Interview: SMITHFIELD (Part 2)

 

And we're back with the fantastic SmithField! Check out Part 1 of our interview here first, and read on for details about new music, their favourite artists, the pros & cons of being independent, and more! 

 

Ciara's Country (CC): You’ve just released your latest single Hope You’re Happy – how did that come about?

 

SmithField (SF): That’s actually a song that we didn’t write, it comes from a frequent co-writer of ours that has written several of our songs with us. It's funny - as an artist, you get a lot of song pitches from different writers over the years, and you log them in a catalogue on your computer. Hope You’re Happy has always been a song that I believed in and thought was a great song. Trey’s fiance actually heard it one day and was like ‘that's a freaking amazing song’. So we called the writer and said we’d like to think about cutting it because it's a great song and I think we can really crush it.

 

Because all of the songs that we write are so personal, about a life experience, breakup, something with our family, friendship, ups and downs; in order to do an outside song, we have to be able to feel it and relate to it and think of a story that actually goes with that song. I (Jen) had a very personal one for Hope You’re Happy and so for me it almost felt like I wrote that song.

 

It was kind of a one two punch - Trey brought it back to the surface and then I really connected the dots with it through a story that I felt very personally attached to.

 

CC: We got new music at the start of this year - does that mean an EP or an album coming sometime soon?

 

SF: Oh my gosh, we'd love to make an album! We’ve made a couple EPs over the years, but we live in such a singles world now. Personally, I still enjoy listening to a full project, whether that's an EP or an album so that's definitely on the horizon but our plan for this year is to put out singles and new songs about every 10 weeks because we want to keep feeding our fans. We want to have something new for them to check out more often because as we grow, we grow with them.

 

CC: You know, I'm quite happy with that because you usually have to wait so long to get an album. It’s nice to have a new song more frequently.

 

SF: Yeah, that's been the strategy we took last year. It's been really cool to see our streaming and fan base grow and have people constantly engaged because we're consistently putting out something new for them to listen to.

 

CC: Do you know what new singles might be coming up?

 

SF: We know the next one! It’s called Upstairs. You’re the first person we've ever told that.

 

CC: I feel honoured! Can we get an insight as to what Upstairs is about?

 

SF: It’s an extremely personal song. The music industry is, newsflash, very difficult and hard sometimes, so this was one of those honest moments where you slam your fist down on the desk, and say ‘God, where are you?’ This idea just ran through my mind thinking ‘I wish I could just speak to God and have that conversation’, and so this idea came about of him literally being upstairs and being able to walk up there and ask him all the questions that you wish you could have answered.

We always hear ‘we'll just pray to the man upstairs’ so we thought what if he was really there? What if you really came home, kicked off your shoes and left your worries at the door, and there's this place where it's nothing but love and comfort. It's a pretty deep song.

 

We've never put anything out this deep, but we feel like it really touts our songwriting ability. It's definitely different but we're excited. We're excited to see if it hits or flops, who knows?

 

CC: I’m going to go with hits! I’ve listened to a lot of country music but that’s a concept I've not heard before.

 

SF: As an artist, you always want to take risks and try to stay true to who you are. Everybody wants to push you this way and that way and tell you what you need to sound like, so I think it's important to always try to keep your eyes on what you believe in and what you want to say.

 

CC: I'm looking forward to it. One thing that I absolutely love about festivals like C2C is discovering up-and-coming artists like yourselves, but I also think that one of the best ways to find new artists is to ask people in the industry as well. Are there any underrated artists out there who you think everyone should be listening to?

 

SF: Oh, geez, I need to think about this because there are a lot! I don't even want to say she’s underrated because she’s definitely making waves, but we were just talking with Alexandra Kay, who’s just crushing it as an independent artist. She should be signed with mega hits by now.

 

I've always thought that our buddy Adam Hambrick was pretty amazing. Ryan Kinder (check out my interview with Ryan here!) too.

 

CC: Here’s hoping you’ll all be on the C2C lineup for next year!

 

SF: In the arena, right? (laughs)

 

CC: 100%! Okay, I have one more question for you – what is one question you've never been asked in an interview but would love to be?

 

SF: Oh wow, that's a great question. I would say something about being an independent artist? Because I feel like that’s an important part of our story.

 

CC: What are the best and worst things about being independent artists?

 

SF: Oh, man, there are pros and cons to it. Some of the cons are that, especially in country music, we're so focused on country radio which is dominated by major labels. It's sometimes really hard to compete as an artist, even if you’re heavily consumed streaming wise, you don't get the bigger slots because the bigger label artists do.

