Stacy Antonel

Nashville artist Stacy Antonel crafts clever, country-leaning Americana that feels both vintage and hyper-modern. Her “country jazz” vocals evoke the great singers of the 1920s-30s, infused with the emotive power of country icon Patsy Cline. Rooted in classic country and laced with elements of jazz, pop, and R&B, Antonel’s narrative songs often explore unconventional themes. Growing up near San Diego, Antonel studied classical piano and drew inspiration from a diverse range of early musical influences, including Tori Amos’s unique phrasing and Otis Redding’s rich melodic hooks. After winning the televised singing contest 3 Minutes to Stardom, Antonel left her job to pursue music full-time. She began performing classic country covers under the moniker Ginger Cowgirl and, in 2017, moved to Nashville to record her self-titled debut EP, which was released in 2019. The album received critical acclaim and led to tours in California, the Southeast, the UK, and Germany. Antonel’s debut full-length album, Always the Outsider, was released in June 2022 under her own name. This eclectic, otherworldly Americana collection, produced by Ben Moore (Hot Snakes, Diamanda Galas, Burt Bacharach), features “outsider anthems” that explore concepts like alien romance and past lives, as well as everyday emotions like isolation and disconnectedness. The modern-retro country album showcases Antonel’s distinctively jazzy vocals, complemented by virtuosic instrumentation from Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams) on pedal steel, Joe Reed (Merle Haggard) on bass, and guitarist Paul Sgroi.