On Friday (June 5) the second day of the second annual Billboard festival Country Live, which saw fans fill the main room and two upper floors to hear music from several established hitmakers and rising stars at Luke Combs' Category 10 club in downtown Nashville.
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Tucker Wetmore, who was honored earlier this week Billboard «The "rising star" brought boundless energy, effortless charm, and a slew of hits to his headlining set. Friday's Country Live show, presented by Under Armour, also featured Kaitlin Butts, Something Out West, Alana Springsteen, Stella Lefty, Braxton Keith, Ashley Cook, Priscilla Block, and Alexandra Kay, along with a few surprise guests.
Each artist's performance combined original compositions with unexpected covers. Throughout the day and night, the audience sang along heartily, and, in keeping with the building's long-standing line-dancing tradition, some in the audience occasionally broke into country dances. Meanwhile, hosts Lorin Snapp and Carissa Culiner kept the crowd's energy high between sets.
Thursday night's headliners were The Red Clay Strays, with the rest of the lineup featuring The Band Perry, Chase Rice, Carly Pearce, Ty Myers, Corey Kent, Lanie Gardner, Drew Baldridge, Hunter Hayes and The Grimm.
The evening also featured a surprise appearance by influencer Chantel West Coast, who may soon have to change her name to Chantel Nashville. After performing her song "Tennessee," she admitted that she was "a little tired of L.A.... I think I've found my voice in country music... Tennessee is calling me." Judging by her reception, she would have been welcome.
Below is a recap of the evening, which also included an after-party featuring Country Nights.
Caitlin Butts
Caitlin Butts kicked off Friday's episode Billboard Country Live delivered a spirited performance of fiddle and energy, including "Hunt You Down," which she called "a love song, but with a thinly veiled menace." She also demonstrated uncompromising courage and perspective, saying, "If they don't love you for who you are, you shouldn't be around those people, family or not," before performing "Blood." Then Butts, who starred in Ella Langley's video for "Choosin' Texas," delivered a caustic rendition of the classic "In the Pines," drawing a particularly enthusiastic applause from the crowd. She closed her set with "Never Really Mine," followed by her viral hit, "You Ain't Gotta Die (To Be Dead to Me).".
Something in the Wild West
Something Out West, the duo of Chet Hanks and Drew Arthur, played their first full Nashville show, taking the stage at Category 10 on Friday afternoon. They blended soft rock and country on songs like "You Better Run" and "Leaving Hollywood." They also mixed in a few covers, including Jamey Johnson's "In Color" paired with Kid Rock's "Only God Knows Why." Hanks' raspy vocals especially stood out on the memorable "Pour One Out.".
Alana Springsteen
Alana Springsteen has released a new project, I Hope This Helps , in which she shares cathartic songs and reflections on acceptance, love, regrets, and dreams. Her performance, predictably, began with a recording in which she expresses her hopes and wishes for the audience regarding courage, acceptance, and friendship. Her rock-infused songs combined a bold musical canvas with lyrics that revealed raw, vulnerable emotions. «This song is dedicated to all your terrible exes,» she said before performing «You Don’t Deserve a Country Song.» She also performed «Ghost in My Guitar» and her gold-certified «Goodbye Looks Good On You.» She then led the audience in a slowed-down rendition of Natalie Imbruglia’s «Torn.» She dedicated her own song, «Black Sheep,» from the new album, to «all those who push the envelope.».
Stella Lefty
Stella Lefty has skyrocketed on the pop and country charts. Billboard and quickly gained a large following thanks to her breakout hit "Boston" and a string of other pop-country tracks. She opened her performance with the upbeat "Thinkin' Bout You." Her energetic, youthful spirit was everywhere, and she happily danced, swaying, and twirling to catchy, sweet songs like "Good at Leaving," "You Were Mine," and "I Know I Know." One of the highlights was the duo Dan + Shay performing their hit "Tequila." Together, they created a natural synergy: Lefty's warm vocals blended beautifully with the harmonies of Shay Mooney and Dan Smyers. She then returned to the stage to perform "Something To Lose" (without her boyfriend, Vincent Mason), and closed her set with her massive crossover hit "Boston.".
