November 11, 2024 • 18 mins
Celebrating the success of the smash "Hot Honey" w Tiesto, Alana Springsteen joined us for the first time on America's Dance 30 and shared how the song was born w the two of them, and how long ago they started working on it. Plus how dance music is a big part of her life!
We also got to know Alana better w #FinkysFirsts!!
Find out about:
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
We also got to know Alana better w #FinkysFirsts!!
Find out about:
- the first time she performed the National Anthem for a crowd
- her first gold record
- the first song she ever wrote
- the first time hearing one of her songs on the radio
- the first dance song that made her fall in love w EDM
- the first thing she does on show days
- the first thing she does after a show
- a bad habit she has that would be the first thing she would let go of
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You got me, got you a lot of Springsteen.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
A lot had to happen to make this chat happen,
so I really appreciate your time, especially in the middle
of shows. Welcome to America's Dance thirty for the first time.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Thank you so much, Brian, It's so good to be here.
Thanks for having me dance counting down the biggest dance
songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
This is America's Dance thirty. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
When I was doing research, I saw a quote of
yours where you said that you've always loved exploring sonically.
And it's funny because you know, we now know how
well country music and dance music blend together, and you've
got such an amazing voice in country music. But if
you look back to like when Avic originally tried blending together,
(01:00):
it wasn't really looked upon well, which still blows my mind.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
But is this your first foray into dance music.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
It is, and.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
I've been a fan of the dance genre for a
long long time. It's something that has always inspired me
and this was just the perfect opportunity to step outside
my comfort zone and do something different and fun. And
every step of the way it's taught me something about
myself and it's just so cool to see what it's
doing all over the world. Thank you for playing it.
(01:31):
It's fun to just watch the fans kind of find
it and fall in love with it.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
But yeah, I love the.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Cross section of different genres coming together and how special
a collab can be in that way.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
And how have your fans related with it?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh man, So my fans are teed up.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
They know that I've had a tumultuous relationship with love
and relationships.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It's funny.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
When I first heard this song, that was initially why
I fell in love with it is because I.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Have been there so many times.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I've been known to set fire, and I love life
on a regular basis.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Same, raising my hand, same.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I feel like.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
We've all been there, and I'm a songwriter at heart,
Like I truly just love lyrics. I love storytelling and
I related to this song immediately. And on top of that,
the melody was incredible, And when Tye reached out about
the song, I was first of all geeking out because
he is like my favorite DJ and I just love
this song and I was so happy to be able
(02:28):
to bring like my fingerprints to it and just do
something different and fun.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, you did such an amazing job with it with Testo,
and I can't wait to talk about how this song
was born between you two. But first, let's get to
know Alana Springsteen a little better with Thinky's First.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Okay, all right, let's go.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
So.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I normally love finding out the origin story of artists
and if music was the first thing they wanted to
get into. But music has pretty much been with you
since the beginning. I mean you learned guitar at a
really young age. I saw that both your granddads were
pastors and you were even singing the national anthem around
the country as a kid. Do you remember the first
(03:15):
time you performed the national anthem in front of a crowd?
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Man, I believe I was eight years old at my
local baseball team, the Tides, and it's one of my
first times being in front of a crowd that big period,
and I definitely caught the bug, Like I just fell
in love with performing, and like you said, I started
doing anthems all over the country. I got to perform
(03:38):
the national anthem for the Cubs at Wrigley Field at
nine years old, which is a moment I come back
to all the time.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I just caught that bug really early for performing. I
fell in love with it.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
What was that like performing the national anthem at such
a young age? Were their nerves or at that age
do you even know what you're doing?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
It was nerve wracking for sure.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I've always been a cool, calm and collec did kind
of person. But I definitely remember like leg shaking. I
had a little pitch pipe. I walked out onto the
field and that's how I knew like what key to
start in.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
But I was so nervous at eight years old.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
I dropped my pitch pipe and I was too scared
to pick it back up, and I ended up starting
like five keys too high. And I just remember as
I was singing, I was just praying. I was like, God,
please let me hit this note. Do not let me fail.
