The C2C Sit Down with Kashus Culpepper
For many fans attending the annual Country to Country Festival, the daytime festival stages are always a highlight as it gives fans an opportunity to find out more about some of country music’s newest and hottest upcoming stars from Nashville and around the world. This year is no different, and one artist we are looking forward to seeing is Alabama native Kashus Culpepper. Named a 2025 Amazon Music Bonfire Artist to Watch and Pandora Country Artist to Watch, Billboard hails Culpepper as an artist “finding enduring success with sounds expanding beyond the boundaries of mainstream country.” We caught up with Kashus to look ahead to the C2C weekend.
How are you today, Kashus?
Man, it's great. It snowed last night. It's really nice. It's cold right now, but it's alright.
How are you doing?
In England, it's grey and windy and raining.
The nice moody weather, man. That's like Twilight movie weather.
It's what you've got to look forward to in three weeks!
I cannot wait, honestly, man. I love moody weather. I'm going to be so happy. Everybody else is going to be probably sad, but I'm like, bro, this is perfect weather for me.
It's like the perfect March weekend already. Grey, windy, raining!
You can't go wrong! I love it man. I'm excited to get over there and try out everything. It's going to be really nice. I talked to somebody from over there yesterday. I think they're going to take me around to get an English breakfast. Get some beans and stuff!
Is it going to be your first ever time to England, then?
Yeah, it's going to be my first time over there. It's going to be really cool. I'm excited because I have so many artists over there that I truly love. Hopefully I'll see them there. I don't know if I will or not. They'll probably be too busy, but hopefully I get a chance to meet up with them
How are you today, Kashus?
Man, it's great. It snowed last night. It's really nice. It's cold right now, but it's alright.
How are you doing?
In England, it's grey and windy and raining.
The nice moody weather, man. That's like Twilight movie weather.
It's what you've got to look forward to in three weeks!
I cannot wait, honestly, man. I love moody weather. I'm going to be so happy. Everybody else is going to be probably sad, but I'm like, bro, this is perfect weather for me.
It's like the perfect March weekend already. Grey, windy, raining!
You can't go wrong! I love it man. I'm excited to get over there and try out everything. It's going to be really nice. I talked to somebody from over there yesterday. I think they're going to take me around to get an English breakfast. Get some beans and stuff!
Is it going to be your first ever time to England, then?
Yeah, it's going to be my first time over there. It's going to be really cool. I'm excited because I have so many artists over there that I truly love. Hopefully I'll see them there. I don't know if I will or not. They'll probably be too busy, but hopefully I get a chance to meet up with them
One of the great things about the C2C Festival is artists are there for the whole weekend. It's not like your usual festivals where you go in for that day, play your set and go home. Artists are there for the weekend, and you have four sets across the weekend. That must be quite different for you?
Yeah, it is kind of different. I was looking at the line-up and the different schedules and I was talking to my manager. I'm like, I'm playing a lot! I mean, I love it. I was just like, man, that's kind of cool. Then we get to experience the culture for those three days. That's going to be really cool, it's better than just going to a festival and then driving out right afterward. I get to be there for three days and get to experience everything as much as I can.
One thing I’m sure you will see across the four sets is that the crowd will keep coming back and they may not have known you before the first set but they’ll then be at all four and tell other too. Word quickly gets around on these Festival stages, which must be something you're looking forward to.
I'm super excited to say hey and play for the UK fans because I get so many messages. They're like, when are you coming to the UK? We want to see you in Glasgow, when are you coming to London? I was like, I don't know! When I finally got the C2C stuff and I was like, oh yeah, I'm going now.
Have you got a bit of a bucket list of things to do while you're here?
Yeah, I want to check out the best food spots while I'm there. Go to some local pubs and check out the vibes there. I always like going to different places and going straight to a local pub and just feel the environment, see how the bars are set up and stuff. I want to go check out some artists. Hopefully there'll be local artists playing at some jazz clubs or something. I can just go check out at nighttime when I'm not playing. That's what I'm excited for. Hopefully there's going to be some local artists playing at local bars or local venues.
