Bella Lam: “Boot First,” Dolly Parton & Chasing Her Country Music Dream | Skip Happens

WEBVTT
00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:07.440
Hello, everybody, and welcome to another edition of Skip Happens, the Skip Happens podcast.
00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:09.039
Y'all know I'm my name is Skip Clark.
00:00:09.119 --> 00:00:10.400
I'm the host of Skip Happens.
00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:14.720
And uh tonight I am very excited to welcome a rising country artist.
00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:16.320
Her name is Bella Lamb.
00:00:16.559 --> 00:00:24.480
Uh Bella has already played hundreds of shows, I'm told, built a huge, I mean a big time social following.
00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:26.800
Uh, she has one heck of a story to tell.
00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:35.920
Uh, and overcoming the challenges, I guess, early on in life, finding her voice through music, and now chasing her country music dreams, shall I say, boot first?
00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:36.880
So I love that.
00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:40.719
Her latest single is called Boot First, and uh, we've got a lot to talk about.
00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:42.719
Bella Lamb, welcome to the podcast.
00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:44.560
Hey, Skip, how you doing?
00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:45.759
I am great.
00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:48.640
Uh question right off the top, young lady.
00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:49.920
Where are you right now?
00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:52.320
I'm in my parents' house in the bedroom.
00:00:52.479 --> 00:00:55.600
Fun fact my band is practicing downstairs in the basement right now.
00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:57.439
My bedroom is right next to where they're practicing.
00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:00.000
So I was like, I gotta I gotta find somewhere else to do this right now.
00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:03.359
Wait, whoa, whoa, let me let you get the band is is downstairs.
00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:06.159
I came straight upstairs from from band practice.
00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:07.519
I skipped out early for this.
00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:10.319
Oh my god, do they allow you to do that?
00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:12.159
You know, it's funny.
00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:14.719
Um, I was asked, are you have like an acoustic kid tonight?
00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:15.599
Why are you all dressed up?
00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:19.359
Usually I'm in like an oversized t-shirt in Nike Bros at band practice.
00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.519
I was all dressed up, um, and they're like, What are you doing today?
00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:24.719
I got an interview.
00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:28.000
I got I'm on with that skip guy from upstate New York.
00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:31.840
Yeah, and we call it Skip Happens because it's bound to happen.
00:01:32.079 --> 00:01:33.840
Skip will happen before the night is over.
00:01:33.920 --> 00:01:34.959
I'm just telling you.
00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:37.200
Um, but uh yeah, skip happens.
00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:46.159
So uh Bella, before we get into the music, so to speak, for somebody that's discovering you, let's say for the very first time, who is Bella Lamb?
00:01:46.640 --> 00:01:55.519
Oh, well, I'm a country artist, born and raised in Tennessee, and I really like making music about my life, about my friends' life, and about uh how I see the world.
00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:56.319
I love it.
00:01:56.480 --> 00:02:03.200
And uh, you're born and raised there, but you were telling me your dad is from downstate New York in Binghamton.
00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:04.640
Binghamton, he is.
00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.400
I grew up visiting my grandparents there.
00:02:06.560 --> 00:02:11.840
My grandpa, um, I don't remember if he immigrated from China.
00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:17.840
I know he went from China to Malaysia and then did college in Australia, and then he came to the US when he graduated.
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:21.360
I don't remember if he immigrated straight to Binghamton, but that's where my dad was raised.
00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:22.479
Wow, that is so cool.
00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:23.599
Yeah.
00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:26.000
It's such a small world.
00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:28.159
Oh, absolutely.
00:02:28.400 --> 00:02:30.000
Um, I'm always meeting people.
00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:39.039
Um, just last night I was uh coming back from a radio interview in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, and my publicist was like, Hey, you gotta stop at the BMI office.
00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:40.000
We got a meeting.
00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:45.680
And after our meeting, the the lady we were meeting with, she was like, Hey, do you want to come to a number one party tonight?
00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:53.759
And it just happened to be a rock band from my side of Tennessee, West Tennessee, and it was just really cool because it's collided a little bit.
00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:54.479
Yeah, you know what?
00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:55.840
That that's so awesome though.
00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:59.680
There's not, I mean, that's pretty much rule of thumb.
00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:01.120
Now, I mean, everybody collides.
00:03:01.199 --> 00:03:08.639
I mean, you're putting rock with country and country with RB and and and all that, so yeah, and to have those relationships, and why not?
00:03:08.800 --> 00:03:09.680
I mean, the more the better.
00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:17.039
Yeah, I love country music, but I was my dad's from upstate New York, and he was raised on that rock music, so I also love it.
00:03:17.599 --> 00:03:18.479
I love it too.
00:03:18.639 --> 00:03:19.439
I love it too.
00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:23.120
Uh right off the bat, too, today's been a pretty tough day.
00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:30.319
Yeah, I um had to hit, I was on the air, I'm on the air from two to seven um here in the Qs.
00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:35.039
And as I was walking into the studio, the bullshit came across that we lost Dolly.
00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:37.919
And I'm going, Wow.
00:03:38.719 --> 00:03:42.080
I mean, I was speechless, and my heart fell to the floor.
00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:52.000
And it I I don't know, you as an artist, I'm sure you feel it, but also somebody like myself who works the other side of things in radio, it didn't feel the same today.
00:03:52.240 --> 00:03:56.319
I was like speechless, didn't know what to say when I opened my mouth.
00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:58.000
Usually you can't shut me up.
00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:00.080
But uh, it was like one of those days.
00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:09.439
So I just want to draw attention to the fact that uh we're all kind of with with do you have any um what about Dolly in your mind?
00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:10.240
Tell me something.
00:04:10.479 --> 00:04:13.039
I she was just a big inspiration to me.
00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:21.680
I was actually in the car coming from Alabama back home to to do this interview when I found out one of my friends texted me and she was like, Bella, how you how do you feel about the news?
00:04:21.759 --> 00:04:22.720
I was like, What news?
00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:23.360
What's happening?
00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:29.360
And she just she just said it and I remember my heart dropped, and I was like, You have to be like that's not that's not true.
00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:42.639
And um, she really was she inspiration for so many artists, and also being from Tennessee and being based in East Tennessee now, it's just I see her in everything and everywhere.
00:04:42.879 --> 00:04:52.160
Um and it it's just she was an inspiration to artists because she was like, keep your music, keep the rights to your music and write with your heart and do everything you do with your heart.
00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:59.439
Um, and she was just a lover of everyone and a helper of everyone, and um, she really did do it for the love of the game.
00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:03.279
Yeah, were you ever um anything ever pass go through your mind?
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:11.920
Like um, let's say you have a certain scenario, something's going on, whether it's you're singing or you're with the band or whatever, which did you ever think like what would Dolly do?
00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:13.439
All of the time.
00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:21.920
Um when I'm writing, when I'm recording, when I'm like making decisions about putting music out, it's always because she really is the the blueprint.
00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:30.879
She is I look up to her so much, and yeah, um, it's everything I do is just would Dolly be proud of me if she knew about this.
00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:31.439
Exactly.
00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:32.319
Don't stop.
00:05:32.639 --> 00:05:40.319
She's always gonna be there, especially for you know, the young up-and-coming female artist, uh such an inspiration.
00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.639
And I I shouldn't even say just for females because I hear that a lot from the guys too.
00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:46.639
That you know that's cool.
00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:50.879
And I've heard nothing about from like people I know who've met her.
00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.279
I've heard nothing but like amazing things.
00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:54.240
Yep.
00:05:54.720 --> 00:05:56.160
Exactly right, exactly right.
00:05:56.319 --> 00:05:57.839
Well, long live Dolly.
00:05:58.319 --> 00:05:58.720
You know what I mean?
00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:00.240
Absolutely, exactly.
00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:01.439
I will always love you.
00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:04.560
All right, so so your story, Bella.
00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:07.839
Your story starts uh with some pretty significant challenges.
00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:14.240
You were born early, premature, uh, later dealt with a speech impediment and motor skill issues.
00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:20.800
Uh but when you look back now and realize that you became a singer and performer, uh, does that ever hit you?
00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:22.639
Yeah, all the time.
00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:34.480
And I always say on the bad days where I feel like I'm not doing enough or I'm not progressing in the way that I feel I should be, if I look back at that little girl who didn't think she'd be doing it at all, um, I'm like, I gotta keep going for her.
00:06:34.639 --> 00:06:35.920
I get to keep going for her.
00:06:36.079 --> 00:06:38.800
Um, because I know that she would just be so in awe.
00:06:38.959 --> 00:06:42.720
Like I said, I grew up like so in love with music of all genres.
00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:46.959
And um, I my parents could not shut me up, even though I sang with my little list.
00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:55.120
Um, and right just I I'm in since today was a hard day too.
00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:57.120
So today I was thinking about that a lot too.
00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.639
So yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:02.480
And but um, you know, music is a source of happiness for you.
00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:08.480
And uh as you were growing up, what did music give you during those early years?
00:07:09.199 --> 00:07:18.800
Well, um, in early middle school and high school, I didn't have a lot of friends, I wasn't invited out a lot because I was the weird kid whose hands wouldn't shop shaking in class and stuff like that.
00:07:19.279 --> 00:07:19.920
That was me too.
00:07:20.079 --> 00:07:22.399
I just want you to know I was the weird guy.
00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:22.959
I don't know.
00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.040
That's probably you know, I was just one of those.
00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:27.040
And and I didn't mind being myself.
00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:27.600
I don't know.
00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:28.399
I didn't either.
00:07:28.480 --> 00:07:30.079
Yeah, you know, I'm doing this, you're doing that.
