Believe in Nashville

Updates, reviews and all the latest from the newest artists in country music. Find us on twitter @believeinnashv

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Alex Masters 'Blinded' EP Review

We are CONSTANTLY searching for new music to show to you guys so that we know the music we're promoting to you is fresh, interesting and, most of all, good. Alex Masters is the epitome of all of these aspects and we're so excited to introduce you to her. Born in a small town in Virginia, Alex grew up listening to artists such as Faith Hill, Shania Twain, The Dixie Chicks and then decided to go to college in Nashville. Once Alex graduated, she got an internship with hit songwriter, Brett James’ publishing company, Cornman Music Publishing. Being surrounded by musicians and being in music city, Alex decided to pursue a solo career.

In 2011, Alex released her debut album ‘Sirens’ and a second, 'Long Way Home’, followed shortly after. The album featured songs that she’d released each month for a year as part of her “12 in 12” project to show her musical journey. As you gathered, we adore all of Alex’s music so when she announced that she’d updated her website AND released a new EP, we were super excited! 

One of our favourite tracks, ‘Reckless Love’ is the sweet tale of a perfectly played out romance, it’s innocent and endearing without being overly cliché. Its upbeat, catchy melody ensures that you’re smiling the whole way through listening and it will most probably be stuck in your head for weeks. Lyrically, it’s such a standout track with lines like ‘dreaming big, diving into every kiss, never worrying ‘bout a thing’ – they represent the theme of the song so well, it’s carefree and reckless and exactly what you need to cheer up miserable winter days. We know that this will be on repeat for months!

We’re SUCH a fan of this new ‘don’t let anyone stop you being you’ message popping up in more and more songs these days and “Haters Gonna Hate” is another perfect example of this. It’s such a positive message and definitely more of what people need to be listening to with lyrics such as, ‘they’ll tell you that you’re crazy and you don’t have a chance’. It’s refreshing to have country artists writing about more modern, relevant themes and so many people could relate to the meaning.

Motorcycle is another favourite, appealing both lyrically and sonically. For us, it captures that ‘bad boy attraction’ vibe that I’m pretty sure everyone gets. It’s the ideal country-pop track with well written lyrics and is a PERFECT example of why the ladies are killing it right now, and should be getting more recognition for what they’re doing. Alex’s vocals have a perfect blend of sweet and strong making her so different for other artists around right now and this track will have you instantly hooked!

We’re so excited to have discovered Alex, she has a way of writing current and relevant songs that literally just stick in your head and we can’t wait to see what else is to come for her and the other ladies at Song Suffragettes! If you get the chance to catch a show, you 100% wouldn’t want to miss it!

Tracklist:

Haters Gonna Hate

Reckless Love

My Heart Breaking

Blinded

Don’t Dry My Tears

Motorcycle

Old Grey T-Shirt

Our favourite tracks: Reckless Love,

Rating: 10/10

Find updates on Alex Masters from her Twitter page, official website and facebook page. Get your copy of the EP here.

The BelieveinNashville Team

xo

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Maggie Chapman 'Vignette' Album Review

With the new season comes an exciting line up of country releases, one of our most anticipated was the debut album from our September artist of the month, Maggie Chapman. With much support from both Creative Nation, Maggie's label, and her fans 'Vignette' was finally released on the 16th after weeks of countdown song teasers building hype and it was definitely worth the wait. Despite only being 17, Maggie has already been recognised by Rolling Stone magazine, USA Today and Esquire lifestyle magazine - we have no doubt that this album is only the start for her. As far as talented gals go, Maggie’s got it all and it’s so wonderful to see the ladies killing it!

 The album is cleverly titled Vignette, which Maggie describes as meaning, "In literature, a vignette is a short, well-written, descriptive scene, not entirely a full story. This seemed like the perfect word to describe my debut album because in so many ways, it is the ‘little vine’ that the music I make in the future will stem from." Maggie is first and foremost a songwriter and her passion for literature and writing is conveyed in the album with brilliant metaphors, literary references and a showcase of writing beyond her years.

Wonder Woman was obviously going to be one of our favourite tracks, it's an inspiring girl power anthem written with April Geesbreght and Tiffany Vartanyan. Chapman says she wanted to "write an anthemic, motivational song for girls. A song that you could listen to while putting your makeup on in the morning that could give you this confidence and make you feel like you could accomplish anything and everything that day." We love that it's achieved exactly that and will definitely make it onto all future motivational playlists. The song is scattered with clever patriotic references and focuses on the power of hard work and confidence in yourself, it celebrates being a powerful woman with lyrics such as, "fierce like a lion, not afraid of trying, if we're going down, we're going down fighting." In a largely male dominated industry, it’s wonderful to have these themes being sung about to let girls know that they can do anything they want to if they work hard.

Another standout track is a Jolene-style song about competing with 'the other woman', who is so much better. The song is based around children’s book, Charlotte's Web with a darker twist. It features a sultry, more edgy intro and references to the book scattered throughout the song, again just showcasing Maggie's extraordinary writing capabilities. The lyrics paint a perfect picture and the song cleverly plays out like a story whilst making you feel the struggle of being inadequate and completely helpless in a relationship. It's definitely one of the best written songs on the album and combines Maggie's love for music and literature in a song, other tracks on the album with the same literature references such as Golden Girl are some of our all-time favourites and you can tell that this is where she's in her element and producing some of her best music.

