HEY NOW Records has signed California singer-songwriter and guitarist Kyle Schuesler, marking the boutique independent label’s first signing from the ground up.
The 22-year-old Huntington Beach native arrives at HEY NOW following a run of independently released singles and growing momentum as a live performer and songwriter. His music draws from the rich Southern California traditions of Laurel Canyon, Topanga and beyond, blending elements of folk, roots, country, rock and acoustic pop into a sound that resists easy categorization. “We have been looking for a very special, singular voice for HEY NOW — someone who carries that sense of truth, life and music forward with the same electric presence the best artists across so many genres have,” says Kris Lamb, HEY NOW Records president and co-founder. “Announcing Kyle as our first-from-the-ground-up artist is as exciting as anything we’ve done.”
Photo: Elsa Nagle
HEY NOW arrives at this new chapter following a major run with Kenny Chesney’s “Carry On,” which delivered the independent label’s first complete radio-panel lock on a first-week single. The campaign was followed by Chesney’s 100th charting single and his rise to the country artist with the most Billboard Country Airplay Top 10 singles, as well as the most No. 1s. “To follow that kind of momentum, we knew we would need a very special artist,” Lamb says. “But we couldn’t be more thrilled to announce our first signing being Kyle Schuesler, a West Coast-based roots songwriter who has a way of wrapping his songs around emotions most people miss — but they’re the ones that really define our lives.”
Schuesler’s musical DNA reflects the freedom and California atmosphere associated with artists including Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, The Beach Boys and Jackson Browne, while remaining distinctly his own. His songs carry the feel of sun-baked roads, ocean air and restless young adulthood without becoming a nostalgic recreation of the past. “People don’t really know what to call it: indie, alt-folk, acoustic-pop, coastal country,” Schuesler says. “I’m not sure why people feel they need to label it instead of just listening and enjoying the music. The things I love don’t fit in boxes — Noah Kahan, The Lumineers, Zach Bryan — but they feel right when you hear them. That’s what drew me to HEY NOW. No one at the label cared what it was as much as how much they loved these songs.”
After independently releasing 12 singles, Schuesler signed with Liz Rose Music, opening the door to a new chapter in his songwriting. In recent months, he has collaborated with Nashville writers including Tom Douglas, Jaren Johnston, Ryan Hurd, Troy Cartwright, Joe Fox and Lauren McLamb. His live résumé has continued to grow as well, with appearances at South by Southwest and Coastal Country Jam, along with opening dates for artists including Vance Joy, Alana Springsteen, Evan Honer, Jonah Kagen and Logan Crosby. “Kyle has such a unique way of merging styles,” Lamb says. “It’s seamless, all these genres that people love, as his own sound. As a vocalist, not only does his voice have a real warmth that draws you in, he can do things very few singers can.” Schuesler will continue writing while preparing to enter the studio in the coming months. New music from the California artist is expected on HEY NOW Records in late 2026.