It’s time to take the horses OUT of the stable for S. Dott!
While TikTok teems with “yeehaw” edits and cowboy-core fashion trends dominate festivals and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, there’s a southern soul artist galloping ahead and inviting ladies to his trailride.
S.Dott, the Lawell, Louisiana native and Zydeco trailblazer behind the viral sensation “Cowgirl Trailride,” has been riding and bringing his signature Zydeco sound to the masses. And for him, the jubilant blend of accordion-driven Creole rhythm, Southern soul, and down-home revelry is in his blood.
Raised in a family steeped in Zydeco tradition, his brother Jody White and uncles Lee and Ricky Richard are all part of the legendary Hotline Brand. S.Dott’s musical roots stretch back to his childhood.
“I used to be in the band with Leon [Chavis] for about 12 years,” he told BOSSIP. “My first single ‘Flow Line’ went viral in 2020, and I’ve been solo ever since then.”
He continued,
“When I was younger, I was attached to my brother. I used to love to watch them set up and just show that I could get in,” he said. “I grew up playing the drums… I found my love for music from following them and watching them. They were people that I looked up to.”
And though his path started with sports—he initially pursued football—music became the more fruitful trail. As he honed his craft as a producer, songwriter, and performer, S.Dott developed what he calls New Wave Zydeco: a genre-bending style that incorporates rapping, singing, and the timeless groove of traditional Creole music.
“I rap sometimes in my song,” said S. Dott. “I might sing one verse, rap one verse. I don’t think that’s ever been done in history. Just different little components I’m adding in there to really make it my own.”
His approach has birthed modern Zydeco staples like “Slow Wind”, a beloved slow groove that’s remained a festival favorite and social media mainstay for nearly five years. But it’s “Cowgirl Trailride” that’s now charging full speed into the mainstream.
Thousands of TikToks and dance videos later, the song’s impact is unmistakable. It’s become a cultural marker for “Cowboy Summer”—a southern-fried counterpart to “Hot Girl Summer,” curated through sound, soul, and stage presence.
Ultimately, S. Dott says Zydeco is about movement, both physical and spiritual.
“I always run into that question,” he said when asked to define the genre for those unfamiliar. “I describe it as the main instrument is the accordion… which is an instrument that they used to wash clothes on back in the day. It’s basically a cultural thing from southwest Louisiana… a mixture of blues and R&B. Everything put together from good gumbo — and then you have Zydeco.”
He might be introducing it to new audiences, but to him, Zydeco is just life, even if it’s officially become part of 2025’s “Cowboy Summer.”
“What’s happening right now as far as the whole entire movement… You can always find somebody with the boots and a hat,” said S.Dott to BOSSIP. “Sometimes I purposely don’t want to wear no boots because I’ve been wearing boots 20 years. It’s just a different thing when you really grew up in that era.”
“You can go to the corner where I’m from, and you’re gonna run into five, six cowboys. That’s what they do,” he added. “We enjoy your cowboy hat and your look and all that, and I’ll be like, I’m so tired of that sometimes… but I appreciate it all.”
For new fans looking to dip their boots into the Zydeco waters, S.Dott suggests starting with “Meet Me at the Trail Ride”, a collaboration with Leon Chavis that balances tradition with modern flair.
“It’s not too fast,” he said. “Zydeco can be overpowering for people that have never heard it before with the accordion and all of the instruments happening. Cowgirl Trailride has a nice mellow, a nice little groove… That would be one of the songs of mine for sure that I would have you check out.”
Looking ahead, he’s staying focused and dedicated to “just staying on top of the business.”
“Not rushing anything. The elevation with the song every day is just crazy, soI I’m just doing the best I can to capitalize on a movement that’s happening right now,” he said.
And capitalize he has.
You can ride along with S.Dott during Cowboy Summer by following him on all platforms at @Real_SDott.
