Concert Review: C2C COUNTRY 2 COUNTRY 2017 (Day 2), The O2, London

 After a few hours sleep, I was back early at the O2 for Day 2 of C2C. Again, my first stop was the BBC Radio 2 Stage in Indigo2 to catch Chase Bryant for the second time (but not the last!) His set was vastly different from those I’d seen on the Radio 2 stage the day before, as he put on a proper rock concert, complete with full band and flashing lights – probably what a lot of us needed to perk ourselves up!

Next up was Logan Brill, who I was particularly looking forward to seeing having seen her perform at Nashville Meets London last August, where I also interviewed her (which you can read here). She put on a great performance then, and so I was excited to see how the UK audience would react to her. This proved a real highlight for me, and I’d say that if Brooke Eden was my stand-out star of C2C last year, Logan Brill was for me this year. She put on a very strong performance with upbeat tracks like World’s Still Round mixed with a few ballads, with a particular favourite being a thus far unreleased track Break Each Others Hearts, a heart-wrenching song which I look forward to hearing on an upcoming album. She also made time to chat with the audience in between songs, including providing amusing anecdotes such as the fact that she sends all of her songs to her Mum first, something she says she probably shouldn’t have done with one titled Walk of Shame. It was nice to catch up with Logan after her set (and be recognised too!) – she really is one to watch.

I caught the beginning of Canaan Smith’s hard-rocking set (complete with early afternoon whiskey drinking) before I had to head off to The Bluebird Café, this year taking place in the NY-LON lounge. I had attended The Bluebird both in Nashville, as well as last year at C2C, watching Old Dominion and Shane McAnally perform in the round. It was a highlight last year, and so something that I definitely wanted to repeat this year. My criteria for choosing which slot to go for was picking who I thought was the most well-known artist as well as seeing a great songwriter, so ended up choosing the slot with Chase Bryant, Logan Brill, and Josh Osborne. The Bluebird really is a special experience, as the artists perform acoustically and explain the stories behind their songs, often joking with one another and creating a really nice atmosphere. Like most songwriters, Josh Osborne wasn’t a name that I was familiar with, but his songs certainly were, including Blake Shelton’s Sangria (with an amusing story about how this was passed up by Kenny Chesney), Kacey Musgraves Merry Go Round, and Kenny Chesney’s Setting The World On Fire. Again, another real highlight of the weekend.

Sadly, the Bluebird started late and so I missed the final few acts performing in Indigo, so instead decided to go check out some of the Press Conferences. I’d hoped to catch Cassadee Pope, but a timetable change meant that she had been and gone, so I stuck around for Darius Ruckers instead (who I also interviewed earlier in the week – coming soon to this blog, watch this space!). This was followed by another exciting interview, this time with rising star Seth Ennis, who I’d been a fan of since the release of Woke Up In Nashville. Seth is a very amiable guy, and it was a great interview (again, coming soon to Ciara’s Country!) with the interview being even more exciting for having taken place in a secret room somewhere in the O2, literally hidden behind a revolving bookcase!

The interview meant that I missed the start of Dan + Shay’s set, but didn’t mind too much having reviewed their gig (which you can read here) and interviewed them (check it out here) a few months ago. Nevertheless, I caught the end, and can’t disagree too much with Dan Smyer’s observation that Shay Mooney has one of the best voices in country music. Again, good interaction with the crowd, including adding in an unscheduled rendition of Obsessed, leaving many female fans swooning in the audience.

Then over to the Yamaha stage again to watch Bailey Bryan, another act who I hadn’t been familiar with prior to C2C. She’s been pegged as an ‘Artist of Tomorrow’ and certainly has charisma, so I’d keep your eyes open for her. She’s one for the digital age, as made clear in her Press Conference when she elaborated on the music video for her single My Own, filmed especially for mobile phones. I expect we’ll be seeing more of Bailey soon.

