Recorded in the wake of her transformative bout with cancer, Ashley Monroe’s latest album, Tennessee Lightning, is a work of deep reflection, but more than that, it’s a celebration of life and love and the enduring power of music to heal and make us whole. Monroe teamed up once again with GRAMMY winning producer/engineer Gena Johnson (John Prine, Jason Isbell) on the sprawling epic, weaving together strands of country, folk, blues, soul, and bedroom pop with the help of a host of friends including Marty Stuart, T Bone Burnett, and Brittney Spencer. The result is an album as eclectic and freewheeling as Monroe herself, a rich, multifaceted meditation on identity, purpose, and meaning from an artist who’s learned to see herself—and the world around her—in a whole new light.

A Tennessee native, Monroe began her career behind the scenes, singing on sessions at Jack White’s Third Man Studios and penning tunes for the likes of Guy Clark, Carrie Underwood, and Miranda Lambert. In 2011, she and Lambert teamed up with Angaleena Presley to form the Pistol Annies, which would go on to top the Country Album charts, crack the Top 5 on the Billboard 200, and earn a GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album. Monroe’s solo output was equally lauded, with NPR hailing her work as “subtle and breathtaking,” and over the course of four studio albums, she would land her own GRAMMY nomination for Best Country Album in addition to performing on The Tonight Show, Conan, Late Night, and The View.

Fancy Hagood has one of country music's most expressive and agile voices, a fearless sense of storytelling, undeniable charisma, a strong artistic identity, and a support system packed with some of music's biggest stars.

He's also one of Nashville’s most prominent and trailblazing Queer artists.

“I spent a lot of time in this industry with people trying to minimize my queerness because they don't equate that to commercial success,” Hagood says. “It wasn't until I quit trying to pander to people who were afraid of my queerness that I started to succeed.”

Hagood showcases his courageous creativity and individuality in his new single “Southern Sound” – the follow-up to his oftenautobiographic 2021 debut album Southern Curiosity.

“Southern Sound” piques interest with its layered melodic production and raw, compelling narrative. Hagood’s emotional vocal performance tips the track over the edge. The combination creates a sonic mini movie that follows a young couple as they brave adversity in hopes of building a future together.

“I think it's a beautiful marriage of who I am as an artist and where I’ve been in my career, but also where I'm going,” Hagood says of “Southern Sound.” “It’s me fully setting my roots down here in Nashville and chasing after that original dream of country music and no longer operating in fear of who can relate to my music. Because I think a lot of people are.”

“Southern Sound” continues a journey Hagood has been on since childhood. Born Jake Hagood in Bentonville, Arkansas, he grew up attending a Church of the Nazarene – just like three generations of his family before him. His parents raised him on contemporary Christian music and ‘90s county, singing along with Tim McGraw, Terri Clark, The Chicks and Garth Brooks.

He moved to Music City in 2009 to be a country singer. Closeted but flamboyant, he was starry-eyed and wanted to launch his music career. He got a job at Forever 21, which changed his life. The clothing store was not only one of the first places the singer found a supportive friend group and openly gay friends – it’s also where he picked up the name Fancy after a popular Drake song.

Hagood burst out of the closet in 2011. He died his hair platinum blonde, made sure his fingernails were painted and always wore a full face of makeup.

"I went full tilt into the most extreme version of myself," he says. "I just became this character of myself, and it was the first time I really felt confident."

While his new persona empowered him, Hagood couldn’t get the Nashville music community to stop focusing on his sexuality long enough to notice his brand of country music. He moved to Los Angeles to try his luck in the more accepting pop music – and it worked. He played his first showcase and was offered label and management deals the next day. He toured with Ariana Grande and had an international hit with Grande and Meghan Trainor. His first pop single went Top 40, and he made the rounds on national television. However, without his Nashville support system, he was the most unhappy version of himself.

“My art is fed and driven by community because that's when I’m at my happiest,” he says. “That’s when I'm at my best is when I’m just with the people I love. Los Angeles is a hard place to find that.”

Hagood returned to Nashville to celebrate Thanksgiving in 2016 and never returned to Los Angeles. He went from touring with Grande to working in a Nashville bar – and Hagood still says it was the best decision he ever made.

The tide turned for Hagood when his friend Natalie Osborne got a job at Downtown Music Publishing. Osborne – now his manager – started setting him up on co-writes, which led to a publishing deal. The contract provided financial stability and a support system to make his 2021 debut album Southern Curiosity. Hagood focused on serving the song more than conforming to one genre. The creative process took two years – and removing genre boundaries made him feel like himself again.

Following the release of his first album, Fancy released “Blue Dream Baby” with Grammy award-winning vocalist Kacey Musgraves. He also garnered the attention of generational artists like Brandi Carlile, who called Fancy “an artist to watch,” and Sir Elton John, who asked Fancy to be a guest on his Rocket Hour Radio Show. Elton proclaimed, “We need more people like Fancy.”

“Southern Sound” builds on that groundwork. He co-wrote the song with Jon Green and Tofer Brown and feels that for the first time in his career, he’s building on the authentic story he started telling as an artist instead of starting over. He describes the upcoming album as “very Nashville songwriter” and says it celebrates all of his creative avenues – both pop and country music.

In addition to his music, Hagood is the host of Apple Radios highly successful Trailblazers Radio. The show celebrates groundbreaking artists and sounds that shape – and challenge – country music, shining a spotlight on risk-takers like himself. He has interviewed some of the biggest names in music, including Jelly Roll, Tanya Tuckers, Kacey Musgraves, Teddy Swims, Brothers Osborne, Lainey Wilson, the late Leslie Jordan and more.

Unbridled by creative boundaries, Hagood is a glittering voice for a new generation of music fans, country and beyond.