Have you been told what to expect then at the festival by artist friends or are you trying to hold off asking and soak it all in when you're here?
I think I'm just going to get there and soak it in. Not too many people have told me anything about it. I've heard past artists say they had the best time of their lives over there for C2C. People were getting me hyped up about the beans for breakfast idea. I was like, bro, I'm getting down for it. I don't mind beans. I like beans. I'll take some beans. Yeah, I think I'm just going to go there and just soak it all in and enjoy the experience and play some music, man.
Are you coming on your own or are you going to have a band with you for the sets?
I'm just going to have me and my lead guitarist. He also plays piano for me too. I wish I could bring a full band - that would have been dope. I love the duo that I have, me and my buddy. It'll be a good time for sure.
Have you thought about a setlist and things yet? Or is it just waiting to see what people pick up on or what people want to hear when you're here when you have varied set lengths?
I think we have a loose setlist. We always say whether I'm with a duo, trio or a full band, I've got a loose setlist for each type of variation of styles of how many people I have in my band on stage at a time. I've already got everything I'm going to play. Depending on how long I'm playing, that's the only thing I've got to figure out, then I can just trim down the setlist I already have in my head.
Yeah, it is kind of different. I was looking at the line-up and the different schedules and I was talking to my manager. I'm like, I'm playing a lot! I mean, I love it. I was just like, man, that's kind of cool. Then we get to experience the culture for those three days. That's going to be really cool, it's better than just going to a festival and then driving out right afterward. I get to be there for three days and get to experience everything as much as I can.
One thing I’m sure you will see across the four sets is that the crowd will keep coming back and they may not have known you before the first set but they’ll then be at all four and tell other too. Word quickly gets around on these Festival stages, which must be something you're looking forward to.
I'm super excited to say hey and play for the UK fans because I get so many messages. They're like, when are you coming to the UK? We want to see you in Glasgow, when are you coming to London? I was like, I don't know! When I finally got the C2C stuff and I was like, oh yeah, I'm going now.
Have you got a bit of a bucket list of things to do while you're here?
Yeah, I want to check out the best food spots while I'm there. Go to some local pubs and check out the vibes there. I always like going to different places and going straight to a local pub and just feel the environment, see how the bars are set up and stuff. I want to go check out some artists. Hopefully there'll be local artists playing at some jazz clubs or something. I can just go check out at nighttime when I'm not playing. That's what I'm excited for. Hopefully there's going to be some local artists playing at local bars or local venues.
Have you been told what to expect then at the festival by artist friends or are you trying to hold off asking and soak it all in when you're here?
I think I'm just going to get there and soak it in. Not too many people have told me anything about it. I've heard past artists say they had the best time of their lives over there for C2C. People were getting me hyped up about the beans for breakfast idea. I was like, bro, I'm getting down for it. I don't mind beans. I like beans. I'll take some beans. Yeah, I think I'm just going to go there and just soak it all in and enjoy the experience and play some music, man.
Are you coming on your own or are you going to have a band with you for the sets?
I'm just going to have me and my lead guitarist. He also plays piano for me too. I wish I could bring a full band - that would have been dope. I love the duo that I have, me and my buddy. It'll be a good time for sure.
Have you thought about a setlist and things yet? Or is it just waiting to see what people pick up on or what people want to hear when you're here when you have varied set lengths?
I think we have a loose setlist. We always say whether I'm with a duo, trio or a full band, I've got a loose setlist for each type of variation of styles of how many people I have in my band on stage at a time. I've already got everything I'm going to play. Depending on how long I'm playing, that's the only thing I've got to figure out, then I can just trim down the setlist I already have in my head.
You only started putting out music in June last year. Does that still feel a bit crazy? Because even before that, you were playing sold out shows without any official releases!
