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Cody Belew

Cody Belew blends a deep love of traditional southern music with a flair for theatrical showmanship, making country-pop that's simultaneously commercial and idiosyncratic. Belew first entered the national spotlight as a contestant on season three of The Voice in 2012; he finished in the Top Eight in the season Cassadee Pope won. Although he quickly released an album in 2013, it took him ten years of hard, steady work as a songwriter and performer before he found his artistic voice, a period that coincided with his public embrace of his identity as a gay man. The transition to country-pop was unveiled on a self-titled EP in 2022. While such original material as "Rodeo" showcased his craftsmanship, his inventiveness shone in his covers: he recast Dolly Parton's sunny "Here You Come Again" as a mournful slow-burner and turned Brooks & Dunn's barroom anthem "Neon Moon" into new wave disco. The latter was indicative of Belew's mission to blend disco, soft rock, and country. A native of Beebe, a small town in rural Arkansas, Belew learned to sing in church while he was a child. Growing up, he fell in love with country through the music of the Judds, the Mandrell Sisters, Reba McEntire, and Dolly Parton. After graduating from Arkansas Tech University early in the 2010s, he headed to Nashville, catching a big break by appearing on The Voice in 2012. While on the show, Belew was coached by Cee Lo Green. Toward the end of his run, his version of Queen's "Somebody to Love" reached 34 on Rock Digital Song Sales. Although The Voice elevated his profile, it took a long time for him to figure out which musical path to take. He quickly released What You're Looking For, a 2013 album co-written with Dustin Ransom. He went on the road opening for Rascal Flatts and Florida Georgia Line, and spent time in songwriter rooms with Waylon Payne, Deana Carter, and Hailey Whitters. He kept recording yet none of these projects reached fruition, so he started moving in a country direction at the end of the 2010s. Belew's country shift was apparent in 2020, when he released a cover of Dwight Yoakam's "A Thousand Miles from Nowhere" as well as contributed "Hang Your Hat on My Christmas Tree" to Dashing in December, a LGBTQ+ holiday film starring Andie MacDowell. After spending a relatively quiet 2021 -- he released the EP The East Side Covers -- he issued an eponymous EP in March 2022, then spent the following year playing a monthly gig at the Lipstick Lounge in East Nashville. At the end of the year, Belew issued his disco reinterpretation of Brooks & Dunn's "Neon Moon," earning significant streaming play with that single. "Christmas for One" arrived during the holiday season of 2022, followed by the Hannah Blaylock duet "Married Alone" in January 2023. "Charlene," a single released in May of 2023, found the gay Christian songwriter recounting an experience where a Christian acquaintance refused to accept his identity and the depth of his faith.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
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Discography

21 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller

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