00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:30.639
That's pretty cool.
00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:31.920
Who wants to be normal?
00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:32.800
That's weird.
00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:37.040
Now that you're Bella, you are 100% correct.
00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:37.839
That is weird.
00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.040
Don't be normal.
00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:42.000
So yeah, I would I would stay at home and I would be honing my craft.
00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:44.240
I I um I started on the piano.
00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:47.120
My grandpa was very out of it that I started on the piano.
00:07:47.199 --> 00:07:49.600
He was like, You can learn anything if you know how to play the piano.
00:07:49.759 --> 00:07:52.879
And then I switched to the drums because I was a jittery kid.
00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:56.480
And my dad was like, we gotta get that energy out somehow, put me a drum lesson.
00:07:56.800 --> 00:08:12.319
Then um, I switched to guitar when I started songwriting and um always learning my favorite songs, always wanting to be playing the guitar, always like just I I walked around high school with like drumsticks in my backpack and a few guitar picks in my back pocket because I always wanted to be like messing with it.
00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:15.839
Um, and yeah, I was always like doing something.
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:21.040
Now it was your grandpa that uh he played that huge role introducing you to music, right?
00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:21.920
It was your grandpa.
00:08:22.079 --> 00:08:26.000
Yeah, and uh what do you remember about making music with your family?
00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:30.399
Yeah, well, I remember visiting my grandparents' house.
00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:46.879
Um they had like a uh an upright piano in their their basement area, and they were in a house that was kind of like their the the kitchen and stuff was like a a level up, and then they had like a little basement area with like a a common room and stuff, and there is an upright piano there.
00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:58.080
And I remember my grandpa would be sitting there and his violin was sitting right above it, and he would either play the entertainer on the piano or he'd just like start plucking on his violin, and there's always music around, and um, my cousins all play.
00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:01.360
I I play my sister loves classical music.
00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:03.440
My dad was always playing something.
00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:06.399
So um, at my grandparents' house, that's where it started.
00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:12.960
And then, of course, at home, my dad and I, my dad, my sister, and I had a band that was just like kind of a jam band, and I played the drums and sang.
00:09:13.039 --> 00:09:19.120
My sister played my my dad played guitar, and we called ourselves MPEG, or my dad called us MPEG.
00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:22.960
My sister and I didn't really agree on the name, but my dad was like, Wait, wait, wait, whoa, whoa, whoa.
00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:23.440
What is it?
00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:24.720
M MPEG.
00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:25.600
Well, here's the thing.
00:09:26.399 --> 00:09:28.799
He he never remembered my favorite animal.
00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:31.919
He only remembered that when I was a really little girl, I liked puppy dogs.
00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:34.799
So he took all three of our favorite animals.
00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:36.480
Mine was no longer puppy dogs.
00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:37.840
I will I will stand on that.
00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:42.480
And he was like monkey, which is his puppy dog, elephant, which my sister's group.
00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:44.240
So he was like, That's the name of the band.
00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:45.279
I was like, Great, Dad.
00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:46.080
Oh my god.
00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.240
I learned yeah, exactly.
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:49.200
That's good, Dad.
00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:51.840
Yeah, whatever you want to do, whatever you say.
00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:52.720
Exactly.
00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:57.679
So is it safe to say that you grew up uh listening uh to everything from Memphis Soul?
00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:04.159
Uh, you got Nashville country, get to blueglass grass, rather, classic rock, metal, classical, as you just mentioned.
00:10:04.399 --> 00:10:09.919
Um, how do all those influences uh find their way into music that you make today?
00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:13.679
I really think that first off, it shows in my writing.
00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:16.080
Um, I think it's the way I string my words together.
00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:22.639
And also, I think you just the instrumentation of it, the way I like talk to my studio musicians, I'm like, hey, let's try this and let's try this.
00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:28.320
Um, I was actually in the studio the other day and my my producer was like, let's try something like the cure-ish.
00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:31.360
And I was like, oh my god, yes, it'll be awesome.
00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:36.320
So um I they're they're very they're very like malleable to it too.
00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:39.440
So um it really I I it's kind of subconscious.
00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:41.840
I don't like realize it's happening until it's happening.
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:58.720
But um, I feel my most inspired when I'm listening to a playlist where it's like going from Dolly Parton to all-time low to ACDC to one direction to like it's just all these different artists that have nothing to do to with each other, but like kind of string itself because it's who I am.
00:10:58.960 --> 00:10:59.840
Yeah, exactly.
00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:01.919
Wow, that's crazy.
00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:04.080
Yeah, and tell me about Will J.
00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:05.440
Let's go back a little bit.
00:11:05.759 --> 00:11:08.480
So and a little birdie told me about this conversation.
00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:10.799
Maybe it was a birthday conversation, yeah.
00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:13.120
Uh, and it it got down to writing.
00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:14.159
It did.
00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:14.879
Yeah, okay.
00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:15.600
Tell us about that.
00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:25.519
He was like, he was in a band that I loved growing up, and he was always like writing for like all these cool artists, and even now he's like writing so many cool songs.
00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:32.320
But um, I remember I got a Zoom call with him for my birthday, and I was just so excited to talk to Will J.
00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:37.120
I grew up like seeing him on a screen and stuff, so I was like, oh my gosh, he's a real person, first of all.
00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:38.320
That's what I thought in my head.
00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:42.879
And I remember I said to him, I was like, hey, so you wrote written all these cool songs that I love.
00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:49.360
I remember we were talking about um a few of them specifically, and then I was like, but I I don't think I can write.
00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:51.360
And I've always wanted to do it, but you inspire me so much.
00:11:51.519 --> 00:11:52.799
Like, do you do you have any advice?
00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:54.799
And he was like, You don't think you can write?
00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:57.200
Literally just sit down and write about what you're feeling right now.
00:11:57.279 --> 00:12:04.159
And I remember it was just like so simple, but it kind of just like it's like he took his finger and like shoved my forehead with it.
00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:07.679
I was like, Oh, it really is just that easy.
00:12:07.759 --> 00:12:10.320
I was I was just overthinking it, is what I was doing.
00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:13.279
So yeah, and then that night I wrote my first song.
00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.279
It was awful, but I wrote my first song.
00:12:15.600 --> 00:12:17.519
Well, do you remember what that was?
00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:20.159
Oh my gosh, I think it was a song called Away.
00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:22.000
And what was it about?
00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.000
Um, okay, you ready for this?
00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:28.960
This is really because I love these stories when an artist tells me about their very first song.
00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:32.799
Number one, either that they performed or they wrote, and they'll go, it sucked.
00:12:32.879 --> 00:12:33.840
You don't even want to hear it.
00:12:33.919 --> 00:12:35.360
It was terrible, but I want to hear it.
00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:36.159
Tell me something.
00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:38.320
Okay, so I did theater growing up, right?
00:12:38.639 --> 00:12:43.600
Okay, and I was in this production of um The Wizard of Oz.
00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:47.679
And I don't remember who this guy played, but I remember I had a big crush on him.
00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:52.159
Mind you, I was in middle school, he was in high school, and I was just like, oh my gosh, I have such a big crush on him.
00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:58.000
And then I found out he had a girlfriend, and I was like, What?
00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:02.159
My little middle school heart was broken, so I wrote away about him.
00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:11.600
Um, and I don't even remember how it goes, but I just remember now I we played it at one of my first gigs, like my freshman year of college, and I was like, I can't, I can't, I can't sing this.
00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:13.919
Let's we're gonna crack it forever.
00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:16.000
Done.
00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:17.919
Done, no more, no more.
00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:19.440
That's always the case, though.
00:13:19.919 --> 00:13:30.000
I mean, something similar when, like I said a moment ago, uh, an artist, you know, the first song you wrote or the first song you performed, and nine times out of ten, you don't ever want to do it again.
00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:30.960
Well, here's the thing.
00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:35.759
Thankfully, Will never heard that song, but I did get to meet him last year in December.
00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:36.320
All right.
00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:39.759
He was opening for Spencer Sutherland.
00:13:39.919 --> 00:13:42.159
Um writers too.
00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:47.440
And his wife was also opening, and I he stayed afterwards to come out and meet me because he knew I was gonna be there.
00:13:47.519 --> 00:13:50.799
And he was like, Oh my gosh, all these songs you written just because of that phone call.
00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:56.559
And it was just like such a fun conversation to have with him after all of this that's happened in my career.
00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:59.039
So he's pretty much the guy that got your writing.
00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:00.159
Absolutely, yeah.
00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:07.440
And um, would you say now that you've been writing, that your songs are pretty much like your diary?
00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:08.480
I would.
00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:09.440
Yeah.
00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.000
Yeah.
00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:14.159
So if we listen to your music, we're gonna know what your life is about.
00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:16.559
For to a point.
00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:17.600
To a point.
00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:24.639
Um, I will say there are some songs where I'm writing about like a friend situation, or I'll Chris Christofferson it and I'll be like, that guy.
00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.519
I'm gonna try to imagine what his life is like.
00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:33.519
So would you say that songwriting uh it's easier for you than actually telling somebody how you feel?
00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:35.200
I see where you're going with this.
00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.480
Yeah, I'm getting there.
00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:36.960
You're right.
00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:37.279
I'm good.
00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:39.840
See, I told you, I told you stuff was gonna happen.
00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:41.279
It's just what I do.
00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:47.039
It's uh I told you, did I or did I not say I may turn down a road and we might go, you know, take a little side streak.
00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:48.720
I remember I seem to remember that.
00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.480
Yeah, exactly.
