Players | March 19, 2025
Meet the Martin Artist Showcase Class of 2025
The Future of Music Starts Here
Last year, we launched the Martin Artist Showcase, a platform designed to celebrate, support, and amplify the voices of breakthrough artists making waves in the music world. The goal? To shine a light on songwriters and performers who are pushing boundaries, telling unforgettable stories, and inspiring future generations of musicians.
The inaugural class was a resounding success, and we couldn't be more excited to introduce the Martin Artist Showcase Class of 2025—a diverse lineup of rising stars across country, folk, Americana, rock, and beyond. These nine artists are crafting the songs that will shape tomorrow, and we’re proud to give them a stage—as well as quality instruments to help them play and sound their best.
From raw, soul-stirring storytelling to electric live performances, these musicians are defining what’s next in music. Get to know them below, follow their journeys, and join us in celebrating the next generation of Martin players.
Meet the Class of 2025
JD Clayton
A native son of Arkansas, JD Clayton delivers a timeless blend of country-rock shaped by his down-to-earth roots. After years grinding it out in Nashville—touring alongside the likes of Dwight Yoakam, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Parker McCollum—the Fort Smith-bred singer-songwriter returned home to craft an adventurous new album. That album, Blue Sky Sundays, led to his signing with Rounder Records and showcases his soulful self-reflection and vivid storytelling. With a sound that’s unhurried yet undeniably infectious, Clayton invites listeners into a world that moves at its own rhythm. His music is both grounded and exhilarating, a testament to hard-won character and singular authenticity.
Karley Scott Collins
Karley Scott Collins doesn’t mince words. She writes and sings with a thorn-sharp edge, pairing ethereal charm with a wise-beyond-her-years perspective. On her latest project, Write One—featuring Keith Urban and Charles Kelley—the Florida native explores heartbreak in all its rawest forms. Whether drawing from her thrice-married Nana’s wisdom or a friend’s broken marriage, she distills each emotion to its purest essence. A 2024 CMT Next Women of Country honoree, Collins co-produced Write One with GRAMMY® winner Nathan Chapman, played bass and electric guitar on nearly every track, and co-wrote every song. With her hauntingly unique vocals and rock-infused production, she’s carving her own path. Having toured with legends like Willie Nelson and Dwight Yoakam, she’ll open for Urban’s HIGH AND ALIVE TOUR in 2025.
Kashus Culpepper
Alabama-born country crooner Kashus Culpepper embodies the sound of the South. A student of country, soul, blues, folk, and rock, his husky, sandpaper growl bellows over raw, self-penned stories. Singing in church at five years old, he found his true calling during a 2020 Navy deployment in Spain, where barrack bonfire covers turned into originals. Back home, he built his name playing dive bars along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, selling out headline club shows before releasing a single song. Now signed to Big Loud Records, Culpepper has opened for Charles Wesley Godwin, Charley Crockett, and NEEDTOBREATHE. With resonant singles like “After Me?” and “Jenni,” and nods from Billboard, Amazon Music, and Pandora, he’s carving a lane beyond mainstream country’s boundaries.
Madi Diaz
With Weird Faith, Madi Diaz explores the raw, often anxiety-inducing realities of love, saying the album “chronicles a new relationship, but also a new relationship to myself.” Though she’s been making music since the late 2000s, 2021’s History of a Feeling brought her wider recognition, leading to tours with Waxahatchee and Angel Olsen and an invitation from Harry Styles to open for him—and later join his touring band. Now, Weird Faith has earned two GRAMMY nominations for Best Folk Album and Best Americana Performance, featuring collaborations with Kacey Musgraves, Lizzy McAlpine, and Lennon Stella. With her signature emotional depth and sharp lyricism, Diaz continues to carve a distinct path in modern folk and Americana. The deluxe version of Weird Faith is out now.
Wyatt Flores
Wyatt Flores is in the midst of a breakout year following the release of his debut album, Welcome to the Plains (Island Records). He’s performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Concert, and CBS Saturday Morning, while the album landed on multiple “Best of 2024” lists, including Rolling Stone and NPR. Known for his electrifying live shows, he released Live at Cain’s Ballroom on February 14 and is currently on his Welcome Back to the Plains headline tour. The Oklahoma-born Mexican-American artist has earned spots on Rolling Stone’s “Future of Music” list, Spotify’s Hot Country Class of 2024, and the Grand Ole Opry’s NextStage Class. He’s amassed over 325 million streams, and his song “Before I Do” with Jake Kohn appears on the Twisters soundtrack.
