Sound advice from Cam and a study in Kelsea Ballerini helped #LetTheGirlsPlay artist Tiera find her true road to country music. The Alabama native and recent high school graduate is Taste of Country's featured female performer for August 2016.

“I really look up to Cam,” Tiera says. “I got a chance to talk to her after the show and she just offered me words of encouragement for my career.” The 18-year-old says the "Burning House" singer asked her not repeat what she said, before adding that had to do with the business side of the music business.

It's advice she's taken to heart. Tiera has become a student of country music as a career, reading all she can from respected educators and forming her own, scholarship-winning business before she graduated. Musically, she's more in line Ballerini — an artist whose songs she deconstructed to learn how to write on her own.

"I studied their songs so I guess I sort of modeled my songs after them a little bit,” she says.

Nashville is not quite in Tiera's field of vision, as she's going to complete her college degree before looking into Music City. She's a frequent Song Suffragettes performer, taking the stage on Monday nights to play the Listening Room in Nashville. Listen to an original song called "Missin' You Tonight" below, and then read about this talented female's journey so far.

Listen to Tiera Sing "Missin' You Tonight" 

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