It Should Have Been You is a popular track among fans and critics and if you listen to the lyrics, you can understand why. The recording is live and raw so the song fully captures the emotion intended when writing it, which can often be lost with heavy, commercial production. Maggie tells that story of bumping into an old partner and realising that they should have stayed together. Although it's based on real life events, it’s written in a way that makes the song relatable for anyone else who's been though a similar situation, so many of us have had 'should've been' relationships and this is literally THE song for them. The lyrics are incredibly written and so honest, including lines such as, "please don't ask me if I'm happy now 'cause I'd always believed that you might come around, back to me." The honesty and emotion presented in the song is prime example of what makes music so special, it connects people though experiences and puts feelings into words, for someone of just 17 to be able to present that so well is inspiring and makes us so excited to see what else Maggie can come up with as her skill develops with age.

The closing track on the album, Sweatshirt is definitely one that we've had on repeat since we first heard it and it’s possibly the most relatable. It tells the story of a girl still holding onto her ex-boyfriend's sweatshirt and the symbolism of the piece of clothing. I'm sure most of us have held on to a partner’s jacket at some point and the lyrics capture the memories and emotions that can be held in such a simple item. The writing is just another example of using clever metaphors and is something you'd expect from a more experienced artist, not from a debut album.  It also showcases some of the best vocals and melodies on the album making it one of those songs that you want to listen to on repeat for hours (you know you’re all guilty of doing so).

We're BEYOND impressed with the quality of the whole album and as I'm sure you've gathered, we're in awe of Maggie's insane talent. We can't wait to see the opportunities the album creates for her because it's quite literally a masterpiece and as we expected, the perfect autumn album. It's so exciting to witness an artist be so certain in the creative direction of their music because it doesn't happen frequently, especially with such young artists, Maggie is truly one of a kind and it's an honour to be able to watch her career develop.

 Tracklist:

1. Golden Girl 2. Pickin' Petals 3. Graffiti 4. Unbreak 5. Charlotte's Web 6. Wannabe Rebel 7. Give Me A Minute 8. Wonder Woman 9. It Should've Been You 10. Sweatshirt

Our favourite tracks: Golden Girl, Pickin' Petals, Wonder Woman, Sweatshirt

 Rating: 10/10

 Find updates on Maggie Chapman from her twitter page, official website and facebook page.

 The BelieveinNashville Team

xo

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Artist of the Month: Hunter Hayes

Well HEY October! Autumn really is here now and we couldn’t be more excited for all that comes with it. We don’t know about you but when we hit autumn we look for completely different sounds or work to rediscover old favourites. That’s why our October Artist of the Month is an artist who many US readers will already know and love but we cannot wait to introduce to a UK audience.

Hunter Hayes is a Grammy nominated artist, known for his angelic voice and the ridiculous number of instruments in his repertoire. His self titled debut reached number 7 on the Billboard Top 200 and has sold more than 1.1 million copies. Also, at the age of seven he performed in front of the president. To say he’s a pretty big deal is an understatement. Hunter is a complete over achiever in music circles and there’s absolutely no doubt why this is the case.

The thing that we’ve always liked about Hunter is the way he’s one of those artists where you can listen to every single song on an album with no skipping and no complaints. Wanted, his most popular track, is a a piano based ballad, directly addressing a love interest in THE most heart melting way (‘but your beauty’s deeper than the make-up /And I wanna show you what I see tonight’). It’s one of those songs that would have any girl weak at the knees and could do exactly that to UK audience. A personal favourite is one of his newer singles ‘I Want Crazy’ which details a relationship in the sweetest way whilst also being ridiculously catchy, showcasing Hunter’s vocals and being an overall really well produced song.

So why is Hunter our artist of the month when he’s already doing so well? Surely he can’t be deemed up and coming? The thing is, in the UK, he really is. Like most country artists, the chances of people here knowing of him are slim and that’s not fair on his talent. As the release of his first UK EP happens this month, we thought it was only right to push him into the spotlight of the ever growing UK industry.

You can preorder the EP here.

Though the EP has newer versions of his popular songs with a more pop edge, there’s no questioning whether this is a good choice. By doing this, Hunter shows an awareness that a mainstream UK audience doesn’t chart through and through country and the teen fans that he could really interest don’t usually go for country artists. We regularly have the ‘Hunter could do so well here’ chat and this decision only prompts us to believe this even more. Country fans and squealing teenage girls alike (we unashamedly fall into both of those categories) will fall head over heels with his talent, stage presence and genuinely distinctive sound.

His first UK visit is next week (!!!) for just one secret show BUT we know he’ll receive a reception that will leave him wanting to come back asap. (C2C Festival? Please? ALL our fingers are crossed.)

We seriously hope we’ve introduced any UK followers to a new artist they really love and let’s hope October is a month of wonderful new artists and music!

The BelieveInNashville Team xo

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September has been a month of new beginnings and we’re so glad that we’ve had these songs as our soundtrack!

Jesus & Roses - Alex Masters: We owe our latest music obsession to Song Suffragettes, you all know how much we love the ladies over there and this song in particular is such a fall favourite. Alex has a new EP, ‘Blinded’ out NOW and you can listen from her website.

Music Inside Me - Daisy Mallory: Daisy’s EP ‘This Side of Town’ came out this summer and we are STILL replaying it, we’ve been obsessed with the whole tracklist at some point but this is definitely our current favourite.

Community College - Natalie Hemby: Natalie Hemby has to be one of our favourite writers in Nashville at the minute, this track is written with Shane McAnally and Luke Laird (actual dream team) and we’ve been hooked ever since we stumbled across it on SoundCloud. If you haven’t already, you can check it out HERE.