00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:56.480
Well, so okay, so your diary pretty much, and and I think that's so many songwriters.
00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:03.600
I mean, it's about life, it's about, you know, I'm sure you've had relationships, I'm sure you've had different things, and I'm sure you've had your heart broke.
00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:04.879
Uh, haven't we all?
00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:06.399
But they make for great songs.
00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:15.679
And when you, as a country artist, put something out like that along those lines, somebody like me be driving down the road going, Holy crap, that song's about me.
00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:16.399
Yeah.
00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:21.679
You know, and now you now you've touched my heart or you've touched somebody's heart, and now you got a fan for life.
00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.840
Yeah, you know, that's that really is my goal.
00:15:23.919 --> 00:15:28.480
Because, like I said, I grew up like involved in music, and all these artists are really looked at.
00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:32.320
That was my dream to be one of those artists for somebody else, and that still is my dream.
00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.679
I want to it's happening.
00:15:33.919 --> 00:15:38.159
Yeah, well, that you funny you say that actually one of my gigs this past weekend.
00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:41.679
A fan came to my show, like like a big fan from my TikToks.
00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:43.360
I recognized her from my TikTok live.
00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:59.840
She came to my show, and I remember like just like smiling because she was just shaking and she was like singing all the words to my songs, and I was like, and I'm I'm not to a point in my career where that happens like super extremely regularly, but it happens and I'm like happens, yeah.
00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:06.559
Consider it a skip happened moment because I mean I know, I know, I gotta stop that.
00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:08.240
I think it I like it.
00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:10.559
Hey, but don't tell a lack out, I love it.
00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:11.679
But but you know what?
00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:15.600
When somebody does that, you've touched them in a way like no other.
00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:21.120
You have created that bond, your music, that fan, and that'll never go away.
00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:29.840
And as long as you take the time to to talk to them, to maybe sign an autograph for them or whatever it may be, they're gonna love you for life.
00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.759
And that that you know, don't ever change.
00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:33.200
You just gotta keep doing that.
00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:33.919
That's cool.
00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:34.879
Uh, you know what?
00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:36.000
I want to play a little game.
00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:37.440
It's called Name That Tune.
00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:40.080
So I'm gonna I'm gonna hit a button, I'm gonna play a song.
00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:48.320
You need to tell me what it is, and here's the deal if you guess it right, you will win a skip happens podcast mug.
00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:49.679
Whoa, these are pretty cool.
00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:50.720
I'm gonna get that mug.
00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:52.639
I'm telling you, these these are pretty cool.
00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:53.919
They are that looks awesome.
00:16:54.159 --> 00:16:55.360
It looks hefty too.
00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:56.879
It is, it's it's a biggie.
00:16:56.960 --> 00:16:57.600
It's it's a good one.
00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.000
I don't know.
00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:58.960
Do you drink coffee?
00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:02.639
I I don't drink coffee, but I eat soup out of my mugs.
00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:04.079
Oh, oh yeah, oh yeah.
00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:04.559
Perfect.
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.039
Perfect.
00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:07.359
It's like uh I think it's a 16 ouncer.
00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:08.880
So, anyways, all right, here we go.
00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:09.359
Ready?
00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:10.240
Listen, listen.
00:17:12.960 --> 00:17:13.599
You need it again.
00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:14.559
Wait a minute, I'll do it again.
00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:15.200
I'll do it again.
00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.000
Hang on.
00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:20.319
Does that happen to be Boot First by Bella Lamb?
00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.079
Is it?
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:22.720
Yes, yes!
00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:28.000
Ding ding ding ding ding.
00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:28.960
Here we go.
00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:29.759
Here we go.
00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.920
I'll play just a little bit of it.
00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:38.960
Full throttle, full stop, no in twain.
00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:46.160
Don't run, stumble up and tumble be the holes in my old blue jean.
00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:53.200
I'm the queen of all the thinking fees and has to take leave.
00:17:55.839 --> 00:18:00.240
I don't always land it perfectly, but I get back up on my feet.
00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:06.160
You best believe when I saw uh Oh my god!
00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:09.519
That is uh that is so good.
00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:11.599
I I listened to it before we went on.
00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:13.599
Uh Bella, I mean, wow.
00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:18.960
And anybody that's watching this now or later on, maybe you rewatch it, you definitely gotta get that.
00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:20.559
You need to support this young lady.
00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.799
But uh let's talk about that boot first.
00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:24.880
What does the title mean to you?
00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:26.799
Well, here's the thing.
00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:34.640
I I was before I went into this co-write um to write boot first, it was my first ever co-write, and I was literally thinking of 10 song titles a day.
00:18:34.720 --> 00:18:38.079
And that's something that I've continued doing after my first co-write.
00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:44.480
But um, I remember I was I was kind of just thinking, sitting there listening to music and thinking about these song titles.
00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:53.519
And I remember thinking about like how my entire career is just literally jumping off cliff and doing things foot first um or head first or whatever.
00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:58.559
And then the song switched to Heart First by Kelsey Ballerini.
00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:01.440
And I was like, Okay.
00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:03.039
Are you listening to that?
00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:13.119
Um and so I was like really just thinking, and then I remembered that my mom had come down in my room, because I was in my room.
00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:14.960
I was, you know, my mom had come down to my room.
00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.119
She was like, hey, you got all these boots that you need to put away.
00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:18.559
And I was like, Bazinga.
00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:21.440
I've thought I've genius.
00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:23.680
And first is written down in my little book.
00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:30.319
And then my first co-write ever, I went in with Kaylee Ann Lowe and Jessica Kane, and then they're like, ooh, what does boot first mean?
00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:32.000
I was like, Well, let me tell you.
00:19:32.480 --> 00:19:34.000
So that's that's really where it came.
00:19:34.160 --> 00:19:35.359
Funny story, it's where it came from.
00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.559
I love that.
00:19:36.640 --> 00:19:42.720
Uh and you know, at what point did you realize, you know, maybe we've got something here?
00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:48.640
I I think it was like when we were like about to finish the song.
00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:54.559
Um, we we were almost we were gonna end the last chorus the exact same way we had end ended the past few choruses.
00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:59.920
I remember thinking, well, hey, let's make it a little longer and surprise the people.
00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:04.640
Um, and then when we finished writing that section, I was I had just completely fallen in love with the song.
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.079
I was like, this is it.
00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:10.000
Um, and I cannot wait to hear it recorded, produced, whatever.
00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:11.759
And it was just, I yeah.
00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:19.119
Do you remember the first time you performed uh Boot First Live and you saw an audience that react to it?
00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:24.079
I we tested it a little bit before my single Tears of My Tequila came out, right?
00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:26.240
Just to see how audiences reacted.
00:20:26.480 --> 00:20:31.039
I think it was at a show at a place in Chattanooga, Tennessee called Whiskey Cowgirl.
00:20:31.119 --> 00:20:32.720
Okay, and people really liked it.
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:34.160
And of course, the song was so different.
00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:40.000
It was still like really upbeat, heavy electric guitar, but it was a little lot more like noisy, I would say.
00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:46.559
There was a lot more happening in it, and I really like how he just tightened it up into a nice little rock and roll country bow.
00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:47.519
Um, the way we did.
00:20:47.759 --> 00:20:49.519
You know, I gotta say, that's what we need.
00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:53.039
I mean, the way you know, everything in the world right now is bringing us down.
00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.400
We need music like that.
00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:59.759
We need something upbeat, feel good, make smile and go, yeah, that's my girl Bella Lamb.
00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:05.920
That's I mean, my my goal is when somebody comes into my show, I want them to leave with a massive smile on their face.
00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:08.480
Um, bigger one than they had if they came in with one.
00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.240
So, how many boots do you have?
00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:11.200
How many pairs?
00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:12.880
I just got rid of some.
00:21:13.119 --> 00:21:16.160
Um, but then my my stylist gave me even more.
00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:18.720
So I think I have a good 30.
00:21:19.440 --> 00:21:20.720
Where do you put them all?
00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:24.079
Do you have like a closet that the whole wall is like?
00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:28.799
My mama turned the spare bedroom right next to my room into a Hannah Montana closet, is what we call it.
00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:31.119
Oh, a Hannah Montana closet.
00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:32.400
Look at you.
00:21:32.640 --> 00:21:33.200
I love it.
00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:36.319
And do you uh are they from sponsors or do you go to play?
00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.400
I know boot barn is there and other places.
00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:40.000
And I love the barn.
00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:44.400
Um you know, by the way, they're building one very close to to where I am.
00:21:44.559 --> 00:21:45.839
So perfect.
00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:50.160
I mean, my stylist gave me some from um the the music video.
00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:53.440
Um and there's just I've collected them over the years.
00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:59.359
Um and yeah, I just every time I see a pair of boots I want, I'm like, hey mom, add to the Christmas list.
00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:01.519
Well, I'm like, I have enough money to buy.
00:22:01.599 --> 00:22:02.240
I'm a musician.
00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.920
Y'all know that I don't make much money.
00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:07.039
But whenever I get a see a good pair of boots, I will save up for that boots.
00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:07.519
Yep, yep.
00:22:07.599 --> 00:22:07.839
Put them.
00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.519
I got them right here on my Christmas list.
00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.640
I got a birthday coming up.
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.599
I got the whatever.
00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:18.079
So most of to be fair, as a musician who has very supportive parents, most of my Christmas list is stuff for my career.
00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:19.599
So wow.
00:22:19.759 --> 00:22:20.480
Good for you.
00:22:20.640 --> 00:22:21.200
Oh, thank you.
00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:21.759
Good for you.