Dylan Gossett
Dylan Gossett is a 25-year-old singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas, whose raw, heartfelt music has captivated a global audience. Teaching himself to write and produce music in his bedroom, he broke through in 2023 with viral hit “Coal,” which The New York Times hailed as “one of the year’s best country songs.” His self-released debut EP, No Better Time, and 2024’s Songs In The Gravel earned critical acclaim, while “Stronger Than A Storm” landed on the GRAMMY-nominated Twisters soundtrack. With over 700 million career streams and multiple platinum certifications, Gossett has topped charts worldwide. In 2024, he headlined shows across the U.S., Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. This year, he’ll embark on a 23-city headline tour and perform at major festivals, including Stagecoach, C2C Berlin, and Under The Big Sky.
Braxton Keith
Braxton Keith is leading a revival of country’s core traditions with a honky-tonk sound honed in Texas dancehalls and beyond. Rooted in the '80s country aesthetic, the Warner Music Nashville newcomer has spent the past few years relentlessly touring, building a loyal fan base with his barbed-wire twang and high-energy live shows. A Midland, Texas, native, Keith first learned piano from his grandmother before picking up a guitar and writing songs in a cluttered garage—never imagining he’d one day be making music for a living. His 2024 single “Cozy” showcases his fresh take on a classic style, blending smooth two-step rhythms with an unmistakable vocal tone. With more music on the way in 2025, Keith will stay on the road, too, crossing time zones like he’s gliding across a honky-tonk floor.
Michael Marcagi
Cincinnati singer-songwriter Michael Marcagi’s ascent is a homegrown success story, built through grassroots social media support and a deep connection with listeners. His folk-rock sound, rooted in timeless American traditions, shines on his Warner Records debut EP, American Romance, which showcases his raw storytelling and emotional authenticity. Marcagi believes in respecting his audience’s intelligence, saying, “Audiences are usually smarter than the musicians they are listening to,” and his music reflects that depth. Rejecting the mysterious rock-star persona, he strives to remain open and approachable, forging a genuine bond with fans. If the past year is any indication, his instinct is paying off—his honest songwriting and engaging presence continue to resonate, proving that listeners crave sincerity now more than ever.
Michigander
Michigander blends elevated songcraft, uplifting instrumentation, and heartland storytelling with an alternative edge, earning over 60 million streams and acclaim from NPR, Paste, Consequence, SPIN, Forbes, and more. Breaking out with 2016’s viral hit “Nineties,” he followed up with fan-favorite EPs Midland (2018) and Where Do We Go From Here (2019), scoring his first Triple A radio hit with “Misery.” His 2021 EP Everything Will Be Ok Eventually brought Top 10 radio success, while 2023’s It Will Never Be The Same featured Manchester Orchestra and returned him to the charts. Having toured with The Lumineers, Band of Horses, and Mt. Joy, he’s also graced stages at Lollapalooza and Shaky Knees. Now, Michigander embarks on his next chapter with his self-titled debut album, released February 7, 2025.
The Next Generation Is Here
The Martin Artist Showcase is more than just a program—it’s a commitment to nurturing the future of music. These artists represent the next wave of singers, songwriters, artists, guitarists, and performers, and we’re honored to help share their stories with the world.
And before we wrap up, a huge thank you to our inaugural Class of 2024—Drayton Farley, Devon Gilfillian, Ian Munsick, Joy Oladokun, Nate Smith, and Hailey Whitters—for an incredible year of music and inspiration. But make no mistake—their journey with Martin is far from over. They remain an essential part of the Martin family, continuing to create, perform, and inspire with their music. The Martin Artist Showcase is more than just a one-year spotlight—it’s a lifelong connection. We’ll keep celebrating their journeys, and we encourage you to do the same by listening to their latest releases, catching their live shows, and supporting their artistry.
The next generation is here. And trust us, the future sounds good.
Until next time, happy playing!