Ten new artists will be recognized
CMT has revealed the ten artists named to its prestigious “CMT Next Women of Country” (NWOC) franchise, the brand’s long-running effort to support and expose developing female talent.
For the second consecutive year, CMT Hot 20 Countdown will officially introduce the class of 2022 during a dedicated three-hour special episode this weekend on Saturday, January 22nd and Sunday, January 23rd beginning at 9 am ET on CMT. The special will feature exclusive interviews and performances with each new NWOC member, plus an exclusive interview with NWOC alumna (2015) Maren Morris who reflects on her experience with the program.
CMT is recognizing Amythyst Kiah, Callista Clark, Camille Parker, Jenna Paulette, Julia Cole, Laci Kaye Booth, Lily Rose, Madeline Edwards, Miko Marks, and Morgan Wade as honorees.
“We are so excited to welcome our newest class of ultra-talented female artists into our beloved CMT Next Women of Country franchise,” shares Leslie Fram, SVP of Music & Talent at CMT. “Each is boldly blazing their own spirited path on their own terms, destined to make a lasting impact on country music. We celebrate this diverse group of women and look forward to supporting their work and their careers in 2022 and beyond.”
Over the next year, the new CMT NWOC class will receive cross-brand support for their music and videos across 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 ViacomCBS’ MTV Entertainment Group brands with live events, the ViacomCBS 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 be provided by Nashville-based social impact firm, The Change Agent·cy.
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 six tours anchored by superstar acts including Jennifer Nettles, Martina McBride, Sara Evans and Tanya Tucker. This year’s 2022 class marks a total of 95 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: Ashley McBryde, Brandy Clark, Brittney Spencer, Carly Pearce, Gabby Barrett, Ingrid Andress, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Lainey Wilson, Lauren Alaina, Lindsay Ell, Maren Morris, Mickey Guyton and Tenille Arts, to name a few.
