Photos by Daniel Ashwood ; Written by Daniel Ashwood
Up and coming country star Karen Waldrup kicked off her tour with her first stop at the Backseat Event Center in Winchester, Virginia. Coming from New Orleans, Karen was a top 5 finalist on Season 25 of NBC’s The Voice. She has been featured in many popular places like Rolling Stone Magazine, People Magazine, Netflix, The Hallmark Channel, Bravo TV, and NASCAR ESPN Live. She’s won 12 Nashville Industry Music Awards and received the 2019 Torch Award at the Keith Whitley Fingerprint on Country Music Awards. In 2023, she was named one of the top 5 artists to watch by Country Evolution. Her new album, Kendall County Road, was released for streaming worldwide in May 2023 and is the flagship album behind her tour.
Waldrup kicked off the night with her brand new single, “Louisiana Hurricane”, which really got the place rocking for the night. She followed up with some great originals like, “The Night We Fell In Love”, “Kendall County Road” and “Nothing is Impossible”. Waldrup then invited her opening act, 14 year old Julia Roome, up on stage to perform a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene”. She finished off the night with some more of her hits such as, “Praying For My Cowboy” and “Jane Doe”. Waldrup ended the night with the song that made her famous on NBCs The Voice, a cover of Lee Ann Womack’s “I Hope You Dance”. This was a perfect way to end the evening since tens of thousands of her fans have watched her perform this very song on TV.
Karen Waldrup’s singing style is characterized by her powerful and emotive delivery, blending elements of country and contemporary music. She has a strong, expressive voice that brings deep emotion and connects with listeners. This performance was a mix of heartfelt ballads and upbeat, energetic tracks, showcasing her versatility. Waldrup’s style incorporates storytelling, which is a common key element in country music, with a modern twist that appeals to a broad audience. Her music is very engaging and relatable to many people. I wouldn’t be surprised if her name really starts to become mainstream in the country scene.