Hunter Hayes was next on the main stage, and where he really shone was in his guitar playing. Hunter is a musician at heart, and watching him shred that fretboard really was a sight to behold. Fans have been waiting a long time for Hunter to release some new music, and he gave us an insight into what to expect with songs like Amen, giving us all something to look forward to.

As the set was changed over, Seth Ennis took to the Yamaha Stage, and again, his amiable personality shone through as he expressed his gratitude for having the opportunity to perform in front of such a large audience. Although his songs veer towards the crossover with pop, they really worked when stripped back to just vocals and guitar / piano, with a particular favourite being Fast Girl.

We were then treated to another returner, Darius Rucker, who I would describe as having a more traditional country sound than the artists who had taken to the stage before him. However, Darius really brought the party. He looked like he was having a ball on stage, dancing along to the music and making sure that everyone was having a good time. He has the ability to perform a great mix of styles, as shown not only in his own music, as he moved from the slow ballad It Won’t Be Like This For Long, to catchy head-bopping songs like Radio; but also in the fantastic covers he performed. He really showed his versatility, performing country favourites like Friends in Low Places, to rapping along to No Diggity, and then performing Purple Rain in honour of all those lost over the last year, and lighting the O2 up with thousands of phone lights.

Much like in the first year of C2C, Darius was a hard act to follow, but Cassadee Pope managed to do just that. I see Cassadee as really evolving into the country genre, and really enjoyed an upcoming track she played called Me, Myself and Wine. Take a listen to it on YouTube if you have the chance – you’ll be singing along to it all day.

The final act of the night was Reba McEntire, and I was disappointed to see that many concert attendees had already left. The same thing happened a number of years ago when Zac Brown Band performed for the first time, with many leaving during some of the instrumental solos (I bet they regret that now). My thoughts are, if you’ve paid for the concert, why not stay until the end? I didn’t know much of Reba’s repertoire, but there was no way I was going home early, and I was glad I made that decision. Reba reminds me of a country music kind of Cher, so it’s easy to see why she has recently been doing a Vegas residency. She played a number of songs from her new faith-based album, but really got the crowd going with some old favourites, including Turn On The Radio and The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia. I hadn’t previously been familiar with these songs but found myself dancing along to them nonetheless and just having a great time. I also discovered that she was friends with, and Mother-in-law, to Kelly Clarkson, leading to a rendition of Because of U. However, the highlights for me were absolutely Does He Love You, a duet with her backing singer; and the one Reba song I can say I knew, Fancy, which she performed as the encore in a red dress I’m sure many of us wouldn’t be able to pull off! To those who left early, you missed out.  

My final spot was the Lucie Silvas aftershow in the Indigo2. Tired after 2 days of non-stop musical madness, I huddled myself up in the balcony and just allowed myself to enjoy the show. Lucie has a strong raspy voice, and is clearly a very talented songwriter, as she played a few songs she'd written for other Nashville stars. Not a bad way to end the night.

Day 2 was clearly a day for many generations, starting with more crossover artists and ending with more traditional. It’s great to see how varied country music is, and festivals like this allow you to open yourself up to artists you might not otherwise consider. Would I have considered myself a Reba fan before C2C? Probably not. Will I now? Maybe, just maybe.

Have you read my reviews of Days 1 & 3? Check them out on the blog! Stay tuned on reviews and interviews by following me on Twitter @CiarasCountry and be sure to let me know your thoughts!

Concert Review: C2C COUNTRY 2 COUNTRY 2017 (Day 1), The O2, London

This being my fifth year attending C2C: Country 2 Country, I had high expectations, with the festival having gotten bigger (and hopefully better) each year. Admittedly, I had been a bit disappointed by this years line-up, with a number of returners, and almost no major acts who hadn’t toured the UK within the last few years. Nevertheless, last year’s festival ranks among one of my favourite weekends, so I was excited nonetheless.

Just a few hours after catching the train down from Durham, I headed into the O2 on Friday 10^th March and made a beeline straight for the Indigo2. Kicking off the festival was Charlie Worsham, an act I hadn’t heard of before the festival, but wanted to check out having discovered some fantastic acts playing Indigo2 last year (notably Brooke Eden). I wasn’t disappointed. It was just Charlie and his guitar on the stage, but he didn’t need anything else. He played a mix of vibey guitar riff filled songs mixed with a few party tracks like Lawn Chair Don’t Care from his upcoming album. I thoroughly enjoyed Charlie’s set, and consider myself a new fan. 

My legs already tired and knowing that I would be standing for the next 8 hours (and most of the weekend!), I headed up to the balcony before Ward Thomas’ set, who were next to take to the BBC Radio 2 stage in the Indigo. The sibling duo maintain their British charm, which I like in comparison to some UK country acts who tend to add an unnatural drawl to their songs rather than staying true to their roots. The girls melodies blended together well and although they didn’t interact with the audience too much, they kept the audience happy with a number of crowd-pleasing songs off of their number 1 album Cartwheels. 

I was thrilled to have been given Press Accreditation for the first time this year, which meant backstage access to artist Press Conferences, so my next stop was to check out Brad Paisley’s conference – no doubt throwing myself in at the deep end in choosing perhaps the most famous star of the festival as my first Press Conference! Even making my way to the Press Room was an adventure itself, flashing my Media wristband to various security guards and walking down the hallowed halls where signed posters from famous acts who’d played the O2 before hung. Keep your eyes peeled for a write-up of the questions from Brad’s Conference coming soon to this blog! 

It was then time for the main event, so I made my way into the Arena, although probably should’ve given myself some extra time given the massive queues to get in. The first act of the night was Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland fame whose voice is pure country. What I enjoyed most about her set was the life she brought to the stage – Jennifer seemed to be having the time of her life performing, which made it very difficult to not enjoy yourself, even if you didn’t know all of the words to each and every song. I felt she particularly shone on Sugarland songs like Baby Girl and Stay which allowed her strong vocals to echo throughout the Arena. 

Having Floor seats had the added advantage of making it pretty easy to run to the smaller Yamaha stage located towards the back of the Arena, where some up-and-coming acts played acoustic sets while they set up for the next act on the Main Stage. First up was Chase Bryant who, although I think may have struggled at first with technical issues, with the beat sounding slightly off due to the reverberation around the Arena, nevertheless rocked out to tracks off his EP such as Take It On Back and Little Big of You, and provided a pleasant filler as we waited for the next act.

Chris Young was next on the Main Stage, and again, had a distinctly different style from all of the other acts I’d already seen play over the course of the day. Chris sounds more traditional country rather than much of the pop-infused crossover we here on the radio, as was clear on tracks such as Sober Saturday Night and Lonely Eyes. A huge cheer went up around the Arena as he brought Cassadee Pope on stage for their recent hit Think Of You – I always enjoy it when acts bring others onto the stage as something of a surprise.

I was looking forward to the next act to take to the Yamaha Stage, Cam, whose track Burning House is a staple on my radio show, although admittedly I didn’t know too many of her other songs. Like Jennifer Nettles, she just seemed to be having a great time on the stage, smiling and connecting effectively with the audience. I enjoyed all of the songs she played – My Mistake, Half Broke Heart, and of course, Burning House, and will definitely be getting my hands on her album as soon as I can.

The night finished with C2C returning headliner Brad Paisley, with this festival marking the 4^th time I’d seen Brad play live. As much as I enjoy Brad’s music, as stated above, I would’ve liked to have seen some fresh blood for headliners this year – think Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Kenny Chesney – but there’s always next year. Brad closed the night with his usual satirical charm, with many of his songs enjoyably poking fun at their subjects and not taking themselves too seriously. This was clear on Celebrity, as Brad sang in front of a large screen with various celebrities drawn South Park style, including himself. He also worked the crowd very effectively, often taking fans phones to take selfies and film himself on stage, which made for a funny transition into a song from his upcoming album called Ashamed of Your Selfie. He also completely wowed the crowd by taking a Sharpie, signing one of his guitars, and handing it to a little girl in the front row. You wouldn’t find that happening in another genre! It’s difficult not to like Brad Paisley. 

