VICTORIA DOWDY: Best of Memphis

SHOWCASING the best of the city’s up-and-coming artists, singer-songwriter VICTORIA DOWDY is the second musician to enter our BEST OF MEMPHIS Hall of Fame.

Initially featured on MusicLoveMusic in February [see below] Dowdy has had a busy 2025, mixing time on her solo career, with her second project, ‘Oakwalker.’

“Thank you for adding me to your work,” she said, “And yes, right now I am performing frequently with my main project the duo, ‘Oakwalker’ with Ethan Baker, the violinist and songwriter. Our latest single, ‘Wolves,’ was released in April. I’ve also released two solo singles within the past year, ‘Meet In The Middle’ in the fall of 2024, and ‘10AM’ in February of this year.”

Although possessing an abundance of natural talent, Dowdy has often spoken of her earlier live performances being plagued by imposter syndrome – however, maturity and experience have now rewarded her with the faith to turn that to her advantage.

“Even with confidence and assurance, I feel like it’s always there. I view it as a good thing to have a little to keep you grounded. If you’re completely self-assured with no doubt or need to revise and improve, you’ve plateaued. But I do feel like I’ve paid my musical ‘introductory dues.’ Now I’m working on honing my skills further and improving myself, but I don’t think it’s for artists to say it’s ‘their time’ or we would think it’s our time all the time. I’m obviously concerned with spreading the news about my work, but at the end of the day I’m working more on improving the work and hopefully in time that will draw more of an audience.”

An accomplished singer and guitarist from an early age, Dowdy put her potential on display when presenting a cover version of one of the world’s greatest love songs – an interpretation that surely is now long overdue for a Dowdy update.

”I hadn’t planned on it, but it is a song I sing along to whenever I hear it. I love looking for new covers, and you’ve reintroduced a new/old one to me! Sometimes as a musician it’s hard to comb through all the songs we know and decide which ones to cover, so you’ve done me a favor here!”

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Victoria Dowdy interview, first published February 2025:

‘TOUCHED BY THE SPIRIT OF ELVIS ON UNION AVENUE,’

MEMPHIS SINGER-SONGWRITER VICTORIA DOWDY SET FOR A TRIUMPHANT 2025

OUT now from native Memphian singer-songwriter VICTORIA DOWDY, the country-tinged new single, ‘10AM.’

Perhaps better known for her role in the Folk-Americana duo ‘Oakwalker,’ Dowdy plans to increase her music’s audience by releasing a series of solo singles throughout 2025.

A guitarist from the age of ten, Dowdy initially performed in choirs, talent shows, and amateur showcases before beginning her professional music career in late 2019, with her performances today often showcasing a mix of her love of oldies, folk, country, and modern popular music.

But also evident is that undeniable Memphis sound, the supernatural ingredient that sets the southern city well apart from the rest of the music world.  

“If you asked about the spirits and the vibe of those who have walked the streets of Memphis before me, I will say I have always been drawn to the music that came out of here even since I was toddler and knew nothing about music production and distribution or that Memphis was so heavily involved in it,” she said.

“I saw Elvis on TV as a toddler and crawled up to the screen to watch him in awe. The rich history of music made in Memphis has influenced me not only because I am a fan of what came out of Sun Studio and Stax and Hi, but also because those records and artists influenced the contemporary local musicians who I play with and have learned from over the last several years.

“Every time I play with a new group of people, whether they are opening the show for my band or I’m sitting in with theirs, I learn something new and apply it to how I write and perform, even if it is only in subtle ways. You can’t help but be affected by the people around you, and I’m thankful for that in this case.”

Connect with VICTORIA DOWDY HERE