The face of country music is changing, and Tanner Adell is here to lead the charge. Not just to witness it, but to be an integral part of the transformation.
In the past year, Tanner has taken the country music scene — and the world — by storm. Following the release of her debut album, Buckle Bunny, she has found herself in a whirlwind of music festival appearances and collaborations with some of the industry’s biggest names. From likening herself to “Beyoncé with a lasso” on her title track to then being featured on Cowboy Carter’s “Blackbiird”, Tanner’s rise is nothing short of meteoric.
The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has cultivated a fan base that extends beyond traditional country music lovers. Her unique fusion of country and pop has garnered interest from all genres, leading to 113 million global streams, close to 3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and over 10.5 million likes on TikTok. Adell acknowledges that social media has allowed her to connect with fans and build a following of country-curious listeners.
Her debut single, “Buckle Bunny”, was an instant hit. The pacey beat and raw, sexy lyrics paint a vivid picture of the less traditional side of country music. A “buckle bunny” is essentially a rodeo star groupie, a term that saw a resurgence after its mention in Yellowstone. Adell doesn’t take herself or her music too seriously, describing country music as an inviting place for both loyalists and tourists alike.
Now, she’s set to perform at the Ridin’ Hearts Festival in Australia. POPSUGAR Australia caught up with her to discuss her journey, inspirations, and what fans can expect from her performance Down Under.
A Conversation With Tanner Adell
Can you tell us more about your journey into music and what inspired you to pursue a career in this genre?
Well, it starts… I don’t really know where it starts. I feel like I’ve always loved singing. I’ve always loved dancing. I played piano at a really young age and started writing songs at a really young age. But I think probably when I was 15, I taught myself how to play guitar. I think that was kind of when I saw a shift in my artistry as far as just being able to write my own songs and not just learning other people’s songs and singing those.
Your cover of The Beatles’ “Blackbird” is powerful. How did it feel to be part of a song with such powerful themes?
This was one of my dad’s favourite songs. So when I told him that I was on it, he kind of got emotional and literally after we got off the phone, he started sending me little blurbs that Paul had put out about the meaning behind the song.
If you don’t really know my story then it might not make sense. But my adoptive parents are both white and I’m biracial and I have four other adopted siblings who are all biracial.
I started to realise this was a song that meant way more to him than just like being his favourite Beatles song, but he actually understood from way back when what it meant to have two black daughters. I think it was just emotional for all of us. But yeah, my dad really clarified the meaning of it to me and… it’s very special!
Reflecting on your career so far, what has been the most rewarding moment, and what are your goals moving forward?
The most rewarding moment has been when I get to meet little boys and little girls that really love my songs. Just the other day at a charity event for Twisters with Charlize Theron’s Africa Outreach Project, the executive producer of Twisters introduced me to her daughter who I guess was a big fan, and she said when I was up on stage, her daughter looked at her and was like “I wanna be like that!”. And then she brought her to come meet me after, her name is Brooklyn.
So when I hear little girls look up to me and little boys even in their car seats when their mums take videos of them in the backseat and they’re singing all the words to Buckle Bunny and stuff, that is my most rewarding moment; when I get to see the impact I’m making on kids who are going to lead the world one day.
You’re set to perform at the Riding Hearts Festival in Australia. What are you most looking forward to about this event, and what can fans expect from your performance?
I’ve only had the opportunity to perform outside of the country a couple of times, and every single time, it’s just new energy. Everybody kind of views country music in a different way based on where they’re from around the world. I’ve heard so much about Australian fans being incredible and so hype. So I think I’m just excited for the energy of Australia because everyone says that that’s the place you wanna go.
How do you feel about connecting with your Aussie fans? Is there anything special you have planned for your performance Down Under?
I think I’m definitely going to need to brainstorm some special things that I want to do. But, if we do anything special, it’s going to be in my fashion. I haven’t done my full research on Australia yet, but whatever I wear, it’s going to mean something haha. It’s going to be brought in the fashion.
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