Sweatshirt- Maggie Chapman: You all know that we are THE hugest fans of Maggie and everything she stands for. Review of the whole of her debut album ‘Vignette’ coming later this week but we couldn’t not feature this gem. A definite stand out for us!

A Little Too Me - Maddy Newton: Possibly the cutest song we heard all month, we love Maddy’s sound and honesty. She’s a definite up and comer with the hugest internet following already. Check her out! ALSO, if not for anything else then this song deserves a mention purely for the line ‘I eat pizza, do yoga, love thrift stores and yoda’. Too good.

Never Know - Elizabeth Huett: She’s been in a staple in our iTunes libraries for SO long but we definitely rediscovered this song this month. Liz has the prettiest voice and the hugest talent. This song is almost haunting and so relatable and gorgeous. We cannot gush about her enough. You NEED her music in your life!

Pawn Shop - Jillian Jacqueline: Jillian is one of those artists that fits into your music library so quickly that it feels like you’ve always listened to her. Though it’s only been a few months, this song definitely falls into the category of ‘all time faves’. You can listen to it on Jillian’s SoundCloud here! All the songs on there are ridiculously well produced but this is a definite stand out, filled with clever lyrics.

Kiss Me - Lucy Hale: We’ll be honest, the reason we were so excited for this album is purely because we love Pretty Little Liars BUT Lucy Hale proves she’s waaaaay more than just Aria Montgomery. She’s a super talented country singer and this song is one of our favourites because it’s fun, catchy and just straight up country pop.

Wild As They Come - Crownover: During one of our regular Noisetrade searching sessions, we stumbled across country band, Crownover. We listened to some of their previews and decided to download their EP. This one is such a standout track and it’s made it onto 90% of our iTunes playlists, you can find their EP here.

Young - RaeLynn: We’ve had this song on repeat since RaeLynn went out on radio tour, it’s super relatable and exactly what we need right now. We can’t wait for the release of her debut album so we can finally get a studio version of this song. It shows of RaeLynn’s INSANE writing talent and shows that as well as making super fun music, she can do the emotional stuff too.

Let us know what you’ve been loving lately!

The BelieveInNashville Team 

xo

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Current Love: American Young

The aim for this blog is not only to post about new artists but new artists who really are bringing something different to the scene. Signed to Curb Records, American Young are no exception to this. Comprised of Jon Stone and Kirsty Osmunson, they’re certainly not newcomers in the industry but as a pair, they’re only just getting started. Collectively, they’ve penned tracks for the likes of Blake Shelton, Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney and with a record like that, hopes for their own music can only be high.

Before becoming part of American Young, Jon was a solo artist, a successful producer and a songwriter whereas Kirsty was the fiddle player and founding member of the duo, ‘Bomshel’, most known for their 2009 song ‘Fight Like A Girl’. Soon after John and Kirsty met, they set up a casual writing session and realised that, as a duo, they had something special. This is where it all began as they realised that they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work together and after a bit of persuading, they came to the belief that it will work out because, in their words, “somebody has to fail enough to not be afraid of success. Frankly, we’ve failed so much that success would be such a by-product of just doing something that we loved”.

In 2013, they released their debut single, ‘Love is War’, a track that tells the tale of the struggles and sacrifices that love, however perfect, can lead to (“Sometimes love is a white flag // but it’s worth fighting for”). The song is perfectly written by Jonathan Singleton, Kylie Sackley and Billy Montana with honest and ever relevant lyrics. The production is raw and understated allowing the emotion and the duos vocals’ to really shine through displaying their brilliantly matched harmonies. This is something really special about the sound of the pair: the passion is so blatant. In 2014, the duo released their six track EP including ‘Love is War’ and their second single, ‘Wasn’t Gonna Drink Tonight’ which has THE most beautiful fiddle intro. It’s little things like that which remind you that these guys are pure country, something that their mature sound could allow you to forget. Their sound is so far from mainstream and that’s definitely not a bad thing.

Last year they performed alongside Jana Kramer and received rave reviews performing to large audiences. ALSO, (huge deal), they performed "Love Is War" on The Bachelorette" which was really exciting to see. We can’t wait for their debut album and we're so excited to hear how their upcoming shows go. You can find the dates for these HERE and we're so sure you guys will want to catch them if possible.

Their EP is one of our favourite releases of 2014 and the fact that it’s so fresh makes us love it even more. They’re the full package with strong vocals, perfect harmonies and previous experience that means they’re well equipped to not just change their own scene of country music but start a completely new one. Their passion is so wonderful and they’re simply a music match made in heaven!

Keep updated with American Young on their Facebook page, Twitter and official website.

The BelieveinNashville Team

xo

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Artist of the Month: Maggie Chapman

We’ve just hit September so new starts, colder weather and pumpkin spice lattes are JUST around the corner. Our AOTM is responsible for the perfect soundtrack to this (no pressure) so that’s why we chose the INCREDIBLY talented Maggie Chapman.

Managed by Creative Nation, she’s the name on everyone’s lips at the moment and once you hear her voice, there’s no questioning why this is the case. Brian Mansfield of USA Today has her over for shows and BMI Songwriter of the Year, Luke Laird, is the main man getting her name out there. Plus, she’s got an army of loyal followers.  It’s safe to say she’s got the best people behind her and this industry has clearly fallen for her for more than just her whimsical charm, sweet tweets to fans and ability to rock that perfect red lip.  

