1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:01,680 Speaker 1: This is Kelly Henderson and you were listening to the 2 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,960 Speaker 1: Valvet Sedge podcast. This week. My guest is Kaylee Hammock, 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: who is one of the hottest up and coming singers 4 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: in Nashville. Her voice is so powerful that it literally 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 1: stopped me in my tracks the first time I heard it. 6 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: She is just twenty five years old, but she feels 7 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: like she has the wisdom of twice her age. We 8 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: talked about her road to Nashville, how our broken hearts 9 00:00:21,760 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: have actually pushed us to follow our dreams, and what 10 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: she is looking for in the next part of her 11 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: Crazy Singer Songwriter Journey. Here's Kaylee. Okay, So, what in 12 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: the world isn't the water in Georgia, Because when I 13 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: was thinking about talking to you, I'm like, I've got 14 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:38,599 Speaker 1: another country singer from Georgia. Oh my god. I love 15 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 1: that you said that. My dad is a well driller, 16 00:00:41,280 --> 00:00:44,000 Speaker 1: and uh he drilled the city wells for a bunch 17 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,000 Speaker 1: of the areas around us that Luke Bryan, Philip Phillips, 18 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:49,640 Speaker 1: Cole Swindell called Taylor Sure I was dinning. All of 19 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 1: them came from um. So my dad loves to say 20 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:54,680 Speaker 1: that it's something in the water that he did. Yeah, 21 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: he's he likes to pretend it's not going to do 22 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: with him. But yeah, I don't really know. To be 23 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: on us, I think that there's something there's something about 24 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: being raised in a place like that that is so 25 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 1: picturesque and small and slow as far as the way 26 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: it moves that, I think what it does is it 27 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: creates creative people. I think it's just it's a bunch 28 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,639 Speaker 1: of storytellers just wanting to tell their stories down there. Gosh, 29 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 1: so you're from Laville. Where exactly is that? Yeah, Laville, 30 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: Georgia's on the Alabama line, about an hour from the 31 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: Alabama line. It's more central West Georgia, but um, yeah, 32 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 1: we grew up probably an hour from the Alabama line. Wow, 33 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:39,840 Speaker 1: you're a self described hippie in a hillbilly town, which 34 00:01:39,840 --> 00:01:43,040 Speaker 1: I love. It's all somewhere that you said you always 35 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,400 Speaker 1: wanted to be different. You would just pray to be different, 36 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: which I thought was so interesting because most kids are 37 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: like I just wanna be the same as everyone. You know, 38 00:01:49,240 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: you just want to fit in. So why did you 39 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 1: what do you what did you feel about that? Or 40 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 1: what do you mean you wanted to be different? I 41 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: don't know. When I was really young, I just when 42 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: I'd watched these moves ease of people in the perfect 43 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: little whitewashed house with white washed picket fence, and they 44 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:08,760 Speaker 1: seemed so happy. But for some reason, as a child, 45 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:12,080 Speaker 1: it scared the hell out of me. And I don't 46 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: know why it just did. It just didn't seem like 47 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: that should be the end goal for me. I wanted 48 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 1: something different, And of course I've always wanted love, but 49 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: I just I always wanted something that I didn't see 50 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,560 Speaker 1: um around me at the time, and I don't know 51 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: now as an adult, I'm like, oh gosh, I would 52 00:02:31,880 --> 00:02:34,239 Speaker 1: love the consistency of having a little tiny house with 53 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: a picket fence. But there was something as a young girl, 54 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: I just wanted something completely different than what everyone else wanted. 55 00:02:40,880 --> 00:02:43,640 Speaker 1: And I realized that a lot of my friends, the 56 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 1: ones that I mean, killed themselves trying to look and 57 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 1: be like everyone else. They were never happy. It just 58 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: never seemed to really make them happy. When they wore 59 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: someone else's clothes and wore their style and did what 60 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: they did to try to fit in, it never truly 61 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:02,360 Speaker 1: gave them peace. And when I saw that, I was like, well, 62 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 1: I don't want that at all. Then if it's not 63 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: gonna make me happy, then why do I have to 64 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: dress like everyone else? So did you know that that 65 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 1: looks like being a singer for you or was that 66 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 1: kind of something you figured out later on? No, it 67 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: was funny like when I was young, I felt like 68 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 1: I didn't have hardly any friends until I started singing. Yeah, 69 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: it was how was that weird kid that no one 70 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:26,120 Speaker 1: really understood? But I was nice to everyone, so no 71 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: one really bullied me per se. It was just I 72 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,560 Speaker 1: didn't really have a very close set of friends. I 73 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:35,280 Speaker 1: just was sort of friends with everyone and kinda stood 74 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: on the wayside with myself, you know, in high school. 75 00:03:38,960 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: And I don't know, I just when I started singing, 76 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,640 Speaker 1: it just felt natural to me. Um. I loved telling stories, 77 00:03:47,720 --> 00:03:50,000 Speaker 1: and that was a way that I could tell stories. 78 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: So I kind of just gravitated to it. But for 79 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: a while, I really didn't know what I wanted to do. 80 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:57,480 Speaker 1: I just knew that I wanted to do something that 81 00:03:57,520 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: made people small. I wanted to do something that good 82 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: in the world and made people happy and made them 83 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: happy to see me, you know. And I realized when 84 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 1: I started singing that even though I'm singing these corny 85 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 1: covers and stuff that the kids kind of gravitated to 86 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:14,600 Speaker 1: that because it was something that they hadn't really seen 87 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: as much of. So I don't know. I think music 88 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: has this connection and this pool on everyone, and that 89 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 1: started to become my way of connecting with the kids 90 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: in my high school that I wasn't really able to 91 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: connect with at first. Um And I feel like once 92 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:33,839 Speaker 1: I found music, I started finding myself and its slowly 93 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:37,120 Speaker 1: just I just realized it was the right path. So 94 00:04:37,160 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: then you, I've heard you do a couple of interviews 95 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:40,800 Speaker 1: now at this point because we kind of run in 96 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 1: the same circle. But I love the story about you 97 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,160 Speaker 1: were you got a scholarship to go to Belma? Right? 98 00:04:47,240 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: Was that through singing? No? It was actually through UM. 99 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 1: I went to athletics and academics, so played tennis. UM 100 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:57,960 Speaker 1: And I also I just studied hard, I worked hard, 101 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:00,160 Speaker 1: got good on my test and UM most he was 102 00:05:00,200 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: academic scholarship. So I was really excited about it. It 103 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 1: was all I had work towards my entire life, because 104 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: my parents had always told me, like, if you want 105 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: to go to college, you work hard and get that scholarship, 106 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:13,839 Speaker 1: because that's how we're paying for it, you know. So 107 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 1: I got the scholarship, and my parents were so happy 108 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,240 Speaker 1: and proud. And the thing was that whole time, I 109 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: was just falling in love with a boy in my hometown. 