For as much as Kat & Alex embody classic country stylings and values, the Nashville-based duo also rewrite the rules altogether with a Latin twist. The husband-and-wife pair shake up country with full-bodied soulful delivery, engaging live instrumentation, and bilingual lyrics, introducing themselves as Nashville’s most compelling outliers. Kat is a Miami native and first-generation American from a Cuban family. Alex, who is of Puerto Rican descent, grew up in Northwestern Georgia and moved to Miami by middle school. Their paths crossed after Kat witnessed Alex singing one day at their church, and the two quickly forged an eternal bond after meeting up to collaborate. They appeared on American Idol individually before returning home to focus on writing and recording original music as a duo, and then made their way to Nashville in 2020, igniting a life-altering couple of years. Kat & Alex released their debut single “How Many Times” and its accompanying Spanish version in the fall of 2020, which amassed nearly 20 million streams independently. The following year the couple tied the knot, made their Grand Ole Opry debut, and released several new tracks to critical acclaim including “Heartbreak Tour,” which The New York Times dubbed as “an earnest power country slow-burner.” Named a 2022 Artist to Watch by Sounds Like Nashville and Country Now as well as a CMT “Listen Up” artist, the duo is set to make waves this year with their scorching signature style while resolutely representing Hispanic culture in country music with a sound that’s rich and soulful with velvet harmonies, pop-like vocal riffs, and hooky lyrics.