Southern soul is having a moment. These Georgia acts are keeping it afloat.

But, for singer Tonio Armani, the musical subgenre boils down to a more literal phrase: “Soul from the southern point of view.”

Over the past year, Southern soul — a mix of blues, country and gospel that originated in the 1960s — has received a giant boost, mainly thanks to the virality of “Boots on the Ground” by South Carolina native 803Fresh. The December 2024 song and its accompanying line dancing routine became a staple everywhere this year, from summer block parties to Beyoncé concerts.

In Georgia, two rising stars are helping to sustain the sound’s popularity: Armani and Mike Clark Jr. Both will make their One Musicfest debut on Sunday at the event’s first “trailride” set, featuring music inspired by trailride culture.

And both are close to garnering mainstream attention while staying rooted in the soul tradition.

He cites Al Green, whom Armani said “was singing gospel the whole time, but it sounded like it was R&B,” as an early influence. Armani’s brand of Southern soul leads with a firm faith in God.

“They’d have devotion, where they just come in (the sanctuary) and sing together,” the 38-year-old said about his childhood church. Then, they’d pray and give you the word, but before they’d give you the word, they’d get a selection from the choir. And that’s pretty much what I’m doing with my shows.”

The singer, who attended Kendrick High School, spent a decade in the Army (where he discovered the power of his voice while leading drill ceremonies) before pursuing a music career in 2017.

He hit his stride this year because of the success of his single “Country Girl (Trailride Version).” The song peaked in the top 10 on the urban adult contemporary chart on Mediabase, a database that monitors radio airplay. Its groovy, down-home energy inspired a trendy line dance on TikTok, where the track has been used in nearly 40,000 posts.

“Help Me Find My Drawls,” his other popular song, is as witty as it is bluesy.

Armani, who now resides in Raleigh, North Carolina, is signed to Death Row Records and is excited for the opportunity to take Southern soul even farther.

Mike Clark Jr. wants to spread that same love, especially with audiences his age.

The 21-year-old Macon native has a silky baritone that often belies his youth. Consequently, Clark is used to receiving criticism from naysayers.

“They’re wasting their time with him,” Clark recalls seeing some people say about him. “He ain’t gonna do nothing. His music won’t do any numbers.”

Clark attended Northeast High School, where he played football. He didn’t want to go to college. Instead, he stayed home and worked at places like Applebee’s and McDonald’s. Clark also worked in security after almost enlisting in the military.

Music was always in him, though. His dad was a DJ, and his mom led the church choir. In his household, he’d hear his mom and six siblings randomly break into song. Clark knew he could sing, too, but he never thought about pursuing it as a career.

That was until 2022, when he posted a TikTok video of himself casually singing one verse of “Lovers & Friends” by Lil Jon, Usher and Ludacris. To date, the video has over 1 million views. He continued that momentum by releasing his own songs like “Auntie Outside” and “Round and Round.”

The following year, Clark signed with legendary Atlanta producer Mr. Collipark. His 2025 breakout single “Keep on Steppin” led to a partnership with Atlantic Records this summer. “Keep on Steppin,” infused with heavy stomping, became so popular online that it anchored Clark’s EP of the same name.

Armani and Clark have rigorous performance schedules, which include shows every weekend — mainly across the South. Though they’re both signed to major labels, they’re tasked with presenting the ’60s-era style of music to new audiences.

In January, Atlanta’s Classix 102.9 FM added Southern soul to its old-school R&B rotation.

Derek Harper, the operations manager for Radio One (which oversees 102.9), said his team had conversations about the move for over a year, after witnessing Southern soul’s growing popularity.

“In the large southern markets, (Southern soul) never really had a place on the radio, but the Southern soul shows that come to town traditionally sell out, so the discussion was, there has to be a radio home that serves them,” Harper said. “And in a city like Atlanta, which is the mecca for Black culture, we’re supposed to have a station devoted to it.”

Harper said the station has even hosted its own Southern soul concerts, adding that the subgenre “puts the fun back in music.”

For One Musicfest founder J. Carter, adding a set dedicated to Southern soul was necessary. The two-day festival, held in Piedmont Park, will feature Future, the Dungeon Family, Doechii and The Roots.

Along with Armani and Clark, the trailride set also features acts 803Fresh, Cupid, Big Chad Reed and Sky Whatley. Carter said Southern soul “brings more energy to what Black music has to offer.”