Juno nominee Noeline Hofmann admits one song she wrote and recorded—Purple Gas — changed her life. “I just posted the video, and it gained traction on its own and eventually came across Zach’s ears, and he just loved the song,” Hofmann told CTV News. She’s referring to Grammy winner Zach Bryan, who recorded Purple Gas as a duet with Hofmann on his album The Great American Bar Scene. It’s also been featured in the Paramount+ series Landman. Hofmann said she and Bryan found common ground in their rural upbringings. “Oklahoma and Alberta have a lot in common. I got to spend some time out there, and (we were) both just good old country kids,” Hofmann said. Hofmann has already performed four times at the Grand Ole Opry, most recently with Country Music Hall-of-Famer Ricky Skaggs. “The first time I visited the Grand Ole Opry as a fan, he was on the bill. So, it was a very cool, full-circle moment to get to share a stage with Ricky on the Opry stage and get to meet him.” Hofmann is this year’s SiriusXM Top of the Country winner, and she’ll be up for a Juno as Breakthrough Artist of the Year on March 29 in Hamilton. She’ll also perform in Calgary as part of Country Thunder, which runs from June 26 to 28.