Stay tuned for my review of Days 2 & 3 coming soon to Ciara’s Country! Stay tuned on reviews and interviews by following me on Twitter @CiarasCountry and be sure to let me know your thoughts!

Top Albums of 2017 (So Far!): Part 1

Welcome to 2017! We’re only a quarter of the way through the year, but we’ve already been blessed with some fantastic country music. With a mixture of ‘back-to-roots’ traditional country mixed with contemporary crossover, 2017 looks to be a great year for a variety of exciting albums. Read on to find out my picks for the Top Albums of 2017 to check out so far!

Little Big Town – The Breaker

Why it made the list: I couldn’t make a list of the best albums of the first part of 2017 without including LBT’s latest album. As per usual, this album highlights Little Big Town’s stunning harmonies, whilst fitting in some beautiful instrumentals too that will have you vibing all the way through the album. I see a real progression on this album from LBT’s previous work, and think I become more of a fan of the band with every album they bring out What I like most about this album is that none of the songs sound the same – from the slowed-down tracks like Free to the head-bopping Drivin’ Around, there’s a song to suit every occasion. Although it’s only March, this is an album I’m sure I’ll be listening to all summer.

Top Tracks: The Breaker, Free, We Went To The Beach 

Lauren Alaina – Road Less Traveled

Why it made the list: I’ve been waiting far too long for some new Lauren Alaina music, and she’s finally delivered with Road Less Traveled. Moving from the sweet Georgia girl we met on first album Wildflower, Lauren has blossomed into a country-pop star who easily joins the ranks of Maren Morris and Kelsea Ballerini. This crossover gold is clear to see in songs like Road Less Traveled (co-written by Meghan Trainor) and My Kinda People; while she invokes reminders of young Carrie Underwood on songs like Queen of Hearts and Painting Pillows. It’s easy to see myself rocking out to each one of these songs the next time Lauren’s on tour.

Top Tracks: My Kinda People, Road Less Traveled, Crashin’ the Boys’ Club

Seth Ennis – Mabelle

Why it made the list: Sure, it’s only four songs long, but Mabelle gives a good indication of what we can expect from country newcomer Seth Ennis over the next few years. Having thoroughly enjoyed Seth’s debut single Woke Up In Nashville, I was interested to see what else he’d come up with. Mabelle is truly a feel-good EP filled with songs about young love (Play It Cool) and losing it (Fast Girl), each of which will have you tapping your toes along to the beat. What’s even more impressive is that Seth co-produced and played all musical parts on the album, so I’ll be interested to see how he uses this on a full-length album. Judging by Sam Hunt’s trajectory to stardom, I wouldn’t be surprised if Seth follows in his footsteps, so make sure you make yourself aware of him before he’s selling out stadiums.

Top Tracks: Woke Up In Nashville, Fast Girl, Think & Drive

Aaron Watson – Vaquero

Why it made the list: Aaron Watson brings back a bit of cowboy country with Vaquero, reminding us where the genres roots lie as evident in songs like These Old Boots Have Roots. I’ll admit that I was surprised to find out that this marks Watson’s 13^th album having been unfamiliar with his music, but was thrilled to see that he’s an independent artist, showing hard work and dedication is enough to make it big in the music industry. This album is full of love stories – those for his wife (Run Wild Horses), his daughters (Diamonds and Daughters), and where you come from (Big Love in a Small Town), highlighting Watson’s beautiful storytelling ability. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was Dierks Bentley singing, as they have the same raw, gritty vocal style; but Watson stands out to me by staying true to his background, and making me jealous of the American small town lifestyle I never got to experience!

