Country music artist Stephanie Owens captivates audiences with her compelling voice, contagious smile, and magnetic stage presence, which flow from her passionate heart and vision. Her music creatively captures both the raw vulnerability and bold intentionality of her personality and character.
Stephanie independently released her debut EP May of 2018. Each of the five songs on the recording were co-written by Owens and highlight her dynamic voice and eclectic musical tastes. She co-produced the EP alongside Grammy-nominated producer Brad Hill. The debut single, “Heart Taker,” immediately captures listeners with its 1980s-throwback countrified groove.
Building off of the momentum from her debut EP, Stephanie released her co-written and co-produced single, “Slingshot”, in September 2019. CMT premiered the music video as part of CMT Next Up Now in September and also featured the single on the official CMT Next Women of Country Spotify and Apple Music playlists. The single is a high-energy tune that rallies listeners to view life’s difficulties as launching pads toward future accomplishments. “We all face struggles and go through times when we feel like the underdog.” Stephanie continues, “Hardships in life are inevitable, but we can choose to let them be setbacks or setups. In my own experience, fighting through trials has always made me stronger. My vision for ‘Slingshot’ is that it will inspire others to have this same comeback mentality!”
On June 26, 2020, Stephanie released her new single, “Work for Shoes”, which was co-written and co-produced by Owens. The song is a celebratory anthem for shoe lovers everywhere. The comedic music video was released on June 30, 2020. CMT featured the video on CMT.com and also added the single to their official CMT Next Women of Country Spotify playlist.
Follow Stephanie @stephowensmusic
Please tell us a little about you?
I’m a country music artist living in Nashville, Tennessee with my husband, Chris, and my
Goldendoodle puppy named Ruby. I love Jesus and interacting with people. Running, hiking, cooking, baking, and puzzles are some of my favorite things!
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Passionate, silly, analytical
Name one of your strengths?
One of my biggest strengths is my drive. I love working hard and am dedicated to pursuing my dreams and making them happen. It takes a lot to get me down because I have learned to view “setbacks” as launch pads toward future accomplishments!
Who is your biggest supporter?
My husband, Chris, is my number one supporter, and I don’t know what I would do without him! He knows me better than anyone and inspires and encourages me daily. He also graciously puts up with my crazy self haha. I love you so much, Chris!
Best advice ever given?
Be yourself. While that may sound cliché, there is only one you in this world that has your circle of influence, and that is worth embracing! You have unique talents and a unique story, and authenticity inspires and motivates people.
Who has made the biggest impact on your life so far, and why?
My parents. They have always selflessly loved, inspired, encouraged, and supported me, and I don’t take any of that for granted. I have always been a daddy’s girl, and my dad really taught me how to dream and to never settle. My mom is my best girlfriend to this day, and we are similar in so many ways. She just understands me. I have always been able to talk to either one of them about anything without feeling like I would be judged or get criticized. They have always been a “safe” place for me, and I feel so blessed to have them as my parents!
When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a recording artist and never had a backup plan! I used to run around my house using a turkey baster as my microphone and would put couch cushions all over the floor to make my “stage” haha.
What has been the greatest pinch-me moment in your career?
After releasing my debut EP and music video, I was invited to perform and share my eating
disorder recovery story on national television on the Huckabee Show. I have dreamed for years about making my tv debut, so that was such a surreal and awesome experience!
What did you learn from your biggest failure?
There have definitely been moments where I have felt like I really messed up, burned a bridge, or blew an opportunity, but I’ve learned to actually not view “mess ups” as failures because we learn and grow so much from mistakes!
Now tell us about your latest single? Where did you got the inspiration for this?
My latest single is “Work for Shoes”, released on June 26th, and I released the music video on June 30th. The song is a celebratory anthem for shoe lovers everywhere! Anyone who knows me well is very aware of my sassy side, so it was time to unleash spunky Stephanie haha. I’ve always been obsessed with shoes, and wearing the right pair of heels truly makes me feel like I can conquer anything. This recent pandemic also has us all feeling a bit down in general, so I wanted to throw some humor into the mix. Growing up, I was very involved in musical theater, and I was always known for playing the spunky, eccentric roles. So, naturally, I fully embraced this ‘shoeaholic’ character in my music video. The video already has over 100,000 views on my YouTube channel, and CMT supported it on CMT.com as well!
What’s your favorite quote?
I love James 1:2-4 in the Bible. These verses say, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” I find so much hope and peace in knowing that there is immense purpose in life’s trials.
To what do you attribute your current success?
I definitely am a hard-worker and go-getter, but I attribute my success to the Lord opening up doors and opportunities. I like to pray for God to orchestrate “divine appointments” as I pursue what I believe He is telling me to do, and often that is to be faithful in my daily responsibilities, even if those have nothing to do with music. I realize I am not in control (as much as I like to think I am haha!), so I have to trust His timing and know that He promises to work out all things for my good. This gives me confidence to work hard and pursue dreams without living in fear of failure.
What is your favorite healthy food?
Salmon! I would eat this all day, every day if I could haha. I like to season it with some pink Himalayan salt!
And your favorite cheat food?
I LOVE vanilla bean SO Delicious Dairy Free ice cream. I actually eat this every night before
bed, but shhhh….
What do you think of Social Media?
Overall, I really like social media and think it is a good thing, but it can also have its negatives.
Social media and the internet are great because I can connect with people literally all over the world, and it’s crazy to me that I have actual fans in countries like Finland! I also love how social media can be used as a way to encourage and inspire others when we post positive content.
I try to use my social accounts in this way. Social media does have its negatives though because it’s a highlight reel of everyone’s greatest moments, so we can easily get trapped in a cycle of comparison. I try to watch how much time I spend browsing and scrolling and stay thankful and grateful for my journey!
Where our readers can follow you?
You can follow me on social media @stephowensmusic! I love chatting with my fans, so please feel free to send me a DM on Instagram! My music is available everywhere digitally, and my website is stephowensmusic.com.
Photo Credit: David Morel