110 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: And yeah, um, when I told him that I was leaving, 111 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: that I got the scholarship, I was going to move 112 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: to Nashville and that we can work it out and 113 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,160 Speaker 1: you can come visit me. And anyways, he just broke down. 114 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:35,760 Speaker 1: And when he was like, I just can't see myself 115 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 1: going on in this little town without you, I just 116 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,040 Speaker 1: gave it all up and so left a scholarship. This 117 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:45,359 Speaker 1: is like basically your biggest dream to move to Nashville, 118 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:47,720 Speaker 1: And yeah, it was all a woman. That was all 119 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,280 Speaker 1: I ever wanted since I was thirteen and I beg 120 00:05:50,360 --> 00:05:53,600 Speaker 1: my parents had dropped me to Nashville the first time. Um, 121 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,720 Speaker 1: that was all I ever wanted was to get in Nashville. 122 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: But then I found love, and in my head I 123 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: thought that I thought that was what I was supposed 124 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: to go for. You know, the end scene in these 125 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,000 Speaker 1: Disney movies when I was being raised was the guy 126 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: and a girl kissing. It wasn't her sitting in an 127 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: apartment by herself in a big city. So it's just 128 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: like I thought that was what I was supposed to 129 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: reach for, and it wasn't that anyone taught me that. 130 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 1: It wasn't anyone else's fault. I just I am a 131 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 1: very heart driven person and when I love someone, I 132 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: love hard and deep and fast. And I just gave 133 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: it up because I thought that was the right thing 134 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 1: to do. And it felt awful. I felt like I 135 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: was ripping wings out, but um, I did it. And 136 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: then what happened. This is the um so I found 137 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: out a few months later. Um, I can tell he's 138 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:52,880 Speaker 1: getting more distant and more distant, and that scholarship is 139 00:06:52,920 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 1: out of reach of getting it back. And anyways, I 140 00:06:56,960 --> 00:07:00,280 Speaker 1: find out that he's been running around with of this 141 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:02,480 Speaker 1: nurse on the night shift, which sounds like a damn 142 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 1: country song. Totally. Can I cuss on here? I hope 143 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:09,440 Speaker 1: I can. Um. But anyways, so it turns out that 144 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: he's been running around with some girl on the night 145 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: shift that um, he was going to school to be 146 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 1: a nurse. And anyways, I just I'm sick, you know. 147 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: I literally go home and throw up when I find 148 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: out I just can't get over the and I man, 149 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: I was just kind of stuck in my town for 150 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: a while thinking about this boy. I started dating other guys, 151 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,560 Speaker 1: trying to get over them, you know, and I just 152 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: was lost. And finally I got to the point that 153 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: I was like, you know what I've done. I have 154 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 1: I have bet everything on love now a few times, 155 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: and it's not working. It's never played out in my favor. 156 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:48,920 Speaker 1: But the one thing that has always been there for 157 00:07:48,960 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: me and has it never betrayed me in any amount 158 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: or anyway. It was music. That was the one thing 159 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: that made me happy that never hurt me. And um, 160 00:07:58,080 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: that's when I was like, to hell of that. I 161 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: threw my closing trash bags and I drove to Nashville, 162 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: and um, I had this motel worked out and I 163 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:09,280 Speaker 1: already paid for two weeks. And then I got there 164 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: and I realized it was Um it was an Antioch, 165 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 1: which isn't the best little area as just as a 166 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,680 Speaker 1: young nineteen year old girl in a new town, and um, 167 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:21,920 Speaker 1: I realized that I was the only female staying at 168 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 1: this place, especially by herself, and I mean me and 169 00:08:25,800 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: my dog just didn't sleep. So finally I just blew 170 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: up an air mattress halfway shoved in the back of 171 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 1: my car, and me and my dog slept in the 172 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: Target parking lot in Brentwood on the outside of Nashville 173 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:37,680 Speaker 1: for a few weeks, And um, I did what we 174 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:40,760 Speaker 1: had to do. But you know, that was how I 175 00:08:40,840 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: moved up here, And UM, I think it took all 176 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 1: those moments of hard times to kind of, I guess, 177 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: submit me into this place. I guess it was kinda 178 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: to the point I was like, you know, what if 179 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: I can get through that that I didn't get through anything, 180 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: and I did. Isn't it so interesting how sometimes if 181 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: we neglect ourselves or choose something instead of ourselves, then 182 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,360 Speaker 1: when you get forced to really focus on yourself, it 183 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,439 Speaker 1: makes you realize what you really do want. Yeah, very 184 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: very true. I tell people that, you know, it took 185 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:18,719 Speaker 1: me having the worst broken heart I've ever had at 186 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: that time to make the best decision for myself that 187 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,400 Speaker 1: I ever could have to finally do what I needed 188 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 1: to do all along. It took the worst heartbreak, And UM, 189 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,480 Speaker 1: I try to I try to reiterate that on stage 190 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: because I know that when I look out into a crowd, 191 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: I know that there's at least five to ten girls 192 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 1: out there that in between songs there's checking their phone 193 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:45,199 Speaker 1: for some stupid boy, you know, stupid, stupid. But um, yeah, 194 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: I just I know that there's at least five or 195 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 1: ten girls out there that are feeling lonely too, and 196 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: I try to make sure that I talk about that, 197 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: like show all the bad and the ugly and then go. 198 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:56,880 Speaker 1: But you know what, if it wasn't for that, I 199 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: would not be up here opening up for Maranda Lambert 200 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 1: or Dirk's Bentley or whoever it is that I'm on 201 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:05,199 Speaker 1: the road with, and I wouldn't be able to connect 202 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 1: with that girl that needs a song about heartbreak and 203 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: moving on and trying to find yourself. So I had 204 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:13,320 Speaker 1: to go through all that so that I could make 205 00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:15,640 Speaker 1: the stuff I make. Yeah, I mean I love that 206 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:18,560 Speaker 1: because I think you're right that what we grow up 207 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 1: seeing about love is just this fairy tale. It's not 208 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 1: real life. And a lot of times you do chase 209 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: after that and you completely forget about your own dreams 210 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,200 Speaker 1: and what you want. And I think it's cool to 211 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,599 Speaker 1: like to have the full reminder, you know. Oh yeah, 212 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: so you've come to Nashville. You're living out of your car. 213 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,360 Speaker 1: What happens next? Yeah, so I snuck in talking Don't 214 00:10:41,440 --> 00:10:44,520 Speaker 1: Central PM because I knew it's six. They start checking 215 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 1: I d s and um, so you're nineteen at this point, Yes, 216 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 1: And I have a fake I D that says I'm 217 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 1: twenty three. Um so you're legal. Yeah, yeah, I'm legal, 218 00:10:53,640 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 1: but I'm still terrified to use it in certain places 219 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: like Paradise Park when they have the little um stand 220 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 1: outside that how all the fake I d s and varnish, 221 00:11:02,160 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 1: you know, Terrified that I'm going to get it taken 222 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:06,920 Speaker 1: because I know that if I get my D taken, 223 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 1: I have no chance of getting in these bars. And 224 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:11,720 Speaker 1: this is where the work is that I'm actually qualified for. 225 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: I know, Broadway downtown Nashville, like where everyone hears about 226 00:11:15,880 --> 00:11:18,360 Speaker 1: the Honkey Talks. So you're going to sing? Okay? Yeah. 227 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 1: So I go to one of the bigger ones, Honkey 228 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,520 Speaker 1: Talk Central first, and I go up. I begged the 229 00:11:22,520 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: bass player to let me sing, and he tells me 230 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: it's forty dollars. And I'm not normally snarky, like not 231 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 1: this much, but I just was like, okay, never mind, 232 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: and I went to walk away and he grabbed my 233 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: arm and he's like, come on, come on, it's only 234 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,839 Speaker 1: forty dollars. Don't you want to sing with the band? Yes. 235 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:42,760 Speaker 1: At that time I didn't understand, but then after working there, 236 00:11:42,960 --> 00:11:45,800 Speaker 1: I totally understand because some people come in and they 237 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: are drunk and partying with their friends and they have 238 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:51,080 Speaker 1: that one friend that can kind of sort of sing 239 00:11:51,120 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 1: Neon Moon, and uh, it's you just can't invite every 240 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:59,120 Speaker 1: inebriated personal on stage, or else you'll run everyone else. 241 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,920 Speaker 1: So that's why I will go, hey, forty dollars to 242 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:04,959 Speaker 1: play with the band, and if they're serious, then they 243 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: can come do it. But I remember at that moment 244 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,800 Speaker 1: just looking at him and being like, no, um, I 245 00:12:10,840 --> 00:12:13,200 Speaker 1: get paid to sing. I don't pay to sing, but thanks. 