Country music dominated the Coachella Valley over the weekend with a record-breaking Stagecoach festival featuring several of the genre’s biggest artists, most promising up-and-comers along with some epic special guests. There to follow all the action was Audacy’s Kelli & Guy from KFRG and John & Tammy from KSON who caught up with some of the festival’s biggest performers including HARDY , Megan Moroney , DASHA , Nate Smith , Bailey Zimmerman , Zach Top and so many more.
LISTEN NOW : Bailey Zimmerman joins KSON’s John & Tammy at Stagecoach
“This weekend has honestly been dreams come true,” Zimmerman said after having a record year since his last appearance at the world’s largest Country music festival in 2023. “I’ve got all my friends out here and we rented this crazy AirBnB and it’s just been beautiful all weekend, so I just can’t wait to get on the stage. I am so stoked. I’m literally going to go 120,000%.”
WATCH NOW : Bailey Zimmerman joins KSON’s John & Tammy at Stagecoach
Also taking the stage for a second time was Nate Smith who celebrated the release of his debut album with an appearance in 2023 and continued the “new music tradition” by celebrating the release of a new collaboration with Lee Brice and Hailey Whitters titled, “Drinkin’ Buddies,” this weekend.
LISTEN NOW : Nate Smith joins KFRG’s Kelli & Guy at Stagecoach
The song was the perfect vibe for a weekend full of Country fans with their best “Drinkin’ Buddies,” and even better that Nate calls Hailey and Lee his real life “Drinkin’ Buddies.” “Lee, that man can drink,” Nate said before sharing that Brice introduced him to “Faderade” while recording the song. “When we were recording it, I was kind of nervous because I was singing right in front of him and his producer… all of a sudden there’s a tap on my back and he’s got a big ol’ gulp-sized container of Gatorade and vodka. He goes, ‘You ever heard of faderade before?… drink up, buddy!’”
WATCH NOW : Nate Smith joins KFRG’s Kelli & Guy at Stagecoach
Also celebrating new music at Stagecoach was self-proclaimed Emo Cowgirl, Megan Moroney, who has been teasing the release of her new song, “Indifferent,” which she played for the festival crowd. The track fits her typical aesthetic of break-up jams, and while based on a personal experience, she says she will never shy away from sharing her heart with fans, telling Kelli & Guy no song is too personal to record.
LISTEN NOW : Megan Moroney joins KFRG’s Kelli & Guy at Stagecoach
“I think by me being vulnerable and being someone that little girls can look up to, hopefully, they can see that they can be vulnerable too,” she said crediting her producer and mentor, Kristian Bush of Sugarland, who she says has helped her find her space and vulnerability. “And whatever I’m going through that I don’t want to say, maybe it will help them… Seeing how it helps people makes me emotional.”
WATCH NOW : Megan Moroney joins KFRG’s Kelli & Guy at Stagecoach
Also bringing a break-up jam to the stage was viral sensation Dasha, who has taken Country music and social media by storm with her song, “Austin.” She performed during a Friday night set, exactly one year after sharing the demo for “Austin” with her childhood best friend during a fun night as a fan at Stagecoach 2023.
LISTEN NOW : DASHA joins KSON’s John & Tammy at Stagecoach
“Everyone knowing my song and singing to it and the dances… last year I was here just as a fan,” she said proving what a successful year she’s had. “I knew from the beginning that Austin was gonna be the one to kind of flag everybody in.”
While newbie Dasha had fans performing a viral TikTok dance during her set, Country’s freshest traditionalist, Zach Top, had fans two-steppin’ like the Haggard and Jones days. Just weeks after the release of his debut album, Cold Beer & Country Music, fans have fallen in love with Top’s traditional sound and he’s happy to be the one to bring traditional sounding Country to the radio waves.
LISTEN NOW : Zach Top joins KSON’s John & Tammy at Stagecoach
“It wasn’t a calculated decision like, ‘I’m the guy that needs to bring Country back’ sort of thing,” he told John & Tammy. “The music I fell in love with was George Strait , Merle Haggard , George Jones , Keith Whitley and that just never left me. That’s just what comes out of me when I write and when I play and sing — that’s just who I am.”
He continued, “It’s kind of an interesting position to be in because some of the middle-aged or older folks, I’m kind of a throwback to them… and then to a lot of younger folks, I’m a brand new thing and fresh and a pioneer or something.”
WATCH NOW : Zach Top joins KSON’s John & Tammy at Stagecoach
The beauty of Stagecoach is going from traditional Country sounds from artists like Top, Willie Nelson, Clint Black and more that appeared over the weekend to artists that mix Country with a Little Rock, Rap and more. One of the most anticipated sets of the weekend was HARDY, who is one of Country’s top songwriters, but has also been experimenting with his own sound in the Rock world as he readies to release his very first Rock album this year.
The 33-year-old took the stage just days after releasing his very own rendition of Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre ’s “Gin & Juice,” which had many people buzzing Snoop could make an appearance, and according to HARDY — they weren’t wrong.
LISTEN NOW : HARDY joins KFRG’s Kelli & Guy at Stagecoach
“It’s a bit of a sore subject,” HARDY said, laughing when asked if Snoop would be performing with him. “Snoop was supposed to be here, but then he had to go to New York, so I’m pretty bummed.” Turns out HARDY didn’t need Snoop to set the place on fire (although his appearance would’ve been epic), and he still showed off his own rendition of the song, which came at the request of Snoop Dogg to help promote his new pre-mixed cocktail which stems from the song off his 1993 album "Doggystyle."
WATCH NOW : HARDY joins KFRG’s Kelli & Guy at Stagecoach
Hear more from HARDY and several other artists from the weekend by checking out the interviews from KFRG and KSON above.
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