Latest / Happy Hour with Deb / Belles on “Son of Jolene,” Working With Dolly Parton & a Once-in-a-Lifetime Collaboration Ep130

Transcript

Belles on “Son of Jolene,” Working With Dolly Parton & a Once-in-a-Lifetime Collaboration Ep130 · Happy Hour with Deb

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: I love Dolly.
• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: I mean So did you have you met with her?
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: I yeah, I got to meet her.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: It was absolutely amazing.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_00: I can't even imagine.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, this whole thing is such an incredible honor, and it it's just really like a total dream come true for me.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to Happy Hour.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_01: It's so good to see you.
• 0:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'm so happy to be here.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: I cannot it's been a year since we've done the interview.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: And what a year you have had.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_01: It's been crazy.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_01: It's been ridiculous.
• 0:48
  SPEAKER_01: Tell the viewers everything that is.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_01: It's been this woman has lived 10 years in one year.
• 0:53
  SPEAKER_00: It feels like it a little bit.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_00: So the song was great.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: I put out an EP.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I kind of I built my team here a lot, which was awesome.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: I met your team last night.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: They're fabulous.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: They're so great, and um, and then I yeah, I wrote this song that Dolly Parton liked and wanted to record.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, so now it was on the side.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_01: When is it coming out?
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_01: April 17th.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_01: April 17th.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_01: Everybody tune in and listen to this song.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_01: She is an incredible artist, and we love Dolly Parton.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_00: I I love Dolly.
• 1:26
  SPEAKER_00: I mean so did you have you met with her?
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_00: I yeah, I got to meet her.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_00: It was absolutely amazing.
• 1:31
  SPEAKER_00: I can't even imagine.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, this whole thing is such an incredible honor, and it it's just really like a total dream come true for me.
• 1:39
  SPEAKER_00: Did you cut a video with it as well?
• 1:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we have a visualizer that will be out on the 17th as well.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's so amazing.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's pretty, pretty awesome, yes.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_01: And perfect timing to be here to be able to interview and yeah, totally.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_01: What was the inspiration for that song?
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I was on tour um in fall of 2024, and my opening act, um, he's a great artist, and he his mom came out to a show one night, and his mom's name was Jolene.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: Stop it.
• 2:10
  SPEAKER_00: So then um the next day, I don't know what came over me, but we were driving in the van, and I just turned to him and I'm like, you should write a song about being the son of Jolene.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and he was like, Oh, I don't I don't really know if that's really my like vibe.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't know if I would write that.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, that's totally fair, but I might write it.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: But I'm gonna write it.
• 2:27
  SPEAKER_00: Okay, with you, and then he's like, sure.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: And then I wrote it the next week, and uh immediately just when I started posting it, it just started connecting like crazy.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: Just everyone really liked the song, and then And did she did Dolly reach out to you or did you reach out?
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: No, it was my well, you know, I I wanted to put the song out, but obviously anything to do with Dolly's like iconic Jolene song, I wanted her to, you know, be okay with and approval have her approval.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: So uh my publisher uh got the song to Kent Wells, who's Dolly's producer, and uh he played it for Dolly, and she loved it and wanted to sing on it, which is so crazy.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: It still doesn't feel real, honestly.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: I bet.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, because your other single did so well.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that one that one also kind of took on a life of its own.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like that was a surprise for me.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_00: And uh yeah, Crazy As Me was really great.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah, last summer and fall was awesome.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: Super proud of that song.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_01: You were blowing up social media.
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, thanks.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Well, the funny thing is, I actually wrote Son of Jolene the day before I wrote Crazy As Me.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: Like I wrote them like the same week.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my god.
• 3:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I had no idea, you know, either of those songs would turn into what they have now.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_00: So I mean, just very, very, very grateful.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah, it's been quite the year, but I've known about this Dolly uh, you know, this all happened with Dolly almost a year ago now.