246 00:12:13,400 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: And I turned around and I ran right into the 247 00:12:15,720 --> 00:12:19,360 Speaker 1: band manager. And his name was Greg Humphreys, and he 248 00:12:19,559 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 1: was the godfather Downtown. He was named the Godfather Broadway. 249 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:25,800 Speaker 1: He um, he took care of all of us, and 250 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: he cared about us because he was one of us. 251 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:31,080 Speaker 1: He was a bass player, and um, I worked for 252 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: him for two and a half years. He got me 253 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,240 Speaker 1: up on stage. He told the bass player to not 254 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: be an asshole let me sing, and UM, I loved 255 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: him from that minute on. UM. He made me sing 256 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: six or seven songs that day, and then the next day, 257 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:46,440 Speaker 1: UM he made me show up at the back room 258 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,480 Speaker 1: at Tutsis and I had to sing again, do six 259 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: or seven more songs, and then I had to run 260 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 1: the tip jug and UM. That was the first time 261 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,640 Speaker 1: I've ever had to perform on stage then get off stage, 262 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 1: and instead of knowing that I'm being paid, I have 263 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:05,040 Speaker 1: to go ask people to pay me um, based on 264 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:08,520 Speaker 1: how much they enjoyed it. It was the weirdest thing 265 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: in the entire world. And I'm I was prideful. I 266 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,840 Speaker 1: could realize. I realized that at that moment how prideful 267 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:16,520 Speaker 1: I was. Because I didn't not want to ask people 268 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 1: for money. I awkward and UM, finally I ran it. 269 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 1: I got back to the stage. I was worried I 270 00:13:23,240 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: didn't do good enough. But Greg Humphrey looked in the bucket, 271 00:13:26,640 --> 00:13:28,280 Speaker 1: he looked at me, and he looked back in the 272 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,360 Speaker 1: bucket and he's like, you talk slow and you've seen 273 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: good people like that. Do you want a job? And 274 00:13:34,160 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 1: I was like, yes, sir, and he was like, all right, 275 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 1: show up tonight at eleven pm, right outside Rippy's and 276 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 1: I leaned up to him and I was like, hey, um, 277 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,640 Speaker 1: I'm really nineteen, and like I can get you in 278 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 1: so um and he was like, you meet me on 279 00:13:46,960 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: the corner Rippy's at eleven o'clock and you walk in 280 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: with me and no one will ever ask for your 281 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:54,520 Speaker 1: idea again. And I was like, gosh, thank you. So 282 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:56,240 Speaker 1: he got me into my first gig so that I 283 00:13:56,280 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: could get working. And um, I was always terrified know 284 00:14:00,240 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: that someone was going to be like, wait, she's under 285 00:14:02,040 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: age and kick me out and I'd lose my job. 286 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 1: But um, they let me perform and they let me sing. 287 00:14:06,720 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 1: And I did three to four hours a night, uh, 288 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: three to four or five times a week for two 289 00:14:12,640 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 1: and a half years down there. That's so much singing, Yeah, 290 00:14:15,720 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: it is. I think about a show. I mean the 291 00:14:18,200 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 1: headliners usually doing what an hour and a half at 292 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 1: the most. How did you do that? Um? God, Honestly, 293 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 1: I really when I look back at how much I 294 00:14:31,200 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: was singing and how much I was performing, I don't 295 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,000 Speaker 1: really know how I did it, to be honest, because 296 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 1: now I'll do an hour long show mixed in with 297 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: meet and greats and interviews and travel and I'm tired 298 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,000 Speaker 1: by the end. But back then I really didn't have 299 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 1: a life. I just sang and then I went home 300 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: and me my dog kind of just sat there. I 301 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:54,360 Speaker 1: did a bunch of crafts and stuff because I was 302 00:14:54,400 --> 00:14:57,640 Speaker 1: so bored, and um, yeah, it's so. I had a 303 00:14:57,680 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: bunch of silent time as well. So I think my voice. 304 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,880 Speaker 1: It conditioned my voice, and I think it was really 305 00:15:02,920 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: great because it got me ready for this part of 306 00:15:04,720 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: my life where it's a lot more talking, a lot 307 00:15:07,160 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: more travel. So I think that time was given to 308 00:15:10,560 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: me to kind of build my endurance and really really 309 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: test me. I had to really love music to handle 310 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:21,080 Speaker 1: all of that and to get through it, and um, 311 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:22,600 Speaker 1: I had to be quick on my feet. I had 312 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: to learn how to be quick, and um, it taught 313 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: me so much. I was gonna say, that seems like 314 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,320 Speaker 1: a really good way to learn how to perform and 315 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 1: engage with a crowd. Oh yeah, it was. From thirteen 316 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,880 Speaker 1: to nineteen, I had performed with um by myself or 317 00:15:37,920 --> 00:15:41,040 Speaker 1: with a band or maybe one a company and company 318 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 1: that accompaniment. I don't know a lord, I I haven't 319 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 1: drinking yet. But anyways, it's it's one of those things. 320 00:15:51,840 --> 00:15:55,480 Speaker 1: I had my full show together and we had certain 321 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: words that the band would que off and start playing 322 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 1: the new song, and you know, we had had a 323 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 1: set show. We did it every night, and yeah, we 324 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: played long hours, but it was a show. And then 325 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: I moved to Nashville and you get into Tutsie's and 326 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: you get called for a ten am shift at ten 327 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: fifteen am, so you scramble because someone didn't show up 328 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: for the early morning shift. You scramble, you throw makeup 329 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 1: on you, you know, fix your hair. While you're driving 330 00:16:22,880 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: down the street. You're trying to get to work. You 331 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: get there by eleven and someone goes, ah, someone got 332 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: drunk last night stole all the microphones, and so then 333 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: you have to run across the street and beg the 334 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,440 Speaker 1: guys at Rippy's or Honky Talk to bring you microphones 335 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:39,320 Speaker 1: and you can't find the sound guys that you have 336 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,960 Speaker 1: to run the sound yourself that day. And it's just 337 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:47,080 Speaker 1: the craziest things would happen, you know, And it taught 338 00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 1: me so much about being on my feet and also 339 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: learning what people want. I used to go up there 340 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 1: and do my own set, and I didn't take request. 341 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 1: I just did my own show and then I got 342 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 1: off stage and I went home, and what I had 343 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,880 Speaker 1: to kind of realize and figure out was what makes 344 00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:05,199 Speaker 1: people want to stay for your entire four hour set 345 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: and pay every time you walk around with the tip joke? 346 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:10,479 Speaker 1: What do you have to play? How much energy energy 347 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:12,120 Speaker 1: do you have to have on stage to keep these 348 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: people drinking and dancing and laughing and smiling. And how 349 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 1: do you make them happy? You know, how do you 350 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: give them a memorable experience of Nashville and make sure 351 00:17:21,520 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 1: that they're not gonna forget you? And um, that was 352 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 1: what ut Season, Rippy's and Honkey Talk Central taught me, 353 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 1: which is so important for your career now and even 354 00:17:31,280 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: when you are doing your own stuff, but learning how 355 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 1: to engage with the crowd and keep them interested. I 356 00:17:35,920 --> 00:17:38,720 Speaker 1: think that's huge. Yeah, it meant a lot to me. 357 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: At Seven Peaks after my show, Dirk's came up to 358 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 1: me and he said, I can tell you're a Honky 359 00:17:43,680 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 1: talker too. He's like, because I had to play the 360 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 1: same stuff as you. And he's like, there's something about 361 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,440 Speaker 1: us that other people don't have. He's like, because we've 362 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: had to work for it. We had to really connect 363 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: with those people. And he's like, I can tell that 364 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: when you get on a big stage that you used 365 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,080 Speaker 1: to work on a little honky tonk stage, and that 366 00:18:00,200 --> 00:18:02,680 Speaker 1: meant the world to me. Um, just to know that 367 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: someone else had to work back grind and that they've 368 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,879 Speaker 1: been so successful with it, learning how to command a 369 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: crowd and just to even work the stage. I think 370 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:11,920 Speaker 1: you've seem like you've been doing this for years just 371 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 1: for that reason. Thank you. So fast forward to when 372 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,160 Speaker 1: you get a record deal. How does that happen? Yeah? Um, 373 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: a lot of prayers. Um uh yeah. So I was 374 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 1: playing every night and during the day, I was writing 375 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 1: with anyone that would write with me. And some of 376 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: these rights were awful, you know, but yeah, because it 377 00:18:34,840 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: was just someone I would I would go out and network, Um, 378 00:18:37,880 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 1: go to Bill Court, taps or let's see listening room 379 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 1: or anywhere that they were right around, and then I'll 380 00:18:46,240 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: meet people. If I wasn't playing the right around, I 381 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: try to meet the people that were and try to 382 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,680 Speaker 1: get some rights together. And some people you're right with 383 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 1: their great writers, you just may not have chemistry with them. 384 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,960 Speaker 1: So a lot of a lot of won off rights 385 00:19:01,119 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: and UM, trying to figure out who I was and 386 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: figuring out co writing. At that time, I had never 387 00:19:06,320 --> 00:19:09,080 Speaker 1: really co written before I moved to Nashville, but I 388 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: knew that that was the way you networked, that was 389 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:14,119 Speaker 1: the way people got to know you and UM. So 390 00:19:14,200 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 1: I worked really hard at that during the day and 391 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: then playing every night, and slowly but surely um at 392 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: as CAP Robert phil hart Um took a liking to 393 00:19:23,440 --> 00:19:26,919 Speaker 1: me and started just giving me feedback on all my songs. 394 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: I got into the ASCT GPS program, which was something 395 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: that as CAP did every year where they pick fifteen 396 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:36,920 Speaker 1: to sixteen of their youngest um up and coming artist 397 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: or songwriters, and then they pushed us to publishing houses. 398 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:42,520 Speaker 1: Every week or every month, we'd go meet with a 399 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 1: new publishing house, show our music, get some rights, maybe 400 00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:48,399 Speaker 1: get a deal, who knows, but mostly it was for 401 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 1: the rights and the connections. So I did that for 402 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: a full year. I got a few offers um for publishing, 403 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 1: which was my main goal. I wanted to show that 404 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 1: I was a songwriter before I was an artist. I 405 00:20:00,359 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: wanted to show that I worked from the bottom up 406 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:05,680 Speaker 1: and that I am well rounded. So I was like 407 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: the first thing I gotta do is get a publishing deal. 408 00:20:07,400 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: I gotta get a cut. You know how easy is that? Right? So? Um, 409 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:15,880 Speaker 1: so I just meet with all these people. I get 410 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:20,040 Speaker 1: a few offers. I get an offer from a manager 411 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: and they were like, we love your voice, we love 412 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: your style, we just don't want the songs. We think 413 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,600 Speaker 1: that we can get you hit songs. And I was like, well, 414 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: play me what you think hit songs are and I 415 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,080 Speaker 1: was laughing out the door. I was like, no, I 416 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:35,960 Speaker 1: know that's not good music. I may not be writing 417 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 1: hit music, but I know what what people like and 418 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,879 Speaker 1: what people don't know. That doesn't seem like something people alike. 419 00:20:43,040 --> 00:20:46,359 Speaker 1: So I walked out of They're feeling even more broken 420 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: hearted that someone loved my voice but not my writing. 421 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:52,880 Speaker 1: And after a year of meeting with publishers getting great 422 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 1: rights but no true great publishing deal, offer that felt 423 00:20:57,000 --> 00:20:59,800 Speaker 1: right in my gut. Um. I went to Robert phil 424 00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: Hard at as CAP and I was like, what am 425 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: I doing wrong? Just tell me what I need to do. 426 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: I was like, I'm willing to do anything to do 427 00:21:06,119 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 1: music for the rest of my life, but what am 428 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,800 Speaker 1: I doing wrong? Why is this not working yet? And 429 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 1: he just he just laughed and he said, well, you know, 430 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:17,000 Speaker 1: I don't think you're doing anything wrong. I think you 431 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 1: just haven't met the right people. And so he called 432 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:23,280 Speaker 1: two different people. He called Stephanie Cox at Cobalt, who 433 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:25,040 Speaker 1: is now one of my best friends, one of my 434 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 1: nearest dearest friends in the world. And he called Cindy Foreman, 435 00:21:28,359 --> 00:21:31,520 Speaker 1: who is now my publisher a Universal Publishing UM. I 436 00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,480 Speaker 1: met with both of them. I became long lasting friends 437 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:38,240 Speaker 1: with Stephanie and Cindy and I started working together instantly. 438 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,600 Speaker 1: She heard the songs called me the next day, and 439 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 1: that was the first time of publishing house that called 440 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: me the day after a meeting to tell me, you know, 441 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: they enjoyed it, and I thought that was weird. And slowly, 442 00:21:48,280 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: a few weeks later she um put a deal on 443 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:53,600 Speaker 1: the table and I just cried like a little girl. 444 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,360 Speaker 1: But it was really cool. I got my publishing deal, 445 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 1: and pretty much what that did was it gave me 446 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,200 Speaker 1: the first corner stone of my career, Cindy Foreman. It 447 00:22:03,280 --> 00:22:07,359 Speaker 1: gave me a publisher who saw that I was trying 448 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:10,200 Speaker 1: to create something different and new and I was just 449 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: starting out, and she put me in rooms with great 450 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,639 Speaker 1: writers that helped me cultivate my craft and grow as 451 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 1: a writer and an artist, and also let me grow 452 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: as a producer. It taught me so much more about 453 00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:25,119 Speaker 1: the production side of this that I was always terrified of. 454 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: I never felt comfortable in the studio because I loved singing, 455 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 1: but whenever I'd bring my original music in, I felt 456 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: like I got lost somewhere between the vocal booth and 457 00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:38,480 Speaker 1: the mix I got back later. You know, I'd go 458 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:41,440 Speaker 1: in there and sing, and I try to be myself, 459 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:45,120 Speaker 1: and then once the other musicians came in, it didn't 460 00:22:45,200 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: sound like me anymore. It sounded like a demo. It 461 00:22:47,760 --> 00:22:49,280 Speaker 1: sounded like the kind of stuff I got paid a 462 00:22:49,359 --> 00:22:51,879 Speaker 1: hundred dollars to go sing on at a little studio 463 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 1: down the street for people. And that wasn't what I wanted. 