00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:25.680
No, no, that's that there's passion and dedication for what you're doing.
00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:30.480
And by the way, if I may ask, what do you think the guys are doing downstairs while you're roughly?
00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:32.000
I think they've come up already.
00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:35.599
I hear I hear my guitarist talking in the the living room, I think.
00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:36.799
Ah, okay.
00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.720
I think they're getting ready to leave.
00:22:39.680 --> 00:22:40.240
See ya.
00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:41.759
Bye.
00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.759
How many guys in the band?
00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:44.240
Who?
00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:44.799
Okay.
00:22:45.119 --> 00:22:48.319
So we have a six-piecer, I think, right now.
00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:48.480
Okay.
00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:49.440
If I'm remembering correctly.
00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:54.240
So two electric guitars, a bass, um, utility acoustic, me, and then drums.
00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:54.559
Yeah.
00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:56.079
Thought about a steel?
00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:56.960
Not yeah.
00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.759
No, no, no.
00:22:57.839 --> 00:23:03.519
We're I'm wanting to add fiddle, steel, and keys to our band.
00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:08.559
But are these the same guys that you'll take into the studio with you?
00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:09.200
No.
00:23:09.359 --> 00:23:10.799
So they're my live band.
00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:17.920
And then my lovely producer Lol brings in his favorite studio musicians for for um for my studio.
00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:21.279
So yeah, most of the guys in my band also have day jobs.
00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:23.039
So they they stay at home and do the day job.
00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:23.759
Don't we all?
00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:24.480
I'm just saying.
00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.559
Don't we all?
00:23:26.720 --> 00:23:26.880
Yeah.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:30.559
And uh, you know, if you could be doing do you have a day job?
00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.839
Uh school.
00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:34.799
Oh, yeah, I was gonna ask a question about this.
00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:36.480
But what if you all right?
00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:41.039
So you're going to school, but what let's say you weren't going to school and you weren't doing music, what do you think you'd be doing?
00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:41.920
Oh my goodness.
00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:43.119
Well, that's a hard question.
00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:45.680
Luke Holmes said if I wasn't doing this, I'd be doing this.
00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:47.680
But I feel like I'd be doing it in different ways.
00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:48.640
Probably.
00:23:48.880 --> 00:23:49.440
Um, yeah.
00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:54.400
So I I mean, if I wasn't, I I'm getting my VA in music right now.
00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:54.720
Yeah.
00:23:54.880 --> 00:24:01.680
Um, and if I if I it was uh absolutely not in the cards for me to perform music, I think I would want to be a teacher.
00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:06.000
I would want to go back and add education on top of that and teach how to do it.
00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:06.720
Awesome.
00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:15.920
You know, how in the world do you balance classes, songwriting, traveling, and performing?
00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:17.119
How do you do that?
00:24:17.359 --> 00:24:24.640
Um, well, a planner, lots of tears, lots of arguments, and um just pure will.
00:24:26.319 --> 00:24:26.559
Pure.
00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:29.839
I mean, my professors are really cool about it, they're very supportive.
00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:31.759
Um, and where are you going to school?
00:24:32.240 --> 00:24:35.759
UTC, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Gomax.
00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:39.440
Um and yeah, my professor is very supportive.
00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:44.480
Um, I've switched to one class a semester, and thankfully my class this semester is online.
00:24:44.880 --> 00:24:50.640
Um, I do have a quiz due tomorrow, so I will be taking so many notes on radio.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:51.440
Tomorrow.
00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:55.839
Well, don't blame me if I'll just say I was on late with Skip.
00:24:56.640 --> 00:25:00.799
I mean, so I can't I can't email my professor a link to this.
00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:01.920
Yeah, you know what?
00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:12.720
It's uh I just I have an shoot, shoot, but no, I have uh Ella's fella shirt on because you know Ella Langley, but I'm thinking it could be Bella's fellas.
00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:18.559
Every time I do a cover of an Ella Langley song at one of my shows, I'm like, hey, who who here's an Ella Fella?
00:25:18.640 --> 00:25:21.119
Let's turn it all into Bella Fellas.
00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:22.400
Bam.
00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.720
Do something with that girl.
00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:27.039
I mean, hey, I mean, you gotta be careful.
00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:27.519
I get it.
00:25:27.680 --> 00:25:27.920
I get it.
00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:29.039
Are you ready for this?
00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:29.680
Here's my pitch.
00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:30.559
I'm listening.
00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.839
My name is Bella Lamb.
00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:32.799
B L.
00:25:33.359 --> 00:25:34.720
Her name is Ella Langley.
00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:35.440
E L.
00:25:36.960 --> 00:25:39.920
Ella Langley with opener Bella Lamb.
00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:40.640
B L.
00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:41.759
E.
00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:42.720
L with B L.
00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:44.079
E L B L tour.
00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:52.000
Somebody get her on the phone.
00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:53.519
I'm on it, girl.
00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:55.759
I let me say I can dial through my board over here.
00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.519
I'll definitely get her on the line.
00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.720
Oh, how cool is that?
00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.519
No, I know.
00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:00.160
I get you.
00:26:00.559 --> 00:26:00.960
Wow.
00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:02.000
So very cool.
00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:04.319
So um tell me about the the bluebird.
00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:08.720
You've had a chance to uh perform at the Bluebird Cafe.
00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:12.400
Such an iconic songwriter uh room.
00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:13.359
Man, I'll tell you.
00:26:13.440 --> 00:26:15.039
And and I've been there, I've seen it.
00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:19.599
Uh, what was it like hearing people connect with, for example, Dear Future Me?
00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:21.279
I wrote down in that setting.
00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:31.839
Yeah, um, I think, well, Dear Future Me is an unreleased song, but my fans who who have seen me live have heard it, and um, there are a lot of fans who really love that song and want it out.
00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:34.000
Um, and I'm working on it, I promise it's coming.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:34.960
I promise.
00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:38.960
Um, but it's uh it's really just a song about my life.
00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:42.319
Um, if you think Boo First is a song about my life, listen to Dear Future Me.
00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:44.319
It really is just who I am.
00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:51.759
All my friends, they've they've graduated college, they're they're doing their jobs, they're getting married, they're buying houses, um, they're getting on with their lives.
00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:59.119
And I am a 24-year-old girl living in my parents' basement, pursuing music full time, still in college part-time.
00:26:59.279 --> 00:27:03.359
And um, sometimes you feel a little bit behind and like you you've made the wrong decision.
00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:08.240
So Dear Future Me really is just a song like asking my future self, hey, what's happening?
00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:11.920
Is everything at least getting am I like a little bit closer to my dream?
00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:18.240
Um, which I think um even if you're not in music, you you felt at some point in your life.
00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:24.160
Um, and I I really it's a song that I hope that people can relate to and take it in.
00:27:24.480 --> 00:27:25.119
I love that.
00:27:25.279 --> 00:27:39.119
Now, being who you are and your age, um, I would assume maybe I'm wrong because you know what assume means, but um you must have friends like getting married, you know, they're starting to go through that phase in their life.
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:39.759
Yeah.
00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:45.839
And then you've they ask you to be in the wedding, and now you gotta come up with the money for the for the gown and the shoes and all that.
00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:47.200
I mean, is that happening to you?
00:27:47.359 --> 00:27:48.319
Because you're at the boot?
00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:53.519
Actually, a family wedding was the same week Boot First came out.
00:27:53.680 --> 00:28:00.640
So I had to go to the day boot first came out, I was at the rehearsal dinner, and then the day after was the wedding.
00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:03.279
Um, but it was yeah.
00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:09.119
Um, I had a friend um that was just like she didn't want to pay for the wedding and make it a big hoo-ha.
00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:20.079
So she she and her husband got eloped, and I had another friend that just got engaged, and I remember I was there when they they started dating, and I was that everybody's moving on, and it's just so crazy, and I'm so happy for them.
00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:24.480
Um good, but it's expensive if they ask you to, you know, to play your part.
00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.039
That's all.
00:28:25.200 --> 00:28:28.559
And and here you are as a struggling musician, but not really, but really.
00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:30.559
Um yeah, it's kind of different.
00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:33.119
I think all musicians really struggle forever.
00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:34.480
They do, they do.
00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:38.240
Um so yeah, I made some notes here.
00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:47.680
Um, you know, you name and check and draw inspiration from artists like you got Carrie Underwood, you got Miranda Lambert, you're a fan of the chicks.
00:28:47.839 --> 00:28:48.480
Oh, yep.
00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:49.680
Oh, I love the chicks.
00:28:49.839 --> 00:28:50.400
I love them.
00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:53.039
Uh, is it true that you're a Taylor Swift fan?
00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:58.400
I I her favorite, my favorite Taylor Swift album.
00:28:58.480 --> 00:28:59.359
I was talking about it today.
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:06.640
Actually, my producer produced it and I found out out after came home from yeah, so um I'm a big speak now girl.
00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:07.680
I love her writing on that.
00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:09.119
Oh my god, so good.
00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:11.440
I um a little Taylor Swift story.
00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:13.519
I know that this is not about me, but it's about you.
00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:15.440
But um No, I want to hear it.
00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:22.640
Years ago, uh when she first came out, I think she was 17, and she went out on her very first radio tour.
00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:26.079
I gave her her first radio interview.
00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:30.079
Her and her mom were in the studio at the station I was working at.
00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:32.960
Yeah, and she was coming out with the song Tim McGraw.
00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:40.400
And of course, I had three daughters, and so she changed some of the names in the song to my daughter's names.
00:29:40.559 --> 00:29:43.119
But uh that was it's a cool experience.
