You can find Nashville’s latest breakout star on the main stage at country music classics like CMA Fest and The Bluebird Cafe, but he’s not your “traditional” Southern singer by any means.
That’s because Spencer Crandall is creating a name of his own. He believes in fan interactions and authentic music-making, a route that’s proven successful for this independent artist. As apart of Nashville’s new school of country music, Crandall knows that social media is the key to success.
“I’m so blessed to have the following that I do and I wouldn’t be anywhere without social media,” Crandall shared with Grit Daily.
“My favorite platforms are Instagram and Twitter. I like Instagram because I feel like I can post the best content and I like Twitter because I feel like it is the best place to genuinely connect with fans and have an open dialogue. I think the key to gaining followers is creating content that is unique and interesting and then engaging and interacting with the people that engage and interact with you.”
Country: Meet hip hop
Crandall also stands out from other country crooners thanks to his hip hop and R&B-inspired tunes (if you like Lil’ Nas X and Billy Ray Cryrus’ famous “Old Town Road” collab, then chances are you’ll like Crandall, too). The singer believes that his latest EP, More, is the best representation of himself as an artist thanks to its unique mix of styles.
“These songs are country stories, mixed with cool imagery,” says Crandall. “It’s universal things that I think everyone can relate to, but said through my lens and my perspective, and on top of what I think is really cool, fun, fresh production… Nods to country music, but also hip-hop beats and drops – things that I enjoy.”
Luckily for Crandall, Nashville is slowly becoming known for more than just country music, too. Genres of all types can be found in Music City, with venues like Mercy Lounge and 12th & Porter opening their doors to musicians who mix and match styles.
Ain’t working for me
One highly anticipated cross-genre track on More includes “Ain’t Working For Me,” a song about a painful breakup. Called an “emotional rollercoaster” by Crandall, the single shares a vulnerability and earnestness that ropes listeners in and leaves them wanting more. As a gifted songwriter, Crandall has a knack not only for incorporating many influencers into his songs, but for making others feel seen through his music, too.
The focus on personal connection has paid off. Crandall boasts over 5.5 million streams on Spotify, and has garnered a following of over 300,000 on social media. All of that, without a label’s help. We’d say something must be working for Crandall after all.
