The ability to tell a story through lyrics is the essence of country music. Like a trunk is to a tree, the story provides the solid base for branches that reach out. Ask native of Trinidad and Tobago Addis Luv – a songwriter whose songs ooze authenticity about life, truth, work – branches of that country music tree. Now, with his roots firmly grounded within, Addis Luv has taken his craft to Music City to add his leaves on the tree’s branches.
We recently caught up Addis Luv to talk about his musical journey, his latest single “Hit By A Good Time” and more.
CN: Your journey started thousands of miles away from Nashville, in Trinidad and Tobago. How did your roots shape your sound and approach to country music?
AL: My roots remind me every day to stay true to who I am, to love myself, and to love others for who they are, the good, the bad, and everything in between. As the saying goes, “love is the greatest of these.” When I step up to the microphone, that’s my moment to live that truth.
I don’t have to try to be country because my roots already are. Country music was born out of mountain music and Irish folk traditions, carried by people who poured their joy, pain, heartache, humor, and hope into song, much like the spirit of Caribbean music today.
I’m fortunate to have a team that embraces that. They don’t ask me to change my accent, fit a mold, or pretend to be someone I’m not. They let me be me, and that’s why my approach is simple, honest, and sincere.
CN: What artists have influenced and shaped who you are today?
AL: I’d say Brian McKnight has had a huge influence on me and really helped shape the artist I am today. When I was younger, I was deep into R&B, and listening to Brian opened my eyes to what was possible with my voice. By studying his riffs and the way he moved through melodies, I started to discover my own sound and realize what I was capable of doing vocally.
CN: Country music isn’t the first genre people associate with the Caribbean, but yet you found a home in it. What drew you to this genre?
AL: I’ve always had a deep love for country music. Even as a young man growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, I remember working in a supermarket and hearing Dolly Parton come on the overhead radio. I can still picture it like it was yesterday. The way she sang moved me, and I connected with her voice and the honesty and authenticity in her songs. It made me want to deliver music the same way.
It reminded me of how people back home share their lives through Calypso or Soca music, telling real stories about love, struggle, laughter, and faith. Country music carries that same kind of truth, just told in a different accent and feel. I believe it’s about heart, and that’s what I’ve always been drawn to.
CN: Your latest single, “Hit By A Good Time,” is such a fun country anthem about letting yourself be happy. Tell us more about this. Who wrote it? What’s the feedback been?
AL: “Hit by a Good Time” is just pure fun. It’s one of those songs that makes you want to get up and dance the moment it starts playing. It captures that feeling of having such a great night out that you wake up the next morning with your clothes on the floor, not quite sure how you got home, but knowing your night was amazing!
The song was written by two incredible songwriters, Terri Jo Box and Jim Brown. Terri Jo has cuts with artists like Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and Cody Johnson, and Jim Brown is best known for co-writing “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” among other hits. I feel lucky to bring their song to life and share that energy with everyone who hears it.
CN: You also visited radio stations in support of this song. What has the response been like with country radio?
AL: I have to say, visiting radio stations across the South in places like Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee was such an incredible experience. The reaction to the music was the same everywhere I went. As soon as people heard the song, their energy shifted. Everyone was in a great mood, smiling, and had positive things to say about it. It’s amazing how a good song can grab you the moment you hear it.
This is actually the only outside song on the record so far, which makes the response even more special to me. Overall, the feedback from all the DJs are fantastic, and that makes me really happy. It’s such a rewarding feeling to see people connect with the song the same way I did.
CN: Tell us about your upcoming debut album. What can fans expect from it?
AL: Fans can expect truth, honesty, and authenticity not only in the songs themselves but also in the way I deliver them. I have poured a lot of time, effort, and emotion into finding the right material that truly represents who I am and what I want to say on this record. Every song was chosen with purpose, and I hope I have done my job well.
At the heart of it, this project is about connection. I have done my best to share a piece of myself in every track. The majority of the songs will get you on your feet, but there are also a few that will lift your spirit, move you deeply, and might even bring a tear to your eye.