Top Tracks: Run Wild Horses, Clear Isabel, Take You Home Tonight

Do you agree with my list? What albums are you most looking forward to hearing in 2017? Let me know by commenting below, and make sure to follow me on Twitter @CiarasCountry to stay up to date with future additions to my Top Albums series, as well as reviews and interviews from your favourite artists!

Top Albums of 2016 (So Far!): Part 4

2016 may be over, but it sure has given us some fantastic new music (be sure to check out the earlier parts of my ‘Top Albums of 2016’ series on this blog!). Read on to find out my picks for the best albums to come out of the last quarter of 2016, and be sure to let me know if you agree on Twitter @CiarasCountry!

Miranda Lambert – The Weight of These Wings

Why it made the list: It goes without saying that this was one of, if not THE, top albums of the year. Not only did we get one new Miranda Lambert album, but we effectively got two in this double album split into two parts: ‘The Nerve’ and ‘The Heart’. It was also particularly interesting to hear Miranda’s side of what has undoubtedly been a tumultuous year, having already heard Blake Shelton’s point of view on his earlier album If I’m Honest. However, whereas Blake’s response may have been more pointed, I felt Miranda dealt more emotionally with the split as shown in songs such as Use My Heart and Things That Break. However, it’s not all about heartbreak, and there are a lot of fun songs on the album too, with Pink Sunglasses as a personal favourite. It’s a rough and real album with a hell of a lot of heart. Don’t miss it.

Top Tracks: Tomboy, Tin Man, Vice

Kacey Musgraves – A Very Kacey Christmas

Why it made the list: It wouldn’t be an end-of-the-year album round up without a Christmas album, and Kacey Musgraves’ latest addition tops the list. Offering a mix of old favourites as well as new tracks, and all with Kacey’s unique style, we end up with a Christmas album unlike any that you’ve heard before. Listening to the album made me feel almost as if I were spending the holidays on a far-off beach with tracks full of pedal steels and the likes of Mele Kalikimaka and Feliz Navidad leading you to think of warmer climes. However, as lovely as Kacey’s covers were, I felt she really shone on her new tracks, including Present Without a Bow and the soulful What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? We need to shake up the predictable Christmas songs played on the radio each and every festive season, and I think Kacey makes a good job of doing so.

Top Tracks: Present Without a Bow, What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?, Ribbons and Bows

High Valley – Dear Life

Why it made the list: Having only heard Make You Mine before listening to High Valley’s Dear Life album, I had been worried that the duo might simply be a one hit wonder, but alas, their debut album proved me wrong. As with many country artists, High Valley have managed to carve their own niche in country with what I thought was a more stripped-back version of much of the bro-country we’re hearing nowadays. We’re presented with a mix of uplifting ballads like Don’t Stop to clap-along summer jams such as The Only and The Soldier. This does mean that some of the songs do sound a bit similar, but if it ain’t broke, why fix it? High Valley clearly have their own style that works. If you like fast-paced guitar picking, harmonies and sing-along choruses, then these might just be your next favourite country band.

Top Tracks: I Be U Be, Dear Life, The Only

Kane Brown – Kane Brown

Why it made the list: Most of the reactions I’ve seen to country newbie Kane Brown, with his backwards baseball cap and tattoos, have been along the lines of ‘I did not expect that voice’. Indeed, Kane has a wonderful authentic country voice as highlighted on a number of tracks on his self-titled album like Thunder in the Rain. It’s easy to see Kane becoming a big star within the genre, with guitar-heaving rocky songs such as Pull It Off reminiscent of the likes of Jason Aldean or Florida Georgia Line. However, coupled with some really stunning slowed down tracks like Cold Spot and it’s clear to see just how versatile Kane has the potential to be. He’s bound to be playing sell-out stadiums some day soon.

Top Tracks: What Ifs, Cold Spot, Comeback

Now that I’ve shared my top picks for the best albums of the year, I’d love to know what were your favourites! Be sure to let me know on Twitter @CiarasCountry, and keep me updated as to what albums you’re most excite about for 2017!