And I did.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I did.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
He got me through it. But I definitely was super
nervous as an eight year old. But I think that's
kind of the high that I always chase. You know,
if you're not a little bit nervous, if you don't
get at adrenaline hit, then you're probably not doing it
right now.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Total side note, I am in no way a singer
and don't even have close to a good singing voice.
But it always kind of blows my mind when somebody
has a bad performance in the National Anthem and they
talk about how hard it is to perform. Is it
really that nerve racking to perform the National Anthem live?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Man, there's a reason everybody says it.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It is like a very range It's a rangey song,
so it comes from the lowest notes in the verses,
two super high notes in the chorus. And not to
nerd out, but there are specific vowels when you sing
them high that are easier and some that are harder.
And the E sound in free is really really hard
to sing at that bitch. I nerd it out on
(05:23):
you a little bit, but it is such a challenging
song to sing.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
But I love doing it.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
I love paying honor and respect to a country that
I love so much, and just try to do it the.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Best I can.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And you've done such an amazing job. I watched some
of your performances now. Last month, Luke Brian presented you
with a gold record for your song Goodbye looks good
on you. Congratulations on that? Was that your first gold record?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
It was my.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
First gold record and it meant so much, just especially
the way I found out. Luke has been somebody that
has been a part of a lot of full circle
moments for me. He was one of the people that
I saw when I went to the Opry in Nashville
for the first time when I was ten, and his
performance just like inspired me so much. And fast forward,
(06:14):
he was the one that face tied me out of
the blue and like told me that I was going
to get to make my.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Opry debut on my birthday.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And we've gotten a tour together the past two years.
So having him be the one to like tell me
that news was incredible. He's always bringing me the best news.
All the best surprises come from Luke, and.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
He seems like such a good person, which is incredible.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
He is.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
He's just like exactly what you see is what you get.
He's the same off stage as on stage as he
is off and we've become homies over the years.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
But you know, that song has been really special to me.
I put it out on my.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Debut album and I got to write it and release
it with Mitchell Tenpenny, who again is one of my
best friends in Nashville. He's just one of those guys
that is always in your corner, always has your back,
and he's in a credible songwriter, incredible artist. So it
was fun to get to share like a first gold
record and experience like that with someone I'm really close to.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Oh my gosh, throwback?
Speaker 4 (07:11):
So I was like nine, and even back then, I
was obsessed with love. I've always been a romantic at heart,
like love and heartbreak. I was writing breakup songs before
I had a boyfriend. I just that's what inspired me.
And it was no different with my first song. It
was called fairy Tale, and I was inspired to write
it because of my parents love story. I was talking
(07:32):
to my mom and she was talking about how her
and my dad met and fell in love and all
the things he used to do. And I was just like, mom,
that sounds like a fairy tale. And I wrote a
song about it, and that was it. The rest is history.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
At nine, that is amazing.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yeah, I can't remember if it was probably horrible, but
a long.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Way if it makes you feel any better, that's what
pretty much everybody says.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And you got to start somewhere exactly exactly now.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Speaking of your music, do you remember the first time
ever hearing one of your songs on the radio?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Gosh, I think it was from one of my first EPs.
It was even before I released my first album, but
I'll never forget. Like driving around, I knew it was
gonna come on at a certain time and I was
just waiting to hear it and just burst into tears.
And I'm not a crier, but it's just those moments
that as a kid you look forward to, you dream
about you and envision and then it happens and it
(08:24):
just doesn't feel like real life.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
So I'm just so.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Grateful and it doesn't get old like every time. I'm like,
oh my god, it's still the same feeling.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
It's so cool.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Now.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
A side note, they always say that we don't sound
like what we hear ourselves as in our head and
as somebody in radio. When I've heard myself, I'm like, yeah,
that's not the way I sound as a singer. When
you hear yourself in songs, do you sound differently?
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You know, that's an interesting question. Nobody's asked me that before.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I think because I've heard my voice recorded since I
was a little kid.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Like, since I was twelve thirteen.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
I was recording music, so I've kind of grown up
hearing my voice and used to that.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
But the thing that gets me is my speaking voice.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
So when I listen back to like audio recordings of
me just doing an interview or talking, I'm like, oh
my god.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I hate it.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
I don't know if everybody's that way, but my speaking
voice definitely sounds different than it does in my head.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Well, I probably shouldn't say this, but then don't listen
back to this podcast.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Oh no, this is this is an exception. I love
that we're getting a chat.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Now you posted a video of the chaos in your
mind before you go out on stage, and I totally
felt seen when you put what's the first line of
the first song? Because when I'm going out on stage
to introduce somebody, I'm the same way. I'm rolling through
everything in my head and it normally never goes the
(09:55):
way I planned in my head. What's the first thing
you do on SHOWD And what's the first thing you
do after a show?
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Ooh, So I'm a huge routine person. Same love a
morning routine.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Honestly, the first thing I do on a show day
is probably make coffee. I'm a huge coffee addict. It's
the first thing I did when we rolled up today
into Boston, hopped off the bus, went for a little
walk to one of my favorite cafes around here, it's
called Tata.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Got myself some coffee to get the day going.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I also love working out, like I keep a yoga
mat and waits like with me on the bus and
it kind of just gets my head right for the day.
A lot of times I try my best to do
vocal exercises. It's really important to just take care of
your voice when you're out playing shows, like three days
in a row. More than that, sometimes it can take
a toll, so put in your body first, your mind first,
(10:46):
and making sure you're in the right zone.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
As we get closer to show, it's a lot of
pump ups in the green room.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
We carry a speaker around with us everywhere. We call
it Bozy. It's just a little bow speaker, and we
got the jams going and honestly a lot of dance music.
That's kind of like when I end up playing it
the most. Just like to get pumped up, to get
hyped for a show. We'll do like a little huddle
a prayer. Sometimes we do a shot of tequila. I
love tequila, and then and then hit the stage and
(11:16):
it's just that adrenaline rush before And there's nothing I
love more than live performance. Like I feel like live
music is so special. There's nothing that will ever take
the place of it. Just being able to be in
a moment with people that have connected to songs that
you've written. It's like a family. It feels like a
little therapy session slash party.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
That's gotta be such a cool feeling seeing the fans
so close connecting with you.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
It is, it is, and it's.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
That that keeps me going, Like on the days that
are hard that I'm tired, it's that feeling of connection
that keeps me doing what I do. And then yeah,
after a show, honestly, it just starting to wind down,
like taking the makeup off, getting some comfy sweatpants. A
lot of times I'll do like a little meet and
greet after shows. Sometimes it just depends on the day.
(12:05):
But and then we roll into the next city. It's
a crazy life. Now.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
I love hearing how much dance music has meant to
you in your life. Do you remember the first dance
song that made you fall in love with EDM.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Honestly, when you mentioned Avichi, I remember, like, hey brother.
When that song came out, it like rocked my world
and I played it so much. I think I was
probably around twelve, and that was a time in my
life where I was really branching out and starting to
find different genres.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
But that song really made an impact on me.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
And it probably was the country influence, like the guitars
and just the instruments that he chose to work with
was so different at the time.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
That is such an amazing song.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I'm not saying that I'm making any suggestions, but it
might be a cool cover if you haven't done it already.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
That's a great idea, Brian, I might have to throw
that in the set.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
You're welcome, consider me as your management now.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Now, finally, in Finky's first in honor of the success
of Hot Honey, It's got the lyrics if you had
half a heart, you let me go. What's a bad
habit of yours that if you could let it go,
it would be the first thing you would get rid of.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Ooh, what a question.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I have a really bad habit of sometimes getting bored
in my love life and calling exes.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
But we want the drama. I'm here for the drama.
I told you I set fire in my love life
and this is what I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
I know it's a bad habit, but you know, girls
gotta have drama in her life sometimes.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
But it's great for new songs.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Exactly, exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Well, let's talk about Hot Honey.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I saw your stripped down performance of it, which was amazing.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
How was this song born with you and Tiesto?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
So he originally sent me the song and it was
actually some of the writers on it were friends of mine,
people that I collaborated with a lot. So I was like, Okay,
there's some connections here. I love that, and he just
fell in love with my voice. And actually his wife
was a big fan of my music and had been
for a long time. I think she was part of
the reason that he reached out to me. But I
(14:14):
sang on it and it just felt right. I tried
to do my own thing with the verses and bring
a little bit of that country flavor to it, to
really blend those genres, and it's just been the most
incredible adventure, one of.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
My favorite things I've done over the past couple of years.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
I got to go to Vegas for the first time
with him and get to be a part of his world.
And you know, we played it for the first time
at one of the nightclubs that he was taken over,
and then I got to perform it live with.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Him at a pool party.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
So that was a lot of fun, just getting to
do things that I never thought I would and I'm
so grateful that he asked me to be a part
of it.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
EDM shows are a crazy world, aren't they.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Oh it's so different, but I love it. I love it.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
It's very different, but the audience is kind of just
as passionate as country fans are, which is amazing.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
And it was just so much fun.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
I feel like I didn't I didn't know what to expect,
but the connection you feel at those shows is pretty awesome.
Like you've just got a group of people that want
to have fun and they love music, and they're there
to connect and just kind of like get lost in
a moment and it's a really special environment.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And I hope I get to do a lot more
with it.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Now. How long ago did you guys start working on it?
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Oh, this has probably been like a year in the works.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
It's crazy how long it takes these songs to, you know,
come to life. And it had been written before I
even heard it, so I can't remember what the actual
date of creation was, but I got the song. We
went back in and made a couple tweaks to the lyrics,
rewrote some things to make it more Me and h
got in the studio saying it, and then from that
point it was just off and run.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
And we got to do a music video too, which
was a lot of fun.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
If you guys out there listening haven't seen it, please
go check it out.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
It was a dream come true for me.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I've always as an artist wanted to be able to
make a music video with like a rain scene, a
fire scene, and it was just so wild to get
to watch that come to life and to be a
part of it. I actually probably almost died a couple
of times because it is real fire like. I had
many near death experiences making this video, but it was
(16:20):
so worthy.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
So worth it.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Well, congratulations on all the success of it. It is
so amazing having you in this world. What is next
for a lot of Springsteen.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Man more music. I'm so excited.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I've been writing for my sophomore album and getting ready
to step into this next chapter.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
And I've kind of just done a deep dive on.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
How I've kind of been operating when it comes to
love and relationships and attachments and digging into triggers and
drama and kind of working through that in the process
of healing and finding a way back to yourself, to
the core.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Of who you are.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
And I'm so excited to take fans on that journey
and just get to release more songs.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
I love hearing that now as somebody who does it
a lot. One of the triggers might be reaching out
to your exes just saying, you're right.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
There's a reason I know this because I've been analyzing it,
and you know, it's just some things you wish you
didn't know, but now you do, and it's time to
fix it.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
You got to learn somehow Alta Springsteen. It is so
incredible finally meeting you. Thank you so much for your
time on America's Dance thirty, Thanks.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
For having me, and thanks for all the support on
the song. It seriously means the world. I've been watching
it climb and it's just so so special and I'm
kind of geeking out, so thank.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
You so much and hopefully knock on wood, it's still climbing,
so come on, let's.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Go my first radio number one.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Like Bosh said, so that would be so incredible.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Got true, Let's do it, Let's make it happen. J
America's Dance.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Ernie counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
America's Dance thirty
You got me, got you a lot of Springsteen.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
A lot had to happen to make this chat happen,
so I really appreciate your time, especially in the middle
of shows. Welcome to America's Dance thirty for the first time.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Thank you so much, Brian, It's so good to be here.
Thanks for having me dance counting down the biggest dance
songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
This is America's Dance thirty. Now.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
When I was doing research, I saw a quote of
yours where you said that you've always loved exploring sonically.
And it's funny because you know, we now know how
well country music and dance music blend together, and you've
got such an amazing voice in country music. But if
you look back to like when Avic originally tried blending together,
(01:00):
it wasn't really looked upon well, which still blows my mind.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
But is this your first foray into dance music.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
It is, and.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
I've been a fan of the dance genre for a
long long time. It's something that has always inspired me
and this was just the perfect opportunity to step outside
my comfort zone and do something different and fun. And
every step of the way it's taught me something about
myself and it's just so cool to see what it's
doing all over the world. Thank you for playing it.
(01:31):
It's fun to just watch the fans kind of find
it and fall in love with it.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
But yeah, I love the.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
Cross section of different genres coming together and how special
a collab can be in that way.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
And how have your fans related with it?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh man, So my fans are teed up.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
They know that I've had a tumultuous relationship with love
and relationships.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It's funny.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
When I first heard this song, that was initially why
I fell in love with it is because I.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Have been there so many times.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
I've been known to set fire, and I love life
on a regular basis.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Same, raising my hand, same.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
I feel like.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
We've all been there, and I'm a songwriter at heart,
Like I truly just love lyrics. I love storytelling and
I related to this song immediately. And on top of that,
the melody was incredible, And when Tye reached out about
the song, I was first of all geeking out because
he is like my favorite DJ and I just love
this song and I was so happy to be able
(02:28):
to bring like my fingerprints to it and just do
something different and fun.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Well, you did such an amazing job with it with Testo,
and I can't wait to talk about how this song
was born between you two. But first, let's get to
know Alana Springsteen a little better with Thinky's First.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Okay, all right, let's go.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
So.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
I normally love finding out the origin story of artists
and if music was the first thing they wanted to
get into. But music has pretty much been with you
since the beginning. I mean you learned guitar at a
really young age. I saw that both your granddads were
pastors and you were even singing the national anthem around
the country as a kid. Do you remember the first
(03:15):
time you performed the national anthem in front of a crowd?
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Man, I believe I was eight years old at my
local baseball team, the Tides, and it's one of my
first times being in front of a crowd that big period,
and I definitely caught the bug, Like I just fell
in love with performing, and like you said, I started
doing anthems all over the country. I got to perform
(03:38):
the national anthem for the Cubs at Wrigley Field at
nine years old, which is a moment I come back
to all the time.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
I just caught that bug really early for performing. I
fell in love with it.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
What was that like performing the national anthem at such
a young age? Were their nerves or at that age
do you even know what you're doing?
Speaker 3 (03:56):
It was nerve wracking for sure.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
I've always been a cool, calm and collec did kind
of person. But I definitely remember like leg shaking. I
had a little pitch pipe. I walked out onto the
field and that's how I knew like what key to
start in.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
But I was so nervous at eight years old.
Speaker 4 (04:14):
I dropped my pitch pipe and I was too scared
to pick it back up, and I ended up starting
like five keys too high. And I just remember as
I was singing, I was just praying. I was like, God,
please let me hit this note. Do not let me fail.
And I did.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
I did.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
He got me through it. But I definitely was super
nervous as an eight year old. But I think that's
kind of the high that I always chase. You know,
if you're not a little bit nervous, if you don't
get at adrenaline hit, then you're probably not doing it
right now.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Total side note, I am in no way a singer
and don't even have close to a good singing voice.
But it always kind of blows my mind when somebody
has a bad performance in the National Anthem and they
talk about how hard it is to perform. Is it
really that nerve racking to perform the National Anthem live?
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Man, there's a reason everybody says it.
Speaker 4 (05:02):
It is like a very range It's a rangey song,
so it comes from the lowest notes in the verses,
two super high notes in the chorus. And not to
nerd out, but there are specific vowels when you sing
them high that are easier and some that are harder.
