Bonnyville-raised country music singer Robert Adam is one of the eight semi-finalists in the sixth annual SiriusXM Top of the Country Competition. The globally-broadcast satellite radio company has partnered with the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) for the contest.
The semi-finalist list was announced on the Top of the Country SiriusXM channel Feb. 21.
Adam, who has been a mainstay on the Alberta country music scene for the last several years, has set up recent roots in the Calgary area. Describing himself as “Calgary’s Dream Angel Cowboy,” Adam is about to release his first full-length album and recently released an EP with several of his own songs.
The singer-songwriter has crafted a unique style in all aspects of his performing career. His songs tell the stories of an ever-evolving world around him, including a focus on inclusivity and acceptance. He designs his own stage outfits — many with sequins and other flamboyant additions, he is a certified heavy-duty mechanic and is known for breaking barriers, including writing an alternative county queer love song.
Adams says he is anything but one-dimensional — and hopes those qualities and more are seen by a growing audience because of the contest. He says being a semi-finalist is “absolutely incredible... humbling and “inspiring.”
Adams himself has been inspired in his own styles by trend-setters before him, listing Brett Kissel, The Rankins, Anne Murray, Glenn Campbell, Karen Carpenter, and Whitney Houston all as inspirations from the music industry.
"I am a redneck raised with a rhinestone heart."
“My biggest one is Kacey Musgraves though ... she has always created music that gave me hope that a queer person like me has something valuable and important to say within the country music texture,” he said.
Musically, Adam enjoys writing string sections and expressive vocals just like those of Glen Campbell and Patsy Cline.
Adam’s lyrics describe the lives of ordinary folks because he feels that people find the most profound lessons and ideas from everyday life.
“I’m passionate about writing tunes that are a beacon of light to people who may have felt overlooked or left out,” he stated. “Flowing through all of my work is the sentiment that I am a redneck raised with a rhinestone heart.”
In good company
Adam told Lakeland This Week that northeastern Alberta has a wealth of talented artists and musicians, and he’s happy to be included.
“There must be something in the water in Lakeland because there were so many artists before me like Brett Kissel, and Clayton Bellamy that have found huge success in the country industry, "he said, “and now it feels like I am starting to settle into my own path to continue building a life for myself.”
Adam is sharing the Top-8 category with artists from five Canadian provinces.
As part of the competition, each of the eight semi-finalists are given the opportunity to record original songs in studio, with live videos of the recording session online. Fans then vote for their favourite. Adam will be flying to Vancouver to record a brand-new original song at The Warehouse Studio, which is owned by Canadian rock icon Bryan Adams.
The coming release of his first album, “Governed By The Seasons” is hoped to be one of those steps to the future.
“This will be unlike anything I have recorded before both in calibre and depth,” he explained. “It’s a project I’ve envisioned for so long, that I can’t wait to start sharing it with ya’ll.”
He didn’t have an official day set for when the album drops.
Dates for the contest, say Kathleen Bennett with The Zeno Group, a Toronto-based public relations agency, include recording studio time in March, listeners can hear the semifinalists on the Top of the Country SiriusXM Canada channel through the summer. The finals of the contest will take place during the week of the 2024 CCMA awards from Sept. 11 to 14. During that week, voters and a panel of judges will determine the winner from three finalists. The winning act will receive $25,000. The two runners-up will each receive $10,000 to be put towards musical development.
Whether he wins the top spot, finishes in the top three, or leaves in the semi-final round, Adam appreciates the efforts that have been made to spotlight the Canadian country music scene.
“I have to say SiriusXM and the CCMA are really hooking us up, and it's apparent that they are giving all of us an equal playing field in this competition,” he said. “I tip my hat to them for really digging deep into the pool of rich Canadian talent and choosing artists that can really do great things for the future of Canadian Country music.”