Interview: AMERICAN YOUNG, Nashville Meets London

I met up with Nashville based duo American Young to talk London and Nashville as sister cities, motorcycle crashes, and living with Eric Church and Chris Stapleton. Read on to find out more!

Ciara’s Country (CC): I’m here with Kristy and Jon from American Young after their set at the Nashville Meets London festival in Canary Wharf. First of all, thank you so much for joining me tonight!

Jon Stone (JS): Thank you for having us!

CC: How are things going for the two of you this year?

Kristy Osmunson (KO): Well this is definitely one of my favourite shows that I’ve ever played. Jon, can I speak for you on that too?

JS: Yeah, it’s been really great. You know, over here there’s a lot of great listeners and people like great songs so it’s great to be a part of it.

CC: So the name American Young – how did that come about?

KO: I’d written a song called Young in America and we were listening to it and Jon turned it off and said ‘man, American Young, that would be a great name for a band’, and it was this crazy moment because I was like ‘well there’s no way we could get that name’, and I googled the dot com and it was available. I was like ‘this might be divine intervention – we’ve got to take it, that’s a great name for a band!’ and I feel like it’s so representative of where country music is going, so we’re very lucky to be a part of this whole industry, it’s very humbling.

CC: Especially, having a name like that that’s so easy to remember I reckon people tonight are bound to go away and Google you now!

KO: I hope people buy at least five or six records!

CC: I’m sure they will! So this is the Nashville Meets London festival and you guys are based in Nashville - how do you think playing in London compared to playing over there?

KO: Well they drink just as much over here!

JS: We don’t really play all that much in Nashville, Nashville’s sort of an outsourcing town, that’s where the business of country really lives. We’re actually from the North West – she’s from Idaho and I’m from Oregon, but if you want to be in country music you’ve got to move to Nashville.

CC: And what do you think of London?

JS: London’s wonderful!

KO: I feel like London and Nashville are sister cities. I really feel like there’s so much similarity between the heritage music – like when we were at C2C and at this festival, there are all these UK bands that are absolutely as country that you could possibly get, and they’re telling the stories that are true to the people – they’re representing the plight of the working man, they’re telling stories of love and loss and all the greatness that makes up what we consider the heritage of country music. I really think that there’s an amazing combination and culmination of what is about to happen with the UK country music scene. I think it’s about to go global.

CC: In terms of your storytelling aspects of songs, how have you drawn on your background to help you with that?

KO: So the first gig that we ever played as the two of us was at The Bluebird Café, and Jon had just fallen off his motorcycle and so he was covered in bandages, and we walked in the room and we told that story, and we started telling stories of the songs that we’d written and it just became like a natural dialogue – it’s kind of what we do, you know? We just write true to life experiences, and try to capture them in three minutes on tape.

CC: As well as being songwriters, you’re also very accomplished musicians – we saw you playing the guitar and fiddle on stage for example. Which came first for you, the singing or the instruments?

KO: For me it was singing when I was little, but I started playing when I was about four.

JS: I was a guitar player first for years and years. Singing became a part of my writing because I needed somebody to sing my words.

CC: And you’ve written a lot for other artists too – how does that compare from writing for yourselves?

JS: There’s no difference at all. Great songs are great songs, no matter where they come from.

CC: So in terms of the country music genre as a whole, is there one artist out there who you think is really underrepresented and deserves more recognition?

KO: Yola Carter, I think she’s great.

JS: There’s a lot of great artists out there, and it’s just a matter of staying true to who you are as an artist and then your day will come. We’ve seen that with Maren Morris, and Kelsea Ballerini, and Cam and Chris Stapleton and artists like that.

KO: Jon and Chris were roommates for four years.

CC: Really?