464 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: I didn't want what everyone else was doing, and you know, 465 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:01,119 Speaker 1: I wanted to be different. So, UM, the two and 466 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:03,520 Speaker 1: a half years that I wrote at Universal Publishing, just 467 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 1: as a staff writer, trying to write for other people. UM, 468 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:09,679 Speaker 1: sometimes they would put me in a room and they go, hey, right, 469 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:13,720 Speaker 1: for Carrie Underwood today. And then I wrote Family Tree 470 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: in one of the rooms that I was supposed to 471 00:23:15,520 --> 00:23:17,879 Speaker 1: write for Carrie Underwood, and I remember sending it in 472 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: and um, I think it was Cindy that said it. 473 00:23:20,359 --> 00:23:22,359 Speaker 1: She was like, Carrie Underwood is not going to sing 474 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,600 Speaker 1: a song about getting high school high And I was like, yeah, 475 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:29,280 Speaker 1: but I would, I would, you know. So it was 476 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:33,040 Speaker 1: so funny. I sometimes I was so frustrated when, um, 477 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,760 Speaker 1: I'd have to go right for someone else because I 478 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 1: would almost write for someone else and then I'd find 479 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:40,119 Speaker 1: some edgy line that I was like, oh, I've never 480 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,080 Speaker 1: heard this before. I throw it in and they'd be 481 00:23:42,119 --> 00:23:45,800 Speaker 1: like what No, Like I mean, it's cool, but not 482 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: for this artist. I don't think they're gonna say it. 483 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 1: And what really happened was I just wrote, wrote, wrote, 484 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,120 Speaker 1: kept my head down and my publisher, Cindy was slowly 485 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: collecting all these songs that she thought sounded like me 486 00:23:57,920 --> 00:24:00,840 Speaker 1: and were me, and um, she wasn't pitching them. So 487 00:24:00,880 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 1: I'd ask her, like, hey, how that song goes? She's 488 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,320 Speaker 1: like good, good, No one, you know, no one took it, 489 00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:08,200 Speaker 1: and I was like, dangn. I didn't know that she 490 00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:11,359 Speaker 1: was keeping all these so that I would have something 491 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: to build my artistry on. She had the foresight that 492 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:18,360 Speaker 1: I didn't have at the time, and um, anyways, yeah, 493 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:23,080 Speaker 1: God's blessed me with good people, thank God. But um yeah, 494 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 1: we got together and one day we sat down and 495 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: she went, I think you need to make your own 496 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 1: record now. I think we got enough. And I was like, yeah, 497 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,600 Speaker 1: but I don't want to work with these big people. 498 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,159 Speaker 1: We named a few big names in town that I 499 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,760 Speaker 1: love and I respect and one day would be great 500 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 1: to work with. But my thing is, I was like, 501 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 1: when I go in with someone that much bigger than me, 502 00:24:46,040 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 1: I've never heard ever, I've never been heard when I 503 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:52,080 Speaker 1: worked with some big time producer, and I was like, 504 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: I want to be a producer. I want to co 505 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:57,400 Speaker 1: produce my stuff. I may not know all the technical terms, 506 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: but I can make any sound with my voice that 507 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: I want on the record. So let me go in 508 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,640 Speaker 1: there and sing and have someone interpret me. Let me learn. 509 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: I just I want to try. I want to put 510 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: my hand to it. And um, when we started talking 511 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: about producers and studios, I told her that I wanted 512 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 1: someone young like me because in my career, God's blessed 513 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: me the most with very young, eager people that have 514 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,480 Speaker 1: not got to make their mark on the world yet 515 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: and they want to make their mark and I want 516 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 1: to make my mark. And when you have people that 517 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: are like minded like that, I feel like you just 518 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: build a really strong inner circle of people. And um, 519 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 1: I wanted someone young. They wanted to prove themselves in 520 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,720 Speaker 1: country music. And Mikey Reeves was another writer at Universal 521 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: Publishing that the first time he wrote together. We wrote 522 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,480 Speaker 1: this song about aren't we all just trying to mean something? 523 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 1: Aren't we all just trying to be something to somebody else? 524 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 1: And that was kind of the same sentiment that I 525 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: was trying to get across in this production process, you know, 526 00:25:57,960 --> 00:26:00,280 Speaker 1: I just I wanted it to mean some thing. At 527 00:26:00,280 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 1: the end, I wanted to sound like me and Mikey 528 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,160 Speaker 1: was willing to take that risk. So we went into 529 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 1: his little studio. It's this little brick studio with no windows, 530 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,320 Speaker 1: very viby, but we kind of lived in that hole 531 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,080 Speaker 1: for a while. Uh. We do ten twelve hour days 532 00:26:16,560 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: and it's just me and him with one computer screen 533 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,399 Speaker 1: and we would just put weird sounds on it. We 534 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 1: worked on Family Tree first and we added weird stuff 535 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:28,399 Speaker 1: to it. We beg our friends to come in and 536 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 1: play on the record and go, hey, we'll pay you 537 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,479 Speaker 1: when we have money. Is that all right? And they 538 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: were like, yeah, that's fine. Um, because we had about 539 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:39,640 Speaker 1: a five demo budget that we were trying to make 540 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:44,000 Speaker 1: it under and uh yeah, so we did. We finally 541 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: finished it. It probably took fifty sixty hours of me 542 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: and Mikey working on it by ourselves, and slowly but 543 00:26:50,200 --> 00:26:53,480 Speaker 1: surely we started working on some other songs. And then 544 00:26:53,560 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 1: my house burns down and then uh, Mary Hilliard meets me, 545 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 1: my manager, and she was like, I'm gonna work with you. 546 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,520 Speaker 1: I think that this music I've never heard anything like it, 547 00:27:03,600 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: and I want to help you put it in the world. 548 00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:08,080 Speaker 1: And you know, I just had an electrical fire where 549 00:27:08,119 --> 00:27:10,480 Speaker 1: I lost everything while I was on a writing trip 550 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:14,200 Speaker 1: and my whole life kind of flipped upside down about 551 00:27:14,280 --> 00:27:16,840 Speaker 1: the time I thought I was finally a self sufficient 552 00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:19,080 Speaker 1: adult with her own garden bed in the yard and 553 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:21,920 Speaker 1: make you know, like I'm starting to have savings. What 554 00:27:22,160 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: is right? And oh my gosh, plot twist. And I 555 00:27:26,880 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: told Mary when she said she wanted to work with me, 556 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:34,159 Speaker 1: that I had nothing left to lose, literally, so why not? 557 00:27:35,240 --> 00:27:37,760 Speaker 1: And I think that that was exactly where I needed 558 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: to be to make a jump like that. And after that, 559 00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:43,719 Speaker 1: Mary put me in the studio with Mikey. She got 560 00:27:43,840 --> 00:27:46,720 Speaker 1: us really focused and we kept making this record. We 561 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 1: made four or five songs, and then Mary started leaking 562 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,320 Speaker 1: it around town, just letting a few people hear it, 563 00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:55,679 Speaker 1: and the labels started getting really excited. So we went 564 00:27:55,760 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: in played it for everyone, got the offers we wanted 565 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,359 Speaker 1: and used them for leverage to get the record deal 566 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,040 Speaker 1: we really want it with Capitol Records. So you're kind 567 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 1: of touching on how important it is to surround yourself 568 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,719 Speaker 1: with good people in this business, I think, But also 569 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 1: how important is it as an artist to really know, 570 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:16,879 Speaker 1: like to have your vision of what you want your 571 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: career to look like. Oh, I think it's really important. 