Lauren Alaina

With a handful of female country superstars dominating the forefront of the genre, it can be hard for any up and coming talent to break the industry.
That said, as country music enters the mainstream more and more, we are seeing more country singers appearing on TV talent shows, such as American Idol and X Factor USA. Whilst someone have questioned these shows as legitimate routes into carving a music career, they should be viewed as platforms to showcase talent that otherwise would be ignored. Country's leading female vocalist, Carrie Underwood, was herself a winner of American Idol.
Another talent that American Idol has produced, Lauren Alaina is a new country superstar taking the industry by storm. I was fortunate enough to see her live on a trip to Nashville earlier this year, the home of country music, and was taken by surprise by how polished and mature the 19-year-olds performance was. She sang her way through a short set of sure to be hit songs including first single "Like My Mother Does", the perfect, emotional country song.
At just 19, Lauren Alaina has clearly got the talent to spend many more years making music and I'm sure she will be a credit to the country genre. Her live performance was truly exceptional for someone so young and so new to the industry and was a testament to just how far she will go.

My absolute favourite genre of music is country, so I’m reasonably hard to please when it comes to hearing new country music, but when I first heard Craig Morgan pick up his guitar and start singing away to his classic That’s What I Love About Sunday, I was immediately converted into a massive fan.
When Morgan walked out onto the stage, a hush fell across the audience in anticipation as he arranged himself in front of the microphone. He introduced himself modestly and the way he engaged with the audience was humbling. One of the most poignant elements of the concert was Morgan’s explanations of the lyrics of his music. The insight that he gave the audience to his compositions was something very special to be a part of. Knowing the motivations of the lyrics made each song resonate even deeper with the audience. He had us singing along to the hit tracks, and waving our hands in the air to the more ballad style tracks. His energy was contagious and electric, and everyone in the audience appeared to be having the best time in his presence and talent. One of the most talented musicians of today, and a real honour to see in concert.

The War and Treaty are a wonderful, soulful, full of love duo that can belt out beautiful and moving songs. They have so much life between then on stage and are gracious and grateful to their audience. I highly recommend checking them out!