NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Opry NextStage has named RCA Nashville’s Platinum-selling, breakthrough artist Niko Moon as the featured artist for September.
Developed by Opry Entertainment Group and the Grand Ole Opry, Opry NextStage invests in the discovery and development of new artists and highlights one up-and-coming artist per month. Nashville-based country breakout artist Hailey Whitters served as the inaugural artist for 2021 followed by Parker McCollum and Lainey Wilson.
The “GOOD TIME” artist just performed at the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday, Sept. 4, over the Labor Day holiday weekend. He recently released his debut album GOOD TIME to rave reviews, with Billboard celebrating, “Moon has forged his own unique sound, an amalgam of pop-centric, radio-friendly vibes and lyrics with an inspirative ethos that permeate his debut full-length project.” GOOD TIME also includes his new single “PARADISE TO ME” and “wonderfully charming” (MusicRow) “NO SAD SONGS.” He is currently on the road with Opry member Lady A for the trio’s WHAT A SONG CAN DO Tour.
“What an honor to be the new Opry NextStage Artist! To be brought one step closer into the Opry family and have my music showcased by a place that I hold so dear is nothing short of mind blowing,” said Moon. “When I play the Opry, I know I’m standing on the shoulders of giants and all the legendary country artists who’ve come before me that have stood in that circle. There’s no other place like it.”
Opry NextStage collaborations include live performances, strategic marketing support and short-form documentary-style storytelling created by Opry Entertainment’s award-winning content team.
Opry NextStage initially launched in 2019 with four diverse artists making incredible music at the forefront of their careers. The inaugural class included Riley Green, Tegan Marie, Tenille Townes and Travis Denning.
Opportunities for Opry NextStage artists include but are not limited to:
- Feature performances on the Grand Ole Opry and Circle’s Opry Live broadcast and livestream (when possible)
- Performance at a special Opry NextStage concert in 2021 and additional live opportunities
- Content produced by Opry Entertainment’s award-winning content team that utilizes all Opry Entertainment venues including Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium and Ole Red locations in Nashville; Gatlinburg, TN; Tishomingo, OK; and Orlando, FL
- Exclusive content to be distributed via Circle broadcast, streaming and video-on demand channels
- Customized marketing and promotion activations utilizing Opry web and social assets including Opry.com and Opry Entertainment’s millions of combined social followers
- Other opportunities including outdoor advertising, 650 WSM-AM radio specials
For more information on Opry NextStage, visit opry.com/nextstage.
For 95 years, the Grand Ole Opry has created opportunities for artists throughout the country music spectrum to make strong connections with fans and fellow artists – on its stages and across its channels – from terrestrial radio to network television to the digital universe and to Circle, which is home to Opry Live and earned the Opry the No. 1 spot on Pollstar’s Top 100 Livestreamers Chart. Audiences around the world look to the Opry to showcase the very best in country music.
Since its inception, the Opry has helped launch the careers of countless artists, including Roy Acuff, Patsy Cline, Little Jimmy Dickens, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Bill Monroe, and Dolly Parton, to name just a few. Award-winning group Little Big Town made its very first public appearance as a group on the Opry stage in 1999, and Carrie Underwood cemented a place in country music with her first Opry appearance less than two weeks after having been named American Idol in 2005.