With a renowned voice, a country twang and a dash of hip-hop sensibilities, Willie Jones is shaking up the country music scene.
Jones is a natural onstage, performing with ease and charisma while wowing audiences with his incredible voice. His big break came at the age of 17 when he auditioned for the 12th season of the television series The X Factor, where he performed a rousing rendition of Josh Turner's "Your Man." Jones placed in the top 16 in the competition, and while his time on the show was brief, he quickly went to work writing and working in the studio. In 2021, he signed with Sony Music Nashville in partnership with The Penthouse, and has hardly taken a break since.
Hailing from Shreveport, Louisiana, Willie Jones remembers wanting to sing by the age of four. His father was a preacher who only allowed the young Jones to listen to gospel music. Growing up, he sang in church, joined local choirs, participated in school plays and attended a performing arts school. At the age of 15, Jones got to work in a studio for the first time.
Mixing a variety of musical styles, Jones cites a wide range of influences, including Kacey Musgraves, Soulja Boy, Beyonce, gospel music, T-Pain, and John Legend. With work extending beyond the stage, Jones has also partnered with the National Museum of African-American Music in Nashville, Tennessee, performing at its grand opening in 2021. He also collaborated with the Country Music Association to discuss the history of Black music with Nashville public school students.
Jones released his first EP with the Road Wave (Acoustic Mixtape) in 2018, and his first full-length studio album, Right Now, arrived in 2021. "I'm telling the truth about where I'm from, and it feels good," Jones told Billboard in 2021. "At this point, the success I'm having feels like a blessing... I'm hopeful for a long, successful, and fun career. I'm surrounded by people I love and also people who love and care for me."
Willie Jones also headed out on tour in 2023, performing concerts across the United States and making appearances at festivals like Bourbon & Beyond.
