Taylor Austin Dye hails from Booneville, Kentucky, where she first discovered her passion for singing at age five.
She reported, “My mother said I learned to sing before I even learned to talk. I just babbled along with the songs. Then, in kindergarten, I had severe anxiety, and I didn’t get better until I started taking music lessons.”
She learned to play the fiddle by ear, and after a while, she soon started playing at the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center.
“They had a barn dance every Friday or Saturday night, and I would play on a stage in front of 1000 people. I was five, and I would clog, play the fiddle, and sing,” Dye shared.
When Dye graduated from high school, she earned scholarships and attended college, where she majored in vocal performance, classical voice, and business. The singer has also performed in operas. But country music held her heart; seven years ago, she moved to Nashville.
Her biggest hit to date, “Rest In Peace,” is a pulsing murder ballad in which you cheer that the loser got what was coming. Dye plays the protective older sister in the video, who ultimately pulls off the dirty deed.
Another huge hit off Dye’s Out of These Hills 2023 record is the single “Bible Belt,” a true story about her hometown, which was the poorest country in the nation for years.
She explained, “It's just a song about people just doing what they must do to get by, and then all the other eyes on you are watching and judging you as it goes. And really, it's a judgmental song about those people more than anything else.”
Dye recently signed a publishing deal with Warner Chapel Music, recognizing her extraordinary talent in telling stories through song. While she is the songwriter on all but one of the songs on her newest album, Sick of Me, she is not opposed to writing for others as the opportunity arises.
With tracks that explore questions of identity and worth, Sick of Me reinforces Taylor's reputation for writing with emotional depth and authenticity. This release further establishes her as a standout voice in the country genre.
Based on real life, the album covers much emotion, mainly dealing with bad relationships and breakups.
She admitted, “This girl's been through some crap. I've had past relationships that have failed. And then, I had a horrible relationship with my father before he passed away last year. And I took the songwriting to delve into all that, grieve, and work my way through it. And it's been really helpful just to sit down with pen to paper and hash it out.”
The video for the title track, “Sick of Me,” was released on November 18th and visually represents the album’s themes of honesty and vulnerability.
It is no secret that while love songs are great, breakup/bad relationship songs are more successful.
Besides the title track, other fan favorites include “Poison in the Well,” “Hurt My Feelings,” and “Almost Oklahoma,” which is one of the few tunes that is not based on a true story. However, the song and video for “Fake Ring” caught my attention because I knew it had to be accurate.
She confirmed, “That is a 100% true story. I wrote that song by myself in about an hour. After we split, I took the ring to a pawn shop, and he said, ‘I can give you one hundred dollars.’ And I said, ‘What do you mean? This is a big ring.’ And he goes, ‘Well, it is, but the center stone is fake.’”
With all the sassy songs that make up the record, the more somber “Echo” is Dye’s favorite. With the words, I can hear the echo/ Cutting through the noise/ Trying to forget you/ But I don't have the choice/ Yeah this house is haunted/ You left me with your ghost, you realize you can never entirely rid yourself of someone with whom you were once involved.
On November 9, 2024, Dye made her Opry debut, a day she won’t soon forget. She stated, “I’ve been coming to the Opry since I was ten, and it has always been my dream to step in that circle.”
At our interview, Sick of Me had only been out a few days and already had more than a million streams. With her traditional country leanings and superb storytelling skills, many find her tunes more than relatable. They are authentic and believable. Her stories become our stories. They say, “Misery loves company.” This album has that in spades.
Taylor is currently on the road, bringing her electrifying performances to cities nationwide in support of Sick of Me, including a stint at her old stomping grounds, Renfro Valley, on December 14. With a dynamic stage presence, Taylor has shared the stage with artists such as Luke Combs, Keith Urban, Chase Matthew, Elle King, and Jake Owen.
You can follow Taylor Austin Dye on her website, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and all streaming platforms.
– – –
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and X.