Aubory Bugg

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,