 

It's harder to get opportunities. But then when you do get those opportunities, you know you earned it. Nobody pulled a favour for you. We had to earn our spot at C2C - I'm sure there are some people here that had just heard about it this year and got the slot and it's no big deal for them, but for us, trying to come out here for five years and being independent, we’re so grateful for it.

 

In terms of pros, I think that it's wonderful to be able to put out music that you really believe in at any point in time that you want to. A lot of people don't understand that label artists do not own their music, whereas we own 100% of everything that we release, and so it's almost like our fans are extra special to us because they are literally directly supporting us.

 

When you go and consume, stream or download a song from someone on a label, a lot of fans don't realise that that money is going to the label, not to the artist; but every time you support our music, come to a show, stream anything, you're directly supporting our dreams.

 

CC: Amazing! I’ve loved your honesty in today's interview and I loved chatting with you. Thank you both so much for your time.

 

SF: Thank you so much!

 

What a joy! Thanks to Jennifer & Trey for joining me :) More interviews coming soon - stay tuned to @CiarasCountry to be the first to know when they're posted!

Interview: SMITHFIELD (Part 1)

The pandemic completely changed the way I listen to music, and in particular, the artists that I listen to. One duo who kept making their way time and time again onto my 'pandemic playlists' (and many more since) were the incredible SmithField. I was delighted to sit down with them to chat what they got up to in London, how that special C2C invite came about, how things have changed since the start of SmithField, and more - enjoy! 

 

Ciara’s Country (CC): I have some very special guests joining me today - a duo really making their mark on Nashville and beyond, SmithField! Jennifer and Trey, it’s such a pleasure to meet you.

 

SmithField (SF): Thanks for having us!

 

CC: You’re joining me at the 10^th anniversary of C2C Country 2 Country music festival in London - is this your first time in the UK?

 

SF: It's our first time in UK and Europe, period!

 

CC: Is there anything particularly British that you want to do while you're here?

 

SF: I'm pretty sure we've already covered a few of those – we’ve had our afternoon tea at the Wolseley, which of course everyone told us we had to do. We got some good Indian food, English breakfast, fish and chips. We've covered a lot of the bases! And some of the cultural things too – the British Museum, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben.

 

CC: I’m impressed, you’ve managed to do so much! Will you be bringing back any traditions back home?

 

SF: Absolutely! I don’t think I’m going to be able to drink normal tea again, only British tea.

 

CC: So, first time in Europe, first time at C2C – how does that feel?

 

SF: It feels amazing. We've been wanting to do this festival for probably five years now, and we never got the offer, so to finally be invited is really cool. We're so glad to be here.

 

CC: How does that invite happen – do you get an email in your inbox saying ‘you’re in’?

 

SF: We actually heard from our booking agent. He was like ‘you got it!’ and we were freaking out. It was definitely a bucket list item for us. We found out right before Christmas and I can't believe we’re here now, coming to Europe to play our music.

 

CC: Well, we’re so happy to have you here! How was your first time performing in front of a UK crowd?

 

SF: It was honestly amazing. We had an early slot on the Big Entrance stage outside and we didn't know if anybody was going to show up! But they showed up here and it was an awesome crowd. Hearing people singing our songs was just amazing.

 

CC: This is of course the 10^th anniversary of C2C, but I believe SmithField has been around for even longer.

 

SF: That’s true, we actually go way, way back to when we were little kids! We met when we were 10 and 12 and we've been a band for 11 years now. We got together in college when Trey's rock band broke up, and I (Jennifer) was doing country music. Trey’s cousin was like ‘I've watched you both your whole life, seen you perform and I think you'd be amazing together’. Both of us were like ‘oh, okay, we'll try this out to be nice’. We didn’t think much of it, but then we discovered we had these amazing harmonies! So we moved to Nashville a year after we became a band and have just been putting out music and growing every year. It's been a crazy cool ride.

 

CC: How have things changed since you began?

 

SF: Oh my gosh, the whole music industry has changed. This makes us sound kind of old, but streaming wasn't even a thing when we started. When we put out our first EP, Spotify was just starting to be a thing, TikTok wasn’t around – so much has changed now. It’s a lot of digital efforts now, but we've always adapted. We've always survived lots of ups and downs, different record deals and labels, and we continue to make the music that we love and believe in and focus on fans. That's what we've been doing the last few years and it seems to be working out so far!

 

CC: Do you think it's easier or harder to make your mark in country music nowadays with the rise of digital media?

 

SF: Honestly, I think it's harder in some ways because the market is so saturated - there's just so many artists now. I will say however I do think there are more opportunities to get your music heard than ever before, so it's like a double edged sword - there's a lot of competition but there's also so many ways to get the music out there. So in answer to your question, yes and no!

