Abigail Virginia is a Nashville-based artist who is known for her rich and sonorous voice. She grew up in a small southern city located about 30 miles northeast of Birmingham, Alabama; made a name for herself on social media; and had a moment on national TV. Since then, she’s continued to rise, gaining more and more attention and growing her following with her “Deep Voice Diaries,” her scene-stealing hair, and, of course, her phenomenal music.

From Springville to Nashville: Abigail Virginia’s Musical Journey

Abigail has had an extraordinary musical journey. And it’s only just beginning. To learn more about this incredible artist, Entertaining Options asked her about Springville, Nashville, her voice, her songs, and more.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in a one-traffic-light town, haha. [According to WVTM 13, in 2024, Springville, Alabama, installed its first-ever modern traffic light on Main Street.]

Did you like growing up in Springville?
I loved growing up in Springville, though I definitely didn’t know it at the time. I always dreamed about moving away and pursuing my dreams in a city, but now I really appreciate the slowness of where I grew up.

What was your childhood like? 
My childhood was great, but definitely had its challenges. My parents divorced when I was in middle school, and I struggled with that. My mom works in the life insurance field, and my dad is a fireman and now owns a construction business. He also used to own a gym. They’re both incredibly hardworking, and I really look up to their drive.

Was Springville a good place to nurture creativity and artistic endeavors?
Springville wasn’t necessarily a place where I could nurture my artistic abilities. There just weren’t a ton of opportunities or education for that, at least at the time. I sang at church, and that was about it.

How did Springville help shape who you are?
Springville was an amazing place for shaping who I am as a person. I think I’ll always carry a piece of that town with me. It’s just a genuine place with genuine people. Life wasn’t about anything materialistic there. I never felt judged for the clothes I wore or the car I drove. None of that really mattered, and I think it was great to grow up in that kind of environment.

Did you grow up feeling safe being creative?
I was ALWAYS screaming and singing at the top of my lungs, which definitely got on my brothers’ nerves, but my mom always let me. I always say she’s a big reason I was able to find my voice because she let me sing even when I sounded terrible, lol.

When did you realize you wanted to be an artist?
I always wanted to be on a stage and perform. I’ve always felt more at peace there.

Can you talk about the journey and how you got from Springville to Nashville?
Oh gosh, that’s a wild and long story!

I ended up going to UNA for college after graduating from high school. Little did I know at the time how much musical history there was in the Shoals. Before I knew it, I was writing all the time at FAME Studios and recording music for the first time in my life. Around the same time, I started posting covers online and ended up going viral for my singing.

After being there for a few years, I just had this knowing during my junior year that I wasn’t going to be in the Shoals much longer. I took as many of my in-person classes as I could and somehow snuck into a bar during a songwriter festival where I met a hit songwriter who helped me get a publishing internship in Nashville that summer. I also landed an internship with a developing app around the same time.

Neither job paid me, but I decided to take the chance anyway and moved to Nashville with strangers. The rest is history.

How is Nashville different from Springville?
How is Nashville NOT different from Springville? It’s like comparing a desert to the sea.

Springville at the time had one traffic light, a McDonald’s, and a Jack’s. I used to go hang out with my friends in the Walmart parking lot for fun. We had a blast, but Nashville is just a land of opportunity. Every night people are playing live music, writing songs, networking, and making business deals. It’s a completely different world.

How has Nashville changed you?
I’m definitely not as small-minded as I used to be. I’ve met so many people with different beliefs, backgrounds, and life experiences than me.

But the biggest thing Nashville has taught me is how attainable your dreams really can be. I actually believe the saying “the sky is the limit” now. Growing up in a small town, you aren’t necessarily surrounded by people doing the things you dream about doing, so sometimes you don’t even realize what’s possible until you see it happening around you.

Do you find it intimidating to be in a town that has so much musical talent?
Yes and no. Being surrounded by so much talent makes me want to be better, but it’s also hard not to compare yourself sometimes. I think that’s human.

Have you connected with anyone in Nashville who has helped you feel like it is home?
Absolutely. I’ve met several friends and peers here who have made Nashville feel like home.

When did you realize your voice was special?
I guess I never truly thought of my voice as something special until I started posting on TikTok. I always loved to sing, but I had never gotten that kind of reaction to my voice until I started putting it online.

Has it been this resonant your whole life?
My voice has definitely always been very full and rich, even my speaking voice. In school, even if I talked the least in class, I was always the first one to get in trouble because my voice carried, lol.

Do you have to take extra care of your voice?
Yes, unfortunately, haha. I work at a bar right now, so my voice can get tired from overuse. I also deal with acid reflux, so I have to be pretty intentional about taking care of it.

Does your voice dictate the type of songs you choose to cover, or do you prefer to take something and make it yours?
I definitely prefer taking something and making it my own. No matter what I sing, I think my voice naturally makes it sound a little different.

What is your favorite thing that someone has said about your voice?
Oh gosh, there have been several. I think my favorite thing is when someone tells me my voice made them feel something. That means more to me than any compliment about how I technically sound. I want people to feel something strongly when I sing or write.

Your social media seems to suggest some people might have a hard time with your voice. Is this true? Did it limit your opportunities in any way?
I think having a unique voice can be challenging because it doesn’t necessarily fit neatly into a box, so sometimes you don’t get the quick and easy opportunities that come with sounding like something people already understand.

BUT I also think that’s one of my biggest advantages. I’m building something different and hopefully something you can’t hear anywhere else, and that’s what I’m striving for.