Maggie hails from Clearwater, Florida, and grew up journalling her ideas and thoughts as soon as she could write. She cites classic artists like Carly Simon and Tom Petty as influences and it all makes her more a storyteller than a country singer. It was a birthday trip to a recording studio that lead her straight to music city though. The studio in question couldn’t keep Maggie’s sound quiet and meetings with various industry types stemmed from them making the first move. This quickly lead to the suggestion of co-writing sessions in Nashville which eventually meant moving the family 700 miles to Tennessee so Maggie could pursue a career that was already gaining attention and looking so bright.

An obsession with classic novels and times gone by drives Maggie’s sound. This is seen especially in one of our favourite tracks, ‘Golden Girl’, from her self-titled EP released earlier this year.  The song takes inspiration from the relationship between The Great Gatsby author, F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda. Teenage girls don’t normally sing about these sorts of things, let alone teenage girls within the country music industry. Maggie’s different and this proves it. The writing is flawless and original. It transports you to the twenties whilst also being refreshingly new. Inspiration from the world of literature is seen again in the gorgeous ‘Charlotte’s Web’, a song bursting with imagery but also full of clever references. Again and again, Maggie writes songs way above her years with not a stereotype in sight meaning that her songs could appeal to so many people as no one could possibly deny the talent she has purely due to her genre choice.

You can grab a copy of the EP here.

Maggie releases her debut album in just 11 days and we’re SO excited to see her go on and achieve so much with it. The album is cleverly named ‘Vignette’ meaning ‘a brief evocative description’ OR that cool fade thing old photos do. It’s so Maggie and the fact you can label it as such shows just what a character she is. We’ve been anticipating this release for so long and if Maggie’s teasers are anything to judge it by, it’s going to be an album full of poetic, anthemic  lyrics and a sound that, with the right support, could really make this girl go far.

We hope you love her just as much as we do and that your September is wonderful. We have SO much good music and so many new recommendations coming your way ASAP so get ready!

The BelieveInNashville Team

xo

P.S. You can follow Maggie on Twitter here for album and life updates. Tell her we sent you!

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August Playlist

Here’s a collection of some of the songs we’ve been loving this month, they come from old favourites and newer discoveries but regardless they’re all perfect summer songs and SUCH jams.

Playing The Game- Baylor Wilson: The end of summer, for some of us, means back to high school. Baylor, with her legit voice of an angel, sings about the monotony of high school life/life in general at times, in a way that’s completely relatable. EVERYTHING that this gal sings is on point so check out more HERE.

Showin’ Off - Ryan Griffin: Moment of honesty, finding male artists who we love is something we find SUPER hard so when we heard Ryan Griffin we were pleasantly surprised. We found his music on soundcloud and this was an instant favourite. It’s sweet, romantic and completely refreshing when compared to the usual songs we seem to find from young male artists about trucks and beer. (Mentioning no names.) Listen to this track HERE and more of his tracks HERE.

Love is War - American Young: We stumbled across the country/folk style duo quite recently, again on soundcloud. They’re nothing like anything else we’re listening to despite country duos being the hottest new trend. This song is catchy like you’d expect from a more country-pop hit whilst containing honest and well written lyrics. We’ll definitely be hearing more from this duo, you can hear the track HERE.

Friends Like Us - Cali Rodi: the whole ‘saying goodbye to friends as they move to uni/college’ thing is an ALL too real part of our lives right now and Cali puts every goodbye in the most perfect way. We’re huge fans and you can expect to see more about her on the blog asap but in the mean time you can grab seven free songs HERE!

Drunk Because of You - Betsy Lane: If you caught our review of Betsy’s newest EP, ‘Southern Crazy’ we mentioned that this was one of our favourites. The fact it’s still on replay means it can only be wonderful. The line “funny how a broken heart can change who you are” is ridiculously relatable and it’s everything you expect from a country song. You can buy the EP HERE.

Leave The Night On- Sam Hunt: here's the token 'bro country' artist. Sam Hunt is a name we can't escape and this is summer music through and through. He's just released a four track album preview which you can find HERE and he's got an album coming later in the year. He's going to be a huge name, there's no question of it. He's very good at what he does.

Too Much Love - Ella Mae Bowen: As previously mentioned, Ella Mae is one of our all time favourites and this gem, Too Much Love has been on repeat all month! Ella Mae herself calls the song a forgotten favourite and we can see why, it has the strongest message and it’s super uplifting. You can hear the track HERE.

We hope you guys love these songs as much as we do and that August has been fabulous for you. So much to come with this blog and SO much good music on its way.

The BelieveInNashville Team

xo

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Introducing Taylor Edwards

You’ve probably noticed by now that we’re huge fans of the artists we post about. That’s exactly why we choose to promote them. Prepare yourselves for another gushing post as we introduce you to one of our absolute favourites.

Taylor Edwards is an Arkansas born 21 year old with something to say. She describes herself as ‘a little sassy but mostly sweet’ and the exact same could be said for her music. As expected, Taylor cites country icons Shania Twain and Martina McBride as the music she grew up with but like every other 90s kid, there was also a little bit of The Spice Girls. This early pop influence makes for catchy country, exactly what we want to listen to and something we can hear in her recent Shoe String Sessions.

'Little More Loretta', from these sessions, really sums up Taylor's sound. It's a song about embracing the parts of country music from the past that we can all see slowly disappearing. Acoustic guitar dominates the song, yet a more modern sound can also be heard. With lyrics like 'when twang was enough you didn't need a DJ' and 'if you held a guitar on stage you could actually play it', it shows real love for the genre and is insightful but in a way that it doesn't feel like she's just preaching her own ideas. It's definitely funny, honest and real and shows that Taylor's country, there's no getting past that. Right now, that's the music she's making and the music she believes in. That's why we believe in her. 

At the time of writing, Taylor’s YouTube channel has 2,314,176 views which is CRAZY and one of the reasons that Taylor is now living in Nashville. Obviously, music city is the place for Taylor to thrive, proved by how often she’s playing shows around the city and the quality of the music she’s uploading. We mentioned Taylor in our recent post about Megan & Liz and can safely say that ANYTHING the twins and Taylor do, together or apart, is something we will always want to hear.

You can check out Taylor’s newest newest cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ HERE. We didn’t think we could be anymore obsessed with this song but it’s just happened. Can we also have an official moment for the fact this song hasn’t even been out twenty four hours yet and she’s already uploaded an AMAZING cover? Seriously if that isn’t the epitome of hard work and determination then I don’t know what is.

There are thousands of female solo artists trying to break into this male dominated industry, all obviously with different ideas and messages to put across. Taylor stands out because she just seems to be in the best position to achieve. She’s savvy, professional and poised for a future which we can only see as bright.

More information about Taylor can be found on her Twitter and Facebook 

ALSO, you can get 7 free songs on her website here. (You read that right. FREE MUSIC!)

The BelieveInNashville Team

xo

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Dexeter and their part in UK Country Music.

The UK country scene is constantly growing thanks to the newly found support from mainstream media such as BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris and the TV show Nashville. This means that many great new artists from the UK are being brought to our attention, as you’ve probably noticed from previous posts. We were lucky enough to catch up with one of them, Dexeter, at a recent show and find out more about their musical influences, playing Country 2 Country and their future plans.

Comprised of Deeanne and Gareth plus a crazy talented band, they are the definition of pure UK country. With Gareth writing all the songs for the group, they are original, interesting and exactly what’s been missing from the UK country scene. Previously being part of various other heavy metal bands, Gareth has plenty of experience with performance and being a musician in general. The original plan for the band was to find a female vocalist to record Gareth’s songs so he could pursue his career in songwriting but the band eventually decided to take on the industry together. Not long after this, the opportunity arose for the group to play a set on the pop-up stage at London’s O2 arena for the UK’s largest country music festival, ‘Country 2 Country’. Prior to their appearance at UK country festival, the band had played the grand total of three shows live together and the change to a country music sound had really, only just happened.

The band cite Lady Antebellum, The Band Perry and Rascal Flatts as some of their favourite artists, meaning that they naturally take on a current country/rock sound that’s ever present on the Nashville scene. They’re modern with all the talent of more traditional country artists and this is only the start for them.

Live is when the band really come to life. It’s rare to find a new band with so much chemistry and stage presence whilst being able to maintain the raw essence of their sound. Catching them in a festival setting meant we witnessed Dexeter gain a positive reaction from non country fans, something that is really admirable and shows how far they could go. They performed six songs in total including a cover of country queen Dolly Parton’s hit ‘Jolene’ and their brand new single ‘Slow it Down’, for the first time. Having a completely live band is admirable in this day and age and made them contrast greatly to the rest of the acts that we saw that day. It also again shows how hardworking and determined these guys are in terms of making their individual sound is heard and is heard well.

Ever present on social media, you can find these guys on their twitter, Facebook and website. Twitter has helped them really establish their name, something that their six thousand followers really proves. (ALSO, note that one of these followers is Lady A. HUGE deal.) Their social media presence has allowed them to build relationships with other UK artists and blogs with the group considering a tour with other UK country artists including Hannah Jane Lewis (who they’re definitely playing gigs with, you can find dates HERE) later this year. Their support for other emerging artists and increasing the country music scene in the UK is admirable, especially when we’ve witnessed first hand how difficult it can be on this side of the pond.

UK guys and girls, we can almost guarantee that Dexeter will be playing a show near you soon and you definitely won’t want to miss it. Not only insanely talented, they’re also some of the nicest people on the circuit at the moment and so passionate about the progression of this genre we all love.

You can watch the video for their new single ‘Slow it Down’ here!

ALSO, the band plan on releasing an album on March 2nd 2015 with a Pledge campaign on the way to make this happen so be on the look out for that!

The BelieveInNashville Team xo

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Artist of the month: Ella Mae Bowen

One of the main reasons we started this blog was to feature and promote artists that we feel are just as good as (or even better) than what you’re hearing on the radio right now. If you asked us for a specific name, first to mind would be Ella Mae Bowen. Mutually, she’s in our top 5 favourite artists (ever) and also one of the reasons we started listening to more upcoming artists. It’s not just this that meant she had to be our August AOTM though; she also has a unique voice and talent that you guys NEED to hear.

18 year old Ella Mae Bowen grew up in Walhalla, South Carolina. At just 16, Ella Mae moved to Nashville with her family to pursue her career working with Red Light Management’s Tracy Gershon. Shortly after moving, Ella Mae managed to land a spot on the soundtrack for the 2011 remake of 80’s classic, Footloose, with a heartfelt, acoustic cover of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ that’s haunting and powerful. Ella Mae was the only unsigned artist on the record alongside names such as Hunter Hayes and Blake Shelton (where she rightfully should be). In the same year, Ella Mae also made her Grand Ole Opry debut, wich we’re sure won’t be her last time performing at the prestigious venue. You can listen to her performance HERE.

Following her impressive debut on the soundtrack, Ella Mae caught the attention of Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta and he obviously, and rightfully, saw the potential that we do. Whilst with Big Machine, Ella Mae Bowen released 14 free songs, a mix of demos and worktapes, to people who signed up to her mailing list. This built Ella Mae Bowen a strong fan following, who are all eagerly awaiting the release of her debut EP.

