2019 is set to be an exciting time for Kelleigh Bannen as the Nashville native is set to release a full length album, much to the anticipation of all KB fans out there.
Last year, Bannen released three songs that were simultaneously played on SiriusXM The Highway. “Happy Birthday” “The Joneses” and “John Who.” It was a pretty amazing thing to have all three songs be played on the radio at the same time. Fans have been eager for new music and an album from Bannen since her “Famous” days and the time has finally come!
Bannen played some songs off her upcoming album during her set at the Chevy Breakout Stage during CMA Fest. Fans were treated to unreleased tracks “DELUXE” “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Diamonds”
Kelleigh Bannen performs “Boys Don’t Cry” during CMA Fest
Bannen has been teasing new music, album photo shoots, and revealed she has shot four music videos for her album! Things are happening! Get ready! This is one artist you won’t regret cheering on!
Kelleigh Bannen performs “Diamonds” during CMA Fest
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!
It’s so hard to keep calm because finally, Kelleigh Bannen is getting the attention she deserves. Bannen has been in the country music scene for over a decade and it has been one heck of a ride so far. She’s one of the most talented singer/songwriters out there and maybe now, others will finally get to discover her music and talent.
Bannen was previously signed to EMI Records Nashville but parted ways with the label and her management team and has been releasing music independently, along with a podcast series called This Nashville Life. Her previous EP Cheap Sunglassescame out two years ago this month. Since then, she has released three singles including the powerful “Church Clothes” and two Christmas songs “O Holy Night” and “Deck The Halls.”
Her new release The Joneses is listed as a single, but it’s a three in one! There are three songs (“The Joneses” “Happy Birthday” “John Who”) and Bannen has become the first artist to ever have all three songs in rotation as a “Highway find” on Sirius XM’s The Highway.
Although Bannen has been completely overwhelmed with this honor, she is completely deserving as she has been working hard and dealt with so many of the hardships that come with being a female artist in the country music industry. Her music now has a chance to be heard, to be found, to be appreciated. Our hope is that the new listeners will take the time to invest and get to know not only these songs but the essence of who she is.
She is so much more than she could ever reveal on social media, but she has the purest heart. Variety Beat often features artists we might not know well to help get their music out to the world, but we only champion artists who have not only an incredible talent but an incredible heart.
Bannen told RollingStone: “These three songs are personal and my favorite kind of storytelling: detail oriented, intimate, and, ultimately, hopeful. Ten years in, I’m just overwhelmed that each of these three songs will get the exposure they will get from being Highway Finds. It’s incredible, and, to be honest, I’m just shocked to be the first artist to have three songs in this program simultaneously. I hope music fans love the storytelling in these songs as much as I do.”
“John Who” is the first song in The Joneses that starts off with a reflection of all the nice things this man did in the relationship and then things take a turn when he up and left, inspiring the chorus
I need a clean slate from this heartbreak
I need a reason to forget, get you the hell out of my head
I need a don’t look back kiss that stops me in my tracks
Someone that makes me say, anytime I hear your name
John Who? John Who? John Who?
John Who? John Who? John Who?
John who, I shouldn’t think about, but who wouldn’t think about someone they thought about for so long?
Every other memory. John who are you with right now? Are you kissing her now? Is she prettier than me? What do you see in her that you didn’t see in me?
LISTEN TO “JOHN WHO”
“Happy Birthday” is an emotional ballad about missing someone and thinking of them when their birthday comes around and not knowing how that phone call is going to go. It starts out with questions that come to mind when thinking of someone you still care about but who aren’t really a part of your life anymore, even though you wish they maybe still were.
“Did you get to sleep in? Did your grandmother send you a card with twenty in it? Did your boss say 30 is old? Did your nephew sing on the phone?
You’ll either pick up or you won’t. Hey it’s me, I know it’s kind of late but I had to call ya. Just to say hello, catch up, you know I was thinking of ya. Another year older, another year wiser. Bet you’re out with the guys, low-key drinking Budweiser.
I learned a little too late, you know what they say, I can’t have my cake and love you too. Anyway, Happy Birthday
Ever think about an ex and wonder if you should say something to them on their birthday? If they’re with someone now? What they are like?
…Maybe you’re out with a girl, if I say I don’t care, I’m a liar.
LISTEN TO “HAPPY BIRTHDAY”
If you’re too busy living in the moment to keep up with ‘The Joneses” then this song is your jam! It really kicks in with the chorus once we stop caring about not having the white picked fence and fancy car. Plus, Bannen finds a way to use “shut the front door” in a song so she’s basically the coolest person ever.
We don’t got what they got, they don’t got what we got. When it comes to the haves and the have-nots, we’d rather not keep up with the Joneses, what the hell for? Mind your own business, shut the front door. We ain’t rich but we own it, work all week just to blow it on a back yard tab, high-class, white trash, party on the patio. Too busy living in the moment to keep up with the Joneses.
LISTEN TO “THE JONESES”
The RollingStone also revealed that Bannen will be releasing tour dates soon, so we are basically freaking out over here and ready to jump on a plane to the nearest show! Be sure to check out her music wherever digital music is sold!
Going to Route 91 Harvest was driven by the sole reason that Country Artist Kelleigh Bannen was performing! She is after all one of our favorite artists/people to ever exist! We last saw her performing in June at CMA Fest and quite frankly, that entirely too long! She’s a gem and we feel lucky to have found her.
Bannen’s time in Las Vegas was short lived but not without exciting memories. I mean, who else got to share a nightcap with a RAT?!
Bannen kicked off the ‘Next From Nashville’ stage for day 2 of Route 91 Harvest and she did not disappoint! She performed songs off her EP including “Cheap Sunglasses,” Once Upon A,” “Landlocked” and even rapped TLC‘s “Waterfalls.” She ended her set with a very Vegas-esque song “Smoke When I Drink.”
Here’s a clip of “Daddy Got A Girlfriend” which has not officially been released yet!
After her set, Bannen even took time to meet all the fans who wanted to say hi and get a picture with the singer/songwriter. She shared more on social media later, including videos on her Instagram story where she watched Maren Morris and Sam Hunt from backstage! Clearly, she had no fun at all!
Route 91 is right around the corner and passes are sold out!! One of our favorite artists, Kelleigh Bannen is performing Saturday, September 30th at 3:15 pm on the ‘Next From Nashville’ stage! Be sure to get there early because she is one act you won’t want to miss!!
Bannen is a Nashville native and has been making her way on the music scene and opening for acts like Luke Bryan and performing at festivals all over the country! Stagecoach, CMA Fest, Watershed and so many more!
With summer hits like “Welcome To The Party”
“Landlocked”
and “Cheap Sunglasses”
She will have the crowd starting off on the right note!
Her latest single “Church Clothes” is as powerful in lyrics as she is in soul.
Saturday is packed with an amazing lineup! You won’t want to miss a single act! Route 91 takes place September 29-October 1 in Las Vegas!
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