 

CC: Speaking of competition, I’d read that it’s really important for you both that there’s no competition between the two of you, and that there’s no ‘lead singer’, but instead a focus on balance. How do you make sure that happens?

 

SF: A lot of arguments (laughs) No, I think it just came naturally to us. We have to navigate the waters a bit on that, but in general we usually end up landing right where we want to and being a true duo. It's like family - you always love your family, you respect them, but you don't always like them, right? (laughs) We always work it out.

 

We care about each other, we care about the art, we care about the music we write and what we're saying. We’re individual people and we're always going to have different opinions, but we respect each other. I think that's what makes a great duo - respecting each other and the art and opinions and always coming together and compromising to do the best that we can.

 

CC: What’s the weirdest place that you've ever had an idea for a song?

 

SF: Cleaning the bathtub probably? Actually, it’s not weird for me to have a song idea in the shower, because that's usually where I have my song ideas.

 

We had some driving our old van back in the day. I'd be driving and I’d have an idea and literally have to pull the van over the gas station, get my phone out and start singing! Not a good idea, by the way, singing into your phone with people walking by thinking ‘what is that guy doing?’ There's probably something weirder that I can't think of right now.

 

Our conversation isn't over just yet! Stay tuned to @CiarasCountry to be the first to know when Part 2 is posted - coming soon! 

Interview: AMANDA SHIRES (Part 2)

 

Amanda Shires has done it all, and yet she still has so much more to go. I really enjoyed chatting with her (check out Part 1 of our conversation here) and read on for more info about her latest album, career highlights, playing the fiddle in space, and more - enjoy!

 

Ciara's Country (CC): You released latest album Take It Like A Man last year - what was the song off this album that meant the most to you?

 

Amanda Shires (AS): The title track, Take It Like A Man. I feel like I’m a person who has a deep passion for words, down to the letter, and I think about them a lot. I think until I write another one like that, that it's the best one that I've written. I feel like I captured everything I set out to capture in that song, and that's not something I can say for all my songs. I love birds too, and I got to put a lot of birds in that song as well.

 

CC: Did you know the moment that you wrote it that this was ‘the one’?

 

AS: I sometimes get that feeling of ‘I'm really proud of this’, but in that part of the record making process, I was still really hard on myself. Like, I wasn't allowing myself to feel like any of the things I did were good. But in the recording process, when I started feeling better about actually doing that part of the work, it helped me feel positive about the whole thing. It gave me clarity to decide that it was okay to ‘build’ songs, you know? I was like, ‘well, there's one that's not a piece of shit’. I feel like I have more agency or more confidence now. Sometimes you just need a person in your corner that believes in you.

 

CC: For someone who's been doing music for as long as you have, I can imagine that you do get to a point when you're not sure if you want to keep going. How did you fix that?

 

AS: It was my friend Laurence. They modelled a sense of self-acceptance that was inspiring. But also, I started when I was 15. I'm 41 now, it wasn't like this even 10 or 15 years ago. Almost all the journalists I talked to were men, everyone in the studios, everyone in the band. That's all good and everything, but it's hard because you're not really allowed to be emotional because that's a sign of weakness.

 

Or you're based more on your experience rather than your potential, because men are oftentimes valued based on what people see as their potential whilst women are oftentimes valued on experience. It's like always having to prove yourself. So it’s helped seeing the progression of my life and the music business as a whole. I'm glad to see more of us out there doing it and it makes me feel like I have a better chance in the world of music.

 

CC: I really think that it means a lot when young performers and songwriters see women like yourself moving up through the ranks.

 

AS: Or like you as a female journalist! I'm glad that both of us are here.

 

CC: Me too! So, you started at 15, you’re now 41 – it really is no exaggeration to say that you’ve done everything. You’re a critically acclaimed performer in your own right, you perform with your husband Jason Isbell, you're a founder of the incredible super group The Highwomen. Are you even able to choose a highlight or two from your illustrious career?

 

AS: I always compare everything I do to my first experience in music. I was hired with the Texas Playboys, a very legendary and historic band in country music. That's always going to be my ultimate highlight, because I feel like that's where I learned how to be a musician. Past that, all these other things are fantastic and wonderful.

 

CC: And still so much to go! Is there anything still left on your bucket list?

 

AS: I’ve got a big bucket list! I’d like to talk to Richard Branson about playing on his spaceship. I'd like to play the fiddle in his spaceship up there - that's a bucket list thing. It’s quite a high goal to reach but I don't think it’s too lofty. So playing the fiddle in outer space is up there. There's a lot of bucket list things - making more music, writing more songs, playing more venues, eating more cheese curds. Man, I got lunch on the brain!