Who was the first person to believe in you?
One of the first people who comes to mind when I think about someone believing in me is this wonderful woman named Beth. She went to church with me growing up and taught me my first three chords on guitar. She has always encouraged me.

I did a little research and quickly found lower frequency voices can create a sense of calm and signal seriousness, authority, and/or intimacy. Some also postulate that lower-frequency voices can facilitate a stronger emotional bond. Have you ever researched how your voice might be affecting people in these very real and positive ways?
Wow, that’s so interesting!! I’ve never really researched that side of it, but it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve always felt like part of my gift is being able to evoke emotion in people. I also naturally love encouraging people and find a lot of joy in that. It’s really cool to hear there may be research behind some of that.

Which instruments do you play?
I mainly play guitar and can dabble on piano.

Which song is the one people should listen to first to get to know who you are?
I would say “Set It On Fire.” It was the first song I made where I truly didn’t care if anyone liked it — and I deeply care about other people’s opinions. [The song] represents so much of who I am as a person. It’s about breaking free from things and people that don’t serve you anymore and encouraging yourself to take ownership of your own life.

“Maybe I” is a beautiful song. What is the story behind how that came into existence?
I wrote “Maybe I” with the amazing John Paul White. He was actually a professor of mine in college for a songwriting class. I told him I was coming back to town, and we ended up getting a writing session in. He started playing some chords, and we both just started singing and writing what we felt. It came together really seamlessly and quickly. For me, the song became the words I wish had been said to me.

“Heartfelt,” on the other hand, is a very different kind of song. 
Yes, it definitely is.

It’s very powerful, real, emotionally stirring, and clever. Was there a personal situation that inspired this song? Are the lyrics pulled from an actual situation in your life?
I was in a session with two friends of mine, and for some reason the word “heart” came into my head, so we wrote it down. Funny enough, I ended up kind of spilling my heart out during the session. I opened up about having a really hard time in a relationship and struggling to let that person love me because of things I had experienced in the past. That conversation turned into the song and this question: “When’s the last time your heart felt?”

Do you prefer singing slow songs or fast songs?
I guess it depends on my mood, but overall probably slow songs. I’m a sucker for anything emotional.

Do you have any musical heroes or people who inspired you? Which artist made you want to start singing and performing?
ADELE ADELE ADELE all day!! She was the first woman I personally heard whose songs felt like they sat naturally in a place where I could sing along with them. Hearing a female artist with that kind of depth in her voice was huge for me.

What’s important to you? Is there anything we missed that you’d like to bring up?
Family is really important to me. I call my mom about 100 times a day. My family really is my rock.

What’s the best way for people to follow and support you?
Follow Abigail Virginia on any and every platform and stream the music!!

Abigail’s Breakout Moments: TikTok & FOX’s ‘I Can See Your Voice’

Abigail’s success didn’t happen overnight. She built her following for many years on TikTok by showcasing her resonant voice. The artist also peppered that content with behind-the-scenes, diary-style posts. Her genuine and relatable nature has earned her 387.1K followers and over 11M likes.

Beyond TikTok, Abigail appeared on national television as “Sorority Sister” on the first episode of Season 3 of FOX’s I Can See Your Voice. In this musical game show, contestants try to sleuth out whether lip-synching performers can actually sing. When Abigail’s character was called on to reveal if she could really sing, her performance of “House of the Rising Sun” dropped jaws — both the contestants and the judges were astounded by her talent. The short clip of her performance on YouTube [embedded above] has nearly 19M views.

Fun Fact: Abigail’s episode of I Can See Your Voice was taped a year before the episode aired. At that time, Abigail had not yet adopted her professional stage name, so she appeared as Abigail Smith.

Abigail Virginia’s Unique Voice and Best Songs

Abigail Virginia has a gift that sets her apart from other talented artists who are trying to make their indelible mark on the world. It’s her voice. Once you hear it, you’ll never forget it. Her deeply resonant tones ravage your senses with a soul-stirring warmth that leaves your flesh rippling with goosebumps. Her remarkable voice cuts through your defenses, hits you in the gut, and leaves you trembling in awe.

While Abigail has many incredible songs — every note she gives breath to is a wonderfully rich and lavish thrill — these are the four we’re currently listening to on repeat.

“House of the Rising Sun”

This is the full version of the song that astonished the judges, contestants, and viewers from FOX’s I Can See Your Voice. It’s a magnificent showcase of Abigail’s vast power and range, as well as a testament to her ability to evoke real emotions from her audience.

“Set It on Fire”

This amazing song puts a spotlight on the raw intensity of Abigail’s creative spirit. “Set It on Fire” is about burning it all down so you can rise like the fabled phoenix. It’s an invigorating, soulful anthem that offers hope when your situation might be feeling a little bleak.

“Maybe I”

“Maybe I” is immediately familiar to anyone spiraling in a whirlpool of “what ifs.” The lyrics capture the endless swirl of regret and self-blame that comes with overanalyzing the end of a relationship. Abigail knows what it feels like and is bold enough to give a resonant voice to the anguish.

“Heartfelt”

Abigail released “Heartfelt” at the beginning of summer 2026. The lyrics to this song may be even deeper than her voice. She wrote it with two friends, and it is about a traumatizing experience from her past that was making it difficult for her to be loved. The track begins with a deliberate hesitancy that opens to full throttle when it hits the chorus, creating a sweeping urgency that is reminiscent of Florence + the Machine. “Heartfelt” unleashes Abigail’s mainstream potential, proving she’s an artist with unlimited potential.  

Where to Follow and Support Songwriter Abigail Virginia Online