Ruthie Craft

As eleven-year-old Ruthie Craft struggled with her newly diagnosed Tourette’s syndrome, no one could have predicted that five years later, she’d be onstage belting a duet with an international superstar. A decade more of new challenges and heartbreak, and the powerhouse singer-songwriter would have giant stages, millions of streams, and her very own EP under her belt. “Tourette’s was my reason to sing,” said Ruthie. “When I sang, my tics went away. And I felt normal, for a moment.” As a teen, the discovery of Adele’s first album, 19, hooked Ruthie on music for good. She quickly began teaching herself the basics of singing and songwriting. “One morning I looked over at the lyrics I had written on the big whiteboard in my room, and I thought, ‘this is my purpose.’” But having no guidance on “how to do music,” she sang at open mics and talent shows, eventually winning a contest to sing with country star Keith Urban. With limited resources as a part-time barista, her onstage outfit was a combination of hand-me-downs and thrifted items. At the tender age of 19, Ruthie’s whirlwind marriage led her from her home state of Washington to North Carolina, far away from her family and friends. As the marriage collapsed, she found comfort in music. Exploring new genres, namely rap and hip hop, she began to find her voice again. “The mixture of inspiring lyrics and bold productions made me feel alive.” Divorced and determined at age 23, Ruthie made it to all three rounds of Hollywood Week on American Idol in 2019. “The insecurity I felt from watching a hundred talented singers perform their original songs pushed me to learn how to write my own. I witnessed the difference between singers, performers, and what it means to be both: an artist.” Since then, she has collaborated with producers and artists across the country, and has billed with the likes of Sir-Mix-A-Lot, Shakey Graves, Magic City Hippies, Die Spitz, and Raelyn Nelson. A 2024 Sonic Guild grant recipient, Ruthie explains, “I want to make music that makes people feel alive, comforted, and helps connect them to their own joy and pain,” says Ruthie. Every performance is an opportunity to “let my emotional filters down, and invite the audience to do the same.” Her cinematic pop-soul features powerful vocals, moody, soulful tones and slick lyrics evocative of Imagine Dragons, early Maroon 5, Amy Winehouse, and Dua Lipa. Ruthie continues to hone her craft in Austin, TX. She released her debut EP, Sound of Blue, in September 2024.