3 Forgotten Female Country One-Hit Wonders Who Should’ve Had Longer Runs

One-hit wonders are abundant in country music. It’s a very single-heavy genre. Many songwriters focus on one song for years, trying to get it cut by anyone and everyone. The three female artists below are all considered one-hit wonders, each having earned a top-selling hit that was hard to beat. Despite one song being their legacy, each of them has talents that go far beyond their “one-hit” status.

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“Who I Am” — Jessica Andrews

Jessica Andrews’ “Who I Am” is 00s country perfection. Her vocals are stellar, and the melody complements her tone perfectly. Moreover, the sentiment within this song is endlessly touching. No one who heard this song in 2001 could forget it. It was a good enough effort to earn her a hit. Unfortunately, the rest of her career never quite matched the success of this song.

Andrews is more or less out of the spotlight these days. It’s a shame, really, that this one-hit wonder hurt the rest of her career, as she had all the makings of a top-selling country act. We’d like to hear more from Andrews’ unique vocals and endearing perspective.

“Burning House” — Cam

Cam’s “Burning House” was a major hit in 2015, marrying pop music conventions of the day with traditional country sounds. This intimate song showcased Cam’s vocals and songwriting chops. It’s really no surprise that this song did as well as it did.

The rest of Cam’s career was less splashy than this one-hit wonder, but she semi-recently re-upped her claim in country music by working with Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter. Cam penned many of the album’s most country-forward tracks. In addition to working with Beyoncé, Cam continues to make her own music, which deserves the same chance as “Burning House.”

“What I Really Meant To Say” — Cyndi Thomson

Cyndi Thomson’s vocals were a shoo-in for success back in 2001. Her sole hit, “What I Really Meant To Say,” highlighted her voice perfectly, while also playing into country’s pop crossover appeal. Though this song remains Thomson’s biggest effort, we would like to see her continue to receive praise for her radio-friendly work.

Thomson continues to make music today, but she hasn’t been able to usurp “What I Really Meant To Say.” When you release a song as perfect as this one, it’s hard to measure up with any other effort.

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