Yeah, that is kind of trippy. I was thinking about that recently too as it's only been eight months since my first release was ever been put out. I was thinking about it heavily. It was recently when Elton John had featured me on his Rocket Island playlist and his radio show, I was like, we’ve just started putting out music and this is happening. It's definitely surreal that people are already connecting with it so early on. When I was on the road with Charles Wesley Godwind, I didn't have any music out so when I got done with my opening set, people were like, we tried to Shazam your music. Where is it at? I was like, bro, it's not even out yet. I'm so sorry. It definitely gave me a good idea about the songs that I should release first, depending on the crowd, because I had never heard them. I was playing like 45-minute sets when I was opening up for Charles with no music out.
You're now quickly coming around to your sixth release because Talk With Me comes out next Friday. Was that always the plan once you started dropping music to quickly get it out there?
I think that's always been a plan. We wanted to put out the first couple of singles, the ones that people kind of knew, and then just keep trickling it out because I write so much and I record so much. I just want to get it out there as soon as possible because it's cool getting to a show and people knowing your songs. I was just a consumer like a year and a half, two years ago, so I kind of know with my favourite artists I want them to drop as much as they can. So I'm like, oh yeah, let's drop as much as we can. A single a month - let's just keep doing it.
And at least now you can tell if it is on Shazam as well!
I know, yeah. They can finally Shazam, my music. It's really cool going to shows and more and more people just know the songs because it's not unreleased anymore.
Your current single that is out is Jenni. I understand that was inspired while you're actually on the stage at a show!
Right, yeah. I was out in Columbus, Ohio for the Buckeye Country Superfest and I was playing a show. We was playing on a spotlight stage and I got on stage with Zach Bryan for Revival and this Revival was way longer than any Revival I've ever seen Zach do! It was like a free bird type of Revival. It was going on for like 20 minutes and we were singing back and forth and I spotted this girl in the crowd - she had this huge beer can in her hand and she looked good. I think what made me have the idea for the song though was when I left was that she just embodied a free spirit. She seemed like she was just so in the moment. She was just so happy. I don't know how I spotted her out of all those people in that stadium but once I got done with Revival and I got backstage, I started humming the melody and I just had a voice memo it. I wrote it like literally that next week. The rest of the song. It's kind of crazy how that happened. I think that's the first time I've ever like seen an experience and then immediately written it in real time. Like at least the melody and the chorus of it in real time. A lot of the songs are based on experiences that I've had in the past and now I'm remembering it but I think that's the first song I've ever started writing in the real time. It was pretty cool. I love that song so much.
Yeah, that is kind of trippy. I was thinking about that recently too as it's only been eight months since my first release was ever been put out. I was thinking about it heavily. It was recently when Elton John had featured me on his Rocket Island playlist and his radio show, I was like, we’ve just started putting out music and this is happening. It's definitely surreal that people are already connecting with it so early on. When I was on the road with Charles Wesley Godwind, I didn't have any music out so when I got done with my opening set, people were like, we tried to Shazam your music. Where is it at? I was like, bro, it's not even out yet. I'm so sorry. It definitely gave me a good idea about the songs that I should release first, depending on the crowd, because I had never heard them. I was playing like 45-minute sets when I was opening up for Charles with no music out.
You're now quickly coming around to your sixth release because Talk With Me comes out next Friday. Was that always the plan once you started dropping music to quickly get it out there?
I think that's always been a plan. We wanted to put out the first couple of singles, the ones that people kind of knew, and then just keep trickling it out because I write so much and I record so much. I just want to get it out there as soon as possible because it's cool getting to a show and people knowing your songs. I was just a consumer like a year and a half, two years ago, so I kind of know with my favourite artists I want them to drop as much as they can. So I'm like, oh yeah, let's drop as much as we can. A single a month - let's just keep doing it.
And at least now you can tell if it is on Shazam as well!
I know, yeah. They can finally Shazam, my music. It's really cool going to shows and more and more people just know the songs because it's not unreleased anymore.
Your current single that is out is Jenni. I understand that was inspired while you're actually on the stage at a show!
