Franchise kicks off 10th anniversary
CMT has revealed 16 new artists named to its prestigious CMT Next Women of Country (NWOC) franchise, kicking off a special 10 year anniversary celebration of CMT’s storied program and long-running effort to support and promote developing female talent. This year’s group of participants marks the largest class in NWOC program history and features Alana Springsteen, Angie K, Ashley Cooke, Avery Anna, Carter Faith, Catie Offerman, Georgia Webster, Julie Williams, Kasey Tyndall, Kimberly Kelly, Mackenzie Carpenter, MaRynn Taylor, Megan Moroney, O.N.E. The Duo, Pillbox Patti and Roberta Lea.
The news was revealed tonight (Tues, Jan 17th) at City Winery Nashville in front of an invitation-only crowd of industry and VIP guests who feted the new class alongside special guests including NWOC alums Brittney Spencer (2021), Brooke Eden (2015), Caitlyn Smith (2017), Ingrid Andress (2019), Kelsea Ballerini (2015), Maddie & Tae (2015) and Mickey Guyton (2015), along with acclaimed songwriter-artist-producer Nicolle Galyon.
The brand’s flagship series CMT Hot 20 Countdown, hosted by Cody Alan and Rissi Palmer, will again air a dedicated Next Women of Country three-hour special episode, filmed from tonight’s event, introducing the class of 2023 with exclusive interviews and performances from each new inductee. The special episode is slated to air Saturday, February 11th at 8 am ET/PT with an encore on Sunday, February 12th at 9 am ET/PT on CMT.
Over the next year, the new CMT NWOC class will receive cross-brand support for their music and videos on CMT, CMT Music, PlutoTV’s CMT Equal Play channel, CMT Hot 20 Countdown, CMT.com and @CMT social channels, in addition to cross-promotional opportunities for Paramount Media’s MTV Entertainment Group brands with live events, the Paramount Times Square NYC Billboard and more.
As part of the brand’s CMT Equal Play initiative, a dedicated effort to elevating all underrepresented voices in country music, CMT also provides its NWOC access to social impact and artist advocacy opportunities designed to assist them in supporting charitable causes and social issues. These resources will continue to be provided by Nashville-based social impact firm, The Change Agentcy for a third consecutive year.
Additionally, CMT will partner with City Winery Nashville to continue a series of fan-focused showcases featuring NWOC throughout the year. CMT has a long history with City Winery that was revived last Fall with three showcases spotlighting current and past NWOC members, including a special showcase tribute to the late Loretta Lynn.
A staunch advocate for country music’s female artists, CMT first launched its Next Women of Country campaign in 2013 as a substantial, meaningful effort to support and expose developing female talent, both signed and unsigned, in a male-dominated format. The initiative has grown significantly since its inception, showcasing emerging female artists across all CMT screens, including CMT and CMT Music, various digital series, and seven tours anchored by superstar acts including Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, Sara Evans, Tanya Tucker and most recently, Maddie & Tae.
This year’s 2023 class marks a total of 111 female acts that have been named as part of the program, including notable alumni of the franchise who have achieved both commercial and critical acclaim, including Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Brittney Spencer, Brooke Eden, Caitlyn Smith, Carly Pearce, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, Madeline Edwards, Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton, Morgan Wade, Miko Marks and Tenille Arts, to name a few.