You can listen to tracks from Ella Mae Bowen’s upcoming EP on her Soundcloud here!

In 2013, Ella Mae left Big Machine and became an independent artist, allowing her more freedom in her choices and pace at which to progress. Entertainment Weekly described Ella Mae’s voice as having “an urgency beyond her years” a statement we completely agree with – she’s unlike any other with an insanely individual brand. Her lyrics are sweet and endearing yet with an honest angle on relationships and definitely present an outlook unexpected for someone of her age. She’s different to anybody else right now but exactly where everyone else should be. Alongside her vocal strength, she’s a lyricist, working with Nashville’s hottest writers such as Liz Rose, Lori McKenna and Luke Laird. With writers like that, expectations for upcoming music can only be high.

We’re certain that Ella Mae Bowen is a name you’ll be hearing around a lot soon (if you hadn’t already). She’s one of our favourite artists for a reason and she’s CRAZY talented for only 18. We definitely believe she deserves more recognition and we’re super excited for the release of her EP and her future in general. You can catch her at writers’ rounds and performances around Nashville and the southeast. We can promise that she’s one of those artists you’ll want to tell your friends you’ve been supporting since the beginning.

Ella Mae: we’re so proud of you for following your dreams and your heart. You’ve got the brightest future ahead of you and we’ll be behind you every single step of the way because you deserve above and beyond.

Find updates on Ella Mae Bowen from her Twitter page, official website and Facebook page.

The BelieveinNashville Team

xo

[believeinnashville]

Megan & Liz: country to pop and back to country.

To some people, the launch of Megan & Liz’s EP ‘Simple Life’ just meant catchy, well produced, country tunes. Yet for others it marked a distinct change in the sound of the girls and was a HUGE DEAL for long term fans. After practically growing up with their music in our lives, we’re so happy to see these girls going back to their country roots.

BACK STORY: unless you’ve been living on another planet for the past 7 years, you probably know the basics. Megan & Liz launched their career on YouTube, aged just 15. The girls covered popular songs of the time (don’t even PRETEND you weren’t jamming to the Camp Rock soundtrack in 2008) and gained viewer after viewer. Due to their focus on being two girls with a guitar, they were mainly labelled a country act, especially when they started posting more original material and (of course) covering more Taylor Swift (a self proclaimed fan of the girls). Their social media presence and regular YouTube updates meant fans were able to see these two grow in age and talent from their computers, meaning that we’ve all ended up very emotionally involved in them and their career.

Simply put, they carried on from strength to strength, reaching 1 million subscribers in 2013, getting their faces on ring pops, being named the Macy’s iHeart Radio Rising Stars and going on their first headline tour. All this and they’re still only 21.

'Simple Life' is a milestone for the girls in terms of their sound. In 2012, they released their single 'Bad For Me', along with a seven song EP of the same name. These songs were brilliant in terms of the fact that they were catchy summer songs with very high production yet a sound which lacked country influence. There was one country song on the EP, 'Like I Would'. This song became most people's favourite because of its sweet, relatable, story telling, lyrics. The reception it received all over social networking was enormous and showed just how much fans loved this side of the twins.

However, in 2014 their label, Collective Sounds, closed and legally binding contracts mean that their debut album, Look What You Started, will go unreleased. This meant a complete turn around for the girls, musically and physically, as they moved from LA and back to Nashville. Music City really does seem the place for these two though and the ‘Simple Life’ EP proves this.

The thing with Megan & Liz is that they just seem to always get it. Their lyrics make it feel like they understand and the pop influence makes for catchy lyrics and chorus’ you can’t get out of your head. The EP covers so many subject matters, from growing up (‘New At This’) to cheating boys (‘Grave’) to beautifully written songs like ‘Switch Hearts’ about love and loss which capturing every emotion perfectly.

The EP received rave reviews with Backseat Mafia saying it ‘has a personal feel to it that will give fans a much more involving listening experience than before’ something that we totally agree with. The emotion that a country sound allows these girls to illicit is crazy and really does capture that ‘“Megan & Liz” sound’ that the two have created.

These girls are taking the Nashville music scene by a storm and writing with so many of our favourite ladies including Elizabeth Huett and Taylor Edwards. We just know that the next step for these two will be so incredibly positive and they deserve every ounce of support that they’re getting.

You can listen to them with Taylor Edwards here.

On top of ALL this, they also have really great hair so basically can do no wrong. We’re SO beyond proud of these girls and love them to bits.

They are the absolute QUEENS of social media so can be found all over the place:

Group Twitter

Liz’s Twitter

Megan’s Twitter

Facebook page

ALSO, try to look at their instagrams (meganmckinley & stella218) and not have insane clothes jealousy, we dare you.

Megan & Liz: we’ve always got your backs, promise. SO MUCH LOVE (as always) being sent your way.

The Believe in Nashville team xo

PS. The girls are nominated for a Teen Choice award (!!!!!), you can vote for them as your Choice Web Star: Music here!

[believeinnashville]

Here's what we've been listening to and LOVING this month, they're all perfect for your summer playlists so thank you to some of our favourite ladies for bringing out fab music recently!

[believeinnashville]

Finding artists: the power of social media.

There’s nothing that really compares to that moment when you click play and realise that THIS is a song you want everyone you know to hear, the song that sums up everything that you want to say with every other aspect technically perfect. We live for moments like that and they’re exactly what drove us to start this blog. It’s a moment of energy, expectation and excitement. We search these moments out for you, trying to get you to feel the same connection to the music and the artists. It wouldn’t be nearly as easy to find these artists without the power of social media.

