Rissi Palmer

Have you ever noticed that whenever a new president steps into office, the entertainment world, music included, seems to quietly recalibrate itself to match his energy? We certainly have. And sure, maybe we’ve visited Read Hemp one time too many, but still— take a closer look at your movies. The women appear increasingly shellacked in extra makeup, while the men seem dialed up to peak testosterone... So we reached out to someone who actually lives inside this shifting landscape: country singer Rissi Palmer. She’s known for her candor and her commitment to keeping things genuinely real, exactly the perspectives we are looking for:

What does it mean to you to be both a tradition bearer and a tradition breaker in country music?

That’s a great question. To be a tradition bearer means that I’m incorporating and trying to remain true to the foundation of the genre which, to me, is honest storytelling. It's what drew me to the music in the first place and keeps me a fan. I'm a tradition breaker in the sense that I believe in infusing my own music with cultural markers, sounds, and vernacular that are particular to my experience as a Southern Black woman. I don't believe there is one way to be "Country" if you are remaining true to who you are.  

Do you think the industry’s current efforts to diversify are truly transformative, or are they still surface-level? What would real change look like to you?

Unfortunately, I think the industry is going back to its default settings. I often say that Country music is a microcosm of whatever is happening politically with our country. So many of the reforms, course correction, and acknowledgments that happened in 2020-2024 were a result of the activism of Me Too, Tomatogate, Black Lives Matter, and the deaths of George Floyd and Breona Taylor and the global Covid lockdown. The world was focused on equity and justice, and all industries, including entertainment, followed suit. Now, we're experiencing a reset that feels like whiplash in so many ways, Country music is returning to "tradition", which looks very White, blonde, and male. 

For me, true change looks like equal opportunity. It looks like playlists that are diverse in gender, race, independent and signed artists, and genre fluid (country rock, alt country, country soul, Red Dirt Country, etc). It looks like boardrooms that include a variety of outlooks, marketing that is inclusive, and personnel that reflect the diverse audience that exists for country music. Festivals that are racially diverse and include more than one or two women or acts of color... or just a special stage for them. In other words, a more thoughtful and well considered music industry. 

Some say country music has always been political, just not always progressive. How do you see your work fitting into or challenging that tradition?

Music is inherently political. Even when you say nothing, you're choosing a side and therefore, being political. I think politically I fit right into the pantheon of political Country artists, like Johnny Cash (performances at prisons, his song "Another Man Done Gone"), Willie Nelson (the man literally created Farm Aid), and Dolly Parton (The Imagination Library and her philanthropy). These are all artists who used their music, their platforms, and their success to make the world better. This is why they are revered. They stood for something. 

Do you ever feel pressured to speak on political issues because of your identity?

My identity is inherently political. I am a Black woman living in the southern United States. I speak on political issues because I have no other choice. 

In an age where politics are another form of entertainment, how do you personally stay grounded and discerning?

I am a mother, so my children do an excellent job at keeping me grounded (smile). I love to read. I love listening to music. I make sure I laugh constantly. I also try to stay mindful of and grateful for all the small beautiful things (and people) that happen to and around me on a daily basis.  

If country music is a form of storytelling, what story are you trying to leave behind?

I want to leave behind a legacy of fearlessness, standing for what's right, joy, and a belief that the only way forward in all things is together...

 What does freedom mean to you? 

Freedom is having limitless choices. Not just choices that you can afford. The privilege of being able to choose from any and everything.