Who is Fancy Hagood? The queer country singer was rejected by Nashville and turned to LA’s pop scene, working with Ariana Grande and Meghan Trainor – now he’s back in Tennessee on his own terms
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Hagood felt under pressure to hide his true self after being rejected in Nashville, going to work behind the scenes of LA’s pop world instead; now he’s out and proud and doing country music his way
In October, musician Fancy Hagood released his latest album, American Spirit, marking a firm return to his country roots. It’s been an unconventional journey for Hagood, who began his musical immersion in church, where he sang and taught himself to play the piano.
But with LGBTQ representation on the rise, Hagood decided to try his luck again and returned to Nashville in 2016. Despite a “humbling experience” that made him feel that “the industry in place was not set up for someone like me to be successful”, he persevered and landed a publishing deal in 2018, releasing his album Southern Curiosity in 2021. By blending boldness and authenticity in his music and carving his own path, Hagood has become the stand-out queer voice on Nashville’s often insular country music scene.
With the release of American Spirit, a 90s-country-inspired album centred on the idea of community, Hagood has brought to life the project he dreamed of when he first moved to Nashville.
Curious about Fancy Hagood? Here’s what you need to know about the country-pop star.
Fancy Hagood had a strict, religious upbringing
![Fancy Hagood grew up in a strict home in Arkansas. Photo: @fancyhagood/Instagram Fancy Hagood grew up in a strict home in Arkansas. Photo: @fancyhagood/Instagram](https://img.i-scmp.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=contain,width=1024,format=auto/sites/default/files/d8/images/canvas/2025/02/12/b5f23ba2-7ede-49ba-8a82-5b6c44982c74_7390c88c.jpg)
Born in Bentonville, Arkansas, Hagood, 33 – real name Jake – grew up in a deeply religious household where expressions of sexuality were not encouraged. But everything changed when, at 17, he made the life-changing decision to move to Nashville.