 

CC: I love that. Going to space is actually on my bucket list too!

 

AS: Really? We should go together.

 

CC: I’ll be there! So you know Richard Branson, and I’m sure you must know pretty much everyone in country music too – are there any underrated artists out there who you think everyone should be listening to?

 

AS: I think a person who doesn't get heard enough is my friend Cory Brandon. He's a wonderful songwriter. Then there's a wonderful new up-and-comer named S. G. Goodman. I like her songwriting a lot. And Madeline Edwards, but we know who she is. She's wonderful.

 

CC: Amazing, thank you. Finally Amanda, what is one question you've never been asked in an interview, but would love to be?

 

AS: Do you collect things?

 

CC: I need to know the answer!

 

AS: I collect a wall pockets. They were made in the 40s and 50s for people to put flowers in inside. I have some that are pretty, some that are gremlins. I’ll send you a photo!

 

CC: What a cool tidbit! Thank you so much for your time today Amanda.

 

AS: Thanks for having me.

 

One of the most unique interviews I've ever had - what a joy! I hope you enjoyed my chat with Amanda as much as I did. More interviews still to come - stay tuned on @CiarasCountry. Thanks for reading! 

Interview: AMANDA SHIRES (Part 1)

Country music doesn't get more real than Amanda Shires - with over three decades of experience in the industry, she's had a truly incredible career. I had the joy of sitting down with Amanda after her set at C2C (check that out here!) to discuss her favourite kind of shows, The Bluebird Cafe, new album Take It Like A Man and more - enjoy!

 

Ciara’s Country (CC): It's not every day that I get to chat to Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalists, but today is one of them! I’m joined by the incredible Amanda Shires. Amanda, thank you so much for joining me!

 

Amanda Shires (AS): I’m glad to be here.

 

CC: We’re chatting at the ten year anniversary of C2C Country 2 Country – how’s that been going for you?

 

AS: It's magnificent. Incidentally, it's also the ten year anniversary of me and my husband's marriage, so we've got that in common together too.

 

CC: Congratulations! Is your husband with you this weekend?

 

AS: He's playing in Canada this weekend!

 

CC: Cool! You just finished playing an interesting venue yourself – C2C’s homage to The Bluebird Café.

 

AS: That’s right, and it was wonderful. It was almost exactly like The Bluebird in Nashville, Tennessee except there weren’t any fried cheeses.

 

CC: We’ll have to add that to your rider for next time! What was your experience like at The Bluebird today?

 

AS: Well, like you do with most songwriting things, we spoke about the stories behind the songs and our own personal stories. We also did character sketch type of songs and made friends with every single person in the room. It felt like live music and meditation together. It was a great feeling in that room today.

 

CC: The Bluebird isn’t the only venue you’re playing at C2C, but also the BBC Radio 2 stage and the Spotlight Stage in the Arena – do you have preference for intimate shows or big stadium shows?

 

AS: Honestly, I appreciate all the types of venues and stages, be that for one song or three hours. I always feel like it's a great privilege and an honour that I get to do something that I love for my work. I don't take anything for granted. I don't take it lightly at all that people would invite me into their space and into their venues, so I could definitely say 100% that I love every single stage. I love playing on a tractor trailer bed, which I've done tonnes of times, or even in grandma's kitchen. I'll play wherever I am. Sometimes I feel like a Dr Seuss character – I’ll play with a fox in a box, on a train in the rain. Anything where I can play music. I’ve tried other things in my life and I'm just not as good at it.

 

CC: You’ve certainly done so much in your career, and last year was an especially big year for you with the release of your album Take It Like A Man. What was the journey with that album like?

 

AS: That was a difficult one. I had several bad studio experiences in a row, and I was feeling like I was small and done with music. I really thought it was done. But somehow, through a little help from my friend Laurence, I found that spark, that joy for music again. I kind of reclaimed that part of myself again in a way that feels joyful and positive, and I made that record. It happens to be about a tumultuous time in my marriage, and I took some great consideration when deciding if I wanted to fully put everything out there and when I did, the reaction was reassuring. It definitely made me feel less alone in the world.

 

CC: I love how honest you are with that answer, because I think that comes across so much in the album - it's really raw and real.

 

AS: It had to be. I'm 41 years old now, so I'm a little past the niceties and politeness of surface talk, so I appreciate that you appreciate my honesty!

 

We got even deeper into it in the next part of our conversation, and even made plans to take her performance to the stars and beyond - literally. Stay tuned on @CiarasCountry to be the first to know when Part 2 is posted - thanks for reading!