Kay’s Journey from College to the Grand Ole Opry: A Rising Star’s Story
In a testament to her burgeoning career, Kay recently received nominations at the Josie Music Awards, a prestigious event for independent artists, held at the iconic Grand Ole Opry House. She was recognized as a Rising Star and Vocalist of the Year, with her single “Diehard” contending for Song of the Year.
Reflecting on her visit to the Grand Ole Opry, Kay shared, “Knowing that I was going to be going to the Grand Ole Opry, it really did feel like a full-circle moment. Where I was, when I first moved, I came here as a tourist, bright eyed and ready to start my journey, and now I’m being recognized for my work.”
“Diehard,” a collaborative creation with Brad McKinney and Jake Arthur, uses the metaphor of a passionate Husker fan to depict unwavering love. Kay’s inspiration for the song came from her college days in Lincoln, where she observed, “There’s always this saying that people in Lincoln will say, which is that you should marry a Nebraska fan, because they’re the most loyal. And so, I brought in that idea of just like you want to have that type of life partner that’s loyal like a loyal football fan.”
Kay’s musical roots trace back to her kindergarten days when she learned the violin, later expanding to community and musical theater, and high school dance. Her passion for performance was reignited at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), where she frequented open mic events at Crescent Moon Coffee and the Night Owl.
It was during these open mic nights that Kay connected with the acoustic cover group, Gunnison Drive Band, joining them for performances across Nebraska. “I spent that summer, and that’s kind of when I really got involved with the band, and I fell back in love with singing and performing,” Kay recalled. “I was thinking about what my next move was going to be after graduation, and it was just this thought of, ‘it’s now or never.’”
Firmly settled in Nashville, Kay has no intentions of leaving. She expressed, “They say that having a music career is like catching lightning in a bottle. Half the battle is you need to get a bottle and then go where the lightning is, and the lightning is here.”
Offering insights to aspiring musicians, Kay advised, “You have to just have the audacity to believe that you can do it. You know it’s something you have to go for fully you just have to believe in yourself. And again, to rope Nebraska back in, day by day, we get better and better. I’ve integrated that into my personal code and motivation.”
