Freeform has put in development East Nasty, a country music drama from writer Jamie Rosengard (Dare Me, Empire), Mixed-ish showrunner Karin Gist and 20th Century Fox TV, where Gist is under a deal.

Written by Rosengard, East Nasty takes its name from the real-life community of East Nashville, where a vibrant, anti-establishment music scene is pushing to redefine what country music looks and sounds like. The show follows two best friends — one a black, queer singer-songwriter and the other a seemingly tailor-made country musician from a deeply religious family — struggling alongside other musical misfits for a place at the table. Although they don’t fit the face or sound of conservative country music, they will fight to lend their unique voices to a genre steeped in tradition and history.

Executive producers Ginger Sledge (Where’d You Go Bernadette) and artist manager and music industry veteran Paula Kay Hornick brought the project to Freeform.

Rosengard executive produces with Gist and her producing partner Claire Brown, Sledge and Hornick. 20th Century Fox TV is the studio.

2020 Freeform Pilots & Series Orders

Rosengard has worked on Fox’s Empire since the second season, starting as a writer and rising to her most recent role as co-producer on the show, now in its sixth and final season. She most recently was a producer on USA Network’s Dare Me.

Gist is showrunner on Black-ish prequel Mixed-ish, and her credits also include executive producer on Fox’s Lee Daniels co-created Star and co-executive producer on Grey’s Anatomy. She is repped by 3 Arts and McKuin/Frankel/Whitehead.