Florida born and Wisconsin raised Kirstie Kraus moved to Nashville in 2017 to further pursue her flourishing career as a solo recording artist and songwriter following her time in country-rock bands up in the midwest. The band she had started was named Thirsty Jones - her fans are now nicknamed The Thirsties as an homage to that period and a fun rhyming play on words to her name. Kirstie's unique music style is a blend of modern country with bluesy rock tones and funky bass lines bubbling under the surface. 

Since permanently relocating to Music City, Kirstie has toured across the US and internationally and has opened for some of country’s biggest stars including Thomas Rhett, Kip Moore, LANCO, Eric Paslay, Brandy Clark, Walker Hayes, Pam Tills, Brothers Osborne, and Randy Houser to name a few. In 2023 her breakout year for the UK arrived with her playing the coveted C2C Festival at the O2 Arena in London. Her fanbase in Britain has grown considerably and her name further rose up the ranks with her 2023 duet single ‘Who Am I Gonna Love’ with Thomas Kavanagh which rendered support from Apple Music, Absolute Radio, BBC Introducing, CountryLine Radio and many more radio and media outlets around the world. The following year, in 2024, she embarked on a 5 week UK tour and is now preparing for her third UK return in 2025. 

The last two years growing success was built on a standout 2022, which saw Kraus releasing her debut album ‘Yes You Can’, supported with a six-month headline tour across America. The LP comprised 11 tracks including the hit singles ‘Bird’, ‘Thirsty’, and ‘Silver’. The project was a roaring success and earned Kraus multiple accolades such as 7x nominations from the Women of Country, and the Josie Music Awards. In 2024, she was honored with the Artist of the Year - Country Music Female award at the Josie Music Award, which she accepted on the iconic Grand Ole Opry stage. 

Her collaborative spirit has become a defining part of her artistry. Now on her seventh duet, Kirstie continues to showcase her knack for writing and executing a vision that brings out both artists’ strengths. One of her most notable releases, Largo with Mike Nash, is a seamless blend of country and trop rock that has garnered major attention in the community—solidifying Kirstie as a main stay next-gen star of trop rock and landing her on the lineups of the genre’s biggest festivals. 

Having been performing and writing long before the age of 11, Kraus understands the nuances of her artistry and through that, she is able to create songs that highlight her signature tone and dynamic personality. You only have to take a look at her catalog, industry support, and growing international fanbase for this independent artist make it clear to see that country music is where she belongs and that she is rightly taking Nashville by storm.

Currently, Kraus is working on new music after releasing two singles in both standard mix and Atmos with Grammy-winning Immersive Audio producer Jeff Huskins (BMG Studio A). Her singles 'Beaches Be Crazy' and the anthemic female duet 'Dab a Dolly' found their way to BBC Breakfast, WSM Radio, Spotify’s All New Country Editorial Playlist, WSMB Channel 4, The Ty Bentli Show on Apple Music, and The Country Network—while fans still hold out hope it will one day land in the hands of Dolly Parton herself. Kirstie is also continuing her role as host for CountryLineTV and The Heartland Network.