Hubbry Logo
Josh RossJosh RossMain
Open search
Josh Ross
Community hub
Josh Ross
logo
8 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Josh Ross
Josh Ross
from Wikipedia

Key Information

Josh Ross (born May 27, 1996) is a Canadian country music singer and songwriter. He is managed by The Core Entertainment and jointly signed to Universal Music Canada and Mercury Nashville.[1][2] Ross has charted multiple singles, including "On a Different Night", "Trouble", "Ain't Doin' Jack", "Single Again", and "Hate How You Look".[3] In March 2024, he released the extended play Complicated.[4] His debut album Later Tonight was released in September 2025.[5]

Ross performing in Hamilton, Ontario in 2023

Early life

[edit]

Ross was born in Waterdown, Ontario, and later moved to nearby Burlington, Ontario for school at Nelson Highschool.[6][7] He spent most of his youth playing sports such as hockey, football, soccer, and motocross.[8] He has extended family in Los Angeles and Maine, and visited the United States often as a child.[9] Ross attended Western University where he played varsity football as a defensive back.[10] He had hoped to play in the Canadian Football League.[8] A series of injuries coupled with two surgeries derailed his football career in university,[9] and he elected to pursue a career in music as a result.[8] Ross listened to both country and rock music growing up, and cites Steve Earle as one of his biggest musical influences.[8][11]

Career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

While working in construction management, Ross entered several music competitions including the Magna Hoedown in Aurora, Ontario, and the Boots and Hearts Emerging Artists Showcase.[8] He began making trips to Nashville, Tennessee in 2018, with the support of fellow Canadian country artist Aaron Goodvin, before making a permanent move there in 2019.[8] Ross released his first radio single "If You Were a Song" as an independent artist that year.[12] He released the five-song extended play Do What You Love in 2020.[8]

2022–2023: Universal Music Group, Grey Cup halftime show

[edit]

In February 2022, Ross released the single "First Taste of Gone", which he co-wrote with Mason Thornley.[13] He then became one of the final eight finalists for SiriusXM's "Top of the Country" contest.[14] Ross subsequently signed a joint recording and management deal with The Core Entertainment and Universal Music Canada in April 2022.[1] With Universal taking over promotion of "First Taste of Gone", the song moved into the top five of the Canada Country chart,[3] and entered the Canadian Hot 100.[15] Ross released the song "On a Different Night" in July 2022,[16][17][18] which would become a radio single later that September.[19] He received a nomination for "Rising Star" at the 2022 Canadian Country Music Awards.[20] Ross performed at the halftime show for the 109th Grey Cup in Regina, Saskatchewan, alongside Tyler Hubbard and Jordan Davis.[21]

In January 2023, Ross released the single "Trouble".[22] He opened for Bailey Zimmerman at the end of his headlining tour in the United States in the same month.[23] In March 2023, Universal Music Group Nashville signed Ross in partnership with Universal Music Canada and The Core.[24][25] Ross subsequently released the song "Red Flags" later that month.[26][27] He joined Lee Brice's "Beer Drinking Opportunity Tour" with Tenille Arts in Canada in the spring of 2023, and signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music shortly thereafter.[28][29][30] He was named "Rising Star" at the 2023 Country Music Association of Ontario Awards.[31] In the summer of 2023, Ross was an opening act for Nickelback on their North American "Get Rollin' Tour" along with Brantley Gilbert.[32] In July 2023, he released the song "Ain't Doin' Jack".[33] That same month, he made his debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.[34] At the 2023 Canadian Country Music Awards in September 2023, Ross was nominated in six total categories, and won the award for "Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year".[35][36] He released the song "Ain't the One" at the end of the month.[37]

2024–present: Complicated, Later Tonight, The Trouble Tour, and the Single Again Tour

[edit]

In 2024, Ross released the songs "Single Again" and "Truck Girl".[38] Ross also embarked on his debut headlining tour "The Trouble Tour" in Canada in early 2024, and he joined Bailey Zimmerman again for his headlining "Religiously: The Tour" in the United States, Great Britain, and Ireland.[39][38] He released his extended play Complicated on March 29, 2024.[40] He followed that up with the release of the promotional singles "New Me" in May 2024 and "Want This Beer", a duet with Julia Michaels, in July 2024.[41][42] From August to November 2024, Ross embarked on his debut American headlining tour, the "Single Again Tour".[43] He won five awards at the 2024 Canadian Country Music Awards, including "Entertainer of the Year" and "Single of the Year.[44] Ross also won the Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award at the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards.[45]

