It’s no secret that being a female in the Country Music industry is tough. There are just 4 women in the top 30 at Country Radio right now, Carrie Underwood, Lindsay Ell, Carly Pearce and Maren Morris. It’s harder to be a female and get your music heard on radio, to be booked for gigs, go on big tours… but that hasn’t stopped Kalie Shorr from being a part of the movement for females in the industry.
Shorr has been a part an all female singer/songwriters round called Song Suffragettes since it started in March 2014. They recently had their 4-year anniversary show, last month! The weekly writers round in Nashville features rotating female country artists and has led to 30 artists receiving publishing deals and 7 record deals! It has also led to great co-writes and songs like Shorr’s “Fight Like A Girl” which was written in response to a radio consultant saying that women didn’t deserve a lot of airplay on country radio, because they were the tomatoes of the country music salad. Thus started #TomatoGate and #LetTheGirlsPlay.
With no label behind her, Shorr has certainly made a name for herself, including being named on many lists about “Artists You Need To Know” and “Artists To Watch.” She also co-wrote a song called “Times Up” that was recorded by 23 female country artists and received national media coverage.
Shorr’s latest single “Candy” was inspired by a true story about “finding a boy that’s just as bad for you as sugar.” She calls it the “fluffiest” song on the album, but that every album needs a fun song to it. She sings:
I know you’re not forever, but you’re my guilty pleasure… boy you’re delicious, too bad you ain’t nutritious.
WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “CANDY”
We had the chance to catch up with Shorr while we were in Nashville and one of the things we talk about is her love of Taylor Swift and how she was actually in Swift’s “Mine” music video when she was 16. She also shares a sweet story about how after the video Swift took all of the kids to Toys ‘R Us and let them pick out whatever they wanted. She also mentioned doing a cover of her song “Look What You Made Me Do” with Kelleigh Bannen and Lindsay Ell at CMT’s Next Women Of Country Music Event. It’s one of the best videos out there and highlights so many women in the industry and ends with a message to report any signs of sexual harassment.
WATCH KALIE SHORR, KELLEIGH BANNEN and LINDSAY ELL PERFORM “LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO
Be sure to check out our interview above and keep up with Shorr on her socials!
You can find her music on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music. As tour dates continue to be announced you can stay current with Kalie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Be sure to follow her on Youtube and visit www.kalieshorr.com.