CN: Are you incorporating any new instruments, rhythms, or production techniques on this project that are still familiar to Caribbean music?
AL: Caribbean music has never been defined by the instruments as much as by the heart and soul behind it. It is about the connection between the music, the message, and the people. That same connection is what I want to bring to country music. For me, it is not about creating another story song or a polished radio hit. It is about giving listeners an emotional experience they can truly feel. If a song carries heartbreak, I want people to hear it in my voice. If it is filled with joy, I want them to feel that joy through the way I deliver it. That emotional honesty is what I call Country Soul. It is not country pop or country R&B, but something deeper and more rooted in feeling. It is the same spirit you could hear when Glen Campbell and Stevie Wonder performed together on The Glen Campbell Show, or when Ray Charles teamed up with Tom Jones in the early seventies. Great songs are special, but it is the performance that captures hearts. Carrie Underwood’s performance of “How Great Thou Art” at the CMAs a few years ago is a perfect example of that kind of connection, and that is the level of impact I want to bring with my music.
CN: What do you enjoy most about being an artist?
AL: The thing I enjoy most about being an artist is seeing the smiles on people’s faces and watching them have a great time together. There’s nothing quite like the energy that fills the room when everyone’s connecting through the music. Hearing fans come up after a show to say how much they enjoyed it or how it made their night special means the world to me. Moments like that remind me why I do what I do.
CN: You were invited to perform for the 2025 election campaign in Trinidad and Tobago – that’s huge. How did that experience impact you?
AL: It was truly an honor to be chosen to perform during the election campaign in Trinidad and Tobago. I had written a song called “These Are the Days,” which carried a powerful message that really resonated with the Caribbean people. The response to it was incredible, and knowing that the song connected with so many made it a real privilege to be part of that moment.
CN: What’s been your most “pinch-me” moment so far?
AL: My biggest pinch-me moment has been realizing that anything is possible. I used to dream about making country music, wondering if it could ever happen for someone like me from Trinidad and Tobago. Now I’m living that dream, standing in studios and on stages I once only imagined. Every step of the journey reminds me how far faith, hard work, and perseverance can take you. To see that dream unfolding right in front of me is both humbling and incredible.
CN: If you could collaborate with any one artist, who would it be and why?
AL: If I could collaborate with any artist, it would be Chris Stapleton. I feel like we have a lot in common when it comes to pouring ourselves into a song. He sings with such raw emotion, honesty, and integrity, and every note he delivers comes straight from the heart. I have a deep respect for that kind of authenticity, and it would be an absolute honor to collaborate with him on a song one day.
CN: If you could describe yourself in one word, what would it be and why?
AL: If I were to describe myself in one word, it would be love. Everything I do comes from a place of love. Love for people, love for music, and love for life itself. My energy runs deep, and wherever I go, people tend to feel that and connect with it. I think it’s because love is the foundation of who I am, and it shows up in everything I do, both on and off the stage.
CN: What does the name Addis Luv mean to you?
AL: The name Addis comes from my middle name, which my mother gave me. She named me after a blind man she met many years ago in the marketplace, a man who saw beyond what the eyes can see. While I was still in her womb, he spoke powerful words over my life and told her, “That boy is going to do great things for this world.” My mother asked him, “How do you know that when you can’t even see?” and he replied, “Sight isn’t found in the eyes, it’s found in the soul.”
That moment has always stayed with me. It reminds me that true vision doesn’t come from sight but from faith, purpose, and heart.
Luv is short for love, which is the essence of who I am and what I strive to represent in every part of my life and music. To me, love is the highest form of connection. It is what guides my voice, my spirit, and my journey as an artist.
CN: What’s next for Addis Luv?
AL: I plan to keep releasing new music, connecting with fans both online and in person, and continuing to do what I believe I was put on this earth to do. Share my gift, spread love, and make a difference through music.
For more information on Addis Luv, visit his website addisluv.com and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.