Tag Archives: cheap sunglasses

Video: Kelleigh Bannen Takes Us Behind The Scenes of Making Her EP ‘Cheap Sunglasses’

July 22, 2016 Jencita Vargas Leave a comment

There’s no doubt that Kelleigh Bannen is an amazing artist. She’s also a really incredible friend and person. She’s shown us her strength in her blog posts on ThisNashvilleLife.com and her bravery of leaving her label and putting out her EP Cheap Sunglasses on her own.

Read: ‘The Strength of the Bannenite’ Why you should invest in Country Artist Kelleigh Bannen

For those of us who have been following Bannen’s career and been anxiously awaiting an album, we’ve been let down by the system. A system that dictates when artists can release an album based upon how well a single does.

It’s hard for a new act to break into radio, especially if that artist is a female. Without a single climbing the charts, it’s also hard for that artist to get opening slots on tours, so their music really has no platform to be heard. We get radio stations doing these country voting wars where they will put up a new artist’s song with another artist (who is more well known and probably has several #1’s under their belt). Their single literally has no chance against such huge names and yet the radio stations take that as confirmation to not play their single.

“Right now I don’t know what’s going to happen, but for the first time in five years, I get to put music out.”

Having an EP from Bannen allows the listeners to get to know her on a completely new level. They aren’t just getting this one single, but they are getting five different songs to fall in love with. It makes all the difference to be able to play an EP on repeat vs just a single. Cheap Sunglasses has the perfect combo of summer, love, fun and being your own person. It’s everything you could want in an EP.

Listen to the Cheap Sunglasses EP

In Bannen’s behind the scenes video, we get a glimpse into her life. Someone who works hard and does a wonderful job of doing the impossible – balance all aspects of her life. I’m sure some days are harder than others, like making it to the gym, making time for friends, getting out on the road to perform and making new music. It’s a video that you will be able to relate to as her life isn’t perfect, her car doesn’t always start, she struggles while working out and she breaks a sweat just like everyone else. It’s one that will make you laugh and give you joy as you see friends and artists like Mickey Guyton and Emily West coming over as she celebrates this projects and having girl time while singing Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Watch the video below and fall in love with Kelleigh Bannen.

WATCH: BEHIND ‘CHEAP SUNGLASSES’ Part 1

Stay tuned for part 2!

Concert/Live Show, Music

Gallery: Kelleigh Bannen Dazzles at the Draper James Summer Concert Series!

July 14, 2016 Stephanie McKinney Leave a comment

Summer is all about hanging out with friends and enjoying life! We had the honor of doing just that Thursday night with our girl Kelleigh Bannen at the Draper James Summer Concert Series. We have tons of videos and photos to share from the event!

The performance is part of a summer concert series that the Reese Whiterspoon owned store is putting on. The event had a very fun-filled Summer vibe to it, which fits perfectly with a lot of the songs Bannen sung! She preformed a 9 song set in a very unique setting, the window of the store! Guests mingled for about 30 minutes before Bannen took the stage, browsing the racks of clothes and enjoying the sweet Tea with Vodka! The beverages inspired Bannen to sing her song “Only Smoke When I Drink.”

Bannen’s set consisted of some new favorites from her newly released Cheap Sunglasses EP along with some of the songs that made us love her in the first place. The crowd was also treated to a brand new song that hasn’t even been demoed yet!

WATCH: KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORM “PRETTY BEAUTIFUL”

Musician and long time friend, Teddy Christenberry was there to add some guitar and vocals to the performance. It was clear that this was a special moment for Bannen, who had childhood friends, family and fans cheering her on!

The crowd definitely got a good taste of her Cheap Sunglasses EP as she performed 4 of the 5 songs off it, including our favorite “Welcome To The Party.” It definitely got everyone into a festive mood and set the evening off right!

WATCH: KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORM “WELCOME TO THE PARTY”

Another favorite song that hasn’t officially been released but has been in a lot of Bannen’s setlists at concerts was “Broken Record Hearted.” It’s one of those songs where you have to clap along to and sing along with the chorus round and round we go / round we go

WATCH: KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORM “BROKEN RECORD HEARTED”

Bannen’s momma was in the audience so it was the perfect time to sing “Momma Got A Gun.” She let everyone know her momma may be packing her gun! Daddy got a girlfriend / Momma got a gun. OH SNAP!

Bannen filled us in on some behind the scenes secrets while performing “Landlocked” which has been receiving radio play! It’s also on her EP! The Music Video for “Landlocked” was actually filmed at a house on 12 south! WATCH IT HERE.

WATCH KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORM “ALL GOOD THINGS”

The intimacy of the show sure felt real as Bannen played a powerful new song that was inspired by an instagram post. This was one of the first times “Pretty Beautiful” has been heard as it hasn’t even been made into a demo yet! She told the crowd:

“When I first got in this industry, I felt like I needed to change myself and be perfect all the time in order to be accepted and in order to prove to my record label and to everbody else that I could do it. I feel like that came from a very young and inexperienced place that my worth was somehow based on my appearcance. I saw this quote on Instagram and it was like ‘We’re so concerned with being pretty, that we forget about being prety strong, pretty kind…’ I brought it into this co-write with Scott (Stepakoff) and said ‘could this possibly be a song, is it going to get cheesy, I really don’t like to do cheesy but I really think this could be a cool message.’ So essentially we wrote it to a beautiful woman who is physically beautiful but who doesn’t know that what’s most beautiful about her is all these other things. I got to play it at a Make-A-Wish Foundation event and it was like wow! I want to be doing things like this and talking about things like this more often.”

