On the heels of a star-studded Coachella year, the Empire Polo Grounds is gearing up to get country. Stagecoach, an annual music festival boasting some of the biggest names across the genre, will run from April 25 to April 27 this year.
This year’s headliners have been incredibly booked and busy recently. Grammy winner Zach Bryan is bringing hits from his 2024 album, The Great American Bar Scene, on Friday. Jelly Roll also dropped a record titled Beautifully Broken and performed on Saturday Night Live’s 50th Anniversary concert. Finally, Sunday’s headliner, Luke Combs, had fans enjoying “Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma” from the Twisters soundtrack and his fifth LP, Father & Sons, last summer.
Even Lana Del Rey is popping up, more fully crossing into the genre with her upcoming album and lead single, “Henry, Come On.” In 2025, there is no strict rule for what country music can be, and the stacked selections from the festival organizers reflect that idea. (You can also catch T-Pain, Creed, and even the Backstreet Boys!)
Even with these major acts, there will still be plenty of rising performers that are worth checking out during Stagecoach.
So, before you dance the day away under the California sun with cowboy boots and a cold beer, here are Uproxx’s recommendations on five talented artists that should be on your festival radar.
Brent Cobb
With six studio albums and a Grammy nomination to his name, Brent Cobb has proven he is a powerful yet underrated force. After all, it was Luke Bryan who encouraged Cobb to move to Nashville in the 2000s, which paid off immensely for the singer-songwriter, who has penned tracks for Bryan since, as well as Miranda Lambert and Kenny Chesney. Most recently, fans might have seen Cobb on Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show Tour or Luke Combs’ 2023 world tour.
Cobb’s most recent record, Southern Star, contains ten calming tracks reminiscent of a bygone era. That said, they’re also catchy as hell. Cobb shows off his vocal shapeshifting ability between the album’s gentle title track and the groovy pacing on “Livin’ The Dream.” No matter what the setlist winds up being, it’s sure to be a treat.
Alana Springsteen
24-year-old Alana Springsteen made her debut on the country scene in August 2023 with her first album, Twenty Something. Throughout the record, she channels her experience navigating everything from breakups to dancing around to her biggest musical inspirations, all while encountering the confusion of growing up. Oh, and it features a collaboration with Chris Stapleton on the vulnerable “Ghost in My Guitar,” setting the standard for Springsteen’s bright future.
As for Springsteen’s performance at Stagecoach, it will mark her first time at the festival, and she has some surprises in store. “Stagecoach has such a unique vibe, and I’ve been looking forward to playing it for a while,” she shared with Uproxx. “Making my debut this year feels like the perfect way to kick off this next chapter. I’ve been working on a lot of new music, and I can’t think of a better place or crowd to start sharing it with!”
Tiera Kennedy
Tiera Kennedy made headlines last summer as a featured singer on Beyoncé’s “Blackbiird” and a backing vocalist on “Tyrant” from Cowboy Carter, but the 26-year-old has been a star to watch for a while now.
After dropping a few EPs and being mentored by Shania Twain on a country-themed reality show, Kennedy self-released her debut album, Rooted, in October 2024. The lead single, “I Ain’t a Cowgirl,” is an emotional tale of standing up for yourself that shows her lyrical talent and refined vocals. Other highlights from the record include “Damn, If He Don’t Love Me,” a high-energy collaboration with Jordin Sparks, and “You Don’t Get It,” where Kennedy calls out a heartbreaker.
For those heading to Stagecoach, Kennedy’s set is one not to miss, simply to say you saw her early.
Carter Faith
Nashville-based songwriter Carter Faith was previously named Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month in March 2022. That same year, she made her debut at the Grand Ole Opry and has continued to build her career since. Faith’s website describes her as a “cowgirl hippie and sometimes kind of trippy,” and that bold nature crosses over into her artistic vision.
A case in point is her brand new single, “Grudge,” with its buzzy surf-inspired guitar, bluntly addictive lyricism, and ability to channel Dolly Parton. Faith doesn’t hold back about someone who criticized her life choices and her songwriting, adding, “I’m pretty sure Jesus even thinks that you’re a b*tch… I can hold one hell of a grudge.”
Faith continues opening for Carly Pearce on tour and has many solo shows scheduled in the months to come. It seems 2025 will be a defining year for her.
Waylon Wyatt
Another rising country star on this list, Waylon Wyatt is the youngest of this bunch, but he has already built a massive and devoted fan base. He sold out his entire Til The Sun Goes Down Tour in the US before he could attend his senior class prom. It’s hard to believe Wyatt only has one EP under his belt from last November.
However, the eight-track release found a breakthrough hit in “Arkansas Diamond.” With over 65 million streams on Spotify, the love song finds Wyatt backed by a simple acoustic guitar, propelled primarily by his unique and welcoming twang. This instrumentation remains the same for Wyatt’s entire EP, giving a refreshing take on country music when most young rising artists opt to weave in poppier elements.