In February 2025, Ross released the single "Leave Me Too".[46] He tied with Tate McRae for the most nominations at the Juno Awards of 2025, and won the Juno Award for Country Album of the Year with Complicated.[47][48] In April 2025, Ross released the single "Hate How You Look".[49] In May 2025, Ross collaborated with hip hop artist Akon on the song "Drunk Right Now (Na Na Na)", a reimagined version of Akon's song "Right Now (Na Na Na)".[50] In July 2025, "Single Again" reached number one on the Mediabase Country chart, making Ross the third Canadian man ever, after Hank Snow and Paul Brandt, to land a number one country radio single in the United States.[51] Ross released his debut album Later Tonight on September 19, 2025.[5] He is supporting the album with his "Later Tonight Tour" across Canada in early 2026.[52] Ross is nominated for four awards at the Juno Awards of 2026.[53]

Controversy

[edit]

In June 2025, Ross apologized on social media after a video of him calling United States "the best country in the world" while performing at the Tailgates 'N Tallboys Festival in Indiana trended online and led to a barrage of criticism from Canadian fans due to the ongoing trade war between the two nations. Weeks later, he performed at Heritage Canada's Canada Day concert in Ottawa.[54]

Tours

[edit]
  • The Trouble Tour (2024)
  • Single Again Tour (2024)
  • Later Tonight Tour (2026)

Discography

[edit]

Studio albums

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
CAN
[55]
Later Tonight 17

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Details Peak chart positions Certifications
CAN
[57]
US Heat
[58]
Do What You Love
  • Released: November 20, 2020[59]
  • Label: Independent[A]
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Live Sessions
  • Released: November 11, 2022[60]
  • Label: The Core Entertainment / Universal Music Canada
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Complicated
  • Released: March 29, 2024
  • Label: The Core Entertainment / Universal Music Canada / Mercury Nashville
  • Format: CD, digital download, streaming
73 11

Singles

[edit]
Year Title Peak chart positions Certifications Album
CAN
[15]
CAN Country
[3]
US
[62]
US
Country

[63]
US
Country
Airplay

[64]
2019 "If You Were a Song" Non-album singles
2022 "First Taste of Gone" 54 5
"On a Different Night" 65 4
2023 "Trouble" 48 1 [B] 43 Complicated
"Ain't Doin' Jack" 69 1 Non-album single
2024 "Single Again" 60 1 73 22 2 Complicated
2025 "Leave Me Too" 58 5 Later Tonight
"Drunk Right Now (Na Na Na)"
(with Akon)
67
"Hate How You Look" 28 1 36
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that territory.

Music videos

[edit]
Year Title Director
2021 "Tall Boys"[72] Wales Toney
2022 "On a Different Night"[73]
2023 "Trouble"[74]
"Ain't Doin' Jack"[75] Unlisted
2024 "Want This Beer"[76]
"Single Again"[77] Jack Owens

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Association Category Nominated work Result Ref
2022 Canadian Country Music Association Rising Star N/a Nominated [20][78]
2023 Country Music Association of Ontario Fans' Choice N/a Nominated [79]
[80]
Male Artist of the Year N/a Nominated
Rising Star N/a Won
Single of the Year "First Taste of Gone" Nominated
Songwriter of the Year "On a Different Night" Nominated
Canadian Country Music Association Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year N/a Won [35]
[36]
Fans' Choice N/a Nominated
Male Artist of the Year N/a Nominated
Single of the Year "On a Different Night" Nominated
Songwriter(s) of the Year "Trouble" Nominated
Video of the Year" "Trouble" Nominated
2024 Juno Awards Juno Fan Choice N/a Nominated [81]
Country Music Association of Ontario Fans' Choice N/a Nominated [82]
Male Artist of the Year N/a Nominated
Music Video of the Year "Trouble" Nominated
Single of the Year "Trouble" Nominated
Canadian Country Music Association Album of the Year Complicated Nominated [83]
[44]
Entertainer of the Year N/a Won
Fans' Choice N/a Nominated
Male Artist of the Year N/a Won
Single of the Year "Trouble" Won
Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year Complicated Won
Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year "Trouble" Won
Country Music Association Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award N/a Won [45]
2025 Juno Awards Album of the Year Complicated Nominated [84]
[48]
Artist of the Year N/a Nominated
Country Album of the Year Complicated Won
Juno Fan Choice N/a Nominated
Single of the Year "Single Again" Nominated
Country Music Association of Ontario Compass Award N/a Won [85]
[86]
Fans' Choice N/a Nominated
Canadian Country Music Association Entertainer of the Year N/a Won [87]
[88]
Fans' Choice N/a Nominated
Male Artist of the Year N/a Nominated
Musical Collaboration of the Year "Want This Beer" (with Julia Michaels) Nominated
Single of the Year "Single Again" Won
Top Selling Canadian Album of the Year Complicated Won
Top Selling Canadian Single of the Year "Single Again" Won
Video of the Year "Single Again" Won

