Born and raised on the Mississippi-Alabama line, 21-year-old Colin Stough was brought up on Southern rock and second chances. A self-taught guitarist and gravel-voiced storyteller influenced by The Allman Brothers, Conway Twitty, and Koe Wetzel, he first picked up a guitar at age 8, later trading in his prized possessions for a pawn shop acoustic — one he still plays today. After high school, he worked full-time as an HVAC tech until his mom pushed him to audition for American Idol Season 21. That leap launched a life-changing ride: a standout third-place finish, a deal with 19 Recordings / BMG Nashville, and breakout songs like “Sober,” “‘Til The Day One Does,” and 2025’s hard-edged anthem, “White Trash.”

With a skinned-raw vocal and lyrics carved from lived experience, Stough has built a loyal following of over 800k across social platforms. His EPs Promiseland and Lookin’ For Home offer a no-frills portrait of a young man navigating life with Southern grit, and his latest song, “20 Bucks,” keeps with the no-holds-barred theme. On the road, he’s opened for acts like Chase Matthew, Drake White, and Kidd G, and is continuing to build his live show through 2025. A student of Skynyrd and the outlaw spirit, Stough isn’t chasing trends — he’s telling the underdog’s truth, one song at a time.