Who will perform at iHeart’s Jingle Ball Village, get mentored by Grammy Winners and Win $10,000? You decide!
Aja Dowlen
Must finish first in their group to advance to the Quarterfinals.
Voting for this round ends on November 9, 2026 at 10:00 PM EST
About Aja Dowlen
I’m Aja Dowlen, a Nashville country-rock artist bringing raw emotion, grit, and unapologetic edge to the scene. My music turns real-life experiences into relatable anthems. I’m ready to stand out, connect, and prove I’m the next star.
Performances & Content from Aja Dowlen
Nashville is Wearing Down On Me Song Preview
Performance Video
Live Performance Video
Ain't No Rest For The Wicked Cover
Ella Langley Cover
Learn More About Aja Dowlen
What makes you the Next Music Star?
I’m the next music star because I’m not trying to fit into one box. I bring country, rock, and raw storytelling together to create something that feels completely like me. My music is honest, edgy, and relatable. I write about heartbreak, loss, chasing a dream, making mistakes, and finding your way back to yourself. I want people to hear my songs and think, “That’s exactly how I feel.” I’ve built my path from the ground up in Nashville, and I’m ready to take everything I’ve created to the next level. I’m not waiting for someone to give me permission to become an artist. I’m already doing it. I just need the opportunity to reach the people who need to hear my music.
What do you love about music and performing?
I love that music can say the things we don't know how to say ourselves. A song can hold an entire memory, heartbreak, or moment in your life. That's why I write. Performing is where everything becomes real for me. I love watching a song that started as something deeply personal become something an audience can make their own. I grew up loving country and rock, so I want my shows to have both emotion and electricity. I want people to sing the words, feel something, and leave feeling like they experienced something rather than just watched a performance. Music is how I connect with people and turn life into something meaningful.
Who are your biggest music inspirations and dream collaborators?
My biggest inspirations are artists who have never been afraid to sound like themselves. I grew up loving country and rock, and artists like Johnny Cash, Jamey Johnson, Kings of Leon, City and Colour, Hayley Williams, and Dave Grohl have shaped the way I approach songwriting and performance. My dream collaborators would be artists who could meet me somewhere between country, rock, and raw storytelling. I would especially love to write with Hayley Williams, Dave Grohl, or Jamey Johnson. I want collaborations that create something neither artist would have made alone. I love bringing different worlds together and seeing what happens.
What would you do with the $10,000 Grand Prize?
I would invest the entire $10,000 into my music career. I’m already building my career as an independent artist, so the money would go toward recording and releasing new music, professional production, mixing and mastering, visual content, promotion, live musicians, rehearsals, equipment, and transportation. I wouldn't treat the prize as money to simply spend. I would use it as fuel to create better music, build my live show, reach more listeners, and create opportunities that keep moving my career forward. Winning would mean more than the money. It would give me momentum and exposure, and I would make that opportunity count.
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Participation supports Musicians On Call, a 501(c)(3) charity, which brings live and recorded music to the bedsides of patients, families and caregivers in healthcare environments.
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