Interview With Nashville Based Southern Pop And Country Music Trio Track45

Our latest exclusive interview is with the Nashville based trio Track45. These guys do not only blend southern pop and country music together seamlessly, they are siblings and play multiple instruments, including the piano, mandolin, cello, violin and guitar. We connected with Jenna, KK and Benjamin to find out what the band name means, what led to them deciding to leave their hometown of Meridian, Miss. to move to Nashville, when we'll be able to hear an EP or album, and much more.

After reading our Q&A with Jenna, KK and Benjamin, be sure to follow them on their social media streams to stay up to date on all things Track45, and go to their YouTube channel ASAP to watch all their covers. 

Tell us about the name Track45; how did it originate and what does it mean?

When we first started playing music as a band, we went by the name 45 South because it was the Highway that took us to all our favorite places, and we had lots of great family memories associated with it. Later on, we played for a live PBS show and the name was copyrighted by a band in Australia, so we had to change our name. We grew up in Meridian, MS which is a railroad town, so the “track” references that and music “track.” We just left the 45. 

At what point did you guys decide to leave Meridian, Miss. and move to Nashville? How would you compare the two cities in relation to the music scenes for your genres of southern pop and country?

We were on the show X FACTOR, and shortly after that (about 5 years ago), we made a contact in Nashville who strongly encouraged us to make the move. We had already been thinking about it but to have someone well respected in the business give us the extra push helped seal the decision. 

We’re really thankful for Meridian and all of the music we were exposed to there. We were in awesome choirs, got to play on a live PBS show, played shows all over meridian and the southeast, and we grew up going to the local Meridian Symphony Orchestra. Meridian has a lot to offer, especially for a small city. Nashville was the next step because it has so many opportunities and connections. In Nashville, we’ve been able to find and hone our sound and have opportunities to write with award winning songwriters. It’s been amazing to learn from them and grow and develop as artists and songwriters. 

What do you guys enjoy most about performing live for an audience? What is your favorite cover song to perform?

There’s just something magical about sharing your music in a live show. It’s vulnerable but such an incredible chance to put your music out there. Connecting to so many people through music is amazing. We love getting to hangout with people afterwards and hear their stories, too. 

Our favorite cover songs to sing live change frequently because we work up a bunch for social media. Right now our favorites are Burning House and I Got You. 

Can we expect an EP or album to drop this year or early 2018?

We’ve been writing almost everyday for the past year with lots of great writers, and we’ve also been in the studio working on putting our favorite songs down. We’ll be releasing it soon! Hopefully sometime in the next 6 months. 

I know that being on demand singer-songwriters can be all consuming at times, but what do you each love to do on your downtime, off the stage and out of the studio?

My dad has always been big into exercise (his masters is in Exercise Science), so we all played lots of sports growing up. Our favorites are tennis and basketball. My mom has her masters in English, and we all inherited her love for curling up with a good book. 

Jenna loves to swim, sketch/paint, hike, read and travel. 

K.K. likes cooking (she’s our resident chef), spinning, yoga, hiking, reading and investing (she loves Dave Ramsey).

Benjamin heads up basketball games each week, teaches music lessons, reads non stop and loves to go to shows to hear other friends/artists. 

Who are your all time favorite solo pop artists? And who are your all time favorite country bands?

Just scroll down our YouTube channel to see our favorite artists. We take our current favorite songs and arrange them into cool covers, but to name a few:

Pop--Taylor Swift, Bebe Rexha, Ed Sheeran, Charlie Puth, One Direction, and Ariana Grande. 

Country--Dolly Parton, Alan Jackson, George Strait, Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain, Reba and Keith Urban. 

If you guys could do a collaborative song with any artist (dead or alive), who would you choose?

We are HUGE Beatles fans and got to hear Paul McCartney live, so we would definitely want to write with him (or any of the Beatles). Dolly Parton has been someone we’ve always loved and respected as a person, artist, and writer, so it would be amazing to write with her, too. We’ve seen Keith Urban from a distance for awhile in Nashville and always loved his showmanship and songs. It would be really cool to write with him, as well!

Connect with Track45: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Talking With Nyanda About Her Country And Dancehall Infused Single "Rodeo Wine"

Nyanda is a member of the Pop/Reggae duo Brick & Lace. She went solo in 2013 and has amassed over 90 million online streams with songs like her latest release "Rodeo Wine". This song, produced by The Kemist, which fuses dancehall and country is the first single released from Nyanda's new partnership with Eastern Europe's leading Record Company, Cat Music. We connected with Nyanda to discuss her unique sound, her success with Brice & Lace and why she decided to go solo, the "Rodeo Wine" visual, and much more. After reading this exclusive Q&A, be sure to follow Nyanda on her social media streams. 

Your sound is hard to categorize in one genre; how would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard your music before?

Well maybe that's that versatility; i think at the core I'm a dancehall girl my flavor stems from that genre and branches out into various other flavors of pop, rock, RnB and most recently country..who knew?! lol me jus too flavaful lol.

With the success you've had with Brick & Lace and your writing team Bloodline, what made you decide to branch out and focus on a solo career?

Vibes and timing. There can be too much headache and stress more time when dealing with other creative personalities. I wanted to explore the full depth and range of my God given talent.

