sutherland, described my voice as “rich chocolate cake with soul.” Along with this, I have been said to be “country music’s answer to Adele” in the Tennessee Star; both huge compliments that I’m very grateful for. I have to thank my vocal coach, Kati Hendricks, for helping me get to that point with my vocals and confidence in myself; I am my biggest critic!
2021 showed a lot of promise for me. After releasing my debut single, “Good Taste,” which hit iHeart Radio and multiple other stations, my sophomore single, “Prayin’ to the Whiskey,” got me the attention I had been working so hard to receive. I became a co-sponsor for the annual Bourbon Bash hosted by one of the top Bourbon Podcasts in the world, “Bourbon with Friends.” I was nominated for “Emerging International Artist of the Year” in the UK followed by “Praying’ to the Whiskey” being nominated for “International Song of the Year” in Ireland, making the final top 10. I then ended the year on a high note being nominated for the Southern Fellow’s “Country Artist of the Year” landing in the final top 5 (second year in a row.)
My latest single, “High on Something,” is currently charting in the top 100 on the Texas Internet Radio charts and continues to climb daily. Along with this success, I was nominated in 2022 for my first Josie Music Awards for “Female Country Vocalist of the Year” and “Fan’s Choice Award.” But, I started making a name for myself long before moving to music city. I have been nominated in the Lexington Music Awards for “best female vocalist,” “best singer-songwriter,” “best country artist,” and “song of the year” winning in 2016, 2018, and 2019. I have opened and shared the stage with artists such as Chase Rice, Riley Green, Morgan Myles, Angaleena Presley (Pistol Annies), Sam Riggs, Striking Matches, Leah Turner, Alexandra Kay and more!
Though my main focus is being my own artist and songwriter, I’ve been lucky enough to have my name on a few other artists’ projects. Some of those include “Pinkies Down, Bottoms Up” on country artist, Hannah Wright’s, debut album “Revival.” I was a co-writer on the title track on country-pop artist, Kären McCormick, EP release “Retro.” I was a co-writer on “Christmas in Philly” which can be found on blues artist, Serena Sol Brown’s 2020 Christmas EP. I will also have two co-written songs released in 2023 on fellow country artist, Krystal King’s, debut EP.
I have big plans for 2023 with multiple mini tours around the country, festivals, releasing new music, new partnerships and much more. I entered the new year with multiple nominations in the Appalachian Arts and Entertainment Awards including “Best Female Vocalist,” “Best Country Artist,” “Song of the Year,” and “Social Media Influencer.” I was nominated by fan vote in Country Evolution’s “artist to watch in 2023” along with receiving five nominations in the 2023 Lexington Music Awards taking home the win for “Country Artist of the Year.” I have also received two nominations in the 2023 Josie Music Awards for “Rising Star” and ” Multi-genre Vocalist of the Year.” I have worked hard to bring my fans the best live shows and music that I can. My shows bring the energy, passion, and true country music that fans have been dying to hear and I thank God for the gifts and opportunities he’s given me to be able to do just that.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
The music business is a wild, crazy, sometimes frustrating, but also unbelievably amazing business to be in. It truly is a unique one to be a part of so I think there are multiple aspects about it that can be hard for non-creatives to understand. I can’t speak for all sides of the business but I can when it comes to being an independent artist. One big thing I don’t think people realize is that as an independent artist, we have to wear a lot of hats…and I mean A LOT. Not only are we singing and writing but we’re also playing the roles of social media experts, marketing, booking agent, graphic designers (merch, socials, websites), managers, creating stage plots and designing shows, remembering music( our own and covers), and more. Don’t even get me started on those of us who are married and/or have kids; balancing personal life and work can be super stressful!
Being an independent artist is truly a 24/7 job. Our busiest times are usually our loved one’s down time so we miss out on a lot of special events due to our dedication to our careers. It’s hard to “turn it off” because we live in a world where music is everywhere. New artists pop up everyday, what’s popular is always evolving, we compare ourselves to others success (something you should never do and I’m still working on it myself), and you have to find a way to stand out and make yourself relevant or you could “miss your chance.” Our job is to basically make sure everyone loves us, kind of crazy to think right? Performing a two, three, even four hour show is only a tiny part of what we do BUT it’s the best part. It’s what drives us to be better, it’s what makes us feel alive, the stage (at least for me) is my “home” and it’s where I feel like my true, authentic self. Why do we put ourselves through all this stress and work? Because nothing feels better than connecting with people through music. Sharing your story, your passion, and knowing that you can touch someone with your music in some type of way.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
There are so many rewarding aspects of being an artist. First being that it’s the coolest job ever! I get to travel, experience new places and cultures, meet new fans and make new friends that turn into lifelong ones. I get to step on a stage and use the gifts God gave me and have the time of my life while doing it. Secondly, I use music as a way to express how I’m feeling when simply talking wont do the trick. I tend to be very private, I don’t like seeming vulnerable or weak so music allows me to express what I need to say in a different way. I’ve also learned that it’s a way for me to speak for others who may not be able to express themselves. Whether it’s happiness, sadness, loneliness, anger; you name it, I’ll write and sing about it! I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve performed a song, original or cover, and have had a fan come up to me afterwards and tell me either a personal story or what a particular song means to them. It’s truly a beautiful thing. Thirdly, I have been able to meet so many incredible people that started out as colleagues but are now life long friends of mine. People who I can turn to when I’m lost or understand the struggles I may be having. We can celebrate our highs together but also support one another during the lows. Music really does bring people together.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Taylorhughesmusic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorhughesmusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taylorhughesmusic/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/TayHughes_Music
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZPhD12xLCpMZRUcDDFNjpw/featured
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0lUTE6qzOxQBCjbEKzAjOP?si=-2DqOPjUSSKSi2FWPnfbGw
Image Credits
Pictorious Imagery- London Chavez Hank Jr. Productions NitaInNashville Photography Lost Lake Media