• 3:48
  SPEAKER_00: So this has been a secret for a long time.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_00: So finally getting to be able to talk about it.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: It's amazing.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, it almost feels like am I doing something right here.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's like a finishment, maybe.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, like our because I mean she is the girl.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_01: You're doing her a justice, girl.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I'm trying, maybe.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_00: You're doing it.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: I think that was like such a you know, the the highest like compliment ever is writing a song that Dolly Parton likes.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I mean, and that is just like I can I think I'm good now.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: Like I can die happy now.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I I I accomplished it.
• 4:20
  SPEAKER_00: Nailed it, yeah.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Nailed it.
• 4:21
  SPEAKER_00: Are you touring this summer?
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, 21 shows this summer.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_00: Lily, we're gonna fall.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_01: I gotta come see you play.
• 4:28
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my god, yes.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_01: I'll I'll totally find it.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, come on out.
• 4:31
  SPEAKER_01: What cities are you going to?
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_01: Give me just a few.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we're doing New York City, doing Phoenix for the first time, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Omaha, my hometown.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_00: Uh Des Moines, lots of cities.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: That's amazing.
• 4:44
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 4:45
  SPEAKER_00: Tell me about your fans.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: Are they going crazy?
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 4:48
  SPEAKER_00: I I've just really felt the love on all this Dolly stuff so so much, and it's kind of was fun because when this all started happening with Dolly, I just started putting my camera up and talking about it, like in the moment, not knowing if I would ever get to post this footage because you know, just and that's a dream for an artist.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And then to actually be able, because I've had these clips of me talking about it now for you know almost a year and be able to post them and um just have people be like, oh my gosh, this is crazy, and like be so supportive, like it just really means the world to me.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_01: And that's I'm sure I can only imagine I've never met her, but I understand she's the most wonderful human being.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, she was just everything that you think she would be and more, like just the kindest like ray of sunshine ever.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_00: How's her health doing?
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: I know she wasn't feeling good for a little bit.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, all I know is that when I met her, she seemed great.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_01: You know?
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_01: She's a rock star.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_01: She's amazing.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_01: Like, don't you do we all want to grow up and be Dolly Brother?
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, she had the most energy.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Like, she was just like killing it.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_00: So ever.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: Ever.
• 5:56
  SPEAKER_00: What do you do for some downtime for you?
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Ooh, that's a good question.
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: I well, I love Needlepoint.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'm like a grandma.
• 6:05
  SPEAKER_00: I love Needlepoint.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: And then I also spend a lot of time just with my dog.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I know.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_01: I get to stay on social media.
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_01: Are you do you handle your own social media or do you have something?
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's all me.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's all you?
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's a lot of work, right?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: It is, but I don't know.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_00: I I I like doing it because I just I like being in charge of my connection with my fans.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 6:29
  SPEAKER_01: But and that's what they love.
• 6:31
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they they wait, they pay money, they wait, they buy merch.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you want to be able to connect with them in every way possible.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_01: So that's incredible.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: What's the greatest compliment you've received on social media?
• 6:45
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I know Dolly's compliments ranking at top, but like, what's a random fan?
• 6:49
  SPEAKER_01: What's one thing that you were like, wow, this is why I do this?
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: Um I've definitely had those moments.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: I'm trying to think of one off the top of my head.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I mean, I just think I think what's been cool about this whole uh Dolly and son of Jolene thing is I feel like it's brought a lot of people a lot of joy.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like people are like, you know, why am I just crying for a stranger at like 8 a.m.?
• 7:18
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like with this video.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_00: Because I mean, I you know, there's so much uh hardship in the world and just negative energy and there's a lot of you know, just toxicity on social media, and I just think what's been cool is being able to bring like share this joy of of really my like lifelong dream coming true a little bit with other people, and like hopefully, you know, just kind of be a positive um light in this world.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_00: I think that has been really, really fun.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_01: You are a total light.