572 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:24,000 Speaker 1: I I think that God blessing me with people that 573 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:28,400 Speaker 1: could see, could have the foresight of what an artist's 574 00:28:28,640 --> 00:28:32,879 Speaker 1: life will be like before I even had the capacity 575 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:35,399 Speaker 1: to fathom it. You know, I think that that was 576 00:28:35,480 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: the biggest blessing. Mary and Cindy both are I mean, 577 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: they're experts in their fields. They've done it for so 578 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:46,040 Speaker 1: long and so successfully that God putting them in my 579 00:28:46,160 --> 00:28:51,520 Speaker 1: life was a blessing. I I honestly sometimes don't feel 580 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 1: like I know what I'm doing, but I just keep 581 00:28:55,200 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: doing it. I think that's the even if you don't 582 00:28:59,680 --> 00:29:02,400 Speaker 1: know what you're doing, just keep doing it until it 583 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:04,600 Speaker 1: does make sense to you. Because every now and then 584 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: I'll have a moment of clarity where I'll be like, whoa, 585 00:29:07,760 --> 00:29:09,680 Speaker 1: all this works so I could get here and this 586 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: is why this happened, and you know, blah blah blah. 587 00:29:12,120 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 1: But two weeks from now, I can tell you I 588 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:16,200 Speaker 1: have no clue what I'm doing. Yeah, So is that 589 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:18,760 Speaker 1: how you felt when you because with most of your 590 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 1: songs now you you're in the production process, like you said, 591 00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: which that's rare for an artist to be fully that 592 00:29:25,440 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 1: in the process. But do you feel like you're figuring 593 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 1: that out and learning? And oh, yeah, I've learned so 594 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: much about myself by making this record. Yeah, I've learned 595 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 1: what really is important to me. I've learned what isn't 596 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: important to me um and also sonically, what my identity is. 597 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: It's still fluid, it's still changing. I think everyone's sonic 598 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 1: identity is constantly improving and changing. But I started to 599 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 1: kind of figure out what sounds like me and what 600 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 1: sounds make me happy, and kind of figuring out what 601 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,160 Speaker 1: my connection with the world was. Well, what am I 602 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 1: supposed to bring to this world? You know? What is that? 603 00:30:02,320 --> 00:30:05,240 Speaker 1: What do you think? You know? I asked myself that 604 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:08,120 Speaker 1: every day and I feel like another answer comes up 605 00:30:08,440 --> 00:30:12,120 Speaker 1: and a few more questions. But it's one of those 606 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 1: things that I think I was given this voice, and 607 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: I was given this this yearning to do something in 608 00:30:21,120 --> 00:30:24,960 Speaker 1: this world, to try and be who I needed when 609 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:28,280 Speaker 1: I was younger. All I wanted when I was younger 610 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:33,440 Speaker 1: was a role model that looked like me, that wasn't 611 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:37,360 Speaker 1: the you know, slim, blonde hair, blue eyed beauty that 612 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:40,680 Speaker 1: I knew I couldn't be. You know. I was the freckled, 613 00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 1: kind of overweight kid that was you know, a little 614 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:48,959 Speaker 1: talented in a few ways, but never the picture perfect, 615 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,720 Speaker 1: you know, And I never connected with those people that 616 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 1: were perfect. I I want to be the role model 617 00:30:55,880 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: that is human and I make mistakes and I mess 618 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: up and I'm like us, but I still go to church, 619 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: and you know, I want to show kids that you 620 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: can still be a human being and be a star. 621 00:31:07,640 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: That is what I'm trying to do. I want to 622 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,960 Speaker 1: be a real human being that can stand in the 623 00:31:13,080 --> 00:31:15,680 Speaker 1: limelight and still show all of her scars and stretch 624 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:19,880 Speaker 1: marks and stories and and show them that it's okay 625 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,040 Speaker 1: to be human. You can still go after your dreams. 626 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,200 Speaker 1: If you don't feel like you look, or you don't act, 627 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,720 Speaker 1: or you don't think like the perfect person, there is 628 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:33,280 Speaker 1: no sense of perfection. God yeah, I think that there's 629 00:31:33,320 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: so many artists that are bringing that to the table. 630 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: Lizzo is my huge example for that, because what she 631 00:31:38,880 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: has done it's amazing. She she has so much of 632 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:45,800 Speaker 1: a background of music that some people don't know from. 633 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:47,800 Speaker 1: I mean, she used to work with Prince as a 634 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: backup vocalist and I believe that was how she started. 635 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: I need to go back and double check, but um, 636 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:58,640 Speaker 1: she has this background of music that she's so immaculately talented. 637 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 1: But I feel like she was it on a shelf 638 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: because of the way she looked, which I think she's 639 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: dropped dead. But the thing is, does she fit the 640 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:10,520 Speaker 1: perfect cookie cutter shape that pop music has normally lended us? 641 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 1: You know? No? And I think that is exactly what 642 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 1: makes her as big of a star as she is, 643 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,960 Speaker 1: because she is so very different that you cannot You 644 00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: cannot put her in a box. And I think that 645 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 1: is the most amazing thing about Lizzo is that she's 646 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 1: breaking the barriers as to what a pop star can say, 647 00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: what they can look like, and what they can do 648 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:33,720 Speaker 1: on stage and how they can bring people together. She 649 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:35,720 Speaker 1: she put on the show at the Rieman and I 650 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:40,720 Speaker 1: I have never seen more people crunk at the Crime 651 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 1: and like it was the weirdest jealous It was the weirdest, 652 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 1: the coolest thing ever. Like I've never been to a 653 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,040 Speaker 1: Ryman show where people are just like dancing like hilf 654 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:54,280 Speaker 1: five and strangers like just getting down with her bad self. 655 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 1: It was amazing. And I love that she takes time 656 00:32:57,520 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: on stage to talk about self love and you know, 657 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 1: just screw the people that hurt you. You focus on you. 658 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,400 Speaker 1: And I think a lot of young girls need to 659 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 1: realize that. I love that that message is out there 660 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:10,760 Speaker 1: for all the young generations coming up. Do you think 661 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: have you felt you know, there's this huge wave of 662 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:17,160 Speaker 1: like um females and country music trying to make a 663 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 1: comeback almost because they've been kind of cut out. What 664 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: have your experience has been with that? Yeah, I can't 665 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: tell you how many writer rounds I've done lately that 666 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:28,160 Speaker 1: are all female that they call brock country instead of 667 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: bro country love, which I actually really love. Um, I'm 668 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:36,280 Speaker 1: gonna start calling just female country brock country country. UM. 669 00:33:36,560 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 1: But it's really cool. I think that every now and then, 670 00:33:40,320 --> 00:33:43,240 Speaker 1: I feel like women we get at least from me personally. 671 00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,160 Speaker 1: And I know that Mary and Morris um emphasizes at 672 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 1: the end of her Girl video UM that the differences. 673 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 1: Men are never asked what the differences to be a 674 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: man in country music, but we are always asked that, 675 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 1: And I'm sure you're asked the same thing in your profession. 