Braxton Kate
Braxton Keith transformed the Category 10 club into a true honky-tonk with his fiery country tunes. The Texan opened with the energetic "Real Damn Deal," which would have had the crowd dancing if there had been room. Keith, a representative of the new traditionalist movement, showed that he is definitely a true professional with the mid-tempo, fiery "Gonna Come Back as a Country Song." He slowed things down with the heartbreak song "Chase You Down," and then performed the touching "A Little Bit Closer," in which love ignites on the dance floor. Continuing the theme of love's weaknesses with "Cozy," he showcased his powerful vocals. Keith closed the show with the fun, catchy "I Own This Bar" and the charming western swing number "I Ain't Tryin'.".
Ashley Cook
Ashley Cook, whose self-titled album will be released on August 14, delivered a sweet and confident performance that showcased the full range of her talent. She opened with the playful, flirtatious "Excuses," followed by the sassy "The Hell You Are." The path of true love is rarely smooth, Cook demonstrated with her new song about infidelity, "Xs." She then transitioned to the simpler, more emotional "It's Been a Year," from her album 2022. She then appropriately transitioned into an ode to a beautiful June evening, performing a rousing cover of Rascal Flatts' "Summer Nights," which she recorded with the trio in 2025. After "High School Sweetheart," she performed the languid "Baby Blues," joined by surprise guest Matt Rife, to whom she tenderly sang the final verse. Cook closed the performance with "Your Place," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in 2024, and joined the audience in singing it back to back.
Priscilla Block
The Raleigh native began her performance, appropriately enough, with "My Bar," advising anyone who's been with an ex to remember that the bar belongs to them. She then performed "Cecilia" from her latest album, "October." Things You Didn't See »", which referenced the 1970 Simon & Garfunkel hit of the same name. She followed that with a medley of three pop songs: Billie Eilish's "Birds of a Feather," Sabrina Carpenter's "Please Please Please," and Gracie Abrams's "That's So True." Block then introduced a song she'd never performed live: the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," which is experiencing a resurgence after its viral popularity in the '90s. Block, who moved to Nashville at 17 "with only $50," closed the set with the rousing and catchy "Fake Names" and her 2020 breakout hit "Just About Over You.".
Alexandra Kay
Dressed head-to-toe in shiny denim, Alexandra Kay and her trio delivered a high-energy set, opening with the rock hits "Feminine Energy" and "Backroad Therapy" before slowing down for the heartbreaking divorce drama "Painted Him Perfect," which deserved a wider audience given its relatable subject matter. She lightened the mood with the lighthearted "Tomorrow Problems" before segueing into Chappell Roan's "Pink Pony Club," transforming Category 10 into a sing-along venue. Kay spoke about touring with Jelly Roll and Tim McGraw, and about going through a difficult divorce that led her to fall even deeper in love with her guitarist, Rocco Beale, with the tender "Everleave." She closed her powerful set with her rising Country Airplay hit, the energetic "Straight For the Heart.".
Tucker Wetmore
Tucker Wetmore closed the day with a fast and energetic performance, showcasing his voice, chest, dance moves, and musical talent. Opening with "Proving Me Right," Wetmore had the crowd in his arms from the start, singing along to every word, even on album tracks like the rousing country-rock of "Break First." During the energetic numbers, Wetmore moved around the room, remaining grounded during darker, slower songs like "Wine Into Whiskey," his 2024 breakout hit about the damage he'd done to his relationships.
Wetmore took to the keyboard to perform his faithful rendition (and concert staple) of The Georgia Satellites' "Keep Your Hands To Yourself," followed by Hank Williams Jr.'s "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" and Train's "Drops of Jupiter," which had the crowd waving their arms in sync. He then returned to his own material and dance routines for his current single, the sun-drenched and laid-back "Sunburn." He led the crowd through a little primal scream therapy to get all their negative thoughts out before launching into the rousing "3-2-1," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
He then introduced a new song, the energetic and catchy "Who Told You That." Wetmore moved to Nashville in 2020 at age 20, calling it "the scariest thing I've ever done," before expressing gratitude for the overwhelming support he's received from fans, who helped turn songs like "Wind Up Missing You" into huge hits. After faithfully performing that tune, he closed the set with his recent No. 1 song on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, the intricate and delightfully energetic "Brunette" (though he skipped the trumpet intro that played at Nissan Stadium the night before).
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