There’s no doubting Taylor Swift’s dominance, with her hit single, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” sitting at the top of both the Billboard country and pop charts.
But aside from selling more than a million copies of her latest record, Red, in the first week, the 22-year-old singer, with her heart-on-sleeve lyrics and catchy hooks, has inspired young artists everywhere to pick up the guitar and turn their diary entries into potential hit songs.
We take a look at five up-and-coming Canadian country singers who seem to have enough crossover appeal and lyrical deft to take on the reigning country/pop princess.
Who is she? This 28-year-old singer followed up her 2011 British Columbia Country Music Awards’ female artist of the year win with a debut album, Wild Card, which perfectly straddles the line between pop and country.
Hometown: Vancouver, B.C.
Most Swiftian lyric:“Why can’t you see me/ I’m right in front of you/ Baby what do I gotta do/ to make you see me/ the way I see you?”
— from “See Through”
Crossover appeal: Aside from her upbeat pop-country sound, Woodworth has a few things working in her favour. Not only is she represented by 604 Records, the same label that launched the career of Carly Rae Jepsen, but Josh Ramsay, co-writer on the ubiquitous “Call Me Maybe,” is also a producer on Woodworth's album. To add to that, Chad Carlson is also involved. Who’s Chad Carlson? He’s just the Grammy Award-winning producer who’s also worked with, you guessed it, Taylor Swift.
Who is she? This 22-year-old singer and classically trained violinist has yet to release a debut album, but if her single "I Wish I'd Known" is any indication, Porter leans toward the heart-on-sleeve school of songwriting favoured by Swift.
Hometown: According to her website, she was raised on a cattle and bison ranch in Southern Alberta, and really, you can’t get much more country than that.
Most Swiftian lyric:“I wish I’d known/ but nobody told me/ that was the last time/ you were ever gonna hold me./ Maybe I would have held on a little bit longer/ like I was never gonna let you go.”
— from “I Wish I’d Known”
Crossover appeal: Porter’s work as an actress on such shows as Endgame and Supernatural has already made her a familiar face to some, which can only help her music career. It also can’t hurt that her brother, Kalan Porter, won the Canadian Idol competition in 2010, for whatever that’s worth.
Who is she? Since her 2011 single “Catch Me If You Can,” 22-year-old Moskaluke has gained a substantial YouTube presence for her original material and a slew of covers. That comes as no surprise once you hear the pipes on this singer, who won the Canadian Country Music Awards' New Artist Showcase in 2011 and is currently working on her full-length debut.
Hometown: Langenburg, Sask.
Most Swiftian lyric:“I don’t need any more broken hearts/ I’m tired of waiting for life to start/ I just need a place to land/ I wanna find myself again.”
— from "Catch Me If You Can"
Crossover appeal: Judging from the multiple covers on her YouTube page, Moskaluke can actually sing Taylor Swift songs better than the country princess herself. Now we’ll just have to wait for her album to see whether she has the songwriting chops to back up her outstanding vocals.
Who is she? Guitar lovers will instantly see something in singer-songwriter Hayley McLean, who’s never far from her metal-flake Fender (she’s even signed an endorsement with the guitar-maker). She’s been impressing audiences with her finger work onstage, and we should expect to hear much of the same when her full-length album is released in spring 2013.
Hometown: Horseshoe Bay, B.C.
Most Swiftian lyric:“When you close your eyes all you see/ is a smile that makes your heart speed/ so fast that you can’t catch your breath/ and it scares you to death.”
— from "That's When You Know"
Crossover appeal: If there’s one thing Hayley has above the rest, it’s her skill on the electric guitar, which has not only landed her an official endorsement deal from Fender, but also has her playing guitar for other acts, such as Canuck country singer Chad Brownlee. Plus, with her series of lessons called "Chick Singer, Guitar Singer," in which she teaches everything from the pentatonic scale to riffs from her songs, Hayley’s sure to appeal to every young tween picking up a guitar for the first time.
Who is she? At just 19, Isabella has already been at it for more than a decade, and the hard work has really been paying off. Not only did she release her debut full-length album, Love Me Like That, in October, but she was given the Rising Star Award at the 2012 Canadian Country Music Awards and is opening for Carrie Underwood on select dates for the star's Blown Away tour in December.
Hometown: Saskatoon, Sask.
Most Swiftian lyric:“I’m done draggin’ this pain around./ It’s just holding me back/ and weighing me down./ Yeah, I’m through, singing songs about you”
— from “Songs About You”
Crossover appeal: Judging by the lyric video for “Songs About You,” Isabella certainly has the diary-entry-as-song formula down, plus, did we mention she’s opening for Carrie Underwood?
Which young Canadian country star is ready for world domination? Did we miss someone from your neck of the woods? Let us know in the comments below?
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Full album stream: Love Me Like That by Kira Isabella