Thelma & James

Thelma & James is a musical duo composed of MacKenzie Porter and Jake Etheridge. Both artists maintained individual music careers for over a decade in Nashville before forming their collaboration. MacKenzie Porter, born on January 29, 1990, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, started her musical journey early, studying piano, violin, and voice from age four. She toured with her brother, Kalan Porter, a Canadian Idol winner, in a family band. After moving to Vancouver to pursue acting, she also formed the band The Black Boots and launched a solo career in 2010. Porter won the 2011 Nashville North Star competition and released her debut self-titled album in 2014. Her acting career includes roles in “Dinosapien” (2007) and a leading role in the television series “Travelers” (2016-2018), for which she earned a Best Actress in Alberta award for her role in the 2008 TV film “The Other Woman”.

In 2018, Porter signed with Big Loud, a Nashville-based label, becoming their first Canadian artist. She achieved significant success with four Canada Country number ones: “About You,” “These Days,” “Seeing Other People,” and “Pickup.” Her EP “Drinkin’ Songs: The Collection” (2020) was her American debut, featuring multiple chart-topping hits. She also collaborated with Dustin Lynch on “Thinking ‘Bout You,” which spent six weeks atop the US Country Airplay chart in 2022. Jake Etheridge, also a singer-songwriter and actor, began dating MacKenzie Porter in 2014, and they married in July 2020. This personal relationship evolved into a professional music partnership, leading to the formation of Thelma & James.

In January 2025, Porter and Etheridge officially debuted as Thelma & James with their song “Happy Ever After You.” They signed a recording deal with Big Loud in March 2025, with Porter maintaining her solo artist status with the label. The duo released their song “First Love” and their debut extended play “Starting Over” on September 19, 2025. Their collaboration has been recognized with an Academy of Country Music Awards nomination for Duo of the Year in 2026.