WATCH: KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORM “PRETTY BEAUTIFUL”

She finished the night with the title track from her latest EP “Cheap Sunglasses” which is sort of the anthem to her taking the risk of leaving her label and starting this new adeventure. Thanks to her courage and bravery, we have an amazing five song EP and hopefully more music on the way!

WATCH: KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORM “CHEAP SUNGLASSES”

Thanks to Draper James and Kelleigh Bannen, none of us cared about being Landlocked on a hot summer night!

PHOTO GALLERY: KELLEIGH BANNEN AND TEDDY CHRISTENBERRY PERFORM AT DRAPER JAMES’ SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

EP Review, Music

EP Review: Kelleigh Bannen’s ‘Cheap Sunglasses’ Is A Must Have! – Listen

June 17, 2016 Jencita Vargas 1 Comment

We are so excited that Kelleigh Bannen has finally been able to put out an EP titled Cheap Sunglasses! We’ve been following her career closely for the past several years and she’s released four different singles over that time: “Sorry On The Rocks,” “Famous,” “You Are What You Love” and “Smoke When I Drink.”

It’s been a long wait to have something in the form of an EP/Album and with her courage and bravery of signing off on her current deal, she is finally able to put out new music!

The best part of Bannen’s EP is that there are 5 brand new songs that have never been released before. “Welcome To The Party” is a personal favorite and includes our now adopted mantra Welcome to the freak show / it’s come as you are. It’s definitely a song you can put on repeat and sing while drinking a bottle or wine (or Dr. Pepper,) driving in the car, getting ready for the day and pretty much any other scenario you can think of.

“Landlocked” is a great song for everyone because it doesn’t appeal to one gender over another. It’s the perfect summer song, especially if you live in an area that isn’t close to a big body of water and it’s hot outside! The sky looks kind of like the sea / and a big box fan feels kind of like an ocean breeze. Making the best of circumstances is something Bannen knows all too well, but don’t worry because up next is the title song!

“Cheap Sunglasses” is one of those songs where you think it’s about one thing (i.e. a relationship) but it’s actually about something entirely different. The beauty of the song is that even though it’s about something specific to Bannen (drawing a line in the sand), it can be applied to so many different scenarios which makes it relatable. You won’t miss ’em much / only costs a couple bucks / I don’t want to be your cheap sunglasses/ … So easy to break / Just throw away / Well, I’m not made of plastic / I don’t want to be your cheap sunglasses.

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A post shared by Kelleigh Bannen (@kelleighbannen)

As Bannen shares on her blog This Nashville Life:

So this week I’m going all in, again. I leave one chapter of my music behind, so that I can start a new chapter. It’s sad to say goodbye to the old chapter. I liked it. It was safe (safe-ish, I guess) but I wasn’t growing the way that I longed too, and I wasn’t able to put music out for myself, or share my music with my fans. So I’m going all in. And I’m starting with this small body of work—“Cheap Sunglasses.” And the title track is about making a change. Drawing a line in the sand. Standing up for yourself, and moving on.

“Once Upon A” slows things down a bit but showcases Bannen’s vocal ability as she shares the story of a relationship unfolding. When we think of the phrase “Once Upon A” it usually continues with the word “time” and tells the story of something that has already taken place and concluded. Bannen takes is another step to say she wants to start that story aka a “Once Upon A.” Hey, you’re moving fast but you’re forgiven / Stay, every memory has a beginning / This is us, this is now / Starts tonight, don’t know how / Just know I wanna / Start a little once upon a

The EP concludes with “All Good Things” which is a great way to finish the EP before putting it back on repeat! It’s definitely a feel good song that allows the listener to just sort of appreciate life and who they have in it. All good things are wild and free / You’re the fire in my veins / I’m a runaway train / And together we’re crazy/ All good things are wild and free / No it don’t cost nothing / But your kiss is so money / So baby lay it on me.

LISTEN TO KELLEIGH BANNEN’S CHEAP SUNGLASSES EP

Don’t forget to support the artist and songwriters by buying it on iTunes!

Festivals, Music

Gallery: Kelleigh Bannen Live At Boot Barn For CMA Fest

Gallery June 16, 2016 Jencita Vargas Leave a comment

What’s CMA Fest without Kelleigh Bannen? Pretty dull, that’s what! Good thing we had the chance to catch her performance at the Boot Barn down on Broadway that weekend!

Bannen was able to team up with Boot Barn to give fans the opportunity to win a makeover by the Country Artist! Other fans were able to watch the performance at the store!

VIDEO: KELLEIGH BANNEN PERFORMING “LANDLOCKED” LIVE AT CMA FEST

Bannen performed some new songs and let fans in on the secret that she would be releasing an EP (Friday June 17, 2016). The EP is titled Cheap Sunglasses and features 5 new songs from Bannen!