Unveiling Austin's Ruthie Craft: Behind the Music with Ruthie Craft

The Trout Show

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At eleven, Ruthie Craft faced the challenges of a new Tourette’s syndrome diagnosis. No one could have predicted that five years later, she’d be onstage, singing a duet with an international superstar. Over the next decade, she would conquer new challenges and heartbreak, becoming a powerhouse singer-songwriter with millions of streams and her own EP. "Tourette's was my reason to sing," Ruthie shares. "When I sang, my tics went away, and I felt normal, if only for a moment."

As a teenager, discovering Adele’s debut album, *19*, cemented Ruthie's passion for music. She began teaching herself the basics of singing and songwriting. "One morning, I looked at the lyrics I had written on the big whiteboard in my room and thought, ‘this is my purpose.’" Without formal guidance on breaking into the music industry, she started performing at open mics and talent shows, eventually winning a contest to sing with country star Keith Urban. At that time, her onstage outfits were a mix of hand-me-downs and thrifted items, reflecting her resourcefulness as a part-time barista.

At 19, Ruthie's whirlwind marriage took her from her home state of Washington to North Carolina, far from her family and friends. As her marriage ended, she found solace in music, exploring new genres like rap and hip hop to rediscover her voice. "The mixture of inspiring lyrics and bold productions made me feel alive," she recalls.

Divorced and determined at 23, Ruthie reached all three rounds of Hollywood Week on *American Idol* in 2019. "The insecurity I felt from watching a hundred talented singers perform their original songs pushed me to learn how to write my own. I witnessed the difference between singers, performers, and what it means to be both: an artist." Since then, she has collaborated with producers and artists across the country, sharing stages with Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Shakey Graves, Magic City Hippies, Die Spitz, and Raelyn Nelson.

In 2024, Ruthie received a Sonic Guild grant. She explains, "I want to make music that makes people feel alive, comforted, and helps connect them to their own joy and pain." Each performance is an opportunity to "let my emotional filters down and invite the audience to do the same." Her cinematic pop-soul sound features powerful vocals, moody, soulful tones, and slick lyrics, drawing comparisons to Imagine Dragons, early Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Dua Lipa.

Ruthie continues to hone her craft in Austin, TX. Her debut EP, *Sound of Blue*, is set to release in September 2024.
https://www.ruthiecraft.com/

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