When Peytan Porter first tried to find her footing in Nashville’s music scene, she adopted a pop-country style that, when she looks back on it, wasn’t really her speed. Though it was commercially viable, she walked away less than thrilled with her work. She’s proof of the familiar advice that to be successful and stay successful, you must be yourself. 

Videos by American Songwriter

Porter is a Georgia native who moved to Nashville for college. All the while, she was fostering a love of writing songs and playing music. Porter got her first big break in 2020 when Jody Williams—a renowned music executive in Nashville—signed her to her first publishing deal. After that, she could officially boast that she was a songwriter. It was no longer just a passion but a job with an official title. 

Soon after, she began sharing some original music on social media, quickly gaining traction. Thanks to that success, she also decided to try her hand at being an artist. As stated, her early projects felt inauthentic, pushing her to explore new musical territory. 

She reintroduced herself in 2023 with a newfound confidence and sense of style. Her Georgia roots have produced a smoky, Americana style. The new sound can be heard on her latest EP, Grown. True to the name, the EP speaks to Porter growing into the artist she’s always wanted to be. 

“I really wanted to course correct,” Porter tells American Songwriter. “I wanted to strip away the production styles and get more into my instincts.” 

The wayfaring spirit her music suggests is found in her approach to her career as whole. The best example of that is her recent tour out west. While many artists mull over the shows they play, Porter decided to let fate and her ambition guide her. In the middle of a road trip with her friends, she squeezed in some impromptu—and memorable—shows.

“I love road-tripping, and I love the new direction that my music is taking,” Porter says. “I didn’t have any fall tours lined up, and [I thought], ‘What if I just do a road trip and make a tour out of it?’”

These shows allowed Porter to road-test her new sound to see if they “felt good in a live environment.” Among the material she was able to play were songs from Grown. The title track carries a sentiment many in their mid-’20s can relate to: They’re all so proud back home / They don’t know how alone / I’ve grown. 

The song was born out of Porter’s first experience living alone. She moved into an apartment she “had no business living in.” She wanted to prove to herself that she could live alone. She found out that it was a lot harder than she had imagined. “I crawled out of bed with my journal, and I was praying for protection,” Porter says. “It was this really lonesome feeling.” 

Elsewhere on her setlists was the song that inspired Porter’s sonic shift, “God’s Hotel.” The song sees Peytan reckoning with her Southern Baptist faith. “There’s definitely a lot of fear attached to my faith and my spirituality, and that was one of the first things that I was trying to work through,” Porter says of this track.

The song challenges her beliefs with a bit of humor, masking the powerful emotions at its core. 

All in all, the shows were successes. It proved to Porter that, though her career shift was inspired by her own desires, it could also be accepted by audiences. “It was amazing to get to meet such cool people in passing and also see some of the most amazing parts of the country,” she says of this once-in-a-career opportunity. 

In addition to her own shows, Porter opened for Tim McGraw earlier this year, marking yet another career milestone for the singer. Playing arenas was a massive leap for the up-and-coming artist. Nevertheless, it was a welcomed challenge, according to Porter. 

“I felt so at home in an arena setting that it was really shocking to me,” she says. 

She got the call about the McGraw tour while playing a very small show in Raleigh, North Carolina. Learning that her career was about to take a massive turn was a shock for Porter, especially considering the circumstances she was in when she got the opportunity. 

“This industry has a way of giving carrots and dangling them in front of you,” Porter says. “Playing a show to three people and knowing in the back of your mind that you’re going to be in an arena the next year opening for a legend was definitely a large carrot in my face.”

Both of these touring experiences were beneficial for Porter. While one helped cement her newfound style, the other proved she was ready to take on bigger crowds. Sharing her music with an audience is deeply important to Porter. She says it’s what making music is for. 

“[Music] really doesn’t mean anything unless it’s a shared experience,” she says. “I love that at live shows people show up, and we experience something that won’t happen ever again. The rooms will never be the same. The crowds will always be different; the sound will change. But for however long the set is, we get to share something. It’s like magic.”

Peytan Porter’s Tour Diary

June 13: Opening for Tim McGraw in Biloxi, Mississippi

I was so nervous that first night [on the Tim McGraw tour]. We were putting in our in-ears backstage, and the doors to the building opened up, sunlight came in, and you just saw a Tim McGraw silhouette walking in…He was so kind. He introduced himself to the entire band right as we were about to go onstage, which really helped bring my nerves down because he was so welcoming. 

June 14: Home state show with Tim McGraw in Atlanta, Georgia

All my friends and family came to the Atlanta show. We got to stand side stage and danced to all the Tim McGraw hits. My little niece was there and thought all the applause was for her. I think the best part of this is getting to share fun experiences with the people who have supported me trying to get them. 

August 15: Lost Creek Ranch in Moose Creek, Wyoming

Lost Creek Ranch was this stunning, stunning place out front of the Grand Tetons. All of the people are there for a week, I think, so I got to play for some of the folks that had been staying there and the staff that comes there for the summer, works together, and then returns to their homes across the country. The people at the ranch were real cowboys. One of the songs I tried out has this tagline of “Back it up, cowboy.” The cowboys loved it! That was really surprising. There were a few people at each show who came up and quoted lyrics from that song. 

August 24: Live from the Divide in Bozeman, Montana

Live from the Divide in Bozeman is one of the coolest venues I’ve ever played. It’s this old building with an intimate, listening-room style crowd. It was almost sold out, so it was packed. People were there to listen and learn. That’s always a really fun crowd to play for.