Mickey Guyton

Singer Mickey Guyton possesses a warm, textured voice that positions her as a Black female country performer straddling classic country and modern pop. After her 2015 debut single "Better Than You Left Me" generated early radio airplay momentum, broader notice arrived when "Black Like Me" achieved viral status amid the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests. The track also secured a Grammy nomination, establishing Guyton as the first Black female artist recognized in the Best Country Solo Performance category. Her 2021 full-length debut Remember Her Name further marked history as the first project by a Black artist nominated for Best Country Album. She has sustained her blend of twangy hooks and emotional depth through later releases such as the 2022 gospel-infused "I Still Pray," her 2023 romantic duet with Kane Brown titled "Nothing Compares to You," and the 2024 track "Make it Me."

Born Candace Mycale Guyton in Arlington, Texas, in 1983, Guyton experienced a childhood defined by frequent family relocations tied to her father's engineering career. Music remained a steady presence, beginning when she joined her church choir at age five. Her listening habits encompassed a wide mix that featured country figures Dolly Parton and LeAnn Rimes, gospel duo BeBe & CeCe Winans, and pop/R&B standout Whitney Houston. This exposure helped shape a versatile vocal approach, prompting her move to California after high school for enrollment at Santa Monica College and pursuit of a music career. Years of day jobs and performances led to her encounter with producer Julian Raymond, who recognized her promise and connected her with managers Gary Borman and Steve Moir, whose roster included Keith Urban and Faith Hill.

Supported by this management, Guyton relocated to Nashville and integrated into the local music scene. She appeared at a 2011 White House concert alongside Lyle Lovett, James Taylor, Dierks Bentley, Darius Rucker, and Kris Kristofferson. A recording agreement with Liberty/Capitol Nashville followed, and her 2012 performance of "Better Than You Left Me" at the Country Radio Seminar earned a standing ovation. The song served as her Liberty debut single on the self-titled 2015 EP Mickey Guyton, ultimately reaching number 34 on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and earning the publication's designation among "10 Hot Country Artists to Watch in 2015." Her next release, "Heartbreak Song," climbed to number 45 on the same tally in 2016. Additional singles emerged in 2019, among them "Hold On" from the film Breakthrough, plus "Sister" and "Crazy."

During spring 2020 Guyton issued the socially aware ballad "What Are You Gonna Tell Her?" as the lead single from her third EP, Bridges. Following the project's arrival, she became the first Black female artist to perform an original composition at the ACM Awards when she teamed with Keith Urban for that track. Another Bridges song, "Black Like Me," drew viral attention during the Black Lives Matter protests and received a Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance, again positioning Guyton as the first Black woman nominated in the category.

Both "Black Like Me" and "What Are You Gonna Tell Her?" appeared on her September 2021 debut album Remember Her Name, which entered Billboard's Top Country Albums chart at number 47. The project earned multiple Grammy nominations, including Best Country Album, making Guyton the first Black artist nominated in that field. She returned in August 2022 with the upbeat single "Somethin' Bout You," then delivered the gospel-tinged "I Still Pray" that November. A 2023 collaboration with Kane Brown produced the romantic duet "Nothing Compares to You," while 2024 brought further singles including "Woman," "Scary Love," and "Make it Me."