This is the final of five conversations with rising Americana musicians by KAXE Music Director Kari Hedlund, recorded in Nashville at AmericanaFest. Tune in to New Music this week to hear them, plus the artists’ live AmericanaFest sets!
If you missed it on the air, visit our archives.
NASHVILLE — With over two months remaining, 2023 has been a year to remember for Jobi Riccio.
Alongside releasing her debut album Whiplash in September, the Americana singer also won the John Prine Songwriting Fellowship from Newport Folk Festival. And she was chosen by the music streaming service Tidal to their Class of 2023 Tidal Rising program.
The achievements are not lost on Riccio.
“It’s been incredible. I’ve never had support on this scale before," she told KAXE Music Director Kari Hedlund during an interview at 2023 AmericanaFest in Nashville, Tennessee.
The self-proclaimed “John Prine superfan” was honored to receive the award and to work with the late singer/songwriter’s record label Oh Boy.
Since Whiplash was released, the singer has noticed a change in her confidence. She described the song “Sweet” as being a fake-it-’till-you-make-it song that would channel the empowerment she felt from women in ‘90s country music. She was initially hesitant to play the song live.
“Now I feel like I really believe in the song as a song,” Riccio said. “It doesn’t feel like a ‘fake it ’till you make it’ thing for me.”
