Biography

Dubbed "the future of classic country" by Saving Country Music, Kimmi Bitter has emerged as a leading voice of the New Countrypolitan sound.

By fusing the golden-era spirit with West Coast energy, her blend of 1960s Nashville grandeur, surf-soaked guitar tones, and mod aesthetics has earned her a devoted following across the country. Often described as Patsy Cline set against a Quentin Tarantino soundtrack, Bitter’s music evokes a midcentury California dream that’s cinematic, timeless, and transportive.

A fast-rising force in Americana, Bitter first turned heads with her acclaimed 2024 debut, Old School. The album quickly broke into the Top 25 Americana Album Radio Chart and held the No. 1 spot on the Alt. Country Speciality Chart for four consecutive weeks. It was also featured in Billboard’s “8 Must-Hear New Country Songs” and named one of Whiskey Riff’s Top Debut Albums. The release earned eight award nominations, culminating in three San Diego Music Awards, including Best Country Album (2025), along with back-to-back Song of the Year wins (2024 & 2025). Her live performances have since been praised as “one of the biggest takeaways” at both SXSW and AmericanaFest.

Now, Bitter returns with her highly anticipated sophomore album, Bittersweet, arriving late summer 2026. A sun-faded West Coast Countrypolitan record inspired by Pacific coastlines, Palm Springs glamour, and the psychedelic desert haze of the 1960s. Across 13-tracks, the album unfolds in two acts — moving from breezy, Countrypolitan warmth into desert-noir twilight. Distinctively her own, it is both a continuation of Bitter’s vintage-rooted vision and a bold expansion of the world she’s built.

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Awards &

Notable Festivals

- 2026 Best Country/Americana Artist - San Diego Music Awards (won)
- 2025 Biggest Takeaways from Americanafest 2025 - Saving Country Music (link)
- 2025 Song of the Year - “Cowboy Kind of Girl” - San Diego Music Awards (won)
- 2025 Best Country/Americana Album - Old School - San Diego Music Awards (won)
- 2025 Artist of the Year - San Diego Music Awards (nominated)
- 2025 Album of the Year - Old School - San Diego Music Awards (nominated)
- 2025 Biggest Takeaways from SXSW (link)
- 2024 Album of the Year - Old School - Saving Country Music (nominated)
- 2024 Song of the Year - “Can’t Unlove You” - Saving Country Music (nominated)
- 2024 Single of the Year - “Can’t Unlove You” - Saving Country Music (nominated)
- 2024 Biggest Takeaways from AmericanaFest - Saving Country Music (link)
- Whiskey Riff’s Top Debut Albums 2024 - Old School Album
- 2024 Song of the Year - “Aquamarine” - San Diego Music Awards (won)
- 2024 Best Country/Americana Artist - San Diego Music Awards (nominated)
- #10 Roots Music Radio Album Chart - Old School Album
- #1 Alt. Country Specialty Chart - “Old School” Album (4 consecutive weeks)
- #24 Americana Album Radio Chart - Old School Album
- #39 Americana Single Radio Chart - “My Grass is Blue”
- 2023 Best Country/Americana Artist - San Diego Music Awards (won)
- 2023 Biggest Takeaways from AmericanaFest - Saving Country Music (link)
- 2023 Song of the Year - “My Grass is Blue” - San Diego Music Awards (nominated)
- 2022 Single of the Year - “My Grass is Blue” - Saving Country Music (nominated)
- 2025 South by Southwest Official Artist (Austin, TX)
- 2025 Gator by the Bay Blues, Zydeco, & Crawfish Festival (San Diego, CA)
- 2024 Americanafest Official Artist (Nashville, TN)
- 2024 Fisherman’s Village Music Fest (Everett, WA)
- 2024 Gator by the Bay (San Diego, CA)
- 2024 Hear Grand Island (Grand Island, NE)
- 2023 AmericanaFest (Nashville, TN)
- 2023 Old Salt Festival (Helmville, MT)
- 2023 Americana West Music Fest (Los Angeles, CA)
- 2023 Gator by the Bay (San Diego, CA)
- 2023 California Country Show at Next Fest (Los Angeles, CA)
- 2023 Soundcheck Series (Pinedale, WY)
Toured as support for Old 97s
Opened for The Cactus Blossoms, Emily Nenni, Eilen Jewell, Red Shahan, Early James, DADA, Town Mountain, Summer Dean

Photos

Promotional and high resolution

Downloads & Photo Credit

Logos

Video

Official music videos and live performances

Youtube Channel

Music

Album cover for Kimmi Bitter's 'Old School' featuring a woman with long blonde hair, wearing a colorful patterned dress, sitting on the floor with one arm extended to hold an acoustic guitar, against a solid light blue background.

Listen / Stream

What the industry is saying

Read Press

Biggest Takeaways from AmericanaFest 2025

Kimmi Bitter has been included on this list from the last couple of AmericanaFests, and will continue to be included here until hopefully the world wakes up to the talent it has within its midst.
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Kimmi Bitter wins two awards at San Diego Music Awards

Kimmi Bitter won Song of the Year and Best Country or Americana Album honors Tuesday at the 2025 San Diego Music Awards.
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The Biggest Takeaways from SXSW 2025

Saving Country Music’s Biggest Takeways from Austin’s SXSW include Kimmi Bitter, Charley Crockett, Brennen Leigh, Jesse Welles, and Silverada
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Kimmi Bitter up for four awards for the 2025 San Diego Music Awards, including Artist of the Year.

Country-pop troubadour Kimmi Bitter, the Coachella festival-bound neo-soul trio Thee Sacred Souls, the Canadian-American rock band Daring Greatly and the hip-hop sextet The Neighborhood Kids are the top nominees for the 2025 San Diego Music Awards.
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Saving Country Music triple nominations for Kimmi Bitter for 2024

Saving Country Music has nominated Kimmi Bitter three times for 2024, including Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Single of the Year.
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"Aquamarine" wins Song of the Year 2024

“Aquamarine” takes home Song of the Year at the San Diego Music Awards 2024 alongside fellow nominees Jason Mraz, POD, Nickel Creek, Slightly Stoopid/Pepper, and Thee Sacred Souls
"I Can't Unlove You" on Billboard's 8 Must-Hear New Country Songs

"I Can't Unlove You” named one of Billboard's 8 Must-Hear New Country Songs
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"Old School" Album #1 on Alt Country Specialty Charts

Debut album “Old School” breaks #1 on Alt-Country Specialty Charts for four consecutive weeks.
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"Old School" Top 10 on Roots Music Radio Album Chart

Kimmi Bitter’s break-out album “Old School” jumps to #10 on Roots Music Radio Album Chart
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"Old School" Charts on Top 25 Americana Album

Kimmi Bitter’s self-released debut album “Old School” breaks on AMA’s Top 25 Americana Album Radio Chart at #24 and “My Grass is Blue” breaks Americana Single Radio Chart at #40
Saving Country Music's Biggest Takeaways from Americanafest 2024

“In the coming years, Kimmi Bitter is going places, and she’ll be taking classic country with a little injection of psych and mod with her. The future of country music is classic, and the future of classic country is Kimmi Bitter.”
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“My Grass is Blue” Nominated for Saving Country Music's Single of the Year

“Immediately riveting classic country fans and stimulating chill bumps from the eerie similarities to Patsy Cline, “My Grass Is Blue” is solid country gold, and is a great showcase for Kimmi’s throwback voice and style.”
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