This playlist tracks what’s happening from the heart of the country scene to its outer edges. Find fan favourites you already love next to breakout stars and emerging voices. Topping the list this week is Kelsea Ballerini with “Emerald City”, a sparkling new tune off the country superstar’s just-released EP Mount Pleasant. Ballerini tells Apple Music that Mount Pleasant marks “a chapter of heavy self-examination, longing and stepping further into who [she is] as a 32-year-old woman”. That reflective bent feels especially evident on “Emerald City”, a deeply vulnerable account of comparing oneself to a lover’s ex and navigating the insecurity that often follows. Ballerini also shares that she wrote all six of the new songs during the summer of 2025 and chose to release them as a collection to commemorate “a moment in time”. Check back here early and often for updates, and if you hear something you like, add it to your library.