00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:57.759
Yeah, and and and I know I have that interview here in my files somewhere on a hard drive, but I still and you can't see it, but right over there on the wall, I have a thank you note from Taylor Swift, and it says, you know, it's like Skip, thank you for the interview, blah, blah, blah.
00:29:57.920 --> 00:29:59.519
My very first blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:01.200
If you ever need anything, reach out and call.
00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:01.839
Reach out.
00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:05.839
I'm going, I should be reaching out saying, Hey, yeah.
00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:08.000
But uh, no, I just thought that was cool.
00:30:08.160 --> 00:30:14.400
So now I look at her, and and I've gone to a couple of her shows, not recently, but uh even before the Aeris tour.
00:30:14.559 --> 00:30:22.000
Um, but she is so down to earth, and to be able to go backstage and be able to talk with her just like you and I are chatting here.
00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:33.839
And I remember her um giving us a tour of like the backstage area, showing us her wardrobe and how under the stage with all the different arrows and lines where she needs to go and stuff like that.
00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:34.559
That was so cool.
00:30:34.640 --> 00:30:36.079
And she did that all on her own.
00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:38.079
She didn't have somebody do that for her.
00:30:38.160 --> 00:30:40.160
She goes, I'm gonna take you, I'm gonna show you.
00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:41.359
That's so cool.
00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:42.880
Yeah, I thought that was really cool.
00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:45.599
So that's my that's my little Taylor Swift story.
00:30:45.839 --> 00:30:47.839
I just love I love her right.
00:30:48.160 --> 00:30:54.799
I know it's like probably an impossibility, but a co-write with her would be like a her and Ed Sheeran.
00:30:54.880 --> 00:31:00.559
Put me in a I we think Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran a room together, or Ryan Tetter and Ed Sheeran in a room together.
00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:01.359
Put me in there.
00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.720
Don't ever say never.
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:03.200
Yeah.
00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:11.440
Because you know, you're on a road right now, and uh just your energy, your passion, your dedication, everything you're doing, uh boots on.
00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:12.960
I mean, this is this is crazy.
00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:14.319
This is crazy good.
00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.759
Uh, you gotta love that.
00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:20.799
Um, tell me a little about uh a little bit about takeout, uh take it out on my guitar.
00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:23.039
I wrote down that has a little attitude.
00:31:23.359 --> 00:31:24.720
It does have a little attitude.
00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:25.839
Well, here's the thing.
00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:28.559
We talked about this too as a songwriter.
00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:33.119
I don't talk to my friends when I have problems, I just write a song about it.
00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:35.359
Um and here's the thing.
00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:37.440
I'm not the best communicate communication.
00:31:37.519 --> 00:31:42.240
I sure do try, but when my friends ask, Hey, do you have a new song that you want to play us that you've just written?
00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:45.680
I'm like, Yeah, let me play you this one.
00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:51.759
I just so I I'm very much the person to write my feelings into a song than um speak them out.
00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:57.759
Um and I it's always I've been you can't tell it, but when I'm around my friends and family, I'm real soft spoken.
00:31:57.839 --> 00:31:59.200
Um, I'm not real loud.
00:31:59.279 --> 00:32:01.200
It's just it's I mean, yeah.
00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:09.680
So I'm in arguments, I'm always like first to cry and then think about how I feel about the argument later.
00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.880
So I'm okay to cry.
00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:11.680
Thank you.
00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:12.240
Yeah, thank you.
00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:13.039
No, that's okay.
00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:13.680
That's okay.
00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:14.480
It's okay.
00:32:14.559 --> 00:32:15.039
It's okay.
00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:17.920
So I I'm more prone to write a song about it.
00:32:18.079 --> 00:32:21.039
And that really what it is, what take it out on my guitar is about.
00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:24.799
Like, I'm more likely to write a song than key your car.
00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:27.279
Do you realize we met?
00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:28.880
It just occurred to me.
00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:29.920
We have met.
00:32:30.480 --> 00:32:32.079
We have yeah.
00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:43.279
I have a I have a white flash drive with your name on it from CRS?
00:32:43.599 --> 00:32:49.039
Yes, and I have an email from you saying it was a pleasure meeting you.
00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.640
All of a sudden it just hit me.
00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:52.400
It just hits me, hit me.
00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:54.480
You're yes, I CRS.
00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:55.920
Here's the thing about CRS.
00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:58.400
I blackout afterwards at everything erases.
00:32:58.799 --> 00:32:59.359
Who does, right?
00:33:00.799 --> 00:33:01.279
Hang on, hang on.
00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:05.279
I'm just hanging, I'm just gonna stand up and I know I have it.
00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:06.640
Hang on, keep talking, keep talking.
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:09.680
Keep talking, keep talking.
00:33:10.079 --> 00:33:18.559
Well, apparently, Skip and I met at CRS, which is it stands for country radio seminar, and that happens at the only hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
00:33:18.640 --> 00:33:20.000
And apparently we had met.
00:33:20.319 --> 00:33:22.480
I thought it was over on my uh on my desk.
00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:24.079
I was handing them out like candy too.
00:33:24.240 --> 00:33:27.279
You were, you were, you know what, and that's a very smart move.
00:33:27.440 --> 00:33:32.960
What you did was a very smart move because back in the day, I've been going to CRS for like 25 years.
00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:38.799
Back in the day, they would hand you CDs and they hand you all this stuff, and it's like, oh, I gotta carry this around all day.
00:33:38.960 --> 00:33:40.319
You know, I hate to say it.
00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:48.640
That's probably a big waste of money to do the CD thing or anything like that, because you know where it's gonna end up, nobody's gonna carry it all day unless you can take it back out to your room.
00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:51.279
And but they usually end up in the trash or something like that.
00:33:51.359 --> 00:33:54.559
But with the flash drive, it goes in your pocket.
00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:55.359
Mm-hmm.
00:33:56.160 --> 00:33:57.200
It has my name on it too.
00:33:57.440 --> 00:33:58.240
Has your name on it.
00:33:58.319 --> 00:33:59.759
I plug it into my computer.
00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:01.920
It's it's not a you know, it's not a bother at all.
00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:03.119
Smart move, young lady.
00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:03.680
Smart move.
00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:04.880
But that's right.
00:34:04.960 --> 00:34:07.839
I'm gonna have to uh all of a sudden that hit me.
00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:10.719
We did meet at the country radio seminar.
00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:11.840
Goodness.
00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:14.239
Yes, absolutely.
00:34:14.960 --> 00:34:17.440
I'm trying to remember where where do you think it happened?
00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.639
In the Omni.
00:34:18.880 --> 00:34:21.599
Yeah, but like what what what event do you think happened in?
00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:23.280
Oh, I don't know.
00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:24.960
I don't know.
00:34:25.840 --> 00:34:26.960
I was all over the place.
00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:36.239
Well, yeah, because you know, for somebody like me, I go to network with other radio people, talk to the labels and uh, you know, the all the press people and this and that.
00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:40.639
You're there to shake hands and of course people like me.
00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:46.239
And you know, there's a lot of good people, and it's probably a lot of people's like, oh, where's the hand sanitizer?
00:34:46.480 --> 00:34:50.880
But um, you know, but you do what you have to do to get your music out there.
00:34:51.119 --> 00:34:55.760
I've learned that it's okay to be annoying if it means to push yourself forward a little bit.
00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:59.360
And here's the thing I imagine you being annoying, young lady.
00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:01.519
You should talk to my dad.
00:35:01.840 --> 00:35:03.840
My older siblings, I'm the baby.
00:35:04.079 --> 00:35:05.519
I was born to be annoying.
00:35:05.760 --> 00:35:06.880
Oh my god, I love this.
00:35:07.039 --> 00:35:07.599
I love this.
00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:15.920
Um, you know, I do want to say, you know, there's still, you know, there's not many Asian American artists uh in mainstream country music.
00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:19.679
And what does it mean to you to be building your own place in the genre?
00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:23.360
Because I mean, that's pretty cool.
00:35:23.760 --> 00:35:33.199
Well, I just I I think my grandpa came here from from China because he wanted to give his his family um a better shot.
00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:34.079
Exactly.
00:35:34.239 --> 00:35:42.000
Um fun fact, my grandparents actually got married uh when interracial marriage was still illegal through the Catholic Church because they it was like crazy.
00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:45.360
Since they were Catholic, they were able to get married and it wasn't illegal.
00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:51.440
Um, and he he wanted us to to succeed and um he loved our country so much.
00:35:51.519 --> 00:35:57.920
And I think that I really just want to make him proud um and show that I can be Asian American and I can be in this industry.
00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:05.360
And you know, when I was first starting, I was shy about it, and I always said I was shy about it because I people made fun of me for for all the music I listened to.
00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:07.920
And if I said I liked country, what were they gonna say then?
00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:09.760
And I really think that I was shy about it also.
00:36:09.920 --> 00:36:30.960
I'm realizing now that because uh I don't think people would have been accepting if they found out there was an Asian American girl who wanted to do country, and um I'm realizing now that it's my own sparkle to the genre and it doesn't make me um any less likely or more likely to succeed in um this industry and um just add my own little spice to it.
00:36:31.280 --> 00:36:34.400
I love it, I love it, absolutely, absolutely.
00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:36.400
And it, you know, it's a good point too.
00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:50.480
But you go back, you know, you were maybe afraid in the beginning because because, but if you go back to let's go way back with Charlie Pride and the black artists that went country and this and that, you know, it was just they were so afraid, well, this isn't gonna work.
00:36:50.559 --> 00:36:52.880
He's you know, you know where I'm going with that.
