R.O.O.T.S. event at Anzie Blue highlights women in roots music having a crossover moment
Artists like Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Lilli Lewis, and Jaelee Roberts are at the forefront of an under-the-radar, but sustainable, pop-worthy moment in American music
It’s finally time to share what may be the best-kept secret in modern mainstream music.
Women making bluegrass, blues, Christian, and folk music are closer than ever to a moment that could redefine the mainstream.
To embody this surge on stage and bring the energy to life, my Culture At Large brand’s inaugural live performance will be R.O.O.T.S.: An All-Female Roots Music Jam Session, on April 7 at Nashville’s Anzie Blue.
The event will feature Grammy and International Bluegrass Music Association-winning fiddle player Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Folk Alliance International Spirit of Folk award-winning pianist and vocalist Lilli Lewis, and Grammy-nominated multi-instrumentalist and International Bluegrass Music Association Vocalist of the Year Jaelee Roberts.
It is the first in a series of similar jam-session-style events held every other month.
RSVP tickets are available via AnzieBlue.com.
Women in roots music are poised to break into the mainstream in a major way. Here’s why.
Looking back over the past five years, we see a clear journey in streaming trends. First, European-inspired EDM dominated playlists worldwide. Then, Asian pop rose to global popularity, drawing listeners into new sounds and styles. Afterward, the spotlight shifted to Afrobeats, bringing African rhythms to the mainstream. Now, this wave is moving into America’s century-long country music tradition, where roots music is experiencing a fresh surge in attention and influence.
This evolving pathway suggests now is the perfect time to invest in genres rooted in America’s core musical identity, expanding and celebrating the traditions that shape our culture.
It’s not just me saying it — industry data confirms it, too.
Blues ranks among the top genres with the highest share of catalog music (older recordings) in streaming, just after Jazz (91.96%) and Holiday music (91.84%). To put it in perspective, nearly nine out of every ten blues streams come from songs already seasoned by time—classic tracks that continue to resonate generation after generation.
Year over year, Christian and gospel music have continued to thrive as major drivers of the industry. Blues fans, who are 80 percent more likely to attend live music events than the average U.S. music listener, now stream the genre four times as much as Christian and gospel music, which is the fastest-growing streaming segment.
Furthermore, as Christian and gospel music expand as country offshoots, their listenership is projected to increase 100 percent more than country music in 2025, according to MIDiA’s forecast.
Additionally, regarding the blues’ surge in live performances, legendary producer Max Norman mentioned on a recent episode of the “Talk Louder” podcast that the future of music lies solely in “pumping out” live, mixed-and-mastered performances for audiences.
Award acclaim is growing commonplace for women in pop, female roots artists
Grammy-winning moments for women in spaces excelling on dominant streaming platforms are increasing to the point that they are almost becoming modern traditions.
In the past decade, women have emerged as the defining force behind the Grammys, consistently taking home top honors in both pop and roots categories. Their presence at the forefront of Album of the Year, Americana, folk, and bluegrass awards showcases a significant shift that is rapidly becoming the new standard across the industry.
Additionally, for nine consecutive years, women have taken home the Grammy’s Best New Artist award, regardless of genre.
In Nashville’s country music scene, growth is reflected in the fact that women have been named the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year for one, two, and now three years per decade since 1990.
This moment calls for celebration and reflection on a potential sea change. Women are creating fresh, innovative, authentic, and rooted sounds that feature Americana, folk, soul, and related genres, reaching more people than ever before in ways listeners clearly seek.
Female artists seek to create a connective ‘community beyond barriers’
I interviewed Jaelee Roberts alongside The Steeldrivers’ Tammy Rogers-King and 10-time IBMA award-winning, 5-time Grammy-nominated bluegrass singer-songwriter, mandolinist, and guitarist Sierra Hull on a recent edition of my Culture At Large podcast.
While working at The Tennessean, I spoke at length with Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Lilli Lewis.
“Competently drawing from an expanded repertoire of licks, melodies, and sounds (successfully) creates music beyond barriers,” Keith-Hynes said in a 2025 interview.
That music-beyond-barriers philosophy will be at the heart of R.O.O.T.S., guiding every spontaneous collaboration and moment on April 7.
“I’m (now) a seeker compelled to continuously seek new ways to express myself creatively and connect with people,” s”e says. “I’m rarely comfortable resting or taking breaks and find the most joy in learning and creating,” she added.
In 2024, Lewis noted that her music was more of an elevated form of organic, rooted, and “sacred” work.
In a 2022 feature, Lewis added a similar, deeper sentiment. It ultimately guides and informs what could and should be highlighted at the inaugural R.O.O.T.S. event, more than female roots artists’ immense pop potential.
"My music concerns itself with the mission of playing for and connecting with earnest-hearted people who want to be surrounded by others that want to be connected by beauty, love, emboldening, and freedom.”