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_01: Well, I try, but like for people that don't know you, she is the sweetest, like you have a golden ray around you.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_01: She is the sweetest, like you are so kind and you're so professional.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, well, I try, but I think that's what music's all about.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: It's just like giving people a break from their life and their routine, and and I mean, I just if I can be that person for someone for five minutes, you forget about your, you know, the problems that you have in your life, then like that's and music moves us.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_01: You know, like I tell my clients, I'm like, get a song.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_01: That's your fight song, that's your cry out song, that's your I'm celebrating song.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_01: It's the it will move you from one pos it good or bad.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_01: Move you from one position to another.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_01: Is that like pressure from like to be an artist?
• 8:38
  SPEAKER_01: Like, do you feel like, okay, so the others are crazy like me was such a good song, like such a fun song.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: And then Son of Jolene, like, it's almost like what's next.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, a lot of people have been asking me that this week, just because I, you know, uh, in a way, how do you follow up a Dolly Parton collab?
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, you if anyone can do it, you can't do it.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: In a way, I agree.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, how do you follow up a Dolly Parton collab?
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like, this is always I I totally embrace that this is always gonna be a peak in my career.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_00: Like, no matter what happens after this, like this is such a a high.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: And um, all I can do really is just write the best songs that I can and just put them out there and see if people connect.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_01: I mean that's such fun music.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, thanks.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: I try, and I mean I've been working super hard.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_00: I have an album coming out this fall.
• 9:24
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, so I've been in the studio a ton, I have all this new music like ready to go, but just no one's I haven't teased any of it yet.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: Like I've just been well, let's ride this dolly thing.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 9:34
  SPEAKER_00: But I mean, I'm I'm really excited to share what's next.
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: But in a way, I mean, this is this is always gonna be a peak, you know.
• 9:41
  SPEAKER_00: So no matter what I put after this, um, you know, putting you on the map, yeah.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: Putting you on the map.
• 9:47
  SPEAKER_00: I hope people connect with it, but yeah.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, totally they will.
• 9:50
  SPEAKER_01: Your music is so fun, it's such a and you're such a great artist.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_01: And for the people that don't know Bells, like follow Bells.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_01: You will laugh.
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_01: You it when I see your post, it like brings me joy.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm so happy to see how far you've come and everything you've been doing.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
• 10:07
  SPEAKER_01: What's the favorite place?
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_01: Where would you love to play?
• 10:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um sorry.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: I think well, Madison Square Garden is on the bucket list.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_00: Sure, wow.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_00: Also, I mean, Red Rocks.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: I hear every artist say that.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, I love Red Rocks.
• 10:24
  SPEAKER_00: But I mean, honestly, like right now, my goal is to play the Opry.
• 10:29
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, of course.
• 10:30
  SPEAKER_00: And we'll see you and be there.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_01: Because I've never, yeah, that would be You'll totally either of those, both of that would be like a huge thing.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_01: I've had so many artists tell me that they don't care if they ever sell out a stadium as long as they could play the brand old Opry.
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's pretty much that's been like a lifelong dream, so yeah.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm excited for you.
• 10:48
  SPEAKER_01: You'll totally be there.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_01: I'm crossing our.
• 10:52
  SPEAKER_01: You're already gonna collab with Daly Patton.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna totally maybe you guys could get up and sing together.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, that would be pretty crazy, but that would be that's that's the full.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_01: How's your family doing?
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_01: Great.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_01: Good?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_01: Are they so supportive of my?
• 11:05
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, they're all so excited.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: I bet.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, this is like such a crazy thing.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_01: I saw the hats last night.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if I asked you or somebody else.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, can I have a hat?
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: My office?
• 11:15
  SPEAKER_01: They're like, sure.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: We have so many.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, we have so many.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: It's so funny.
• 11:20
  SPEAKER_01: All right, tell the viewers where they can find you.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_01: Um, all my music is at Bell's Music.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: And yeah.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: Follow Bell's.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: She is, I'm telling you, she's a pure delight, and I'm so happy for you.
• 11:33
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm so proud of you.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: And you'll come back and give me a full-hour interview.
• 11:38
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, a hundred percent.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 11:39
  SPEAKER_01: I love you.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, everyone.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_01: Thanks, Bells.