Bridging small-town roots and big-city flair, Tanner Adell's fearless sound and bold self-expression is creating a new path for country, one that’s glittery, inclusive, and ready to break all the rules.

Tanner Adell is flipping country music on its head with a mix of pop, soul, and Southern grit. Bridging small-town roots and big-city flair, her fearless sound and bold self-expression is creating a new path for country, one that’s glittery, inclusive, and ready to break all the rules.

Tanner Adell is not your typical country artist. With her pop-infused style and fearless attitude, she’s redefining the country music scene. Merging glamour and grit, Tanner brings a fresh energy to a genre where boundaries are increasingly blurred. Adorned with sequins, bright colours, and plenty of glitter, she stands out, appealing to an audience who may not have previously considered themselves country music lovers.

 

Born in Lexington, Kentucky, and raised in Manhattan Beach, California, Tanner’s upbringing was one of rich contrasts. She spent her summers in Star Valley, Wyoming, absorbing small-town country life, while her main years were shaped by the urban landscape of Southern California. This mix of experiences allowed her to balance country traditions with the flair of pop music.

 

“I make a blend of pop and country,” Tanner explains, “I grew up between Los Angeles and a really small town in Star Valley, so my music is directly half country, half city.” This blend of rural and urban life is central to her sound, proving that country music can evolve and expand while staying true to its roots.

Tanner’s love for music began early, in a household filled with an eclectic mix of genres. “I grew up listening to musical theatre soundtracks at home,” she recalls. “I watched Phantom of the Opera every Sunday, and I was like, seven.” Falling in love with the theatricality and artistry, this led her down the musical path to country music, drawn to the genre’s devotion to storytelling. Influences like Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, The Chicks, Keith Urban, and Josh Turner shaped who she is today.

 

It wasn’t until her teenage years, though, that she truly discovered the power of song writing. “I taught myself how to play guitar when I was 15,” she shares. “I was going through a lot. My little brother was in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant, and I was in a very emotional place. The guitar became my best friend, and I was writing how I felt.”

 

When it comes to writing her music today, Tanner Adell explains, “It’s kind of different every time. I don’t have a very specific routine or anything. I pick up inspiration in all sorts of situations. Being able to go to the studio is definitely my favourite form of song writing.” Elaborating on her studio process she shares, “I like to be able to record what I wrote the same day. For most of my songs, I don’t go back and re-record the vocals. They’re all one takes. There’s just a special energy when I’m creating that makes the song perfect… The energy when I’m writing it is real, and you can hear that.

 

This connection to her music gives Tanner’s sound an authenticity that’s both raw and relatable. For her, writing is not just about expression but healing. “Country music has amazing sad songs. It’s the best genre for telling a story, and that’s why I love it so much.”

After earning a degree in commercial music from Utah Valley University, Tanner moved to Nashville in 2021 to pursue her country music dreams. Since then, she’s gained a significant following on social media and signed with Columbia Records. “Nashville definitely pushed me to think outside the box,” she reflects. “With country music, there’s such a specific vocabulary, and the same words get used over and over. They call it three chords and the truth, and that bores me. So, it really pushed me to be more unique in what I was trying to say.”

 

Her debut album, Buckle Bunny— released in 2023—struck a chord immediately. The title refers to a derogatory term used for women who dress up at rodeos to catch the attention of cowboys. Instead of shying away from the label, Tanner embraced it. “The first time I was called a buckle bunny, I was probably 15 or 16,” she says. “When I realised it wasn’t meant kindly, I thought, ‘I look so pretty, what’s the deal here? I guess I am a buckle bunny because I look cute’, and that stuck with me.”

 

By reclaiming the term, Tanner Adell transformed it into a statement of confidence and empowerment. The titular single, ‘Buckle Bunny’ became a viral hit, catapulting her to over half a million followers on Instagram. For Tanner, embracing who she is, despite judgment, has become central to her message, and also her success.

 

Her career skyrocketed further when she collaborated with one of music’s biggest icons— Beyoncé. Tanner’s vocals feature on Beyoncé’s album COWBOY CARTER, where she sings on a cover of The Beatles’ ‘BLACKBIRD’ and contributes background vocals on ‘AMERICAN REQUIEM’.