KO: Yeah, and also Eric Church. Jon gave Eric Church his first job in Nashville, so they’ve been friends for a long time and they’re so supportive. We have a really incredible community of family, musicians and writers.

CC: I’ll bet there’s some amazing stories to tell there!

KO: When we were at C2C we went backstage and met Chris Stapleton, and he was like ‘yeah, when I met Jon Stone, he used to keep alligator in the freezer.’ (laughs)

CC: Wow, that’s certainly something different! And my final question for you tonight is what’s one question you wish you were asked in interviews but never are?

KO: Now that is a great question, and that I’ve never been asked! Wow, that’s going to make me think here for a second.

JS: How about ‘what can I buy you for dinner?’ ‘What do you drink?’

KO: You know, wow, that’s a really good question. I would say what is our purpose as a songwriter, and I’d say when you know the purpose of why an artist is doing what they’re doing, it’s really enlightening and it’s very important.

CC: And what’s that purpose for American Young?

KO: You know, I think it’s just to spread a little love and intellect. There’s lots of ways to look at things, there’s lots of ways to approach and interpret things.

JS: I’d say to be on the evolving side of evolution (laughs)

KO: There you go!

CC: Well thank you for taking the time to chat with me tonight, and thank you for a great show!

KO & JS: Thank you!   

Thanks to Kristy and Jon for your time – if you’d like to keep up with more things Ciara’s Country and American Young, check us out on Twitter at @CiarasCountry and @American_Young

Interview: LOGAN BRILL, Nashville Meets London

Before taking to the stage to perform a fantastic set filled with original songs and covers ranging from Dolly to Tom Petty and Oasis, Logan Brill took some time to chat with me. Keep reading to find out her thoughts on being a tourist in London, playing with Merle Haggard and more!

Ciara’s Country (CC): I’m here with Logan Brill ahead of her set at the Nashville Meets London festival in Canary Wharf. So to start off Logan, thank you so much for joining me here tonight!

Logan Brill (LB): Yeah, thank you for having me!

CC: So how are things going for you at the moment?

LB: So well! I’m loving London – it’s been a really fun experience. This is my very first time touring over here, so I’m really excited to play tonight.

CC: Have you had a chance to have a look around the city yet?

LB: I have a bit – we’ve only been here for three days so it’s been very short and I fly home tomorrow morning. But this is my third time visiting London so I’ve been able to do the touristy thing the past two times I’ve been.

CC: And how do you think playing here will compare to touring back home?

LB: It’s different for sure. It’s exciting being on tour, being able to see all sorts of different places – these past couple of months I’ve been on the road touring the States and seen a lot of the country in the US that I haven’t seen before. But the crowd here is definitely going to be fantastic – there’s a great mix between a listening crowd and a crowd that’s having a good time, so yeah, I’m excited about it!

CC: And it seems like you’ve had a couple of pretty good years recently with a few critically acclaimed albums – do you have a highlight?

LB: Oh man, there are so many highlights! I feel like there have been a lot of moments in the past couple of years where I’ve had to pinch myself – playing the Grand Ole Opry was a huge one, I got to do my Opry debut in Nashville this past year which was a big thing for me. Getting to play with Merle Haggard before he passed away was really exciting – that was an honour and I felt really lucky that I was able to play with him in his final years, so that was a huge one. And then honestly, just being able to be on tour as much as I am and being able to release records is what I’ve always wanted to do so being able to do it full time and being able to travel has been really exciting.

CC: What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t a musician?

LB: Oh gosh, I don’t even know, honestly I don’t know what I’d do! I’ve always wanted to do this. I got my degree in French so maybe I’d do something with that – teach or something, who knows? But like I said, I can’t imagine doing anything else.

CC: I think we’re all very glad that this is the path you chose anyway!

LB: Me too!

CC: In terms of your musical style, it’s quite unique in that you draw on different elements from a variety of musical styles and not just country – what are some of the biggest musical influences for you?

