Country Rock

Blending rhinestones with raw emotion, Tanner Adell is reshaping what country music looks and sounds like – a new kind of cowgirl for a new generation, writes Millie Edwards When Tanner Adell strode onto the BET Awards stage in 2024 – white lace bodysuit, strappy heels, covered in glam – country music looked different. For the first time, a young Black woman was standing where few in the genre had stood before. Surrounded by dancers clad in bedazzled denim and cowboy boots, Adell performed her latest singles with swagger and sparkle that made the crowd rise to its feet. This was more than a performance; it was a declaration. Here was country music – bold, glittering and unapologetically feminine – taking up space on a stage it had never owned before. As the first female country artist to perform at the BETs, Adell embodied a collision of worlds: Nashville’s traditions meeting a new generation of artists unafraid to remix them. In an industry long dominated by older, white, male artists, Adell represents a seismic shift – she is redefining what country music’s next chapter looks and sounds like. Between two worlds Long before Adell was lighting up Nashville stages with rhinestones and charm, her story was already one of duality. Born in Lexington, Kentucky and adopted into a family in sun-soaked Manhattan Beach, California, she spent summers in Star Valley, Wyoming where she first sat in the saddle before she could even walk. That early blend of surf and saddle life sparked a love for country music that never left her. Small-town heart and big-city sparkle – a mix that would later define both her sound and style. By her teens, Adell was already musically fluent – trained in piano, violin and string bass before teaching herself guitar. While studying Commercial Music at Utah Valley University, country music began as a running joke among friends, until one day she decided to try her hand at it – and realised she had found her voice. Urged to take the leap by friends, she sold nearly everything she owned and moved to Nashville – the city where country dreams either stall or soar. Glam country After refining her style, Adell released her first single “Honky Tonk Heartbreak” in 2021 – a soulful, steel-guitar-laced debut that nodded to country tradition whilst hinting at something new. Tender yet assured, it paired heartbreak with honeyed vocals and a pop sheen that caught Nashville’s attention, marking Adell as an artist who could honor the genre’s roots without being bound by them. Fast forward to 2023, Adell’s single “Buckle Bunny” exploded across social media, becoming her most viral hit. Reclaiming a term once used to belittle women in rodeo culture – one she had received herself – Adell flipped the insult into an anthem. “[A buckle bunny is] independent, a woman who knows what she wants, who’s not afraid to take risks,” she stated. With playful self-assurance and sparkling charisma, she celebrated femininity on her own terms, proving that strength and glamour can share the same saddle. Her debut EP, also titled “Buckle Bunny” weaves banjos and boot-stomping twang through sleek 808s and R&B grooves, creating a sound that’s as rebellious as it is authentic. Even the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders joined the movement, dancing to “Honky Tonk Heartbreak” – a fitting tribute to an artist whose music celebrates flair and freedom. Country, reimagined For decades, country music’s gates have been guarded by the same few voices – overwhelmingly male, overwhelmingly white. According to Billboard data from 2024, women accounted for just 8.39% of country radio airplay, while Black women made up an even smaller fraction. Awareness may be growing, but the inequities remain impossible to ignore. Still, the tides are shifting. When Beyonce released ‘Cowboy Carter’ in March 2024, it reignited a national conversation about who gets to belong in country music. Among the album’s most striking moments was ‘BLACKBIIRD’, a reimagining of the Beatles classic featuring Adell alongside a new generation of Black female country artists. She also lent harmonies to ‘Ameriican Requiem’, adding depth to the project’s opening track. A lifelong admirer of Beyonce, Adell said collaborating with her had long been a dream and a blessing to see it realised. The moment showcased Adell’s dynamic vocal tone and placed her firmly at the forefront of a movement redefining what country can sound and look like. For Adell, the Cowboy Carter moment wasn’t just validation – it was ignition. The work of Beyonce, along with artists such as Mickey Guyton and Charley Pride, proved there is space for artists like her to thrive without compromise. Back in Nashville, that spark turned into a steady flame, fuelling new music, headline shows and a growing sense that her voice was helping to reshape the country landscape from the inside out. As she told The Jennifer Hudson Show, “I hope there’re young people watching this and have an interest in it and will continue to carry this sound. We’re paving the way.” Cowgirl couture Adell’s image is as intentional as her music. In a genre that has long mistaken simplicity for sincerity, Adell’s hyper-feminine style flips the script. She wears pink, glitter, and heels not as a performance, but as power – symbols of self-possession in an industry that too often dictates how women should look. Her aesthetic isn’t about pleasing anyone else, it’s about owning her narrative. Through her presence on social media, live performances and red-carpet moments, Adell challenges the tired archetype of the ‘authentic country girl’. She proves that sparkle and steel can coexist, that femininity can be fearless and that style can be substance. Her fashion choices don’t distract from her artistry – they amplify it, turning every look into a declaration of autonomy. That same fearless femininity runs through Adell’s music. Songs such as ‘Buckle Bunny’ and ‘Strawberry Crush”’ embrace vulnerability and confidence in equal measure, blending catchy hooks with the raw emotion of classic country storytelling. She writes and performs like