JMAs Nominations, “You Get What You Give,” and More Magic – May 2022 Wrap

Wow, May was such a magical month. I’m so blessed for every special memory May brought me, from receiving two nominations for the Josie Music Awards to releasing “You Get What You Give and more.” I had such a fun and packed month, and I can’t wait to share the highlights.

My Nominations for the Josie Music Awards

In May, I officially became an award-nominated artist. I’m so honored and blessed to have received two nominations for the 8th Annual Josie Music Awards, which are taking place at the Grand Ole Opry House in October. I’m up for Pop Artist of the Year and Pop Album of the Year for Dear Diary.

This is such a dream come true. I wrote all about my nominations and what they mean to me in this blog post.

I’ll be attending the awards, and I seriously can’t wait. I’m beyond excited to walk my first red carpet, get all dressed up, and celebrate independent music in Nashville.

“You Get What You Give” Kicked Off the It Is What It Is Chapter

“You Get What You Give” released on May 20, which means the It Is What It Is chapter is here.

I’m so excited that “You Get What You Give” is finally out. This is such a fun and fiery country-pop song. It’s a great introduction to my EP, which is very self-empowering, bold, and fierce. 

This song was inspired by giving in relationships and situations where my kindness wasn’t being appreciated. It got to the point where I felt like I was getting used, and this left me feeling down and disrespected. No one should feel this way, and I made the decision to set boundaries and put a stop to this. I hope this song inspires others to not settle for less than they deserve.

You can listen to the song on all major platforms here.

“You Get What You Give” is the first glimpse into It Is What It Is, and I can’t wait to unveil more details about the EP soon.

My May Studio Session

I went back to the Vault for another session in May. As always, it was a total blast. Bob and I got so much work done.

In the session, I worked on “Follow My Compass,” “Halfway Outta This Town,” and a surprise. Read all the details in this blog post.

Now that the EP is finished being recorded, I won’t be going back to the studio for a couple months. I’m still working on so much new music, so I’m sure I’ll be heading back sooner rather than later.

The May Interviews

May brought some fabulous interviews that I’m delighted to share.

First, my interview for Clewes’ Country on Voice FM dropped. It always blows my mind when radio presenters let me basically hang out for a whole show, and Matt let me do just that. During the show, Matt and I have such a fun conversation about all things music and more. Also, he put me on the spot for a game where I had to name as many Kelsea Ballerini songs as I could in thirty seconds. I totally froze and could’ve done better, but it was a good time. Sorry, Kelsea, I promise I’m a true fan. 

Listen to my interview on Clewes’ Country here.

Next, I had the absolute honor of returning to my home station, Heart of Indie Radio, for an exclusive interview and drop of “You Get What You Give” on Hearts of Nashville.

I love chatting with Eddie every chance I get. Check out the interview for all the details about “You Get What You Give,” my summer plans, and so much more right here.

I’m so grateful for all of the support Heart of Indie Radio continues to show me. I’m forever blessed to be one of their featured artists.

Next, I had the honor of doing an extra special interview with COOL TOP20 for “You Get What You Give.” I always enjoy my COOL TOP20 interviews, and this time, I did a two-part interview, sharing the inspiration behind the song, how it’s different from my other music, details about the EP, and meaning behind the artwork. You can find out all the details in part one and part two.

Also, I did an interview for Fierce & Fabulous Revolution about “You Get What You Give.” I always love chatting with Jess because she’s supported me since day one. In the interview, I share the inspiration behind “You Get What You Give,” the creative process, what the song means to me, what I hope listeners take away from it, and more. Read my interview here.

Last but certainly not least, I’m beyond delighted to share my interview for Outside The Circle. I’ve been wanting to be on this podcast for over a year, and I’m so glad I got the opportunity to be on the show. Ronnie and I had such a genuine and fun conversation that you don’t want to miss. Being on the show was such an honor, and you can listen to my interview on Spotify and all other podcast platforms.

