Shaboozey on Country and Hip Hop’s Surprising ‘Parallels’ — and 6 Other Hot Black Acts Making Nashville History

Mar. 15, 2025

From left: Mickey Guyton, Shaboozey and Brittney Spencer.Photo:Joseph Llanes ; Daniel Prakopcyk; Jimmy Fontaine

Joseph Llanes ; Daniel Prakopcyk; Jimmy Fontaine

From Charley Pride, Linda Martell and Ray Charles to Darius Rucker and Beyoncé, Black artists have been leaving an imprint on country music for decades. Here are some of the leading young talents making history today.

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Shaboozey

Shaboozey in 2024.Daniel Prakopcyk

Daniel Prakopcyk

How you know him

Country heroes

Shaboozey grew up listening to legends like Kenny Rogers, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Marty Robbins. “Johnny Cash was something that resonated with me very early on," he tells PEOPLE. “Marty Robbins too. I loved Marty Robbins. His voice was just so sweet and distinct. Just seeing the parallels between country music, [with] the storytelling, and hip-hop, I was like, ‘Oh man, they’re kind of talking about the same things.’ ”

Don’t wake him up!

“It feels like a dream,” Shaboozey told PEOPLE last year about his whirlwind of success. “It feels like I’m definitely going to wake up at some point and be like, ‘Damn, that s— was a dream?’ ”

02of 07Mickey GuytonMickey Guyton in 2024.Joseph LlanesHow you know herGuyton, 41, was the first Black female country artist to be Grammy-nominated for best country solo performance (for her 2020 single “Black Like Me”) and the first Black woman to host the Academy of Country Music Awards (in 2021). Her second album,House on Fire, came out in September.Proudest momentThe star was expecting son Grayson, now 4, when she performed “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” with Keith Urban at the 2020 ACM Awards. “All my success happened when I was pregnant, and we’ve been taught as women that pregnancy stifles careers,” says Guyton, who married Grant Savoy in 2017. “That was really empowering. I’m up on the stage succeeding in spite of what you may think of what a woman should do as a career woman.”Living her musicGuyton is at work on album No. 3. “I’ve gone through a lot in my life,” the Texas native says. “I want to write story songs of things I’ve seen.”

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Mickey Guyton

Mickey Guyton in 2024.Joseph Llanes

Joseph Llanes

How you know her

Guyton, 41, was the first Black female country artist to be Grammy-nominated for best country solo performance (for her 2020 single “Black Like Me”) and the first Black woman to host the Academy of Country Music Awards (in 2021). Her second album,House on Fire, came out in September.

Proudest moment

The star was expecting son Grayson, now 4, when she performed “What Are You Gonna Tell Her?” with Keith Urban at the 2020 ACM Awards. “All my success happened when I was pregnant, and we’ve been taught as women that pregnancy stifles careers,” says Guyton, who married Grant Savoy in 2017. “That was really empowering. I’m up on the stage succeeding in spite of what you may think of what a woman should do as a career woman.”

Living her music

Guyton is at work on album No. 3. “I’ve gone through a lot in my life,” the Texas native says. “I want to write story songs of things I’ve seen.”

03of 07Reyna RobertsReyna Roberts in 2025.Acacia EvansHow you know herThe 27-year-old from Alaska, who released her debut album,Bad Girl Bible: Vol. 1, in September 2023 and has toured with Reba McEntire and Orville Peck, nabbed a guest spot on Beyoncé’sCowboy Cartersong “BLACKBIIRD.” She also performed onAmerica’s Got Talentin May.Always in the cardsRoberts spent years manifesting a Beyoncé collaboration — and performing with her at her Christmas Day halftime show in Houston was the cherry on top. “She’s always been my No. 1 favorite artist in the world,” she says. “I always knew that would happen one day. I just didn’t know when.”Challenging the norm“People have a certain standard of what country music should look like,” Roberts says. “I’m not trying to fit anybody’s criteria but my own and just be who I am.”

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Reyna Roberts

Reyna Roberts in 2025.Acacia Evans

Acacia Evans

The 27-year-old from Alaska, who released her debut album,Bad Girl Bible: Vol. 1, in September 2023 and has toured with Reba McEntire and Orville Peck, nabbed a guest spot on Beyoncé’sCowboy Cartersong “BLACKBIIRD.” She also performed onAmerica’s Got Talentin May.

Always in the cards

Roberts spent years manifesting a Beyoncé collaboration — and performing with her at her Christmas Day halftime show in Houston was the cherry on top. “She’s always been my No. 1 favorite artist in the world,” she says. “I always knew that would happen one day. I just didn’t know when.”

Challenging the norm

“People have a certain standard of what country music should look like,” Roberts says. “I’m not trying to fit anybody’s criteria but my own and just be who I am.”

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Chapel Hart

Chapel Hart in 2025: (from left) Trea Swindle, Danica Hart and Devynn Hart.Alexis Carter

Alexis Carter

How you know them

The trio — sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and their cousin Trea Swindle—became stars after earning the second-ever group golden buzzer onAmerica’s Got Talentin 2022, finishing in fifth place. “That day, 4,000 people demanded the golden buzzer,” says Danica, 34. “You can’t fake that kind of joy.”

Dolly Parton did what?!

After they performed “You Can Have Him Jolene,” their twist on Dolly Parton’s 1973 classic “Jolene,” onAGT, the legend herself gave them a shout-out on social media. “We screamed so loud, we got a noise complaint and almost got kicked out of the hotel,” says Devynn, 27, laughing.

Born to sing

05of 07Brittney SpencerBrittney Spencer in 2024.Jimmy FontaineHow you know herSpencer, 36, was one of four women featured on Beyoncé’sCowboy Cartertrack “BLACKBIIRD” in 2024. She’s toured with Willie Nelson and Jason Isbell, and she released her debut album,My Stupid Life, in January 2024.Clearing hurdles“I didn’t know if I would be able to find a home in country music,” says the Baltimore-born Spencer, who calls her journey “beautiful,” adding, “I take in the highs as deeply as I can because there are also a lot of challenges that I face because I’m a Black woman in the genre that sometimes fights change.”Artist at workThese days Spencer is laser-focused on writing new music. “My phone’s been on Do Not Disturb for over two months,” she says. “After the year I’ve had, the thing I feel most right now is confident.”

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Brittney Spencer

Brittney Spencer in 2024.Jimmy Fontaine

Jimmy Fontaine

Spencer, 36, was one of four women featured on Beyoncé’sCowboy Cartertrack “BLACKBIIRD” in 2024. She’s toured with Willie Nelson and Jason Isbell, and she released her debut album,My Stupid Life, in January 2024.

Clearing hurdles

“I didn’t know if I would be able to find a home in country music,” says the Baltimore-born Spencer, who calls her journey “beautiful,” adding, “I take in the highs as deeply as I can because there are also a lot of challenges that I face because I’m a Black woman in the genre that sometimes fights change.”

Artist at work

These days Spencer is laser-focused on writing new music. “My phone’s been on Do Not Disturb for over two months,” she says. “After the year I’ve had, the thing I feel most right now is confident.”

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Blanco Brown

Blanco Brown in 2024.Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock

New lease on life

“Trailer trap” king

Brown has put his own spin on country music with a sound he calls “trailer trap.” Says Brown: “Trailer park music meets trap music. I bridged the gap. It’s been amazing overcoming all the stigma and the naysayers.”

07of 07BrelandBreland in 2024.Atlantic RecordsHow you know himThe New Jersey native, born Daniel Gerard Breland, 29, hit No. 1 on Spotify’s Global  Viral chart with his 2019 debut single, “My Truck,” which also reached the Top 40 onBillboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. He’s since collaborated with country stars Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Keith Urban and Shania Twain.Church roots“My parents are gospel singers who met in the Howard Gospel Choir in the ’80s,” says Breland. “I grew up singing in church and sitting in on choir rehearsals, so the vocal runs I do, the harmonies, the arrangements — it’s all very gospel-coded.”On the roadBreland, who released his debut album,Cross Country, in 2022, is planning a trip overseas. “I’m gearing up for a U.K./European tour,” says the singer-songwriter, who performed five U.K. shows in 2023. “Country music is going global.”

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Breland

Breland in 2024.Atlantic Records

Atlantic Records

The New Jersey native, born Daniel Gerard Breland, 29, hit No. 1 on Spotify’s Global  Viral chart with his 2019 debut single, “My Truck,” which also reached the Top 40 onBillboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. He’s since collaborated with country stars Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Keith Urban and Shania Twain.

Church roots

“My parents are gospel singers who met in the Howard Gospel Choir in the ’80s,” says Breland. “I grew up singing in church and sitting in on choir rehearsals, so the vocal runs I do, the harmonies, the arrangements — it’s all very gospel-coded.”

On the road

Breland, who released his debut album,Cross Country, in 2022, is planning a trip overseas. “I’m gearing up for a U.K./European tour,” says the singer-songwriter, who performed five U.K. shows in 2023. “Country music is going global.”

source: people.com