00:36:53.039 --> 00:36:57.280
So it's like, but it it was so wrong, so wrong.
00:36:57.519 --> 00:37:01.760
But here's the thing, I wouldn't have been able to do it now if it wasn't for artists like them then.
00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:11.039
Um exactly, and I'm so I'm so thankful for all the um artists of color and country music um that paved the way for all of us to be able to do it now.
00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:23.199
So you're country at heart, but um you're known to be quite the rocker too, because if I understand, you throw out some unexpected uh covers when you do your show, which is pretty cool.
00:37:23.440 --> 00:37:30.079
I like to surprise them a little bit because I did really grow up just listening to a lot of heavy guitar and on top of my country music.
00:37:30.159 --> 00:37:55.599
Um, so we do some sweet child of mine and we do some any way you want it, and then um after that we end our set with Redneck Woman all every night and um banger after banger after banger, and I it just makes me so happy because I really just love performing with music that like just fills you and fills the room around you and just makes you feel like like you could do anything, and that's that really is what those songs make me feel like.
00:37:55.840 --> 00:38:04.719
What would it what would you think if Gretchen Wilson called you right now and said, I want you to uh you know do rednecked woman with me at this certain show as the final song?
00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.239
First of all, I would say yes.
00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:07.920
Before anything else, I would say yes.
00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:10.000
Um, I would not fangirl on the call.
00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:14.880
I'm very good at pretending not to be a fangirl, but I'm a good artist because I am a fangirl.
00:38:14.960 --> 00:38:17.119
Um I would fangirl on the call.
00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:23.119
But then afterwards, I would probably like lose my mind and practice till my my throat is hoarse.
00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:27.679
Does and does things like that do they make you nervous?
00:38:28.079 --> 00:38:28.639
Yes.
00:38:28.800 --> 00:38:31.440
Um, here's the thing I don't get nervous for normal shows.
00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:34.159
Um things like that I would definitely be nervous for.
00:38:34.239 --> 00:38:41.199
Um and performing for people that I I look up to, I always get nervous because I I care about it a lot and I want to impress them.
00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:46.079
And um yeah, I would, I would absolutely lose my mind.
00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:47.760
I love that.
00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:50.480
How important is social media to you?
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:51.760
Really important.
00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:56.719
Um, it's I I wouldn't be able to find most of my fans if it wasn't for social media.
00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:08.400
And I always like to say um that you can get lots of fans from live music, um, but not all the time would you be able to get the fans that you get from your live performances without um without social media.
00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:19.920
Um, so you you get like a variety of fans and um social media really helps with that and show them my personality, who I am, um, and just like kind of connect with them on a different level.
00:39:20.239 --> 00:39:22.480
Wow, it's important, it's very important.
00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.760
Yeah, 100%.
00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:26.000
Let me tell you something, a little sidebar.
00:39:26.239 --> 00:39:32.639
Um, my Facebook actually, my official Facebook account got banned for impersonation of myself.
00:39:33.119 --> 00:39:36.159
Well, I applied for a verification badge on Facebook.
00:39:36.239 --> 00:39:45.599
I've been verified on Instagram for forever, and I guess they Instagram flagged it when I applied for verification, and they were like, no, you're impersonating this other girl.
00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:47.199
It's just the same account.
00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:51.679
So how hard was that was it to get straightened out?
00:39:51.920 --> 00:39:54.159
It's we're we're we're working on it.
00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:57.599
Maybe, maybe that's why I tried to tag you.
00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:05.519
I I put a little thing on my Facebook saying I was gonna talk to you tonight, and I went to to tag you and I couldn't find you.
00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:07.679
We're working on it.
00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:08.800
Promise it.
00:40:11.840 --> 00:40:12.320
Go to Instagram.
00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:12.800
Just wait.
00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:14.400
Just yeah, just go to Instagram first.
00:40:14.480 --> 00:40:15.519
I'll post it when it's back up.
00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:16.639
All right, go to insta.
00:40:16.800 --> 00:40:17.280
Insta.
00:40:17.679 --> 00:40:18.239
That'll work.
00:40:18.320 --> 00:40:19.039
It's still meta.
00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:20.639
Just go to insta, you'll be good.
00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:24.320
You've got like you've got like 80,000 followers on there.
00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:25.440
Uh yeah.
00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:26.559
I maybe more now.
00:40:27.039 --> 00:40:30.559
It's almost a hundred thousand across all my platforms, which is that's crazy.
00:40:30.800 --> 00:40:33.519
That's all yeah, it's crazy.
00:40:33.679 --> 00:40:34.639
Yeah, it's crazy.
00:40:35.119 --> 00:40:36.000
I'm so blessed.
00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:38.000
I'm I I thank God for them every day.
00:40:38.239 --> 00:40:41.119
All right, so uh the debut album.
00:40:41.760 --> 00:40:42.239
Yeah.
00:40:42.480 --> 00:40:43.679
When are we gonna hear it?
00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:44.559
See it.
00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:46.639
We're working on it.
00:40:47.039 --> 00:40:48.320
Secret, secret.
00:40:49.119 --> 00:40:50.079
I know, I hate it.
00:40:51.280 --> 00:40:53.119
We have stuff on the way.
00:40:53.199 --> 00:40:54.639
I just can't tell you what it is.
00:40:55.039 --> 00:40:59.280
Okay, but we're working on it right now, so it's out in time for what it is.
00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:08.400
Do you think we will hear a different uh bella lamb on this album than we have heard two or three years ago?
00:41:09.840 --> 00:41:12.800
Yes, yes, yes, actually, I do.
00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:14.400
I had to think about it for a second.
00:41:14.559 --> 00:41:21.840
Yeah, there is one song that we're working on that's like so out of left field, but it's one of the ones I'm most excited for.
00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:26.320
What if uh question off the cuff here?
00:41:26.559 --> 00:41:36.559
What if uh somebody called you and said, you know what, we're gonna hook up a uh I want you to come to this writing session and I want you to write with somebody, and I'll get you anybody that you want.
00:41:36.639 --> 00:41:37.519
Who would that be?
00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:39.599
How many people am I limited to?
00:41:39.840 --> 00:41:40.639
Oh, geez.
00:41:40.719 --> 00:41:44.000
Yeah, just add to the um I don't know.
00:41:44.880 --> 00:41:45.519
Who are you picking?
00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:45.920
How many?
00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:46.639
How many do you want to?
00:41:47.280 --> 00:41:50.239
Usually it's like a me and two other writers, but okay.
00:41:50.400 --> 00:41:54.559
So if you could have two other list is like three miles long.
00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:56.719
It fills a couple of boots.
00:41:56.880 --> 00:42:00.960
I already said, I already said Ed Sheeran, Ryan Tedder, and Taylor said earlier.
00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:04.079
So um I would say Jesse Alexander.
00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:05.199
I love her.
00:42:05.360 --> 00:42:07.840
She's from my hometown, Jackson, Tennessee.
00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:11.760
Um, she wrote one of the most inspirational songs, I think, The Climb.
00:42:11.920 --> 00:42:18.559
And um, she's just such a good writer, and I've always, always, always wanted to work with her.
00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:20.639
Um, so yes, Jesse Alexander.
00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:24.079
Um, and then I'm gonna choose somebody a little more rock.
00:42:24.159 --> 00:42:36.000
And I don't know if you know who Josh Ramsey is, but he writes he writes for his band, he writes for Nickelback, and he wrote um, actually, this is why I think I I would also want to write with him.
00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:38.800
He wrote Call Me Maybe for Carly Rachel.
00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:41.679
Yeah, no, that's yeah.
00:42:41.920 --> 00:42:44.559
So I would love to write with Josh Ramsey.
00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:48.480
So put me in a room with Jesse Alexander and Josh Ramsey and let's see if we can rock out a country still.
00:42:48.800 --> 00:42:50.719
I'll bet you that would be pretty awesome.
00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:52.239
That would be pretty awesome.
00:42:52.480 --> 00:42:53.039
Absolutely.
00:42:53.360 --> 00:42:56.400
Somebody get a hold of Josh Ramsey, somebody get a hold of Jesse Alexander.
00:42:56.480 --> 00:43:06.480
We're gonna get to have you know, I gotta tell you, I mean, I I love everything about you, and this is yes, we did meet once before, but we didn't have such a conversation as we're having right here tonight.
00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:20.400
But um, you know, just your your personality and everything about you is very you're very outgoing, and you're doing, I mean, I've seen a lot of artists, and you're doing what you need to do, and you're making it happen, and it makes me want to go.
00:43:20.480 --> 00:43:23.679
I'm gonna go buy this, this, I'm gonna go get Bella's music.
00:43:23.760 --> 00:43:29.519
I mean, and I think anybody watching this or listening to this, whether it's now or down the road, should be doing that.
00:43:29.679 --> 00:43:35.599
Um, what's something about Bella offstage that people would never guess from watching you perform?
00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:40.000
Oh my gosh, my my utility player Drew was just making fun of me for this.
00:43:40.159 --> 00:43:45.679
I really love um I I always talk about all the time that I read lots of books and stuff like that.
00:43:45.840 --> 00:43:51.280
I really love, I don't love playing them myself, but I love watching people play horror games.
00:43:51.440 --> 00:43:54.800
Um you love watching people play board games?
00:43:55.119 --> 00:43:58.239
So, like horror games, like um video games, like the horror videos.
00:43:58.639 --> 00:43:59.679
Oh no, no, I guess I'm sorry.
00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:00.719
And stuff like that.