May was such a great month for a variety of interviews. It’s so cool reflecting on this list and seeing interviews on radio shows, blogs, and a podcast. I’m so grateful for all of these interviews. Thank you to everyone who continues to give me a platform to share my music and story.

The “Will I Ever” Challenge to Celebrate One Year of “Will I Ever”

I seriously can’t believe “Will I Ever” turned a year old. This song is so close to my heart, and it opened many doors for me.

To celebrate one year of “Will I Ever,” one of my best friends, Jess Minneci, joined me for a very special and fun “Will I Ever” Challenge. Jess asked me questions about things I will or won’t do, and let me tell you, this was one of the most fun things I’ve done. 

I hope you enjoy the “Will I Ever” Challenge. Jess and I had fun filming the video. Who knows? Maybe I’ll think up some more fun video ideas like this one for other songs. My creativity knows no bounds.

Thank you so much for all of your support of “Will I Ever.” This song will forever be a favorite.

Revisiting the Dear Diary Entries

Since the Dear Diary chapter has come to a close, I wanted to revisit all the songs on the album in a way I never have before.

I put together a very special blog post that shares exclusive details, like inspiration, studio memories, fun facts, and more. You can explore my debut album in such an open and authentic way here.

Dear Diary is truly a piece of my heart. Thank you so much for loving and embracing my debut project. It means the world to me.

One Year of Write on Track 

I seriously can’t believe Write on Track is a year old. This show has blossomed into something beyond my wildest dreams. Every single guest I had the honor of chatting with during the first year of the show has impacted me in so many ways. I’m forever inspired by my guests and their stories, and I’m grateful for all the memories I’ve made over the course of this first year.

In the first year, I released 56 stunning episodes. When I started the show, I had no idea I’d achieve something like this. There’s a lot of work that goes into each episode, from scheduling a recording time to editing for release, but I enjoy every step of the process. I get such a thrill of excitement every time someone is interested in being on the show, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Write on Track.

If you’d like to listen to the show or reach out to be a guest, all of the information is on the podcast page.

Thank you so much for a perfect first year of Write on Track. Here’s to year two!

Launching Up the Scale: A Write on Track Game Show

I wanted to do something special to celebrate one year of the show, so I launched Up the Scale: A Write on Track Game Show. I’m continuing to surprise myself when I think up stuff like this. This isn’t your typical game show, not even close. It’s one-of-a-kind, and I promise you’re in for a fun ride.

Up the Scale will feature twelve guests who appeared on Write on Track during the first year. The game show will have seven episodes, and the first one is out now. The show has four segments: Name That Track, Music Industrivia, the Songwriter’s Toolbox, and the Final Crescendo. Yes, I love my crafty puns.

For the scoring, each contestant starts on Middle C. When they get an answer right, they move up a whole-step. When they don’t know an answer or get it wrong, they drop a half-step, falling flat. At any point during the game, each contestant can use their Sharp Steal, meaning they can steal another contestant’s points if they know the answer and move up a half-step, going sharp. Whoever is highest up on the scale at the end of the game wins.

Are you excited? I hope so because this is going to be so much fun. The first four episodes of the show are Forte Face Off rounds, featuring three guests. The winners move on to the semi-finals, and then, the final.

A new episode of Up the Scale will drop on the last Friday of each month, through November. I hope you enjoy the game show. While you wait for each episode, be sure to catch up on all the fantastic conversations on Write on Track. New main episodes of the show release every other Sunday.

And remember, stay “write on track!”

This Butterfly is Twenty-Five

On May 30, I celebrated my 25th birthday. This past year has truly been the best yet for my music, and I’m so grateful.

I put together a special blog post, sharing details about my birthday and remembering favorite highlights from the past year. You can check it out here.

I’m so grateful for all of my May memories. This month was truly one for the books. I’m excited to see what’s coming next in June!