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Avery Anna Named ACM New Female Artist of the Year: Five Things to Know
Avery Anna, 22, was named ACM New Female Artist of the Year on April 28, 2026. Signed to Warner Music Nashville, she has two albums and two EPs, co-wrote 17 songs on Breakup Over Breakfast, and rose after a viral 2020 TikTok.
Avery Anna was named the Academy of Country Music Awards’ New Female Artist of the Year on April 28, 2026, ahead of the 61st ACM Awards on May 17. She is 22 and from Flagstaff, Arizona.
She is signed to Warner Music Nashville. Her releases include two full-length albums, Breakup Over Breakfast and Let Go Letters, and two EPs, Mood Swings and forgive, forget. She co-wrote all 17 songs on Breakup Over Breakfast. Collaborators on that project include Parmalee, Dylan Marlowe, Hillary Lindsey, Liz Rose and Lori McKenna. She co-wrote and is featured on Sam Barber’s “Indigo,” which reached No. 8 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs and No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. She has opened on tour for Josh Turner, Parmalee and Martina McBride.
The New Female Artist category has a long history at the ACMs. Shania Twain, who will host this year’s show, won the award in 1996. The top four nominees this year — Megan Moroney, Miranda Lambert, Ella Langley and Lainey Wilson — are past winners in the category. Other recent winners include Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Kelsea Ballerini and Ashley McBryde. Earlier winners include Barbara Mandrell, Tanya Tucker, Olivia Newton-John, Linda Ronstadt, Crystal Gayle, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Trisha Yearwood, Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes.
Five things to know
1. Her stage name is her first and middle name. She was born Avery Anna Rhoton and performs as Avery Anna.
2. Country is her foundation, but she listens widely. In a 2022 interview with Billboard she said, “Songwriting came from that. When I was younger, I would sing with my grandpa and he would play Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. That’s where my love for country started.” She also cited Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kelsea Ballerini, Cage the Elephant, Noah Kahan and YEBBA as influences, and she covered Donna Fargo’s “The Happiest Girl in the Whole U.S.A.” on TikTok.
3. Her breakout moment came on TikTok. In October 2020 she posted a bathtub video singing “Say Something.” The clip drew about 10 million views. Parmalee vocalist Matt Thomas shared the video with producer-manager David Fanning. Fanning and 33 Creative manager Tina Crawford contacted her and offered management and production support.
4. She moved quickly after high school. She graduated in May 2021 via Zoom. Three months later, at 17, she moved to Nashville. In June 2022 she signed with Warner Music Nashville. She made her Grand Ole Opry debut three months after signing.
5. A mainstream cover put her on a new stage. Kelly Clarkson covered Avery Anna’s song “Narcissist” on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Avery Anna co-wrote the track with Andy Sheridan and Ben Williams. She told Billboard she was “so in shock and so awestruck” when Clarkson performed the song.
Photograph: Avery Anna at the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards, May 8, 2025. Photo credit: Gilbert Flores/Penske Media.