The visual for your track "Rodeo Wine" is very stimulating and lively and fits the beat perfectly. Who did the choreography for it and what was it like shooting the visual?
 
A talented Jamaican dancer name Slip did the choreography. We wanted the movement to be more on the dancehall side with touches of country to match  the vibe of the song.

What makes your joint venture with Cat Music the right fit for you as an artist?

They presented an offer i couldn't refuse...haha 

I went to Romania initially to do a collab with Admiral C4C and there was a good energy there with the people and their reception to my music so signing was a natural progression of everything that was taking place. Romania is gonna be that place poised to make a huge mark in the music biz internationally I'm one of the main artist they wanna use as a flagship to achieve that. They have good taste :)

What comes next after "Rodeo Wine"? Can we expect an EP or album this summer?

I have so many songs in the market place right now all over the wold it's hard to keep up. including a record with Pitbull "Keep u up at Night", one with Konshens, "Stop Drop and Roll", a record called Young and Alive with DJ LBR from France and "Uh Baby" with Albanian Dj and Producer Dj Viper.  I'm stay loaded in the studio working on new projects all the time. Things always a bubble.

What do you enjoy most about performing live? Do you have a favorite venue or event you've performed at?
 
Just letting the beast out, she always wanna come out to play. lol sorry for the creepiness but its true performing ignites something inside me. It's letting all my emotions out and vibing and connecting with the energy of the crowd. There's something special about each performance but I have a special connection and appreciation for my African fans who are always super receptive regardless of where I am on the charts. 

What do you enjoy most about being an artist/songwriter?

I think I described it in the previous question but also meeting fans who my music has touched in whatever way, is extremely gratifying and moving. I'm always humbled and its a reminder that I'm on the right path and we Give God thanks. 

Connect with Nyanda: Facebook   Twitter   Instagram

DCWS Connects With Amelia Eisenhauer To Discuss Her Album "Fortune Cookies" And Her Experience On American Idol

Our next interviewee Amelia Eisenhauer may look familiar to you, especially if you were a consistent viewer of American Idol.  Amelia was a contestant on the farewell season of the show, and this very talented singer-songwriter, classical violinist and champion fiddle player out of Nashville recently released her debut album "Fortune Cookie", available for purchase on iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/fortune-cookie/id1195716895. After reading this exclusive Q&A, be sure to follow Amelia on social media and check out the visual to her single "Black Dog" below. 

Tell us about your training as a classical violinist and playing the fiddle. How did you get your start playing these instruments and do you play others as well?

I started playing classical violin when I was 6 years old and started in the Suzuki program at Southern Illinois University. I played classical for quite some time, but I had a sudden urge to be able to play all the cool country stuff you hear on the radio! So after I spent three years learning the classical techniques and styles I started in fiddle lessons in New Athens and branched out to many different teachers over the years. I’ve picked up a few more instruments along the way, instruments are kind of like potato chips, you can’t stop at just one! I now play mandolin, guitar, bass, piano and I am learning cello.

What are your most proud of with your first album "Fortune Cookie"? Do you have a favorite song from the release?

I’m proud that I could spend my high school career making something like this, it’s not everyday you can successfully make an original album! My favorite song on the record would have to be Moth or Butterfly, I really enjoy every part of that song, it always makes me feel happy when I listen to it.

Tell us about the name of your band "The Peruvian Farm Girls". Who are the members?

The name “The Peruvian Farm Girls” is meant to convey an interesting, mysterious and colorful bunch of people, and it represents just that! The band consists of my mother Rhonda, my brother Andy, and Bryan Ward.

You have your calendar filled for the next few months with performances in Wisconsin, Mississippi, and Illinois; what do you enjoy most about performing live?

I love performing live because it’s like throwing a party and it actually helps me become more in touch with myself as well as with my fans. I feel like the stage is the only place I can truly let go and not care about everything else going on around me.

What was it like standing in front of the three judges for the first time and singing your song? Were you nervous?

It was TERRIFYING, and the room was very cold because of all the lights and cameras.  I was shaking all over and when it was all over and I walked out I couldn't even remember what I said! It came back to me in bits and pieces later, I was so nervous it was almost like a black-out moment!

What did your experience on the show teach you the most about yourself as an artist? 

I learned so much from that experience.  You learn to take criticism, you learn to take rejection. The night I was eliminated off the show was probably one of the hardest nights of my life. You keep questioning yourself, wondering if there was something you could have done better. However, you learn how important it is to just be yourself, and do what you do.  One of the guys said to me "There's a lane for everyone." You learn to value your own art and stop comparing yourself to everyone else.

Congratulations on your songs "Black Dog" and "Lucky" being featured in the film "A Short History of Drugs In the Valley". How did these song placements come about?

We had a mutual friend with Brent Kato, the guy who produced the film.  He mentioned he was looking for original music from an up and coming artist so our friend Brian Duplantis introduced us. We send him some tracks and turns out our sound was exactly what he was looking for!  It was a very lucky break for us.

If you had to describe yourself as an artist or your music in three words, which words would you select?

Intellectual, fun, eclectic.

What are your goals musically for the remainder of 2017?

My goal is to really find myself as an artist and write lots of original music! I am also learning Pro Tools at the moment, so I would love to get that mastered.

Connect with Amelia Eisenhauer & The Peruvian Farm Girls: Website   Twitter   Soundcloud   Facebook