Alexandra Kay and Emily Ann Roberts are among those who are receiving a massive honor from the Grand Ole Opry. The two are joined by Tyler Braden, Carter Faith, Vincent Mason, Hudson Westbrook, Jake Worthington, Graham Barham, and Willow Avalon in being part of the Opry NextStage Class of 2026.
According to the Grand Ole Opry, Opry NextStage “spotlights a new generation of artists on the rise. Each year, a new class is selected—artists with the talent, the stories, and the sound to define what’s next.”
Kay, Mason, and Avalon were unable to attend the event at the Grand Ole Opry last night, celebrating their inclusion in the NextStage Class of 2026.
What Ella Langley Tells the Opry NextStage Class of 2026
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Ella Langley, part of the 2024 Opry NextStage class, addressed the Opry NextStage Class of 2026, ahead of her Grand Ole Opry performance, honoring Ronnie Milsap.
“My Opry debut, I forgot who told me this, but it was right before I walked out on stage. I was so nervous,” Langley recalls. “And he said, ‘Just take it in, every time you set foot up here.’ And I made that a point, every time I play the Opry, where you just take that in. ‘Cause there is no place like this in country music that you get to play. And it just goes down in history, time and time again, how many legendary acts have stood in that circle.
“So just feel that moment,” she adds, “and be proud of yourself for standing there, ’cause you deserve standing there.”
Emily Ann Roberts Speaks Out About Being Part Of the Opry NextStage Class of 2026
A fan of the Grand Ole Opry since her first visit, when she watched Vince Gill captivate the audience, Roberts is thrilled to be part of the Opry NextStage Class of 2026.
“It means the world to be a part of the NextStage Class of 2026,” Roberts says. “And I think that all of us would agree that we grow up dreaming of just having the opportunity to stand on that stage once. Just once. It never gets old. Every single time I get the invitation to come back, it feels like the first time, every single time.
“So it means the world,” she continues. “And I also think that it makes me think I better put my big girl britches on, and do my best. Because if the Opry’s giving me this stamp of approval, I better live up to it.”