Florence Sommerville is one of the UK’s rising stars in country music—a singer-songwriter whose blend of heartfelt storytelling and modern melodic sensibility is quickly winning hearts across audiences. With her debut album Endless Horizon on the way and a new single just around the corner, we sat down with Florence to talk about her musical journey, her creative process, and what drives her in an ever-evolving genre.
A Shy Start and a Spark from ‘Nashville’
Florence’s path into country music wasn’t charted from childhood. In fact, as she puts it, “I was a very shy child, so you wouldn’t have heard [me sing] very often.” But everything changed when family friends made an offhand remark that she reminded them of a character from the American TV show Nashville. That night, she sat down with her family and watched the first episode.
“I honestly don’t know where I would be if they hadn’t made that random likening,” she reflects. “I learnt what it was to fall in love with music that day and have never really looked back.”
Prior to that moment, Florence had been dabbling in guitar and covering artists like Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift. But the music of Nashville—its rawness, emotional honesty, and narrative depth—lit a fire in her. “I sat there soaking it all in, watching these characters and listening to these songs that wore their hearts on their sleeves and finally felt seen and heard.”
Finding Her Voice (Literally and Figuratively)
A defining moment came in 2018 when Florence entered the national Open Mic UK competition at just 14 years old, ultimately reaching the final held at the O2’s Indigo Room. “To get this far in a big competition gave me the confidence boost I needed to keep choosing music as I got older,” she says.
Her earliest live gigs were far more intimate. She remembers nervously taking the stage at her local pub, The Fox. “It was full of much older men playing folk and other kinds of things,” she laughs. “I can’t imagine that they really wanted a little blonde 13-year-old getting up and playing Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood on a Friday night—but everyone was so welcoming and encouraging.”
Those open mic nights became her training ground. “I have so many fond memories of growing and developing my early music there,” she adds. “I think they still do them once a month—I hope they do.”
Writing from the Heart
Sommerville’s songwriting has become one of her greatest strengths, blending poetic lyricism with relatable emotion. Her inspiration often stems from the everyday. “So many lyrics have been born from conversations with family and friends,” she shares. “It’s when you’re at your most comfortable and sometimes your most honest.”
Sometimes, she jokes, a friend will listen to a song and say, Wait a second, I said that to you last week! Other times, inspiration strikes in cinematic fashion: “It’s one of those cringy film moments where the character dramatically turns around and says, ‘say that again.’ Really it’s just anything that taps into your emotions, cause that’s when the ideas seem to just walk through the door.”
Her writing process is fluid but often begins with a lyric. “Whether it’s a chorus hook or the very first line, I’ll normally build from there,” she explains. “Quite often the melodies come at the same time as the lyrics; they’re molded together.” She adds with a chuckle: “I mean, that’s not to say that either won’t change, everyone knows the real write is the rewrite.”
Collaboration has also played a vital role. She speaks warmly about working with Nashville’s Sally Barris and Australia’s Francesca de Valence, despite the challenges of coordinating across three time zones. “We actually wrote my song California on one of those triple writes,” she says. “If you listen closely, you’ll hear both Sally and Francesca singing harmony on it. To have the three of us on that track, even though we were thousands of miles apart, was so special.”
Defining Modern Country
When asked to define modern country music, Sommerville offers a humble, heartfelt take. “I think that modern country music is taking the storytelling, honesty and vulnerability that older country songs have and mixing it with modern melodies and points of view,” she says.
Her own influences include genre icons like Carrie Underwood and Ashley McBryde. “I was absolutely OBSESSED with [McBryde’s] album Girl Goin’ Nowhere. I had it on CD and would listen to it on a secondhand Sony Discman on my way to college,” she says with a laugh. “Her sound is so raw, honest and personal; I try to let that influence me as much as I can.”
Authenticity is at the core of Florence’s music. “Sincere music that comes from the heart, music that doesn’t pretend to be anything it’s not, will always be popular,” she believes.
A Debut Album and a Dream Come True
With her debut album Endless Horizon releasing July 18th, Sommerville is gearing up for her most ambitious project yet. The 12-track album will also be available on CD, complete with four acoustic bonus tracks. “I love CDs,” she beams. “My car door rattles when I open it thanks to the CDs sitting in the pockets, so to have my debut album as a CD is a dream come true.”
Before the album drops, fans can look forward to her next single, Broken Pieces. “It’s a breakup song about the feeling you go through, finally realizing that you can’t pretend anymore,” she says. “You can’t lie to yourself about the relationship being strong, because the broken pieces are starting to show.”
On Stage, and Beyond
If you’ve seen Florence perform, you’ll know her pre-show energy is infectious. “There’s normally just a fair amount of me bouncing,” she laughs. “The adrenaline kicks in just before a show, and I have way too much energy so I can’t help myself but to jump on the spot.”
And if music hadn’t called her name? “I wanted to be an author,” she reveals. “Still kind of in the creative writing path, but just expelled in a different way. I even tried to write a novel when I was younger—it’s terrible and I’m very glad that music found me.”
As for a dream collaboration? She’s got a wishlist: “Ashley McBryde. Or Kelsea Ballerini. Or Jessi Alexander. Or a UK-based artist like Kezia Gill or Ward Thomas.”
Ultimately, Florence Sommerville just wants her music to connect. “If just one person walks away from a show feeling seen or like one of my songs was written just for them—that’s the dream.”
Florence Sommerville
Florence Sommerville is a 20-year-old singer-songwriter from Orsett, Essex, known for her modern country music, heartfelt storytelling, and raw, rootsy sound; she has performed at major festivals, co-written with Nashville songwriters, and released singles like On My Way and California, earning widespread recognition.
Florence Sommerville’s debut album Endless Horizon releases July 18th on all major platforms and CD. Follow her on socials for updates and tour announcements.