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Josh Ross (born May 27, 1996) is a Canadian country music singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee. Originally from Waterdown, Ontario, he pursued collegiate football before injuries prompted a shift to music, drawing influences from artists like Steve Earle and Bruce Springsteen. Ross gained prominence with viral tracks such as "First Taste of Gone," which amassed significant streams and charted highly on Canada's country airplay. His 2025 single "Single Again" marked a breakthrough, topping the U.S. country radio charts and making him only the third Canadian male artist to achieve that feat. This success built on earlier releases, including the RIAA-certified Gold "Trouble" and his debut album Later Tonight, contributing to over one billion career streams across platforms. Among his accolades, Ross secured five wins at the 2024 Canadian Country Music Awards, including Entertainer of the Year and Single of the Year, and received his first Juno Award for Country Album of the Year in 2025. Signed to Universal Music Canada and managed by The Core Entertainment, he has toured extensively and performed at major events, blending heartfelt ballads with high-energy country-pop. While praised for his songwriting and live performances, Ross has faced minor criticism over specific show appearances, such as his set at the Tailgate Tallboys festival.

Biography

Early life

Josh Ross was born on May 27, 1996, in , a community in the Hamilton area, and grew up in nearby . He was the youngest of three children born to parents Al and Julie Ross. Ross grew up in a household centered on athletics rather than music or , devoting much of his youth to competitive including hockey, football, soccer, , and motocross racing. His athletic prowess in football led to by Western University, where he attended on a and played as a for the Mustangs starting in the 2013–14 season. Early exposure to music was incidental, primarily from overhearing his parents sing along to rock bands such as at home, with no formal training or personal pursuit of music during his formative years. Music remained peripheral to his primary focus on sports and athletic ambitions through college.

Personal life

Ross maintains a relatively private stance on his romantic relationships, with no confirmed current partner or marriage as of 2025. He has been previously linked to influencer and realtor Taylor Slaats through her public videos featuring his dog Pax and explicit references to him as her ex-boyfriend, though Ross himself has not publicly detailed the association. In pursuit of enhanced professional opportunities within the sector, Ross relocated from to , over five years prior to 2025, citing the city's superior industry infrastructure as a key factor in his decision. Themes in Ross's songwriting are frequently drawn from authentic personal emotional encounters, such as romantic breakups and periods of self-examination, providing indirect glimpses into his life experiences despite his reticence on private matters.

Career

Early career

Following a football injury in 2016 that ended his tenure as a wide receiver for the Western Mustangs at Western University, Josh Ross shifted his focus to music. The injury, sustained during his college career in Ontario, prompted him to explore songwriting as an alternative path after years immersed in sports including hockey, soccer, motocross racing, and American football. Ross began posting original songs online, which attracted initial notice and resulted in a management agreement with The Core Entertainment. Starting in 2019, he pursued music independently, releasing tracks and performing at local venues in to cultivate a following. These efforts emphasized personal themes drawn from life experiences, helping him connect with listeners through authentic storytelling. His independent singles gained momentum on and streaming services, setting the stage for broader recognition with viral uptake that contributed to over 300 million career streams by 2023. This period of self-directed output from 2019 to 2021 established Ross's presence in the Canadian country scene prior to major label involvement.

2022–2023: Universal Music Group signing and Grey Cup halftime show

In early 2022, Josh Ross signed a with through a with Entertainment, alongside a partnership with Universal Music Group Nashville to facilitate expanded distribution in both Canadian and U.S. markets. The deal, announced on April 14, 2022, marked Ross's transition from independent releases to major-label backing, providing resources for professional production and promotion while retaining creative input through his management team. This arrangement enabled Ross to leverage Universal's infrastructure for wider radio airplay and streaming accessibility, particularly targeting audiences across . Under the new label support, Ross released the single "First Taste of Gone" on February 18, 2022, co-written with Mason Thornley, which explored themes of loss and reflection in a traditional . The track gained traction on Canadian charts, serving as an initial showcase of Ross's songwriting under Universal's promotion. On November 19, 2022, Ross performed at the Twisted Tea Halftime Show during the at Mosaic Stadium in , joining American artists Jordan Davis and (of ) for a collaborative set. As the sole Canadian performer, Ross delivered "On a Different Night" live, capitalizing on the event's national broadcast to over 3 million viewers and amplifying his visibility within Canada's scene. The appearance, billed as a one-time "country all-stars" collaboration, heightened interest from U.S. promoters and labels, aligning with his dual-market strategy post-signing. Building on this momentum, Ross issued "Trouble" on March 10, 2023, his first single explicitly promoted as new material under Universal Music Canada, blending introspective lyrics with pop-country production to signal evolving artistic direction. The release underscored the label deal's role in sustaining output, with "Trouble" charting on Canadian country platforms and foreshadowing Ross's shift toward more radio-friendly hooks in subsequent work.