Right, yeah. I was out in Columbus, Ohio for the Buckeye Country Superfest and I was playing a show. We was playing on a spotlight stage and I got on stage with Zach Bryan for Revival and this Revival was way longer than any Revival I've ever seen Zach do! It was like a free bird type of Revival. It was going on for like 20 minutes and we were singing back and forth and I spotted this girl in the crowd - she had this huge beer can in her hand and she looked good. I think what made me have the idea for the song though was when I left was that she just embodied a free spirit. She seemed like she was just so in the moment. She was just so happy. I don't know how I spotted her out of all those people in that stadium but once I got done with Revival and I got backstage, I started humming the melody and I just had a voice memo it. I wrote it like literally that next week. The rest of the song. It's kind of crazy how that happened. I think that's the first time I've ever like seen an experience and then immediately written it in real time. Like at least the melody and the chorus of it in real time. A lot of the songs are based on experiences that I've had in the past and now I'm remembering it but I think that's the first song I've ever started writing in the real time. It was pretty cool. I love that song so much.
We get you for C2C in a few weeks times now, but you've got some absolutely massive festivals back home coming up at the moment as well with both Tortuga and Stagecoach. Are they big X’s on your calendar at the moment too?
Oh, yeah. I'm staring at those dates day in and day out, just like I am with C2C. I'm very excited for those dates, those festivals, because they were the festivals I always wanted to go to growing up but I just never got around to it. It's really cool being able to go now as an artist and really don't have to pay to go, you know? So it's kind of, it's really cool. It's like, no, I get to play it, but I don't have to pay to go, to go see these artists that I love so much. So that's a bonus on top of me being able to play it. Just like with C2C. I mean I just can't wait. I just love everybody that's on this lineup. I'm very excited to check everybody else out.
2024 was obviously huge a huge year and you wrapped it up with the Opry show. Was that your peak moment of last year? And then I know you're there again just over a week!
Yeah, definitely, man. There was definitely a moment to look back on the whole year and just see how far I've came already with the music. It was another surreal moment. I was just like, how am I here! I went on two headlining tours, went on tours with Charlie Crockett, Need to Breathe, and Charles Wesley Godwin and I was just looking back, I was like, man, this has just been year one! Capping it off with the Opry debut is just, I didn't know what was going on, man. It was just so magical and now I'm a part of the Opry next stage, so I get to play there a lot more often this year. Each time at the Opry is a magical time, man.
Getting your debut in December, I guess once you make your debut you have no idea when the next time it might be. Although for you it turns out it's only two months later.
Yeah, I didn't know. I mean, my manager called me and was like, the Opry wants you to play in February. I was like, oh, yep. Sign me up. Just whenever! We'll make sure the calendars clear.
Oh, yeah. I'm staring at those dates day in and day out, just like I am with C2C. I'm very excited for those dates, those festivals, because they were the festivals I always wanted to go to growing up but I just never got around to it. It's really cool being able to go now as an artist and really don't have to pay to go, you know? So it's kind of, it's really cool. It's like, no, I get to play it, but I don't have to pay to go, to go see these artists that I love so much. So that's a bonus on top of me being able to play it. Just like with C2C. I mean I just can't wait. I just love everybody that's on this lineup. I'm very excited to check everybody else out.
2024 was obviously huge a huge year and you wrapped it up with the Opry show. Was that your peak moment of last year? And then I know you're there again just over a week!
Yeah, definitely, man. There was definitely a moment to look back on the whole year and just see how far I've came already with the music. It was another surreal moment. I was just like, how am I here! I went on two headlining tours, went on tours with Charlie Crockett, Need to Breathe, and Charles Wesley Godwin and I was just looking back, I was like, man, this has just been year one! Capping it off with the Opry debut is just, I didn't know what was going on, man. It was just so magical and now I'm a part of the Opry next stage, so I get to play there a lot more often this year. Each time at the Opry is a magical time, man.
Getting your debut in December, I guess once you make your debut you have no idea when the next time it might be. Although for you it turns out it's only two months later.
Yeah, I didn't know. I mean, my manager called me and was like, the Opry wants you to play in February. I was like, oh, yep. Sign me up. Just whenever! We'll make sure the calendars clear.
