Alyssa Flaherty is quickly establishing herself as one of the most exciting new voices coming out of Nashville’s next generation of country artists. Blending modern country with pop-leaning melodies and emotionally direct songwriting, she has built a growing audience through a string of independent releases that highlight both her vocal clarity and her ability to tap into relatable, real-life moments. Her music often centers on themes of love, self-reflection and young adulthood, delivered with a balance of polish and personality that has helped her stand out in a crowded emerging field.
That momentum has started to carry onto bigger stages. With increasing streaming traction and industry attention, Flaherty has been steadily expanding her reach beyond the U.S., including making appearances at international events like C2C Festival in London. Her live performances lean into the same strengths as her recordings—connection, honesty and an easy confidence—positioning her as an artist on the rise with a clear sense of direction and a growing global fanbase.
Thanks for your time today, Alyssa, we know just how busy you must be at a festival (C2C in London) like this. Welcome to the UK, what have you been up to so far?
We've been to Kensington Palace and my mom and I are like, ‘We've got some time off to go everywhere! What are we gonna do?' (laughing)
You're also playing a couple of shows elsewhere round the country after the festival too?
Yesss! I'm so excited. We're doing Upminster, Manchester and then York. I played at the 45 Vinyl Cafe in York back last August and it was incredible, I love it there.
We're thrilled to have you over here. When you got the call to play C2C how did you react?
I was freaking out!! I genuinely thought that we wouldn't be able to get back over to you guys so soon. It wasn't to long after we got back from being here last August that the offer to come came in. I didn't believe it at first! I've been so looking forward to it.
A lot of people will be seeing you here for the first time. What version of Alyssa Flaherty are they going to be seeing right now?
So I put out an EP last summer which was very much full of heartbreak and ‘You got this' kind of vibes. It was quite an intimate EP that people seemed to really like. I've written a lot of new songs since and I'm excited to be playing some of them this year. I'm 22 years old and I'm having a good time in life and so I see this next chapter as a fun era, a ‘Let's Go Girls,' kind of thing! I want to play some fun songs and get the crowd moving a little bit, hopefully!
You're also playing the Song Suffragettes songwriter round at the festival too. That's a great platform to be involved with.
It'll be awesome, I'm so excited to do that show, it'll be crazy.
What do you prefer to do – the intimate songwriter rounds like that or shows with a full band and bigger energy?
I think they are both so different and special in their own ways. Over here the intimate setting is so cool to do because everyone hangs on to every single word and is totally connected with the audience and each other. The full band thing is different but probably has more energy and more fun because you can live out your rock star dreams, right? (laughing)
When I go to Nashville I always make a point of going to the Listening Room cafe. Have you got a favourite venue in Nashville?
Oh, the Listening Room cafe is the best. I play at this place called Fox & Locke about 40 minutes outside Nashville. It's where I first started playing, kinda in the middle of nowhere but it's so beautiful and the staff there are so lovely and supportive.
Have you always lived in Nashville or did you relocate?
My whole family moved to Nashville about six years ago from Maryland. No one in my family played music and I played sports my whole life, playing Lacrosse but I was also doing talent shows and singing at the same time. I loved both. I sang the national anthem wherever I could but it was when I was in high school that I auditioned for The Voice, didn't make it through, but I knew that I needed to be in Nashville to take it further.
I took it upon myself to send out emails and notes to record labels in Nashville – did not tell my parents – and I heard back, told my parents, who were impressed by my work ethic and determination and they have been the biggest support and we ended up moving to Nashville! It was towards the end of the pandemic, in my junior year of high school. I got to finish my senior year and have been doing music ever since.
You've already mentioned your ‘Heartbreak, Thank You' EP you released last year. Was that EP and the stories on it driven by personal experience or were you collecting stories from friends and from wider places?
I've been through it, for sure. By virtue of my age a lot of my girlfriends have gone through or are going through it too. We are all at that age right now where nothing is forever yet so we are all just learning and growing and trying to figure stuff out. For me, it was a natural progression and it was so random that all these songs emerged that told a story without me realising that that was the story I was telling!
To see the story unfold through a set of songs was really cool.
Is it fair to say ‘Broken By You' is your signature song at this stage of your career or is there another one?
I think that one is the jam. That one seems to be the song that most people want to hear right now.
What's your favourite song on the EP? The one you are most proud of?
For me, it's probably the title track, ‘Heartbreak, Thank You.' It's the one that most reflected this stage of my life, appreciate the things that don't work out in life – I love that message. I feel like I approach life like that right now. That song is that song that will always stay true, no matter where I am or what I am doing.
You mentioned the new era. What's coming down the line in terms of new music?
I'm excited!! I've been constantly writing and working on new stuff and I'm pumped to be able to introduce a new character to the world after the ‘Heartbreak, Thank You' chapter. A lot of the music is high energy, fun, flirty – just good vibes across the board. That's kinda where I am at right now, doing what I love and chasing a crazy dream! (laughing) I want the music to showcase that and paint that picture – what song so you want to listen to before you go out with your girlfriends? That's what people will get from me this year.
When you write do you start with a melody? A lyric? Or does it depend on the day and the song?
For me, I often have ideas from having really awesome conversations with people and listening to what they are going through in life. I'm a huge melody girl, I'm a singer at heart and always have been so I love to come up with the melody to fit the idea, that melody that the second you hear it you want to sing it over and over again.
If we could manifest a co-write a collab with an artist or writer in Nashville for this next era who would you choose and why?
I'm the biggest Zach Top fan, since even before his music became popular and he took off. Everything he is doing is so great, he's an incredible musician and I think we'd have a great time writing and working together! He hasn't done a lot of collabs so I need to claim my spot before someone else does! (laughing)
Could you give us a steer on when we can expect to hear the first new song in this next batch or chapter?
Hopefully in the next couple of months! We're working on it right now! (laughing)
Check out Alyssa Flaherty's ‘Heartbreak, Thank You' EP out now in all the usual places.
