My Kind of Country, a brand new country music singing competition, is heading to your television screen. Described as a "groundbreaking music competition series," the show, executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kacey Musgraves, will premiere on March 24 on AppleTV+. The show seeks to break down barriers in country music by giving a platform to artists around the world.
"When we got together a long time ago we were talking about how country music should stop limiting people and start opening doors... it's music brought over from all over the world," Witherspoon says in the series trailer.
"The bluegrass, the folk, the gospel. There's so many threads woven through country music," Musgraves adds.
But Witherspoon and Musgraves aren't the only superstars involved -- the show will be led by country artists Jimmie Allen, Mickey Guyton and Orville Peck, who'll serve as mentors to a group of talented artists.
What is My Kind of Country?
Allen, Guyton and Peck serve as scouts for the new competition series, each choosing a roster of rising country artists who'll travel to Nashville, Tenn. to showcase their unique sound.
According to a press release, the winner of My Kind of Country will receive "a life-changing experience from Apple, including global exposure across the Apple TV+ and Apple Music platforms."
Who's Competing on My Kind of Country?
Here's a breakdown of each My Kind of Country artist, along with a bio courtesy of AppleTV+.
Jimmie Allen's artists
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images for Crown Royal
Ale Aguirre from Chihuahua, Mexico
Ale infuses herself into her music and bilingual lyrics with the mariachi, norteño, banda and other sounds she heard growing up in Mexico. At the age of 16 she taught herself how to play the guitar, and is now on the way to establishing herself as an independent singer-songwriter with a loyal following she's gained from her popular YouTube channel.
Dhruv Visvanath from New Delhi, India
Dhruv, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, singer-songwriter and producer, started his musical journey at the age of seven. At age 16 his father passed away which led him to focus more energy on songwriting, allowing him to express what he was going through. He wrote the score to two independent films with Vishal Bhardwaj on "Sonchiriya" and A.R. Rahman on "Blinded By the Light." With his guitar in hand and his heart on his sleeve, Dhruv is steadily building the love of country music in his home city of New Delhi.
Camille Parker from Durham, North Carolina
Raised by her grandparents, Camille credits her passion for music to her grandfather, who introduced her to country music. After growing up in the church choir, Camille jumped into the industry by doing session recordings for pop and R&B, before dedicating herself fully to country music. She dreams of inspiring young Black girls to achieve their dreams anywhere, especially in the country music industry.
Justin Serrao from Johannesburg, South Africa
Justin started out playing punk and alternative rock, but the foreign country music he heard on the radio and his father's musical tastes introduced Justin to the music he plays today. Merging his rock sound with country influences was about following his passion, even if it meant turning South Africans into country music enthusiasts one at a time.
Mickey Guyton's artists
Photo by MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images
Ashlie Amber from Nashville, Tennessee
A longtime singer, Ashlie worked for years before finding her way as a cruise line performer. She began singing at the age of six, and after the tragic loss of her father when she was young, music became Ashlie's outlet and pathway back to a better place.
Chuck Adams from Nashville, Tennessee
From growing up in mostly white neighborhoods to his different musical styles, Chuck never really fit in. Chuck initially found success as a writer in rap music and got signed to a label, but after he got dropped in 2011, he took it as a sign to follow his true path in the genre he loved - classic country. A perfectionist that gets hung up on every detail, Chuck is here to learn to let go.
The Betsies (Zel and Landi Degenaar ) from Cape Town, South Africa
Afrikaans sisters Zel and Landi grew up in a tiny mining town called Witbank, listening to their parents' record collections and singing in their church choir. As they grew up they would jam together and after moving to Cape Town they started performing together. At times they felt like outsiders for being passionate about country music in South Africa, but they are passionate about embodying American culture and the music they love.
Wandile from Johannesburg, South Africa
Raised in a family of music lovers in East London, South Africa, Wandile was more of an athlete than musician, and was a professional rugby player before his musical journey began when he picked up a guitar in 2010. Wandile is a fan of analog storytelling, where he uses his musical viewpoint to reframe harsh memories into better ones.
Orville Peck's artists
Carlos Santolalla
Alisha Pais from Goa, India
Alisha is a singer-songwriter born and raised in Mumbai/Bombay but returned to Goa, India, during the pandemic in search of solace. She has been singing her entire life, and started performing at the age of 16. Alisha writes and performs songs with an unflinching rawness and hopes her music will bring joy to people's lives and help them connect to their most authentic selves.
The Congo Cowboys (Julie Sigauque, Simon Attwell, and Chris Bakalanga) from Cape Town, South Africa
The Congo Cowboys are a South African group that blend country music with the music of Africa, bringing the banjo full circle and returning the instrument to its African roots. They perform in English and Lingala, the official language of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They simply hope their music brings people to the dance floor and gets them moving as their diverse sounds and cultures intermingle.
ISMAY from Petaluma, California
ISMAY is non-binary singer-songwriter. When they're not jamming to country and bluegrass with family and friends in the barn, Ismay tends to the family ranch in Petaluma. Musically, they struggled with fitting into typical country music, but the sound and vibes of nature are infused into their unique voice, bringing a fresh perspective to classic bluegrass tones.
Micaela Kleinsmith from Cape Town, South Africa
Micaela grew up watching singing competition shows and dreaming of being on stage. Bullied heavily as a child, music became Micaela's escape and eventually became a way to make friends. She started writing songs at the age of fourteen and continued to rise as an artist, eventually landing a spot on South Africa's Idols in 2016.
How is Reese Witherspoon Involved With 'My Kind of Country'?
Apple TV+
Witherspoon's media company Hello Sunshine and Done + Dusted's Katy Mullan and Melanie Fletcher will produce the series alongside Jason Owen (CEO of Sandbox Entertainment and manager of Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini and others) and The Masked Singer and Dancing With the Stars showrunner Izzie Pick Ibarra. Justin Timberlake collaborator Adam Blackstone will serve as the series' musical director. Cynthia Stockhammer and Lauren Neustadter will also serve as executive producers on behalf of Witherspoon's production company.
"Well, it's not looking like I'll ever fulfill my childhood dreams of becoming Dolly Parton... but this might just be the next best thing!," Witherspoon wrote on Instagram. "I am beyond excited to share that Hello Sunshine will be partnering with Apple to bring y'all it's very first competition series called My Kind of Country.... the search for extraordinary country music talent."
Witherspoon, the star of Emmy Award-nominated Apple TV series The Morning Show, has a longstanding fascination with country music that predates her Oscar winning performance as June Carter Cash in the biopic Walk the Line.
"Growing up in Nashville, Tennessee, Country music has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember," she wrote. "The history of songwriting and recording, the artistry of matching lyrics and chords, the true expression of what is happening to humanity right now... not to mention the dazzling stage performances that bring you to your feet! There are so many remarkably talented people whose voices are being heard right now, but there are many more who have different experiences and remarkable stories that still need to be told in the genre. I've been incredibly inspired by all artists who continue to blaze bold new trails and our hope is to discover musicians who are revolutionizing country music and help amplify their voices and bring the joy of country music to everyone around the world!"
How to Watch My Kind of Country
Apple TV+
My Kind of Country will stream on AppleTV+. The streaming platform is available for $6.99 per month, but you can get a free 7 day trial.