You have been added to multiple 2025 Artists to Watch lists, that must give you that real boost heading into this first full year of releasing music.
Yeah, man. That's definitely another surreal moment. Yeah, I'm on the Opry's list of artists for 2025 and Amazon and Pandora. It's just so strange, I don't know how to explain it. I'm just a guy that just loves music so much. I love writing music. I don't know, man, it's really cool to see it all unfold like this - it's definitely surreal.
Is small town Alabama feeling further and further away each week at the minute?
Yeah, yeah. It definitely is man. I'm a long way from home, man, but I am so happy that I'm out and about getting out into the world like this. I'm super excited, it's really cool though just to see different places because I've travelled all over the world with the military, but I haven't been around the States as much as I should growing up. Now I'm able just to travel and just to meet different cultures of people in the U.S. and I'm just like, man, these are really cool spots that I never probably would have experienced if I wasn't on the road travelling for music.
It’ll be even further away so though as we're definitely looking forward to welcoming you over here, because it is now just three weeks away and we can’t wait to see what you have in store for your four shows over the weekend and we'll definitely find time for a beer.
Oh, let me know, because I'm definitely down. Thank you, man. Can't wait to see you, brother.
Kashus Culpepper will be playing four sets across the C2C London weekend and you can catch him at The Bluebird Café on Saturday at 10am and in the main arena on Sunday on the Spotlight Stage. With set times still to be released, across the weekend Kashus will also be performing on The Countryline Stage and on the BBC Radio 2 Stage at the Indigo.
To stay up to date with all the set times for the weekend be sure to download the C2C app. The app will feature stage times, artist info plus notifications about competitions and more. The official C2C app can be downloaded for free at https://C2C.lnk.to/AppiOS for iOS and https://C2C.lnk.to/AppAndroid for Android.
Keep up to date with Kashus prior to him playing this years festival: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE
C2C 2025 take place at The O2 London from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March 2025. Tickets are on sale now via www.axs.com/c2c / www.gigsandtours.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Yeah, man. That's definitely another surreal moment. Yeah, I'm on the Opry's list of artists for 2025 and Amazon and Pandora. It's just so strange, I don't know how to explain it. I'm just a guy that just loves music so much. I love writing music. I don't know, man, it's really cool to see it all unfold like this - it's definitely surreal.
Is small town Alabama feeling further and further away each week at the minute?
Yeah, yeah. It definitely is man. I'm a long way from home, man, but I am so happy that I'm out and about getting out into the world like this. I'm super excited, it's really cool though just to see different places because I've travelled all over the world with the military, but I haven't been around the States as much as I should growing up. Now I'm able just to travel and just to meet different cultures of people in the U.S. and I'm just like, man, these are really cool spots that I never probably would have experienced if I wasn't on the road travelling for music.
It’ll be even further away so though as we're definitely looking forward to welcoming you over here, because it is now just three weeks away and we can’t wait to see what you have in store for your four shows over the weekend and we'll definitely find time for a beer.
Oh, let me know, because I'm definitely down. Thank you, man. Can't wait to see you, brother.
Kashus Culpepper will be playing four sets across the C2C London weekend and you can catch him at The Bluebird Café on Saturday at 10am and in the main arena on Sunday on the Spotlight Stage. With set times still to be released, across the weekend Kashus will also be performing on The Countryline Stage and on the BBC Radio 2 Stage at the Indigo.
To stay up to date with all the set times for the weekend be sure to download the C2C app. The app will feature stage times, artist info plus notifications about competitions and more. The official C2C app can be downloaded for free at https://C2C.lnk.to/AppiOS for iOS and https://C2C.lnk.to/AppAndroid for Android.
Keep up to date with Kashus prior to him playing this years festival: WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TIKTOK | YOUTUBE
C2C 2025 take place at The O2 London from Friday 14 to Sunday 16 March 2025. Tickets are on sale now via www.axs.com/c2c / www.gigsandtours.com / www.ticketmaster.co.uk
