Episode 62

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Published on:

7th Dec 2025

Nicki Bluhm Moved 2,000 Miles to Find Her Real Voice (and Her New Sound on Rancho Deluxe)

The industry wanted virality. She wanted honesty.

Guess who won?

She walked away from the band, the marriage, the map — and somehow walked straight into her true voice.

Nikki Bluhm didn’t plan the reinvention.

She didn’t chase the algorithm.

She didn’t engineer a “moment.”

She just told the truth.

This is a woman whose band once went viral… in a van.

Millions and millions of people watched something recorded on an iPhone, mixed by flipping mics and shuffling bandmates between seats.

But her rebirth didn’t happen in front of millions.

It happened in a quiet little studio called Rancho Deluxe, built on a piece of land where artists walk in, breathe out, and finally relax enough to create something real.

Nikki left everything familiar behind — the band, the tour life, the relationship, the identity she’d built for a decade.

She moved 2,000 miles for a fresh start.

Recorded with people who didn’t know her pain.

And rebuilt her artistic compass from the inside out.

Because here’s the truth she discovered:

👉 You don’t need chaos to make great art.

👉 You don’t need drama to write something that matters.

👉 You don’t need to go viral to be real.

You need presence.

You need honesty.

You need soul.

And Rancho Deluxe became the ground where she reclaimed all three.

If you’ve ever felt crushed by the pressure to “perform” online…

If the noise, the speed, the expectations have ever made you forget why you started…

If you’re longing for something more grounded, more human, more you

Nikki’s story will feel like fresh air.

🎙️ Subscribe now to Americana Curious.

Real art. Real stories. Real soul.

Let’s get Americana Curious.

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About the Podcast

Americana Curious
Interviews from Americana Artist Inspiring the World
The podcast that unearths hidden Americana gems, shares untold stories from legends, and proves music still has the power to move us all.

If you believe Americana music can transform the world, you’re in the right place.

Too many overlook its raw beauty and power to connect, heal, and inspire. We spotlight the artists carrying that torch — unsung heroes writing the soundtrack to something bigger.

Each week, hosts Ben Fanning and Zach Schultz bring you intimate, entertaining conversations with artists changing the world one song at a time — like Old Crow Medicine Show, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, The Wood Brothers, American Aquarium, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and rising stars you’ll soon love.

You’ll discover:
• New music to love
• Hard-earned lessons from the road
• The stories behind your favorite songs
• Big inspiration — and a good laugh

Join us to celebrate the voices, values, and stories that keep Americana alive — and prove why music still matters.

About your hosts

Ben Fanning

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Top 2% Podcast Host, #1 Best Selling Author, Inc. Magazine Columnist--Americana Superfan!

Zach Schultz

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Connoisseur of quality music. Lover of all things Americana. Inspired by authenticity. Self-proclaimed “King of Merch”.