Moment of honesty: we probably spend a good 6 hours on social media a day. Each. It’s disguised by the very occasional tweet or Instagram but really nope. We’re constantly scrolling, browsing and searching, whether it be out of boredom or because it’s become such a necessary part of our daily routines. Recently though, the way both of use social media has changed a lot. Our timelines are full of artists. It could be promo for their shows and music or insight into their lives. Both things allow us to have a connection with them and this is so important.

Twitter is FULL of music recommendations and once you’ve found one artist you’re bound to find loads more from that as they communicate and post about friends. SO many of our favourite musicians chat away and promote each other on twitter and it’s really great to see. The digital country music community is relatively small, meaning new friends, and their new music recommendations, really are just a click away. Also, if you’re following certain artists, similar up and coming artists may follow you when trying to increase their fanbase, make sure you check the profiles and websites of any artists that follow you!

Strangely enough, we’ve found that when a new artist is less active on social media or engages with fans less, it’s harder to fall head over heels with their music. If you think that an artist seems a nice person or they’ve tweeted you saying something or thanked you for a purchase, then you feel more inclined to do it again. It’s basic psychology. Living where we do, it’s hard to get to see some of these artists so this digital connection means a lot to us and simultaneously helps them in establishing a more worldwide fan base. Though an artist may not be searching for worldwide fame at that moment in time, anything that helps spread the word to more and more people is important. Nowadays, it could be argued that a social media following is as important as a sold out show.

Although not the standard social media site, Soundcloud is probably where we’ve discovered 90% of the artists we listen to. It’s designed specifically for people to share music and for an emerging artist, would act as a valuable platform to get music heard! You can search tags for the genre you’re looking for if you don’t have a specific artist in mind or you can find certain tracks/users. We first found out about artists such as Baylor Wilson and Ryan Griffin through their Soundcloud profiles and then through their twitter accounts, discovered even more artists! It becomes easy to find new music when you know where to look.

Another of the main sites we use is Noisetrade, artists can upload singles, EPs or full albums - downloads are free but you can leave tips for the artist to support their music! One of our favourite artists that we found on noisetrade is Maggie Chapman, we downloaded her ‘Novella Edition’ EP before her debut EP was released. The site provides a bio on the artist with links to all of their other social media sites as well as a ‘for fans of’ section with similar mainstream artists, this means you can find artists that you’re guaranteed to love.

There are so many places to look for new music. Our loves @songsufragette are always tweeting about amazing female artists that you can check out, as well as updating you on artists that you probably already know and love! Your standard sites, Tumblr, Facebook and YouTube will also provide music recommendations when you watch similar videos or like certian artists. Most webpages often include tags or easy search methods so you can pick your genre making it super easy to find music that you’ll love!

Also, (SHAMELESS PLUG) if you’re really looking for a twitter to introduce you to new artists, you can always hop over to @believeinnashv to check our artist retweets!

The BelieveInNashville Team xo

[believeinnashville]

The Rising 'Still Coming Home to You' Review

The Rising are an up and coming trio with clear country music influences. After coming across these guys, we questioned whether they were really our taste.  Another British attempt at country music in an already full market?  Really? There’s this crazy thing that The Rising have though and that’s experience. Previously EXIT, a four piece with a sound full of “enormous, stadium-seeking choruses” according to Kerrang, the group scaled down, added a banjo and mandolin, and a new band with a completely new sound was born.  This is of course after they’ve gained the experience of supporting groups like Starsailor and Twin Atlantic, suggesting that their standard live is incredibly strong.

It’s safe to say we were shocked when we heard ‘Still Coming Home to You’. It sounded like it had come straight off American country radio, complete with a catchy chorus and well produced sound. It’s definitely one of those songs you can imagine driving to with the roof down. The strong male voice paired with a softer backing vocal help this song be rounded and easy to listen to.

Maverick, the UK’s leading country music magazine, said that; "This impressive song from The Rising is sure to make a lasting impression on its listener. With a compentorary vibe, bubbling banjo undercurrents and guitar-driven arrangement reminiscent of one of Keith Urban’s many hits, this one is sure to do well." Recognition from sources like this makes us really trust and believe in the future of this group.

You can BUY the single on iTunes HERE!

Watch out later in the month as we review their album ‘Coming Home’, released 25th August. You can find out more about The Rising on their official website, Twitter page and Facebook page.

The BelieveinNashville Team 

xo

[believeinnashville]

Daisy Mallory 'This Side of Town' EP Review

I’m sure you’ve all gathered that we are huge supporters of talented ladies in country music. As we’re trying to break the industry ourselves (not as artists, but behind the scenes), it’s inspiring to watch other women killing it. One of these ladies is Daisy Mallory with her newly released EP.

This Side of Town is the fourth studio EP by Daisy Mallory. Daisy was born in Arizona and grew up listening to country music, she’s been singing for as long as she can remember and at the age of 9, started playing guitar and writing her own songs. At 15, Daisy and her family packed up and moved to Nashville in order for Daisy to pursue her career properly. Since then, she’s played shows with Reba, Kris Kristofferson, opened for Brad Paisley and Lee Ann Womack and partnered with McPherson Guitars. Earlier this year, Daisy was recognised by Thompson Square for their ‘Voices Worth Hearing’ campaign and alongside all of this, Daisy is part of the Song Suffragettes, working to increase women’s participation in the country music industry.

Check out the ‘Voices Worth Hearing’ campaign video HERE.