00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:10.800
So when I'm like doing busy work or cleaning or um I'm doing my hair and makeup before a show, I will turn on like um a YouTuber playing a horror video game.
00:44:10.880 --> 00:44:12.079
And it's my favorite thing.
00:44:12.159 --> 00:44:15.280
Because here's the thing if I play it myself, it's not gonna get played.
00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:16.960
I'm gonna just close my eyes and look away.
00:44:17.039 --> 00:44:21.440
But if somebody else is playing it, you know, watch it just fine because I'm not I'm not the one in charge.
00:44:21.679 --> 00:44:23.360
He if he dies, he dies.
00:44:23.440 --> 00:44:24.400
That's a him problem.
00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:25.760
It's not a P problem.
00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:27.440
I like that.
00:44:27.599 --> 00:44:28.559
I like the way you're thinking.
00:44:28.719 --> 00:44:29.360
Yeah, I get that.
00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:30.079
I get that.
00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:39.119
Yeah, so I love that's um my my guitarist was making because I was talking to him about I think I was talking to him about uh Resident Evil, which is one of the horror games that I like watching people play.
00:44:39.199 --> 00:44:46.159
And he goes, Little Miss Sparkly Pink Bedroom over here likes horror games, knows who pyramid is.
00:44:46.239 --> 00:44:51.280
I was like, hold on, here's the thing Pyramid Head is not Resident Evil, it's Silent Hill, so ha ha ha ha.
00:44:51.840 --> 00:44:52.480
Oh my god.
00:44:52.639 --> 00:44:53.519
Oh my god, that's so great.
00:44:53.760 --> 00:44:58.400
He's like my old ball, all my bandmates are like my older brothers, so they'll just say it sounds like sister me.
00:44:58.639 --> 00:45:02.639
Yeah, and I don't say it, I don't I stand off business, I don't let that happen.
00:45:02.880 --> 00:45:03.519
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:03.679 --> 00:45:04.639
What do you drive?
00:45:05.280 --> 00:45:06.159
What do I drive?
00:45:06.320 --> 00:45:08.079
Yeah, I'm gonna ask, what do you drive?
00:45:08.559 --> 00:45:09.280
Here's the thing.
00:45:09.519 --> 00:45:10.400
No, no, let me guess.
00:45:10.480 --> 00:45:11.920
Let me guess, let me guess.
00:45:12.159 --> 00:45:18.079
Um, I want to say you have a Toyota small.
00:45:19.519 --> 00:45:22.800
I don't know, I give up what I'm passenger princess.
00:45:24.159 --> 00:45:26.239
I'm still working on my license.
00:45:27.119 --> 00:45:28.159
Don't have it yet.
00:45:28.960 --> 00:45:29.679
Here's the thing.
00:45:30.079 --> 00:45:31.039
It's all right, it's all right.
00:45:31.199 --> 00:45:31.599
It's okay.
00:45:38.400 --> 00:45:39.119
That was the rule.
00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:41.519
And then after she got hers, COVID.
00:45:42.000 --> 00:45:43.360
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:45:43.519 --> 00:45:45.199
And then after COVID, live music.
00:45:45.280 --> 00:45:46.400
Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.
00:45:46.639 --> 00:45:47.679
No, no, no, I get it.
00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:53.119
So uh hey, but here's hey, my fans are excited to know about this too because they were they're making fun of me too about it.
00:45:53.280 --> 00:45:56.159
Um my driving test is in two weeks.
00:45:56.480 --> 00:46:01.440
Yay! I just may call you up and ask how you did.
00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:03.360
If I fail, don't judge me.
00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:04.559
No, no, no, no.
00:46:04.639 --> 00:46:05.119
That's all right.
00:46:05.199 --> 00:46:05.840
I totally get it.
00:46:06.079 --> 00:46:06.639
But you know what?
00:46:06.719 --> 00:46:07.679
What a smart move, though.
00:46:07.760 --> 00:46:10.239
You put it's not really a priority to you.
00:46:10.400 --> 00:46:13.920
No, you have other priorities, and I totally get that.
00:46:14.000 --> 00:46:18.000
And it and the environment that you're being brought up in, I I totally understand that.
00:46:18.559 --> 00:46:19.199
And good for you.
00:46:19.599 --> 00:46:20.320
It really is.
00:46:20.400 --> 00:46:25.679
Um, do I feel behind a lot of the time with the the college and the the driving thing?
00:46:25.840 --> 00:46:28.880
Yes, but do I feel ahead sometimes in other ways?
00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:29.679
Yes, I do.
00:46:29.920 --> 00:46:33.119
So it's kind of like a double double-sided sword.
00:46:33.280 --> 00:46:36.559
Um, and it it's a pleasant and a curse.
00:46:36.880 --> 00:46:43.360
What would you um tell your younger self, uh-huh to uh younger version of Bella today?
00:46:43.440 --> 00:46:44.639
What would you tell her?
00:46:45.280 --> 00:46:47.599
Um, you can do anything your heart desires.
00:46:47.760 --> 00:46:53.039
You are worthy of being loved, you are beautiful, and you got the dang thing.
00:46:53.199 --> 00:46:58.079
So that's what I would say because she hadn't she she really I built up my confidence a lot.
00:46:58.239 --> 00:47:09.360
Um my my last few years of high school, and um she really did need to hear that because um my parents told her all the time, but she she needed to hear it from herself.
00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:10.719
I love that.
00:47:10.880 --> 00:47:14.159
And um, what was the last thing that really pissed you off?
00:47:15.440 --> 00:47:17.679
What was the last thing that really made you mad?
00:47:18.159 --> 00:47:18.880
It could be anything.
00:47:21.119 --> 00:47:23.199
Um I can't see you getting mad.
00:47:23.440 --> 00:47:25.920
Well, here's the thing, I'm really hard to make mad.
00:47:26.079 --> 00:47:26.719
It happens.
00:47:26.880 --> 00:47:38.400
I mean, this what I'm thinking of happened like years and years ago, but it was the last thing that made me like really go, um, so I was still full-time in college, but I was still playing a hundred shows a year.
00:47:38.639 --> 00:47:43.280
So I was like tired, and I was like, I had probably 20 hours in class.
00:47:43.440 --> 00:47:46.480
I'm a music major, it was lots of classes all at once.
00:47:46.800 --> 00:47:58.480
And there I was in a class called the Entrepreneurial Musician, and there was a few people in that class who were on the choir bus talking crap about me, playing so many live shows and promoting it all over campus.
00:47:58.559 --> 00:48:03.679
And my friends were sitting right next to them, and they so they called me up and told me immediately, you know what I did?
00:48:03.920 --> 00:48:06.639
I walked right up to those people and I was like, Hey, I thought we were friends.
00:48:06.719 --> 00:48:08.639
What what why were you saying this about me?
00:48:09.519 --> 00:48:10.719
Wow, good for you.
00:48:11.119 --> 00:48:22.159
Because here's the thing if you don't address it right away or face to face, we're adults and we are supposed to be be setting an example for the younger students.
00:48:22.239 --> 00:48:36.800
And if I don't say anything about it now, what's gonna happen when an incoming freshman comes in and they're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and then somebody says and music is such like a a like a pure thing, like you're performing in front of your peers all of the time.
00:48:36.960 --> 00:48:42.480
And if you don't say something about that, it's just gonna keep festering and growing, and your confidence is gonna go bow, bow, bow, bow, bow.
00:48:42.639 --> 00:48:44.960
So I I don't, I don't, I don't stand on that.
00:48:45.039 --> 00:48:47.199
I don't let people talk about me like that behind my back.
00:48:47.360 --> 00:48:49.280
You if you say it, you're gonna say it to my face.
00:48:49.599 --> 00:48:50.239
Good girl.
00:48:50.400 --> 00:48:50.960
I love that.
00:48:51.119 --> 00:48:51.599
I love that.
00:48:51.679 --> 00:48:54.960
I don't I and I had heard about it happened to my friends and stuff like that.
00:48:55.039 --> 00:48:59.039
But well, that's what would piss me off if it was my friends and they're talking like that about me.
00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:01.360
They wouldn't let me say anything until it happened to me.
00:49:01.440 --> 00:49:04.559
They were like, if it happens to you, you can I'll uh we'll let you go say something.
00:49:04.639 --> 00:49:08.880
And as soon as it did, you better believe I was up off my chair.
00:49:09.039 --> 00:49:10.239
Now I was on a mission.
00:49:11.519 --> 00:49:15.840
I don't stand on bullying, I don't let it happen because I let it happen too much when I was younger.
00:49:15.920 --> 00:49:19.519
And as soon as I'm old enough and confident enough, I'm not gonna let it happen to nobody.
00:49:19.760 --> 00:49:22.559
Would you would you say you were bullied when you were younger?
00:49:22.800 --> 00:49:28.880
I would say that I wasn't treated um as well as my peers were, if that makes sense.
00:49:29.039 --> 00:49:35.360
I wouldn't say it was like hard cool hardcore bullying, but I I wasn't yeah.
00:49:35.679 --> 00:49:43.519
Well, this is what I believe is that all that um that you went through in your early years, everything made you a better person.
00:49:44.159 --> 00:49:49.360
God, the Lord has is you know, has put you where you are today for a reason.
00:49:49.679 --> 00:49:53.199
And Priscilla Blot, she's spoken on it too, and all her songs.
00:49:53.280 --> 00:50:01.840
And I really do think that um the best artists have had that happen to them, um, and they really just put it into their music.
00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:03.280
Do you know Priscilla?
00:50:03.440 --> 00:50:06.320
I don't, I've never met her, but I'm I'm doing a show with her next week.