676 00:33:57,840 --> 00:34:02,560 Speaker 1: So honestly, I think it's really cool. I think that 677 00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:06,000 Speaker 1: all of this that has somehow beat down women in 678 00:34:06,080 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: country music and has kept them from shining, has angered 679 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:12,200 Speaker 1: them enough that now we can make the rise we 680 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:14,040 Speaker 1: need to make. I think that we're all going to 681 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:17,800 Speaker 1: rise as a wave altogether, and I'm just waiting for 682 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 1: nineties country to come back where it's all these women 683 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:23,560 Speaker 1: telling their stories. It's I love the men, and I'm 684 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 1: not trying to be sexist by put women above men, 685 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 1: but um, there is something about a woman's way of 686 00:34:30,719 --> 00:34:35,120 Speaker 1: telling a story that I think would connect with our 687 00:34:35,200 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 1: audience so much more than a man can if given 688 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: the chance and the opportunity to be heard. Because they 689 00:34:41,239 --> 00:34:44,160 Speaker 1: say that about eight percent of our fan bases women. 690 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:47,520 Speaker 1: So why are there not more women telling their stories 691 00:34:47,680 --> 00:34:51,080 Speaker 1: or getting to tell their stories. I think that all 692 00:34:51,160 --> 00:34:53,440 Speaker 1: of us women binding together and rising together as the 693 00:34:53,480 --> 00:34:55,359 Speaker 1: way we're going to do it. I love what I've 694 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: heard Marin say one time before, the most interesting thing 695 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:00,400 Speaker 1: about me is not that I'm a woman, exact. I 696 00:35:00,600 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 1: love that. It's so good. Um, you're such an old soul. 697 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: I mean you're what Now, this is like a fun 698 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:08,880 Speaker 1: fact about Kaylee hammet because I feel like when I'm 699 00:35:08,920 --> 00:35:11,799 Speaker 1: talking to your like forty oh yeah, my your life 700 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: experience seems like you've just, I don't know, such an 701 00:35:15,560 --> 00:35:19,719 Speaker 1: old soul. My dad said, I was really yeah, that 702 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:23,000 Speaker 1: sounds about right to me. Um, okay, I want to 703 00:35:23,080 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: do some fun facts about Kaylee Hammock, which the age 704 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:27,279 Speaker 1: thing was the first one. But I spent the day 705 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:29,799 Speaker 1: yesterday with Mary Halliard, who is your manager. Oh my god, 706 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 1: this is bad. What did she tell you? And also, 707 00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:34,920 Speaker 1: I mean she's one of my really great friends, and 708 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:36,640 Speaker 1: so I was like, what do I need to know 709 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:39,719 Speaker 1: about Kaylee that we that she hasn't been asked yet 710 00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 1: in an interview, because, like I said, I've heard a 711 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:43,080 Speaker 1: bunch of your interview. So I was like, I need 712 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 1: to do something just a little different. So she goes, 713 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:47,560 Speaker 1: we'll ask her about her ribs because you just got 714 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:52,320 Speaker 1: on my Oh my god, oh this story this is 715 00:35:52,560 --> 00:35:56,080 Speaker 1: very interesting to me. Yeah, very odd. So I was 716 00:35:56,239 --> 00:35:59,040 Speaker 1: on the road with Dirt spent Ley and I had 717 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:01,279 Speaker 1: had some issues with my voice at one point where 718 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:03,880 Speaker 1: I was just getting so tight and so sore very quickly, 719 00:36:04,440 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: and um, I went to my vocal doctor and he said, 720 00:36:07,800 --> 00:36:10,120 Speaker 1: your vocal cords are fine, but you're holding way too 721 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:12,640 Speaker 1: much tension in your neck. That's what's causing all the 722 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:15,960 Speaker 1: pressure and stuff. So he was like, you have to 723 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:18,440 Speaker 1: get a massage every day before you sing. And I 724 00:36:18,520 --> 00:36:25,319 Speaker 1: was like, doctor's orders, Like, oh my god, so seriously. Um. 725 00:36:25,640 --> 00:36:28,399 Speaker 1: So I went to Amanda, who was on the road 726 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:32,040 Speaker 1: with Dirks and was given everyone massages, and anyway, she 727 00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: was massage on my neck and my shoulders and then 728 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 1: she said, well, do you want me to massage your diaphragm, 729 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,680 Speaker 1: which I've never had someone massage my diaphragm. But she 730 00:36:38,760 --> 00:36:41,080 Speaker 1: had told me, I have no clue how this works, 731 00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:44,399 Speaker 1: but she said that, um, sometimes when singers sing a lot, 732 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:48,520 Speaker 1: their diaphragm gets stuck to their ribs um, and she 733 00:36:48,680 --> 00:36:51,160 Speaker 1: can remove it. She can get it off of my ribs. 734 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: So she's like reaching around like inside my rib cage, 735 00:36:54,239 --> 00:36:57,720 Speaker 1: like kind of pulling them wider and smaller. And anyways, 736 00:36:57,760 --> 00:36:59,520 Speaker 1: she's feeling around on my rib cage and I'm kind 737 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 1: of just lying. They're like wondering what this is gonna 738 00:37:02,160 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 1: do to my diaphragm. And she said that I'm missing 739 00:37:05,760 --> 00:37:08,640 Speaker 1: a bone um at the bottom of my stern m. 740 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:10,800 Speaker 1: She was like, that's funny. You don't have it. And 741 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:12,880 Speaker 1: I was like, I don't have what what am I missing? 742 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:15,320 Speaker 1: You know? And she said, you don't have There's this 743 00:37:15,400 --> 00:37:17,759 Speaker 1: little tiny it's almost like a little triangle at the 744 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 1: bottom of your stern m. And she said, you don't 745 00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:22,320 Speaker 1: have that, and she goes, only about three percent of 746 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:25,040 Speaker 1: the population don't have it. She was like, but um, 747 00:37:25,440 --> 00:37:27,800 Speaker 1: she goes that little piece. What it does is it 748 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:32,480 Speaker 1: reinforces your ribs. She said, so it actually it's probably 749 00:37:32,520 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: better for you because you can increase your lung capacity 750 00:37:35,840 --> 00:37:39,879 Speaker 1: and breathe in and out wider. Normally, your rib cage 751 00:37:39,920 --> 00:37:44,680 Speaker 1: can actually um spread wider than an average person's. So 752 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 1: you're missing bones and it probably makes you a better singer. 753 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 1: I'm guessing. Wow. I mean that. I was like, whoa, Amanda, 754 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:53,400 Speaker 1: And then I went back to the dressing room and 755 00:37:53,440 --> 00:37:55,000 Speaker 1: I like pull my shop and I was like, do 756 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 1: do my weird? Do you ribs look funny? And I 757 00:37:57,760 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: was like showing the whole band and they're like no, 758 00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,320 Speaker 1: but yeah, I see it externally. It's it's weird. I 759 00:38:04,440 --> 00:38:06,520 Speaker 1: never knew that. But then I went home and I 760 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 1: was like trying to see I could get my room. 761 00:38:10,600 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 1: Oh my god, that's interesting. Um okay. Also, you are 762 00:38:15,239 --> 00:38:17,279 Speaker 1: the biggest makeup lover, which I love on your ins 763 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 1: and you started doing little kind of tutorial time things. 764 00:38:21,640 --> 00:38:23,799 Speaker 1: It's this amazing Okay, So talking me through, what are 765 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:26,600 Speaker 1: some of your favorite products, because you're really good at makeup. 766 00:38:27,800 --> 00:38:32,719 Speaker 1: So as far as makeup, one person I love Charlotte Tilbury. Yeah, 767 00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:36,120 Speaker 1: oh my god. She has this magic cream that it's 768 00:38:36,160 --> 00:38:40,360 Speaker 1: a cream moisturizer and she actually became famous through that. 769 00:38:40,440 --> 00:38:42,759 Speaker 1: I believe her entire career kind of was based off 770 00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:46,040 Speaker 1: this magic cream that she made and people just fell 771 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:47,840 Speaker 1: in love with it, and then she became a makeup 772 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:51,680 Speaker 1: artist with her own line after it. And UM, anyways, 773 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:54,120 Speaker 1: I love this magic cream. My skin is very dry, 774 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:57,759 Speaker 1: so I love it. I also just got into guasha. 775 00:38:58,600 --> 00:39:01,359 Speaker 1: I don't know about this, so it's I truly believe 776 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:06,120 Speaker 1: in Eastern medicine and everything to do with Chinese culture 777 00:39:06,239 --> 00:39:09,560 Speaker 1: and Korean culture. I feel like they have uh a 778 00:39:09,680 --> 00:39:12,160 Speaker 1: step up, I think in their skincare and their beauty 779 00:39:12,280 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 1: over us. So I got into it. It's called guash 780 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:19,319 Speaker 1: shaw and it's this little jade stone. Um. It can 781 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:22,239 Speaker 1: be made out of buffalo horn, rose quartz, but I 782 00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:25,960 Speaker 1: have a jade one. And what it does shot is 783 00:39:26,280 --> 00:39:31,239 Speaker 1: scraping and it translates scraping in Chinese and it's really 784 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:32,920 Speaker 1: good for your immune system. I use it on my 785 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:36,359 Speaker 1: face and my neck and my china. It's pretty much 786 00:39:36,480 --> 00:39:39,680 Speaker 1: this piece of stone that you pull your skin with. 787 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:43,840 Speaker 1: You do like a scraping motion with it is like 788 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 1: jade rolling. Jade rolling is more of for the cooling 789 00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:52,080 Speaker 1: and for deep puffing. This is to work your lymphatic 790 00:39:52,200 --> 00:39:55,640 Speaker 1: system to um, make it all release in your face, 791 00:39:55,719 --> 00:39:59,320 Speaker 1: in your neck. And also they call it their needless botox, 792 00:39:59,400 --> 00:40:03,160 Speaker 1: supposed to tighten your skin by doing this every every 793 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:06,440 