A little over a year ago, Canadian singer/songwriter Noeline Hofmann was only a few months into making a full-time go at her music career, networking and playing small local shows around her hometown in rural Alberta. Armed with a powerful, husky voice and a remarkable clarity and acuity in her songwriting, Hofmann quickly proved that her music resonated well beyond her home province.

"In a life having the upper hand's a myth/ Your only fighting chance is too stubborn to quit," the rising country star sings on her debut single, "Purple Gas," which she released as a duet with Zach Bryan in June. The song didn't just become her breakout hit — it helped her check off career milestones within a matter of months.

In 2024 alone, the now-21-year-old released the duet with Bryan and put out her first EP of the same name; signed a record deal; landed on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; opened for Colter Wall, Wyatt Flores, Charley Crockett, Turnpike Troubadours, and Shane Smith & the Saints; played Americanafest; and made her Grand Ole Opry debut. And she already has a promising 2025 lined up, opening for 49 Winchester and playing Stagecoach in April, and performing at Under the Big Sky Festival in July.

Hofmann's rise stands in contrast to the characters whose stories propelled it — the lyrical, haunting "Purple Gas" is about the dual resignation and resilience she witnessed in rural agricultural communities growing up, and working as a ranch hand in Manitoba after high school. "You can dull the edge, you can look ahead/ But can't get there, it goes on forever," she sings, neatly laying out the delicate balance between determination to keep going, and acceptance of the hand you've been dealt.

The rest of Hofmann's debut album includes stories of similar mettle: the dual intoxication and grit of "Rodeo Junkies"; a scorned but steadfast woman, "One Hell of a Woman"; perseverance through tragedy, "August"; and the slyly autobiographical "Lighting in July (Prairie Fire)" about an underestimated person. Each song is a lesson she's learned, which gave her the determination to go for her dreams when she got the chance.

"Growing up where I did, there was no real life example of [a music career]," she tells GRAMMY.com. "It really felt outlandish to even admit something like that to somebody, but it was always in my heart."

Before the pandemic, Hofmann, new driver's license in hand, planned to try to play shows, now that she could drive herself. Instead, with live music on hold — and no interest in going to college online — she took the ranch hand job, motivated by her musical ambitions to keep going through the long hours.

"It's always been a North Star, no matter what I've been doing," Hofmann says. "The lessons I've learned in other jobs and work experience and grit, it's all connected."

Fresh off her first official headlining shows, Hofmann talked to GRAMMY.com about her whirlwind breakout year. In her own words, she reflects on some of the biggest moments.

Releasing Her First Song

I was eating breakfast on Canadian Thanksgiving last year, when my phone started blowing up. Two days earlier, I'd thrown up my new song, "Purple Gas" on TikTok, without much thought, because I'd never had a successful video on there. When I woke up the next morning, it was kind of comical how many notifications I had. People really connected to the video.

Then I got a message from a photographer in Montana, who suggested I post the song to Instagram Reels, too. When I did, I messaged him. At the time, I didn't think much of his response, which was something like, "Oh my buddy Zach is going to like this." But when I woke up that next morning, my phone was full of messages from friends and I had a notification that Zach Bryan had shared my video. I didn't think it was real.

I messaged Zach to thank him, still not expecting anything else to come of it. But we started chatting and he said, "You know, this would be amazing on The Belting Bronco" [Bryan's acoustic video series recorded in the back of his 1988 Ford Bronco] and he invited me down.

After I recorded that video in December, we kept in touch, and Zach eventually told me he wanted to put "Purple Gas" on his next album, and asked if we could record it as a duet. I didn't know it was going to be a single until he called me and asked about releasing it a few days later. His team helped me get a Spotify profile set up, [we released it June 6,] and "Purple Gas" debuted at No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts on June 22.

Signing To La Honda Records

Colter Wall was my gateway drug into modern alternative country and Americana music. My parents are both music fans and we listened to a lot of classic country, but I didn't hear a lot of contemporary music growing up.

Around the time I started to discover my own music tastes, my uncle played me Colter Wall; he had his album Colter Wall on vinyl and we were just hanging out shooting pool and he put on the record. I'll never forget that, because I couldn't believe that music I heard was made recently; I fell in love with it.

It really inspired me, especially because Colter is Canadian. I'd always had a dream to make my own music, and Colter's music gave me a modern example. Colter was on La Honda Records, so I thought they were so cool, and discovered and loved other La Honda artists. I loved how intentional they were, it just felt so real. We're in a resurgence right now of the true songwriter and the true artist. And to me, La Honda stood for that authenticity that I aspired to.

Going On Her First Tour

One of my most memorable shows this year truly was night one of the Charley Crockett tour. I'd never been on tour before, and I will never forget it. There was so much build up to this tour and so many unknowns, so much energy going into that first night. I will always remember that first step onto stage and thinking that it felt like the first step of the rest of my life; it felt like it was a really monumental moment.

Night one was in Vancouver [British Columbia] at the Commodore Ballroom, a legendary Canadian music venue, which as a Canadian musician you hope you get the chance to play one day. It was the biggest crowd I'd ever played to and the band and I had rehearsed for the month prior.

Because Charley is such an icon to me, I felt a lot of responsibility and that I had a lot to prove; I took that very seriously. I had so much anxious energy — this was before I had any music out — and it was game time. I didn't have the choice to panic, I had to bring it, and we brought it and it was amazing.

Recording Her EP Purple Gas (And Meeting Wynonna Judd)

We recorded the album at Wynonna Judd and husband Cactus Moser's studio that they have on their property. When we started out, we were just going to record two tracks, and then with the "Purple Gas" single in the picture we decided to do a couple more, and eventually to make a full EP so people would have something else to listen to. I would go into the studio a little bit at a time between touring.

We first recorded "One Hell of a Woman" and "August." And Wynonna surprised me at my very first studio session. Everybody saw her before me. We were trying to chart out a song and I was playing and focused. And then I turned around and gave her a big hug, and we had cheeseburgers and hung out. She's the sweetest, and I'm so glad we got to be at their place — that made it magical as well.

Playing The Opry

My family loves country music, so to me, the Grand Ole Opry has always been the peak of country music. My whole family came down, and friends.

Stepping into the circle for the first time, I was overcome by emotion and shivers and everything, it was really magical. Also, the Oak Ridge Boys were there the same night, and I've always loved their music, especially "Leaving Louisiana in the Broad Daylight." I think some of the story of that song I've always been like, "Oh, this song is about me."

There were lots of those mystic, full-circle moments that you just can't make up when those things happen. I cannot believe it actually happened. In a lot of ways, I feel like I haven't had a chance to catch my breath since that day, to really sit in the moment. But oh man, it was such a highlight of my year.