"From the moment I walked into town I was definitely not your usual country singer," says Mickey Guyton, who has spent the last 10 years in Nashville making her name as an artist, despite pushback. "There were a lot of times where I was trying so hard to prove to my peers and prove to this industry that I am country."
Guyton says, as a Black woman, she has experienced many obstacles while navigating the country music scene; her songs get played on digital platforms like Spotify and Sirius but aren't played as often on traditional radio stations, where most country artists find their audience.
In her latest album, Remember Her Name, Guyton centers her experiences as a Black country singer, using the 16-track LP to explore Black womanhood and reflect on her personal growth. "Literally every song had something to do with me finding myself and finding my voice, and this album is self-discovery, self-rediscovery," she says.
Guyton joined NPR's Noel King to talk about her new record (out Sept. 24). Listen in the audio player above.
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