Speaker 1: few days for about ten minutes. Um, I it just 794 00:40:06,600 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 1: feels good. I can feel that my lymph nodes are 795 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:12,279 Speaker 1: draining and such when I use it, um, which helps 796 00:40:12,320 --> 00:40:15,560 Speaker 1: with puffiness in my face. But I love that. Um. 797 00:40:15,719 --> 00:40:19,279 Speaker 1: Let me think, Let me think, I love Anastasia, I 798 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:23,120 Speaker 1: mean just brows. That brow gel is the best brow gel. 799 00:40:23,600 --> 00:40:26,400 Speaker 1: Brow is very pertinent to a full good like a 800 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:29,399 Speaker 1: real makeup look, I think. Yeah. And I did find 801 00:40:29,440 --> 00:40:31,920 Speaker 1: this thing though. It's really good on the go unless 802 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:35,279 Speaker 1: you're in an airplane, will explode in your face. I've 803 00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 1: done it so many times. But Urban Decay made this 804 00:40:38,560 --> 00:40:41,920 Speaker 1: thing called a brow blade and it's um it's like 805 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:44,719 Speaker 1: a felt tip liner that you'd use for liquid eyeliner, 806 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,879 Speaker 1: but it's for your eyebrows. And then on the other 807 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:50,040 Speaker 1: side they actually have the stick. So it's really nice 808 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:51,719 Speaker 1: if you don't want to carry a bunch of brow 809 00:40:51,800 --> 00:40:53,719 Speaker 1: stuff with you, but you want that look of like 810 00:40:54,440 --> 00:40:58,759 Speaker 1: having the brow blading as far as individual follicle look 811 00:40:58,840 --> 00:41:02,279 Speaker 1: in like the feather, yes, just making that making it 812 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:06,120 Speaker 1: look more natural than drawn on. Yeah. So you guys 813 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:08,680 Speaker 1: can also go follow Kaylee on what's your Instagram handle? 814 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:11,400 Speaker 1: Kaylee Hammock at Kaylee Hammock. She's starting to post a 815 00:41:11,480 --> 00:41:13,520 Speaker 1: lot more about her different makeup looks. I feel like 816 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:16,280 Speaker 1: this is a true expression of how you are feeling, 817 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 1: or like what the vibe is of the night. You 818 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:21,160 Speaker 1: totally build your look around that. Yeah, I feel like 819 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:24,239 Speaker 1: my face is my first first thing people look at, 820 00:41:24,360 --> 00:41:27,000 Speaker 1: So for me, it's like the dormat of my personality. 821 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:29,600 Speaker 1: I'm like, I gotta show you that I'm weird. I 822 00:41:29,719 --> 00:41:32,600 Speaker 1: gotta show you how extra I am right now. I 823 00:41:32,760 --> 00:41:35,800 Speaker 1: loved your your look for the Aprey debut, which is 824 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:40,080 Speaker 1: a huge deal. Congrats, By the way, How fun was that? Was? It? Just? 825 00:41:40,440 --> 00:41:43,000 Speaker 1: Oh man, it felt like I was getting married. It 826 00:41:43,120 --> 00:41:47,000 Speaker 1: was a little stressful backstage. We're filming so much, and 827 00:41:47,280 --> 00:41:49,239 Speaker 1: I had also just gotten the I Heart on the 828 00:41:49,360 --> 00:41:51,839 Speaker 1: Verge and there were about two hundred radio stations needing 829 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:56,879 Speaker 1: liners for them that day. So in between recording video 830 00:41:56,960 --> 00:42:00,279 Speaker 1: backstage with my family for the Opery debut video and 831 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:03,160 Speaker 1: then also trying to do sound check for my True 832 00:42:03,200 --> 00:42:05,960 Speaker 1: debut that night, and then running to the Glitz and 833 00:42:06,000 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 1: Glam room to get the liners done. It was a 834 00:42:09,640 --> 00:42:12,200 Speaker 1: very stressful day. But I just played again at the 835 00:42:12,239 --> 00:42:15,480 Speaker 1: Opery and it's so much more calm or colmer. I 836 00:42:15,520 --> 00:42:18,839 Speaker 1: guess when you're after you've done your debut and you're 837 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,600 Speaker 1: a little bit more comfortable with it. I'm enjoying it 838 00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:25,600 Speaker 1: more every time I go because it's just feeling more natural. 839 00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,120 Speaker 1: But the first time I got up there, I cried 840 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 1: like a baby. Its iconic. It's all I've ever wanted, 841 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:34,640 Speaker 1: which kind of scared me too. I was like, oh Lord, 842 00:42:34,800 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 1: should I have dreamed for more? You know? To me, 843 00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:41,440 Speaker 1: that was that's bigger than any award that someone can 844 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:46,440 Speaker 1: give me. Is getting allowed and embraced on that stage. 845 00:42:47,640 --> 00:42:51,560 Speaker 1: That's the big one to me. Well, so Family Tree 846 00:42:51,719 --> 00:42:55,000 Speaker 1: is out now, which you co wrote, co produced, and 847 00:42:55,160 --> 00:42:58,840 Speaker 1: also I saw that it was the highest Was it 848 00:42:58,960 --> 00:43:02,520 Speaker 1: the highest added single by a female in three years? Yeah? 849 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:07,279 Speaker 1: I mean hello, Yeah, it's always exciting when you see 850 00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 1: a stat like that shows that you're on the right path. Yeah, 851 00:43:11,840 --> 00:43:13,480 Speaker 1: so you guys can go listen to Family Tree. But 852 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:16,279 Speaker 1: when you were telling me before, when does new music 853 00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:19,720 Speaker 1: come out or more music? So what we're working towards, 854 00:43:19,840 --> 00:43:23,640 Speaker 1: what I am like hoping works. We're planning on hopefully 855 00:43:23,680 --> 00:43:26,840 Speaker 1: having a full album in February. I'm working through masters 856 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:28,880 Speaker 1: right now, about to send the masters into the label, 857 00:43:29,200 --> 00:43:32,160 Speaker 1: so that means we're right at the end, you know, 858 00:43:32,280 --> 00:43:36,000 Speaker 1: after this, it's what is the album cover and what 859 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:37,719 Speaker 1: is the back of the seat he gonna look like? 860 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:39,759 Speaker 1: Which is like the coolest part. I've never got to 861 00:43:39,840 --> 00:43:43,040 Speaker 1: really work on that part of the music. So I'm 862 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:46,879 Speaker 1: very excited to see where this goes. But planning on February, well, 863 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:49,640 Speaker 1: if you guys need to go listen to Family Tree 864 00:43:49,680 --> 00:43:51,640 Speaker 1: and also be aware of the new music come out. 865 00:43:51,719 --> 00:43:55,280 Speaker 1: Kaylee is a powerhouse vocalist also lyrically. I was listening 866 00:43:55,320 --> 00:43:57,360 Speaker 1: to so many of the songs this morning as I 867 00:43:57,440 --> 00:43:59,560 Speaker 1: was getting ready, and that's what I was saying to 868 00:43:59,600 --> 00:44:01,920 Speaker 1: You're the old soul. I'm like, how does she know 869 00:44:02,120 --> 00:44:04,799 Speaker 1: how that feels? It's amazing You're describing stuff that I've 870 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:08,200 Speaker 1: been through with heartbreak or just finding myself and all 871 00:44:08,239 --> 00:44:10,080 Speaker 1: of these things that took me a lot longer than you. 872 00:44:10,360 --> 00:44:14,879 Speaker 1: So hey, no, I'm just glad you connected. Absolutely love. 873 00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:16,800 Speaker 1: A couple of them brought me to here, so it 874 00:44:16,920 --> 00:44:19,440 Speaker 1: was very very exciting. Um I'm not gonna have you 875 00:44:19,480 --> 00:44:21,279 Speaker 1: sing a normal song, but I do need to hear 876 00:44:21,360 --> 00:44:24,160 Speaker 1: some Disney voices because I also heard. Oh my god, 877 00:44:24,880 --> 00:44:28,920 Speaker 1: this is like one of your tricks. Um yeah, um, 878 00:44:29,440 --> 00:44:30,839 Speaker 1: oh my god. I love that you were hanging out 879 00:44:30,880 --> 00:44:33,680 Speaker 1: with Mary. She would say this, so her little girl's 880 00:44:33,680 --> 00:44:38,080 Speaker 1: scarlet loves Mickey Mouse and I'm a little horse. Let 881 00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:44,760 Speaker 1: me try. Oh my gosh, welcome to woof Disney World. 882 00:44:45,560 --> 00:44:49,319 Speaker 1: Will Um, I can't do it hardly today. I'm I'm 883 00:44:49,360 --> 00:44:51,840 Speaker 1: getting over a cold. But um, I used to do 884 00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:54,680 Speaker 1: that and then I do like aerial and stuff like, 885 00:44:55,200 --> 00:44:59,279 Speaker 1: look at this stuff, isn't any Oh my god, you 886 00:44:59,360 --> 00:45:03,040 Speaker 1: just cured my my. Sirie just turned on. She just 887 00:45:03,080 --> 00:45:07,279 Speaker 1: said I'm your assistant and your friend too. Oh thanks Siri. 888 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:12,319 Speaker 1: Thank Sirie. You're not in this interview. Maybe she's telling 889 00:45:12,360 --> 00:45:16,239 Speaker 1: me to shut up. Oh my god. That wasn't Mary 890 00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:18,560 Speaker 1: was like you have to ask her. She's oddly good 891 00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:21,480 Speaker 1: at Disney boys. Yes, I need I'll come back and 892 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:25,160 Speaker 1: show you what I'm not too hoarse. All right, Well, 893 00:45:25,200 --> 00:45:28,400 Speaker 1: you guys go check Kaylee out on Instagram at Kaylee Hammock. 894 00:45:28,440 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 1: Where else can people find you? You can find me 895 00:45:30,239 --> 00:45:33,000 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. We're going to be posting 896 00:45:33,000 --> 00:45:36,200 Speaker 1: a bunch more makeup videos fun and website is Kaylee 897 00:45:36,239 --> 00:45:38,720 Speaker 1: Hammock dot comic. Sure to check it out for updates 898 00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:40,719 Speaker 1: on when new music is coming out. You guys are 899 00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:44,879 Speaker 1: gonna love it. Thanks for being here all right bye. 900 00:45:45,280 --> 00:45:47,520 Speaker 1: This is Kelly Henderson and you've been listening to the 901 00:45:47,600 --> 00:45:51,200 Speaker 1: Velvet's Edge podcast. I truly believe that every one of 902 00:45:51,280 --> 00:45:53,800 Speaker 1: us has a little velvet and a little edge, so 903 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:56,440 Speaker 1: it's so important to remember that to be strong, you 904 00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:59,680 Speaker 1: must be soft too. Thank you so much for sharing 905 00:45:59,719 --> 00:46:02,520 Speaker 1: in the stories with me. You can follow Velvet's Edge 906 00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:05,719 Speaker 1: on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as velvet's Edge 907 00:46:05,760 --> 00:46:08,240 Speaker 1: dot com. If you have it yet, go to Apple 908 00:46:08,320 --> 00:46:12,360 Speaker 1: Podcasts and subscribe, rate and review this podcast. Join me 909 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:17,200 Speaker 1: every Wednesday for more conversations on lifestyle, beauty, and relationships. 910 00:46:17,440 --> 00:46:18,280 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.