 

“It’s pretty cool to be in my third year of making music and to have worked with Beyoncé,” she says. “I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. Getting to work with one of your heroes but also someone who’s motivated you to be the best version of yourself is crazy.” Tanner admires Beyoncé’s balance of artistry and spectacle, especially after attending the RENAISSANCE tour: “That was life-changing for me”.

 

In fact, this focus on performance is something Tanner takes seriously. “I love getting dressed up, and I work really hard to make sure my voice and my songs sound good live. That’s something I’ve learned from her,” she says, “Beyoncé raised me to understand the value of a performance.”

As she continues to build her career, Tanner is determined to fuse country traditions with modern influences. “I don’t want to change the traditional country genre,” she clarifies. “But what I am trying to do is just be myself and make music that inspires me and create my own world and genre that anyone from anywhere in the world can connect to.”

 

Tanner’s self-expression extends beyond her music into her body art. “My unicorn tattoo actually came after a very long therapy session,” she explains, elaborating on her therapeutic experience, explaining how it led to her tattoo. “Even my anxiety coping methods are on brand. I associated the feeling of calm with the word glitter and the image of the unicorn. So, I went and got a tattoo of my unicorn that I saw in my therapy session and there’s a ribbon underneath it that says glitter. I wanted it to be there so that I could always see it. When I’m getting ready for shows if I feel any kind of anxiety, I see it on me, and it immediately puts me into a feeling of peace and calm.”

 

Vital to her identity as both an artist and a person, Tanner’s music invites listeners from all backgrounds to engage with country music, breaking down its traditional barriers. “I want people to feel like they belong,” she explains. “The country music genre hasn’t always made everyone feel like they belong, but I want my kind of country to make anybody feel safe.” Her global vision stems in part from her time serving as a missionary in Sweden, where she worked with refugees from all over the world. “I want to explore the whole world with my music, and a big part of that comes from living in a completely different culture,” she says. “I was introduced to such a blend of people there, and a lot of my passion for taking my music to other countries comes from that experience.”

 

Tanner Adell’s desire to take country music beyond its traditional borders is evident: she aims to blend pop influences with country’s core storytelling to reach a wider, more diverse audience. “There’s a big portion of American country music that doesn’t represent a lot of the world,” she acknowledges, “but I’m inspired by artists who sell out arenas in places like Thailand or Japan.”

As her career gains momentum, Tanner continues to challenge the stereotypes often associated with country music, reshaping its cultural limitations. By embracing diversity and inclusivity, she’s helping to redefine what country music can be. Songs like ‘Buckle Bunny’ show her ability to turn a negative label into a symbol of pride and self-assurance. In reclaiming it, she has empowered not only herself but her listeners, particularly women who see her as a beacon of unapologetic self-expression.

 

Tanner Adell’s journey so far has been marked by bold choices and a refusal to conform; she recognises that her path in country music, especially with her pop influences, isn’t typical, but it’s one she’s fully embraced. Her ability to stay true to herself while pushing the envelope has earned her a devoted fanbase and a place in modern country music’s evolving narrative.

 

Looking ahead, Tanner is focused on developing her sound, experimenting with new genres, and collaborating with artists from various backgrounds. She has hinted at exploring more international influences, ensuring her music remains fresh and innovative. Whether drawing inspiration from pop, global music scenes, or country’s past, Tanner is determined to keep evolving. Despite her rapid rise, Tanner remains grounded in her passion for music and her desire to connect with people on a deep level. She understands the responsibility of her platform and is committed to inspiring positive change, both within country music and beyond. “I want to continue creating music that makes people feel seen and heard,” she says. “That’s the real power of music—it can bring us together, no matter where we come from or what our stories are.”

 

As Tanner continues to challenge expectations, she’s poised to become a major force not just in country music but across the broader music landscape. By navigating genres and cultures while staying true to her roots, Tanner Adell is helping redefine what it means to be a country artist today. And as she carves out her space in the music world, she’s proving that the future of country music is wide open: glittering, bold, and unapologetically inclusive.

 

Buy your copy of NOTION The Artists Vol. 1 featuring Tanner Adell here. 

Listen to BUCKLE BUNNY (DELUXE) now: