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Nashville – This week’s Nashville Pick is Halie Ridge who is bringing a more personal shade of country-pop to her latest release “Cheating,” an emotional new single that places vulnerability at the center of her growing musical identity. Blending country storytelling with a contemporary pop-country approach, the release introduces another side of an artist building her career around both accessible melodies and a connection to the experiences behind her songs.
Where “Country Girl Summer” suggested a lighter, more carefree chapter, “Cheating” arrives with a more reflective focus. The single’s release materials describe a heartfelt song that explores Ridge’s emotional side while retaining the pop-country direction of her recent work. It is a chance to broaden the picture for listeners who have followed those earlier releases, bringing a different mood to a catalogue still taking shape. With a combined social audience of more than 500,000 followers, according to her team, Ridge already has a substantial platform from which to introduce that next chapter.
Her path to Nashville began in Thayer, Missouri, near the Arkansas state line. Raised in a family that loved music, Ridge found inspiration in country, pop and soul before moving to Music City after high school in 2018. Nashville became the place where she developed her songwriting and began defining the artist she wanted to become. That work soon led to a national introduction on NBC’s Songland, where she presented “Girls Like Me” to Martina McBride and the show’s producer-panelists.
McBride selected the song and subsequently released her version, giving Ridge an early songwriting milestone with one of country music’s most respected vocalists. Originally written by Ridge with her brother, recording artist Michael Tyler, alongside Dan Swank and Lexi Lauren, “Girls Like Me” was developed further during the program with producer-panelist Ester Dean. That experience placed Ridge’s writing in a professional setting where perspective, emotional clarity and the needs of the singer all helped shape the finished recording. It also established a songwriting foundation that predates her current run of singles.
In May 2026, Ridge signed an exclusive label and artist development deal with Eclipse Records, opening a new phase of her recording career. “All That,” released later that month, introduced that chapter, with “Country Girl Summer” and “Nobody Knew” following. Her team also points to support from Apple Music’s Best New Country Songs, Soundcheck and New in Country, along with Spotify’s All New Country and Fresh Finds Country playlists—exposure that has helped bring her music to listeners beyond her social following.
Ridge’s artistic direction draws on the visual and melodic sensibilities of contemporary pop while keeping country songwriting central to the project. Her team cites Tate McRae as a reference for the pop side of that vision, with Morgan Wallen and Graham Barham representing the lyrical storytelling she aims to bring into the mix. Those comparisons describe the territory she is exploring as she develops her own identity. With “Cheating,” the focus turns toward emotional openness, giving listeners another introduction to the songwriter behind the image and another reason to follow where Halie Ridge goes next.
WEBSITE: www.HalieRidge.com
There is so much talent that resides in Nashville along with many artists that visit Music City just trying to be heard, seen and hopefully discovered. If you would like your song or video to be considered for our Nashville Picks, submit it using our Nashville Picks form:
