Country music now has mixtapes thanks to Tanner Adell, who is carving her lane in the genre by blurring the lines that once defined it.
“I’ve always just been a country girl,” Adell told Blavity.
Growing up between Los Angeles and Wyoming exposed the artist to various music types.
“There was a long time where I felt I tried to pick one over the other, and ultimately, the only way I could be fully authentic to myself was by really doing both at the same time,” she said. “It has turned into kind of my own lane of pop, hip hop and country, which has been very different from the pattern that we’ve seen from female country singers.”
Her single “Buckle Bunny” showcases the singer’s eclectic style and has become a massive hit — and the meaning behind the song made it even more enjoyable.
“It’s basically a slut… And I always thought it was a cute word. I was like, ‘We’re not losing this,'” Adell joked.
The singer reflected on her childhood when rodeo season was the thrill of the year in her small town. Girls would get dolled up and “head into town,” hoping to catch the eye of a cowboy. Adell was confused about being called out for her short shorts and long nails; she soon learned the term “Buckle Bunny” was a not-so-nice way to describe women chasing rodeo stars wearing “big buckles.”
“It’s just become a word to try and tear you down and make you feel bad about liking fashion or liking to do your makeup even though you might be from the South and your daddy’s a rancher,” she said. “The fact that you’re not out there working, but your nails are long, and you’ve got your eyelashes on — that makes you a ‘Buckle Bunny.'”
“Buckle Bunny” put Adell on the radar as one of the newest country music artists to watch, thus opening the door for conversations about Black representation in the genre. That door was blown off the hinges in February when Beyoncé announced her Cowboy Carter album. The 32-time Grammy winner claiming her spot in the genre was met with mixed reviews but shed light on the artists of color already making waves in space.
“Just in the last month, we’ve seen insane growth,” Adell said in response to the “Beyoncé effect” on helping to shine a light on Black country artists. “She came in and said, ‘Oh, anyone can anyone can do this.’ And that, to me, is empowering and validating everyone in country music.”
Although she didn’t deny the pushback from the “country heads,” Adell states the genre has been “very welcoming” to her and working with music executives such as CMT’s SVP of Music and Talent, Leslie Fram, has allowed her to shine.
After topping Spotify’s “Women of Country” playlist in 2023, Adell was named one of their “Hot Country Music Artists to Watch.” This year, she was announced as a member of CMT’s 2024 Next Women of Country class, highlighting the next generation of rising female talent in Nashville.
Adell is taking advantage of the “all eyes on her” moment by releasing new music and giving her fans more insight into her as an artist. Her latest single, “Luke Combs,” is an ode to the girls who never thought country ballads were about them.
“People of color are not being sung about in country music. Growing up, I heard a lot of the same descriptions of these girls in country music,” she said. “When I listened, I would put myself in that place, and every time they say blue eyes, I’m saying hazel eyes. You know, in my head, I see myself as someone who loves country music so much.”
Despite the traditionalists who may question the shift happening right now in country music, Adell is happy to show that the soul of country music is more than skin deep.
“I’m giving this as my service. This is a service industry,” Adell said. “I’m writing music for y’all. So, being well-received and even encouraged to keep doing what I’ve been doing and reaching outside the box is the dream. It’s literally the dream.”
