Sarah Ross

Combining country-pop with rap, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Sarah Ross bridges the gap between genres like LoCash Cowboys-and-Moonshine Bandits-meets-Kelsea Ballerini-and-Kacey Musgraves. Born Sarah Restuccio in Hammonton, New Jersey, Ross chose to focus on singing while still in high school. Later, she was a contestant on Season 12 of American Idol, showcasing her cross-genre style by performing a Carrie Underwood song and rapping "Super Bass" for Nicki Minaj herself. Signed to Average Joe's Entertainment, Ross released her debut EP, Calm Before the Storm, in 2015. Calm featured a cover of Linda Ronstadt's "You're No Good," complete with an additional rap verse, and her single "Shotgun." Her songs have also appeared on the Mud Digger compilation series, an apt fit for the singer, who is also an avid all-terrain vehicle, truck, and horse-riding enthusiast. ~ Neil Z. Yeung