2024–2025: Complicated EP, Later Tonight album, and chart successes

In 2024, Josh Ross released his eight-song EP Complicated on March 29 via The Core Entertainment and Universal Music Canada. The project included the track "Trouble," which achieved RIAA Gold certification for 500,000 units in the United States. "Single Again," another single from the EP co-written by Ross with Joe and Brad Rempel, marked his breakthrough at U.S. , reaching No. 1 on the chart in July 2025 and becoming the first such hit for a Canadian male artist in nearly 30 years. Ross followed with his debut full-length studio album Later Tonight on September 19, 2025, distributed through MCA, Mercury Nashville, Universal Music , and CORE Records. The 15-track collection, produced by Matt Geroux, expanded on the rock-tinged country sound of prior releases and achieved Gold certification in within its first week. Preceding singles from the album included "My Side of Town," released August 22, 2025, and "Hate How You Look." At the 2025 held March 30 in , Ross received his first win for Country Album of the Year for Complicated. By late 2025, Ross had established a stronger U.S. foothold through Nashville-based promotion and radio airplay, with career streams exceeding 300 million globally across platforms like , where tracks such as "Ain't Doin' Jack" surpassed 80 million plays.

Musical style and influences

Songwriting approach and thematic elements

Josh Ross employs a songwriting process rooted in personal , capturing life events in a dedicated from his youth to chronicle alongside short stories drawn from real circumstances, such as his parents' . His method often starts with verses inspired by fleeting ideas or experiences, followed by choruses, and adapts flexibly based on whether he writes alone or collaboratively, prioritizing the organic evolution of the material over rigid formulas. This contrasts with industry norms by eschewing formulaic Nashville conventions, favoring an intuitive path where he "do[es] what feels right" to maintain unedited authenticity. Thematically, Ross's lyrics center on raw examinations of relationships, regret, emotional turmoil, and self-evolution, transforming personal vulnerabilities into universally resonant narratives without dilution for market appeal. He explicitly frames this as storytelling from "the good, the bad, [and] the ugly" of his own life, aiming for honesty as his "biggest focus" to evoke genuine connection rather than polished tropes. Ross's style emerges from eclectic, non-traditional influences, including his mother's records and his father's rock selections, which inform a hybrid sound fusing power ballads, -pop, and broader genre infusions into core rhythms. This versatility underscores his self-directed trajectory, blending disparate elements like folk-rooted introspection with contemporary edge to sidestep standardized archetypes.

Controversies

2025 pro-United States comments and backlash

During a performance at the Tailgate n' Tallboys country music festival in , on June 14, 2025, Canadian country singer Josh Ross, who relocated to , approximately five years prior, declared that he had moved to "the best f***ing country in the world" while waving a and leading the crowd in a "U.S.A.! U.S.A.!" chant. Ross praised the opportunities available in the American music industry, stating it had enabled his career growth after facing limitations in . The remarks quickly drew backlash from Canadian fans and media outlets, with accusations of disloyalty and ingratitude toward Canada, particularly as Ross was scheduled to perform at Canada Day events organized by Heritage Canada. Coverage in publications such as Exclaim!, CBC News, and Toronto Star highlighted social media jeers labeling Ross as unpatriotic, with some fans calling for boycotts of his shows; the controversy intensified in the lead-up to Canada Day on July 1. Critics in these reports framed the comments as divisive nationalism, though defenders, including some country music commentators, described the reaction as disproportionate hypersensitivity to an artist's expression of personal experience in a foreign market. On June 23, 2025, Ross responded via a TikTok video, apologizing for any unintended offense to Canadians while reaffirming his pride in his roots: "I'm incredibly proud to be Canadian... but I'm also proud of the life I've built here [in the U.S.]." He defended the original statement by emphasizing the U.S.'s professional freedoms and opportunities, such as easier access to Nashville's industry ecosystem, without retracting his view of America's merits. No cancellations of his Canada Day performances or other professional fallout were reported, and Ross continued touring without noted disruptions.

