First off, congratulations that you were 2020 ACM New Artist of the year. That must feel absolutely amazing? Thank you for the kind words!! It was truly such an honour to feel like the community of country music was pulling up a chair and inviting me to their table celebrating this award. To be recognized among the country music family, who I greatly respect and admire, meant so much to me!
I had the pleasure of meeting you at CMA fest in 2019. At that time “Somebody’s Daughter” was a hit and I think “Jersey on the Wall” was on its way up the charts. Both are GREAT songs that tell a relatable story. Country music is full of great songs that tell important stories. What/who was your influence that fostered your story telling? I love that we met at CMA Fest!!! Gosh that week is always so fun. And thanks for saying that about both of those songs. I grew up loving songs that told stories. Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colours" was a song that set the bar for me from the first time I heard it with my grandparents as a kid. I think I felt this gravity towards songwriting because it was a way that I could understand my own emotions about something by having an outlet to tell a story. I think music often has a much easier time to talk about the hard things than a conversation.
You’ve been “in the music business” for a long time, since your teens. If you could go back and tell your 12-year-old self anything, what would it be? Ha this is an awesome question. I think the courage that I had as a 12 year old, is a big part of the reason I'm living my dream right now. I'd tell her to stay brave and willing to stand up for yourself. And keep writing and believing.
Panama City beach is a vacation destination for many people. What is your favorite vacation destination? I love getting to visit Panama City Beach!! I really love anywhere in the sunshine by the water!
When you are writing music, what do you find most inspires you? What gets your creative juices running? I get inspired by all kinds of things. Movies I'm watching, books I'm reading, conversations with friends. Music is my safe place where I'm allowed to feel and say anything and I'm so grateful for that. Picking up a guitar helps get my creative juices going. And so does journaling. Usually I love to start with a feeling or a concept for a song, and then it becomes this magical, spiritual ride to see where the song takes you and feels a lot like just listening, and being a vessel.
Being Canadian, but spending much of your time in the states, what is a food that you miss from home? Canadian ice tea ha. Very different from the sweet tea of the south! And Tim Hortons. I love Tim Hortons!!
I’m sure you often find life pulling you in several directions at once, how do you stay “grounded?" I'm still learning how to find that honestly, but I'm grateful for the people in my life that I can talk to when I catch myself drifting. Journaling helps me process the highs and the lows too. And recently morning prayer and meditation has become a favourite way to start a day for me.
You’re heading out with Brother’s Osborne this summer on their “Not for Everyone” tour. Is there a particular city you are looking forward to playing? And why? Gosh I'm so excited for this tour I can hardly stand it. I'm the biggest fan of Brother's Osoborne music and can't wait to get back out there and play and share that sacred feeling of live music again. I always love getting to play in Chicago, New York and Nashville, but I've had such special memories in all kinds of cities and can't wait to discover some new favourites on this tour too!
When on tour, do you often get an opportunity to play “tourist?" If so, what is it you look forward to doing most? I don't always get that opportunity with the way we've been travelling and arriving close to just in time to sound check and play, but when we do get time, my band and I love finding local coffee shops to walk to.
A lot of artists kept busy during the pandemic being creative, writing and recording. As a huge Tenille Townes fan, any timeframe for the release of new music? Very soon!!! I can't wait to share the new music I've been writing and working on this past year, and I promise something new is coming very soon! Thanks for being on this adventure with me!!