LB: You know, growing up I listened to my parents generation of music – I loved listening to Dolly Parton, and even The Rolling Stones, kind of a wide range of musical styles, but growing up in East Tennessee, country music is such a big part of the heritage there that that was always the direction that I wanted to go in. I started out singing blues when I was a kid – I was like eleven years old, singing in bars in Knoxville and I started out with the blues, so I think I had a dose of like the country blues, and then moved to Nashville and got an extra dose from being there.

CC: So your background has clearly influenced the style of music that you play – has it also influenced the content of your songs?

LB: It has, for sure. The content of my songs is also so much about the story of the journey that I’m on as an artist in my twenties, you know, it’s an interesting time to be trying to do this and going through different relationships, and the challenges of being on the road and the excitement of being on the road. Especially on this last record, the content of my songs is so much about the story that I want to tell about my life which is why it’s close to my heart.

CC: I suppose sharing so much of your life must be quite a nerve-wracking experience.

LB: You know, it can be at times for sure, but it’s also really gratifying to be able to put out music that is close to my heart and might be intimate, but that people can connect with, and there’s nothing more rewarding than hearing a fan say ‘that song of yours really helped me through something really difficult’ or ‘oh my gosh, I totally connect to this song, I’ve been through the same thing’ I think people totally connect with vulnerability very well, and I find the relationships that I can make with my fans are even more rewarding because of that.

CC: And when you play your songs live, do you have a favourite that you like to play?

LB: You know, I love all of them, but I’d say especially on this last record, the first song and the last song on this record being so vastly different – Shuteye is really loud, with electric guitars with a lot of distortion, and the last song is I Wish You Loved Me which is really stripped down and simple. Both of them are my two favourite ones even though they’re so vastly different. So those are probably my favourite ones but I also love to do random covers of other songs we like kind of on a whim – we’ll pick them on the day of and decide what we want to do. I have a lot of favourites!

CC: In terms of the music you like to listen to, are there any underrepresented artists that you think should be more widely recognised?

LB: I will say Yola Carter who I saw play recently was absolutely amazing – her voice blew me away and she was so inspiring so I’ll definitely go back and start listening to her for sure. There are a lot of American bands that I’ve been really into for quite a while – there’s a band called Dawes, I don’t know if they’ve ever toured over here – I’m a huge fan of theirs. They’re not even really country, they’re more in the kind of rock/Americana scene, but yeah, there are loads of unrecognised artists out there. But Yola Carter is definitely my new favourite, I absolutely loved her set. I watched like totally awestruck and went up afterwards and had to fangirl and talk to her after the show. She should come to the States and tour, for sure.

CC: I agree, Yola is absolutely a new favourite for me too. Likewise, you should definitely come and tour in the UK more often too! That’s the kind of thing we’re hoping to get out of events like today, and get more artists touring over here too.

LB: Yeah, it’s really cool to see a mesh of a lot of UK bands and also the Nashville crew here at Nashville Meets London. Back to back it’s been really interesting to see the interaction between the two and see a lot of UK bands that I hadn’t seen before.

CC: I’d say everyone’s very excited to see your set tonight.

LB: I’m very excited to play!

CC: My final question for this interview is what’s one question you wish you were asked in interviews but never are?

LB: Oh my gosh, I really don’t know! That’s a really great question! I guess maybe about goals in my future?

CC: And how would you answer that?

LB: I’d want to just reiterate that this is really what I want to do – I want to be like Merle Haggard still playing a like 82 – maybe needing help while walking out on the stage but still doing what I’m doing today, and hoping that all my fans know how much I love to do this as well.

CC: Great! We look forward to seeing you still touring when you’re 82!

LB: Yeah, come see me again when I’m 82!

CC: Thank you so much for your time and good luck for the show tonight.

LB: Appreciate it, thanks for talking to me! 

Thanks very much to Logan for taking the time to speak with me! You can keep up to date with any future interviews at @CiarasCountry, and check out what Logan’s up to @LoganBrillMusic