Growing up in a blue-collar steel-mill town in Illinois, Bugg once thought she might become a lawyer — but always knew her path would ultimately lead to music. In a household shaped by hard work and creativity, her father played drums in local bands and at family gatherings. She learned early that dreaming big only matters if you’re willing to put in the work to back it up. Whether it was her parents picking up extra jobs or bartering home repairs in exchange for piano lessons from a relative, this foundation instilled a lasting belief in Bugg: anything is possible, but no one’s going to do it for you.

By 13, Bugg was already performing in local coffee houses, channeling her experiences into songs that felt both deeply personal and universally resonant. Growing up in a conservative, tight-knit town made that sense of belonging complicated — a tension that would later become central to her songwriting.

Reflecting on that experience, Bugg shares: “Growing up queer in a town like that, you feel different before you even understand why. I wanted to fit in so badly, but at the same time I knew I wasn’t meant to stay — and I think that tension really shaped the way I write and how I see the world. My parents always told me anything you want is within reach, as long as you’re willing to work for it — and that stuck with me. Nobody’s going to do it for you. I think everything I make comes from that place of wanting to be as honest as possible about where I’m at, even when it’s uncomfortable.”

In January 2024, she began posting a cover a day on TikTok, and her version of “Tummy Hurts” by Reneé Rapp quickly went viral (watch here), bringing in more than 110,000 new followers. Rather than stay in the cover lane, Bugg made a decisive shift to original music, steadily building a fanbase with a prolific output of songs that reflect her lived experience with striking clarity and intention.

Now with more than 200K TikTok followers, a tour opening for Hey Nothing,, and her debut album in the works, Aubory is living her best life in Nashville, surrounded by a thriving community of artists and collaborators. The album captures a pivotal chapter for this exciting new artist — navigating identity, independence, and the emotional weight of leaving home.