Tours

Headlining and supporting tours

Josh Ross launched his first U.S. headlining tour, the Single Again Tour, on August 28, 2024, in , with subsequent dates in major markets including New York, , Nashville, and . The tour marked a significant expansion into American venues following the release of his Complicated EP, drawing on his growing streaming audience to fill theaters and support his transition from Canadian club shows to larger international stages. In 2025, Ross announced the Later Tonight Tour, commencing February 6 in , , and extending through March 9 in Vancouver, British Columbia, focusing on Canadian markets while building on U.S. momentum from prior headlining efforts. This outing aligned with the September 19 release of his debut Later Tonight, incorporating performances in Nashville during album promotion events on Lower Broadway, reflecting his deepening ties to the U.S. scene. Prior to headlining, Ross built his live presence through supporting slots for major acts, including , , , and , which helped convert streaming fans into concert attendees across North American arenas. Notable sold-out performances include his September 17, 2024, return to Western University in , where he performed for a capacity crowd as a former varsity football player for the Mustangs. These appearances underscored his progression from regional Canadian gigs to broader U.S. exposure, evidenced by inclusions in festivals like Cheyenne Frontier Days and Country Jam in 2025.

Discography

Studio albums

''Later Tonight'' is the debut studio album by Canadian country singer Josh Ross, released on September 19, 2025, through MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Universal Music Canada, and CORE Records. The project consists of 15 original tracks, including the single "Single Again".

Extended plays

Ross's debut extended play, Do What You Love, was independently released on November 20, 2020, and comprises five tracks: "Born with a Boyfriend", "Chevy", "Lips Touch the Bottle", "Do What You Love", and one additional song. His follow-up EP, Complicated, arrived on March 29, 2024, via The Core Entertainment in partnership with Universal Music Canada, containing eight tracks: "Single Again", "Tell Me a Lie", "Truck Girl", "Complicated", "She Don't Smoke", "Trouble", "Burn Back", and "Matching Tattoos". The project was led by the single "Trouble", which received RIAA Gold certification for 500,000 units in the United States.

Singles

Josh Ross's singles have propelled his rise in country music, with multiple chart-topping releases at Canadian and breakthroughs on U.S. charts. Early independent efforts predating his 2022 major-label deal with Universal Music Canada included tracks from his 2020 self-released EP Do What You Love, though specific standalone singles from this period remain lesser-documented beyond initial regional airplay. "Trouble," released in 2023 as his debut major-label single, reached number one on the Canada Country chart and earned RIAA Gold certification in the United States for 500,000 units, reflecting combined sales and streaming equivalents. The track also achieved Double Platinum status in Canada. In 2024, Ross followed with "Single Again," co-written with Joe Fox and Brad Rempel, which topped the U.S. country radio chart in July 2025 after 71 weeks, marking the first such achievement for a Canadian male artist in nearly 30 years. It also hit number one at Canadian country radio and peaked at number 5 on Billboard's chart. "My Side of Town," issued on August 22, 2025, as a promotional single ahead of his debut Later Tonight, explores themes of small-town loyalty and personal resolve, with an accompanying visualizer released concurrently. Other notable singles include "Ain't Doin' Jack," which reached number one on Canadian in 2024, and "Hate How You Look," which debuted at number 46 on the Canada chart in September 2025 and features an official emphasizing emotional introspection.

Awards and nominations

Ross has garnered recognition primarily from Canadian country music institutions, reflecting his rising prominence in the genre domestically. He has yet to secure major awards from United States-based organizations beyond international categories as of October 2025.

Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards

In 2023, Ross received six nominations, including Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year, which he won. At the 2024 CCMA Awards held on September 14, 2024, in , , he secured five wins: Entertainer of the Year presented by Edmonton's Best Hotels, Male , Single of the Year for "Trouble," Album of the Year for Complicated, and Songwriter(s) of the Year shared with co-writers. The 2025 CCMA Awards, held on September 13, 2025, in , , yielded two victories for Ross: Entertainer of the Year and Single of the Year for "Single Again."

JUNO Awards

At the 2025 JUNO Awards on March 30, 2025, in , , Ross won Country Album of the Year for his EP Complicated. He was also nominated for and Juno Fan Choice Award that year.

Country Music Association (CMA) Awards

Ross received the 2024 Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award, presented during the CMA Awards broadcast on November 20, 2024, recognizing international achievements by non-U.S. country artists.

References

Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.