The Nash Next Challenge is down to its 10 finalists, and in the lead-up to the announcement of the champion on Oct. 25, NCD will be profiling each of the 10 finalists.

Today, we are getting to know finalist Brittany Pfantz.

In July, Cumulus Media and Big Machine Label Group invited aspiring country artists and bands to participate in the Nash Next Challenge, an artist development competition where the winner will receive a recording contract with Big Machine Label Group and have an original song produced by Jay DeMarcus, which will garner national radio airplay on Cumulus Media radio stations across the U.S.

The winner of the Nash Next Challenge will be crowned on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at Mercy Lounge in Nashville. The event, which will also feature a performance from Trent Harmon, is open to the public from 7–10 p.m.

Brittany Pfantz

Age: 25
Twitter: @Bpfantz
Radio Market: Lake Charles, La.

NCD: How did you get started in music?

Brittany: I saw someone playing ukulele and thought it was quirky and cute, so I got one for Christmas in 2012. I received some encouragement and started writing songs and haven’t stopped since.

Who are your musical influences?

I don’t really listen to anyone enough that sings my style of music. When I started out I was listening to a girl named Selah Sue and she was highly influenced by Lauryn Hill. I get a little influence from all of the genres I listen to.

What three words describe you?

Spontaneous, driven, compassionate.

What would you say is unique about your sound?

What’s unique about my sound is that no one else has it. Maybe some other people could sound similar but no one has the same life experiences and emotion that go with the sound. You can hear those feelings in my sound.

What three albums would you take to a deserted island?

Bethel Music’s The Loft Sessions, Snarky Puppy’s Family Dinner and any album by Johann Sebastian Bach.

What’s your favorite song to cover?

“Valerie” by Amy Winehouse.

What’s the last song you heard that blew you away?

“Hum” by Adult Jazz blew me away when I heard it. That dude has crazy vocals.

Where is the craziest place you’ve performed?

The craziest place I’ve performed is probably at a little restaurant in Belize. I guess it’s because I wasn’t expecting to play and it just kinda fell in my lap.

What’s the first thing you do after a show?

I unplug my monitor and then talk to the people that come up to the stage. Then I kiss my boyfriend [laughing].

What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done onstage?

Only embarrassing thing I’ve done is miss some guitar chords. I have only been performing for one year so I’m sure there is a lot more than that coming my way.