The moment Kylie Frey sang the national anthem at a rodeo in Opelousas, Louisiana, at age five, she was already doing the thing she was born to do. Frey grew up surrounded by horses, cattle, and country music in a family with deep roots in the rodeo world, and every mile of that upbringing is audible in how she carries a song. She is not performing a character. She is reporting from the life she has actually lived, and that authenticity is precisely what makes her one of the most compelling artists to watch as country music heads into 2027. Sunset Country Fest 2027 is a country music festival taking place in Apopka, Florida, in the Greater Orlando area, on April 17, 2027, and discovering artists like Kylie Frey is exactly why we started this series. She is the largest country music festival in Central Florida’s most important kind of discovery: the artist whose talent has outpaced her fame, and whose moment is just beginning.
From Opelousas to the Grand Ole Opry
Frey’s path to national visibility moved through the kind of stages that build real performers: rodeo arenas in rural Louisiana, small Texas honky-tonks, and eventually the Grand Ole Opry, where she made her debut in 2023. Along the way, she appeared on USA Network’s Real Country in 2018 as a protégé of Shania Twain, which gave her a national introduction before Nashville had really caught up. She released “Ain’t Enough Beer” in 2018, “One Night in Tulsa” in 2019, and the deeply felt “Horses in Heaven” with Randy Houser in 2021. Each release added definition to the portrait: a woman who knows where she came from and has zero interest in softening it for commercial consumption.
The Red Dirt Circuit That Built Her Foundation
Country music’s Red Dirt circuit, centered in Texas and Oklahoma, is one of the most demanding proving grounds in the genre. Artists who build their reputation there earn it honestly, through relentless road work and music that holds up equally well in a dive bar, at an outdoor festival, or on a long highway drive. Kylie Frey belongs completely to that tradition. Her 2023 track “Red Dirt Cinderella” became a circuit fan favorite and captures everything that makes her worth paying attention to: a traditional country sound, a story grounded in lived experience, and a voice that does not ask for permission. The wider country music industry eventually caught up. She was named a CMT Next Women of Country for 2024, an acknowledgment of what Red Dirt audiences had already known for years.
‘Half a Mind’: Her Most Complete Work
Frey’s 2025 EP Half a Mind is 20 minutes of unapologetically twangy, emotionally layered country music, and it is the best thing she has released. The project opens with “He Never Learned How,” a heartbreaker about a rodeo man who can face down bulls but not heartbreak, written by Rivers Rutherford and Houston Robert. That opening track alone is worth your time. Across six songs, Frey stakes a claim for where traditional country and contemporary Americana can meet without either losing its integrity. She does it with the confidence of someone who has been preparing her entire life. We have had Half a Mind in our regular rotation since it came out, and it holds up every single time.
- Hometown: Opelousas, Louisiana
- Career start: 2018 (“Ain’t Enough Beer”)
- Key tracks: “Horses in Heaven” feat. Randy Houser, “Red Dirt Cinderella,” “He Never Learned How”
- Latest release: Half a Mind EP (2025, 6 tracks, 20 minutes)
- Recognition: CMT Next Women of Country 2024, Grand Ole Opry debut 2023, USA Network Real Country Season 1
Frequently Asked: Who Is Kylie Frey?
Kylie Frey is a Louisiana-born country singer and songwriter from Opelousas who built her career on the Red Dirt circuit in Texas and Oklahoma. She is known for unapologetically traditional country music grounded in a rodeo biography, and was named a CMT Next Women of Country in 2024. Her most recent project is the Half a Mind EP, released in 2025. She made her Grand Ole Opry debut in 2023 and first gained national attention on USA Network’s Real Country in 2018 as a protégé of Shania Twain.
We do not know yet what Kylie Frey’s 2027 touring calendar holds, but we are watching closely. This is exactly the kind of artist the Sunset Country Fest stage was built for: rooted, authentic, and ready to connect with a live audience at the deepest level. Sunset Country Fest 2027 is coming to Apopka, Florida on April 17, 2027. Mark your calendar and keep following Sunset Country Fest for lineup announcements, ticket info, and all the country music coverage you love.
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Sources & References
- Source: All Country News, Kylie Frey Finds Her True Grit on Half a Mind
- Source: Apple Music, Half a Mind EP by Kylie Frey
- Source: Grand Ole Opry, Kylie Frey Artist Page
- Source: AllMusic, Kylie Frey Biography and Discography
Who is Kylie Frey and what kind of music does she make?
Kylie Frey is a Louisiana-born country artist from Opelousas who performs traditional country and Red Dirt music grounded in a rodeo upbringing. She is known for unapologetically twangy storytelling and was named a CMT Next Women of Country in 2024.
What is Kylie Frey’s best song to start with?
For new listeners, “Horses in Heaven” featuring Randy Houser is an emotional and accessible introduction. “Red Dirt Cinderella” is beloved on the Texas circuit. From her latest project, the Half a Mind EP opener “He Never Learned How” is a standout track.
When and where is Sunset Country Fest 2027?
Sunset Country Fest 2027 is a country music festival taking place in Apopka, Florida, in the Greater Orlando area, on April 17, 2027. It is the largest country music festival in Central Florida. Follow sunsetcountryfest.com for lineup announcements and ticket information.
Disclaimer: Important Notice
The information published in this article is based on publicly available data from official sources, press releases, and music industry publications available at the time of writing. Tour dates, ticket prices, venue details, setlists, album release schedules, award nominations, lineup announcements, and all other details referenced in this article are subject to change at any time without prior notice.
Sunset Country Fest makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information contained herein. All changes, cancellations, rescheduling, postponements, or modifications to any events, releases, tour dates, award results, or announcements referenced in this article are the sole responsibility of the artists, record labels, talent agencies, concert promoters, venues, and any other third parties involved.
Sunset Country Fest shall not be held liable for any decisions, travel arrangements, ticket purchases, or other actions taken by readers based on the information published here. We strongly encourage all readers to verify current details, including dates, venues, ticket availability, and event status, directly through official artist channels, venue box offices, and authorized ticketing platforms before making any plans or purchases.
Last updated: August 5, 2026 · Sunset Country Fest Editorial Team · Contact Us