Ashley Cooke, Taylor Austin Dye, Lauren Alaina, and Jenna Paulette

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.