This is only the start for Daisy and it’s so wonderful to be able to watch her career progress and so humbling to see the effort she puts into everything she does. Her career is driven by passion and adoration for what she does and it’s so clearly reflected in her music.

One of my personal favourites and definitely the most relatable is track 2, ‘I Remember Everything’. The tack was previously released as a semi-mastered demo on soundcloud, which you can listen to HERE. Often, fully mastered versions lose their magic and become more commercial, this version, however, actually improved the song. The re-recorded vocals increase the emotion in the song. For me, this track embodies everything right with country music, it’s honest and personal yet relatable to anyone listening. Daisy’s vocals and songwriting show strength beyond her years and her distinct writing style makes comparison difficult, she’s truly one of a kind.

Train is definitely another standout track, both lyrically and for it’s sound. Daisy adopted a more enhanced, traditional country vibe with this song, an upbeat tale about leaving a negative relationship. The song features witty train-related lyrics such as, “Got my ticket at the station, whistles blowin’ no more waiting I made a choice between this train and you, and I didn’t choo-choose you.” It’s a breath of fresh air in comparison to most break-up songs on the radio, and like most successful country artists, as managed to blend the traditional country sound with more modern influences. Believe me, this girl is on the right track.

The closing track on the EP, Used to This, is a more positive song about the sweet and simple pleasures of a relationship like spending time together, ‘summer night kisses’ and being on one another’s mind. We’ve all been there and this song describes ‘that’ feeling with such precision.  It’s got a catchy hook and has most definitely been stuck in my head since the EP release. It’s romantic, heart-warming and perfect for your summer playlist. Despite a more innocent, light-hearted theme, the song maintains strong, well written lyrics just proving that Daisy Mallory is  song writer at heart. It’s incredible to see the improvement in the quality of Daisy’s songs from some of her earlier demos to this EP, it’s definitely some of her strongest pieces and she’s only going to improve.

Daisy has been a long time favourite artist of ours, she’s sweet, talented and everything country music needs right now. We absolutely adore Daisy and the EP and we can’t wait to see the opportunities it brings her.

Tracklist:

Never Ever Coming Down

I Remember Everything

Train

Music Inside Me

This Side of Town

Used to This

Our favourite tracks: I Remember Everything, Train, Music Inside Me, This Side of Town

Rating: 10/10

Find updates on Daisy Mallory from her Twitter page, official website and facebook page.

The BelieveinNashville Team

xo

[believeinnashville]

Maddie and Tae and exactly why they're what country music needs.

There’s falling for artists and then there’s how we feel about the newest girls on the country music scene. Maddie Marlow & Tae Dye are changing things, one song at a time, in a way that’s sassy, fun and a little bit controversial; everything that two teenage girls should be and everything that teenage girls want to listen to. Their first single ‘Girl in a Country Song’ may have only hit iTunes today but its lyrics were enough for every form of music press to label it ‘bro country bashing’ and in turn, people are starting to listen to the message the two are putting across.

‘it’s funny because when people think two eighteen year old blonde girls, you know you think butterflies and rainbows and boys and love. We’re like no.’ says Maddie of the girls’ sound. With a debut single that focuses on the representation of women within country music, it’s clear to see this is the case. These girls aren’t starting safe subject wise, something some may class as risky. Yet it seems that this rebellion is a common theme within new releases at the moment with Meghan Linsey launching a single with a similar message. However, the mainstream label support means Maddie and Tae could really get their point across.

Every music blog out there has dissected the lyrics to the song with mixed responses to the allusions to various ‘bro country’ hits. In our opinion it makes for a song that’s entertaining and actually funny. The element of spoken voice (‘can I put on some real clothes now?’) suggest to us that they know exactly how to make music with real wit.

But their lyrics and subject matter are not the only thing these girls deserve to be known for. Both eighteen, they’re the first signings to the relaunched Dot Records, with Scott Borchetta and the rest of Big Machine records championing them and their future. Though the slight irony of Florida Georgia Line’s label group supporting these girls isn’t missed, it’s clear that these two really do believe in the message they’re promoting.

In one sentence? Think the lyrics of Miranda Lambert meets the look of Taylor Swift and a catchy Carrie Underwood chorus and you’re almost there.

What are we most excited for? Seeing how these girls perform live and how their music will progress. In the depths of YouTube there’s a video of them singing ‘Sierra’, another original, and it’s SUCH a jam so hopes are high!

US fans- get it now! Links can be found at @MaddieAndTae on twitter. UK and worldwide fans- You can grab this tomorrow!

So excited to support these girls all the way. Drop us a tweet with your views on the single at @BelieveInNashv!

The BelieveInNashville Team xo

[believeinnashville]

New release: Love Me Like You Mean It.

Released today, ‘Love Me Like You Mean It’ is the debut single from the wonderful Kelsea Ballerini and believe us when we say this girl is going far. The song is fresh, catchy and such a summer jam. After moving to Nashville in 2009, music city has clearly allowed Kelsea to grow and create perfectly produced music and this has gained her an already very loyal group of fans.

Personally, Kelsea’s lyrics are what stand out to us with lines like ‘I don’t have time to waste on the boys who are playing the game, leaving the girls crying out in the rain’ being not only perfectly crafted but also incredibly relatable. This, paired with constant hard work, means Kelsea is completely prepared for this leap in her career, something which makes her stand out from many other emerging artists.

Kelsea starts her radio a week today in California and stops off all round the US. With an album in the pipeline and a talent like hers, we can guarantee you’ll be hearing this name more soon!

Make sure to check out her twitter @KelseaBallerini and you can get your hands on Love Me Like You Mean It here !

The BelieveinNashville team

xo