Briston Maroney is an Americana/indie-rock artist from Knoxville, Tennessee, best known for the viral 2018 hit “Freakin’ out on the Interstate.” He made a name for himself when he became a contestant on the thirteenth season of American Idol at the age of fifteen. His voice holds a mature quality despite his age.
∙ Influenced by the music of John Prine, Bob Dylan, and Neil Young, Maroney learned to play guitar and write songs on an old Gibson acoustic that had belonged to his musician great-grandfather.
∙ His first brush with fame came in 2013 at age 15, when he auditioned for the 13th season of American Idol and made it to the Top 30 semifinals before being sent home.
∙ After two years singing and playing with the bluegrass band Subtle Clutch, he independently released 2015’s Reason to Shake, his first solo EP.
∙ In 2018, Maroney signed a deal with Atlantic Records subsidiary Canvasback Music, which released his acclaimed EP Carnival.
∙ The Carnival track “Freakin’ out on the Interstate” became a viral hit in 2018, earning him praise from a number of critics and musicians, including Taylor Swift.
∙ His 2020 single “Deep Sea Diver” was cowritten with Grammy-winning songwriter Dan Wilson (Adele, The Chicks, Semisonic).