Born on the Mississippi-Alabama border, Colin Stough was raised 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 a breakout debut with songs like “Bad Day” and “I Still Talk to Jesus.”
With a skinned-raw vocal and lyrics carved from lived experience, Stough has built a loyal following of nearly 750k across social platforms. His EPs Promiseland and Lookin’ For Home offer a no-frills portrait of a 20-year-old navigating scars, faith, and fire with Southern grit. 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 with his latest release "White Trash" — he’s telling the underdog’s truth, one song at a time.
