Former Ridiculousness star Chanel West Coast has revealed the inspiration behind her transition into country music during an interview at the MTV VMAs 2026.
Speaking to E! News reporter Keltie Knight on the red carpet, the musician explained that her decision to enter the genre in 2025 went far beyond a change of image.
"I love being in country and really being a female representing from the West Coast in country," West Coast said. "There's no females that are repping country from the West. We're out here to rep for the Wild West outlaws."
The television personality, whose real name is Chelsea Chanel Dudley, noted that her fan base has embraced her new musical chapter.
"The country fans are loving it," she said. "The TV fans from Ridiculousness are loving it. It's really blowing up for me, overnight type of thing."
Background on television career and musical shift
West Coast first gained fame as a co-host on the MTV viral clip series Ridiculousness. Before expanding into country music, she pursued hip-hop and pop tracks, developing a multi-genre repertoire.
Earlier in 2026, she demonstrated her commitment to versatility by releasing her single "Giddy Up."
In a statement released in February shortly after the track's launch, she explained that she did not want to limit herself to a single genre.
"'Giddy Up' is a country-pop record, but it's really about bridging worlds," she said at the time. "I wanted it to feel familiar to country fans while still hitting for pop, hip-hop, and dance listeners too."
Support among female artists at the VMAs
The MTV Video Music Awards gathered artists across multiple genres to celebrate and support each other's work.
Singer Bebe Rexha also shared a story on the red carpet, recalling how pop superstar Taylor Swift showed solidarity when Rexha struggled to find a designer for the Grammy Awards in 2019.
In a separate exclusive interview with E! News, Rexha explained that Swift reached out to her directly during a difficult moment.
"I couldn't find a dress, and she had reached out to me because we're the same age," Rexha said. "I thought that was really, really, really kind of her. Nobody really reached out, like some people did, but for her, at such a high level, to make me feel like I belong was really, really nice."
Rexha noted that Swift's gesture highlighted how women in the music industry can support one another at the highest levels of pop music.
The red carpet event featured appearances by numerous performers across pop, hip-hop, rock, and country.