00:50:06.400 --> 00:50:07.039
That's why I was asking.
00:50:07.840 --> 00:50:10.079
She's she's I've always really looked up to her.
00:50:10.320 --> 00:50:11.039
Yeah, absolutely.
00:50:11.280 --> 00:50:36.719
And you must uh, I mean, we're running out of time here, but uh even you were talking about you know your rock edge and those songs that made me think about Carrie Underwood because if you go to a Carrie Underwood show, yeah, you hear all the Carrie Underwood hits, so on and so forth, then all of a sudden it's it's turning into a motley crew and it just you know her her most uh roses and it's denim and rhinestones, that album, so much guitar, and I loved it so much.
00:50:36.880 --> 00:50:38.000
It's so good.
00:50:38.719 --> 00:50:40.239
How many guitars do you have?
00:50:40.400 --> 00:50:41.039
Oh, okay.
00:50:41.119 --> 00:50:47.360
So I think I have about, if I remember correctly, five acoustics, um, and I have two electrics.
00:50:47.599 --> 00:50:47.840
All right.
00:50:48.000 --> 00:50:49.679
Do you have a separate room for those?
00:50:50.000 --> 00:50:58.000
No, see, I have a so my um I have a Martin and a uh a Gibson hummingbird that I with me.
00:50:58.159 --> 00:51:00.079
Um and the other ones they're hanging up in my room.
00:51:00.159 --> 00:51:04.960
So my other two acoustics, um, I have a Yamaha that I learned on, and then my second guitar was a Luna.
00:51:05.199 --> 00:51:10.400
Um, and then the two electrics, I have a Fender electric, and then here's my rock side coming out of Ben.
00:51:10.639 --> 00:51:19.440
I don't know if you know who Five Seconds of Summer is, but their lead guitarist came out with a um Gibson Melee Maker, and he has a signature Melly Maker.
00:51:19.519 --> 00:51:21.360
So you said Five Seconds of Summer?
00:51:21.760 --> 00:51:22.800
Yeah, I do know who they are.
00:51:23.039 --> 00:51:26.960
They're uh also somebody that I've been a big big fan of forever.
00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:34.960
So um their lead guitarist came out with a Melody Maker, and of course I was like, I have to have his signature Meli Maker, so I have that too.
00:51:35.199 --> 00:51:37.119
Do you have names for the guitars?
00:51:37.360 --> 00:51:43.039
Yeah, so I name all of my guitars after um iconic artist.
00:51:43.280 --> 00:51:48.559
Um, and so I have Loretta, she's my backup, she is my Martin.
00:51:48.880 --> 00:51:49.199
I love that.
00:51:49.599 --> 00:51:52.880
Kitty is my main guitar, she's my Gibson hummingbird.
00:51:53.039 --> 00:51:57.119
Um, and then Luna, I've had her since forever, so I just named her after after the brand.
00:51:57.599 --> 00:51:58.480
Luna, yeah, yeah.
00:51:58.559 --> 00:52:00.320
And I've not named my Yamaha yet.
00:52:00.400 --> 00:52:01.920
So I love that.
00:52:02.159 --> 00:52:02.800
Yeah.
00:52:03.519 --> 00:52:07.199
So could you say something to somebody and say, Grab my Loretta?
00:52:07.440 --> 00:52:08.239
And they're gonna know.
00:52:08.559 --> 00:52:09.599
Well, hey, I call them her.
00:52:09.920 --> 00:52:11.360
So they're all my my girls.
00:52:11.519 --> 00:52:17.679
Um, so um the actually the other day I was running off to do something, like talking to fans and stuff before show.
00:52:17.760 --> 00:52:21.760
I asked my utility player Drew, hey, could you change the string on kitty?
00:52:21.840 --> 00:52:24.079
And he was like, Oh yeah, I'll go grab her right now.
00:52:24.480 --> 00:52:25.519
So they play into it.
00:52:25.599 --> 00:52:30.159
Ah um and I could friends be like, Why do you like humanize your your instruments?
00:52:30.239 --> 00:52:32.000
I'm like, just it's just a fun thing that I do.
00:52:32.079 --> 00:52:32.880
Why why wouldn't I?
00:52:32.960 --> 00:52:36.159
I mean, Keith Urban names his guitars, and so many people do it.
00:52:36.559 --> 00:52:38.559
Yeah, um, so I don't see why I can't do it.
00:52:38.639 --> 00:52:40.719
And you can do it, yeah, and you should do it.
00:52:41.119 --> 00:52:46.079
And they're they're pee they're they're tools that help me with my career, and I wouldn't be able to do it without them.
00:52:46.239 --> 00:52:47.519
So they're family.
00:52:47.760 --> 00:52:48.480
Yeah, family.
00:52:48.559 --> 00:52:48.960
Exactly.
00:52:49.199 --> 00:52:49.920
It is, it is.
00:52:50.000 --> 00:52:51.039
They're your family.
00:52:51.280 --> 00:52:52.960
That that's hey, you gotta have them.
00:52:53.199 --> 00:52:59.599
You know, Bella, it this has been pretty awesome finding out about you and uh digging into your life and your music a little bit.
00:52:59.760 --> 00:53:05.360
Uh quickly before we say goodbye, uh, somebody wants to go and get your music, where can they go?
00:53:05.679 --> 00:53:14.719
Yeah, um, my music is on Spotify, Apple Music, uh, YouTube Music, Pandora, Amazon Music, everywhere under Bella Lamb, B-E-L-L-A-L-A-M.
00:53:15.199 --> 00:53:19.760
And then you can look at my socials at it's Bella Lam, I T S B L A L A M.
00:53:19.840 --> 00:53:22.639
And hey, if you're looking for shows, I have a website too, Bella Lamb Music.
00:53:22.719 --> 00:53:22.880
Yeah.
00:53:23.360 --> 00:53:26.400
So are you uh any um shows like in the Northeast?
00:53:26.559 --> 00:53:27.519
You got anything planned?
00:53:27.920 --> 00:53:29.519
I'm sure try to get up there, yeah.
00:53:29.599 --> 00:53:36.079
Um, right now we're more focused um and expanding in um around Tennessee and outwards.
00:53:36.239 --> 00:53:41.039
So but hey, if somebody picks me up on a tour to open for them, yeah.
00:53:41.199 --> 00:53:42.000
Hint hint.
00:53:42.320 --> 00:53:43.840
Hint hint nudge nudge.
00:53:44.320 --> 00:53:54.639
You know, I I know like uh Drew Baldridge, he puts it when he goes out on the road, he'll put it out there saying, anybody, you know, wanna open up for me, let's let's get you up here on stage.
00:53:54.880 --> 00:53:56.480
He's that way, which is cool.
00:53:56.639 --> 00:54:02.320
So he would give somebody like you an opportunity and and um you know, and you would definitely kick some ass.
00:54:02.559 --> 00:54:05.360
Here's the thing about the idea of opening for somebody.
00:54:05.599 --> 00:54:09.199
I have people that I would love, love, love to open for that I can name names.
00:54:09.280 --> 00:54:24.639
But here's the thing if anybody offers me a chance to learn from them and be a sponge and they believe in me that much, I will be I I would be so beyond excited and so beyond happy to take that opportunity because it really is just an I a chance to learn from them and be a sponge.
00:54:24.719 --> 00:54:31.360
And also they're giving you a chance to keep their crowd warm before they come out on stage and see what you can do with the stage.
00:54:31.440 --> 00:54:34.800
And that that really sounds like a really fun, exciting test for me.
00:54:35.039 --> 00:54:39.199
No, that would be absolutely, but you could you'd you would handle it just fine.
00:54:39.679 --> 00:54:40.880
I think everything would be really good.
00:54:41.039 --> 00:54:42.880
It's uh Bella Lamb, everybody.
00:54:42.960 --> 00:54:46.880
And uh, you know, I love your story, I love the message behind Boot First.
00:54:47.039 --> 00:54:52.400
Uh sometimes you just uh uh you have to trust yourself and you have to jump in, and you've done that.
00:54:52.559 --> 00:54:54.159
I mean, you're all in.
00:54:54.400 --> 00:55:03.360
Um, everybody watching this, make sure you follow uh Bella Lamb, check out the new single Boot First, and keep an eye out for uh much more music on the way, as we know.
00:55:03.679 --> 00:55:05.679
And there could be an album coming out.
00:55:05.920 --> 00:55:06.320
Who know?
00:55:06.400 --> 00:55:06.960
Who knows?
00:55:07.280 --> 00:55:08.079
She won't tell me.
00:55:09.840 --> 00:55:11.679
I'm reading the body language here.
00:55:11.840 --> 00:55:12.800
Like, yeah, there's something.
00:55:13.440 --> 00:55:14.719
You're reading the shoulders up.
00:55:14.960 --> 00:55:21.360
I I well that's well, I can see your facial expressions, and it's like, okay, there's something going on here.
00:55:21.440 --> 00:55:22.559
It's coming, it's coming.
00:55:22.639 --> 00:55:24.559
And I know it's gonna be really, really good.
00:55:24.880 --> 00:55:27.199
Bella, I want you to hold on there when we say goodbye.
00:55:27.280 --> 00:55:29.920
But uh, thanks for hanging out with us here on Skip Happens Tonight.
00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:31.920
I'm Skip Clark, Skip Happens Podcast.
00:55:32.000 --> 00:55:35.599
We're on air online, and as I always say, every boot tells a story.
00:55:35.760 --> 00:55:37.199
Uh Bella, stay right there.
00:55:37.280 --> 00:55:38.559
Thanks for watching, everybody.