Laura Joy won the Songwriter Contest at the Great River Folk Fest 2017, and it's no mystery why. The young Phoenix-to-Chicago transplant has talent far beyond her actual miles. And what's more, "Laura Joy has been known to quell dark, angry bars full of ornery old Irishmen".

A revisit to 6 powerful performers from the end of 2017, sampling some of the musical styles we heard, including kirtan, pop, folk, rap/hip-hop, and country, and you'll encounter stories and songs from folk like Heidi Kalyani in Nova Scotia, Laura Joy in Chicago, Jen Hazen in Eau Claire instead of prison, Alex Mead in Buffalo, NY, Dawud Wharnsby in Kitchener, Ontario, and Elizabeth Erin Kemler, with a cowgirl heart in New York. Click on their names to listen to the full interviews.