And the E sound in free is really really hard
to sing at that bitch. I nerd it out on
(05:23):
you a little bit, but it is such a challenging
song to sing.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
But I love doing it.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
I love paying honor and respect to a country that
I love so much, and just try to do it the.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Best I can.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
And you've done such an amazing job. I watched some
of your performances now. Last month, Luke Brian presented you
with a gold record for your song Goodbye looks good
on you. Congratulations on that? Was that your first gold record?
Speaker 3 (05:50):
It was my.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
First gold record and it meant so much, just especially
the way I found out. Luke has been somebody that
has been a part of a lot of full circle
moments for me. He was one of the people that
I saw when I went to the Opry in Nashville
for the first time when I was ten, and his
performance just like inspired me so much. And fast forward,
(06:14):
he was the one that face tied me out of
the blue and like told me that I was going
to get to make my.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
Opry debut on my birthday.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
And we've gotten a tour together the past two years.
So having him be the one to like tell me
that news was incredible. He's always bringing me the best news.
All the best surprises come from Luke, and.
Speaker 1 (06:32):
He seems like such a good person, which is incredible.
Speaker 3 (06:34):
He is.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
He's just like exactly what you see is what you get.
He's the same off stage as on stage as he
is off and we've become homies over the years.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
But you know, that song has been really special to me.
I put it out on my.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Debut album and I got to write it and release
it with Mitchell Tenpenny, who again is one of my
best friends in Nashville. He's just one of those guys
that is always in your corner, always has your back,
and he's in a credible songwriter, incredible artist. So it
was fun to get to share like a first gold
record and experience like that with someone I'm really close to.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Oh my gosh, throwback?
Speaker 4 (07:11):
So I was like nine, and even back then, I
was obsessed with love. I've always been a romantic at heart,
like love and heartbreak. I was writing breakup songs before
I had a boyfriend. I just that's what inspired me.
And it was no different with my first song. It
was called fairy Tale, and I was inspired to write
it because of my parents love story. I was talking
(07:32):
to my mom and she was talking about how her
and my dad met and fell in love and all
the things he used to do. And I was just like, mom,
that sounds like a fairy tale. And I wrote a
song about it, and that was it. The rest is history.
Speaker 1 (07:44):
At nine, that is amazing.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Yeah, I can't remember if it was probably horrible, but
a long.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Way if it makes you feel any better, that's what
pretty much everybody says.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And you got to start somewhere exactly exactly now.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
Speaking of your music, do you remember the first time
ever hearing one of your songs on the radio?
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Gosh, I think it was from one of my first EPs.
It was even before I released my first album, but
I'll never forget. Like driving around, I knew it was
gonna come on at a certain time and I was
just waiting to hear it and just burst into tears.
And I'm not a crier, but it's just those moments
that as a kid you look forward to, you dream
about you and envision and then it happens and it
(08:24):
just doesn't feel like real life.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
So I'm just so.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
Grateful and it doesn't get old like every time. I'm like,
oh my god, it's still the same feeling.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
It's so cool.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
Now.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
A side note, they always say that we don't sound
like what we hear ourselves as in our head and
as somebody in radio. When I've heard myself, I'm like, yeah,
that's not the way I sound as a singer. When
you hear yourself in songs, do you sound differently?
Speaker 3 (08:56):
You know, that's an interesting question. Nobody's asked me that before.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
I think because I've heard my voice recorded since I
was a little kid.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Like, since I was twelve thirteen.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
I was recording music, so I've kind of grown up
hearing my voice and used to that.
Speaker 3 (09:10):
But the thing that gets me is my speaking voice.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
So when I listen back to like audio recordings of
me just doing an interview or talking, I'm like, oh
my god.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I hate it.
Speaker 4 (09:20):
I don't know if everybody's that way, but my speaking
voice definitely sounds different than it does in my head.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Well, I probably shouldn't say this, but then don't listen
back to this podcast.
Speaker 3 (09:29):
Oh no, this is this is an exception. I love
that we're getting a chat.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Now you posted a video of the chaos in your
mind before you go out on stage, and I totally
felt seen when you put what's the first line of
the first song? Because when I'm going out on stage
to introduce somebody, I'm the same way. I'm rolling through
everything in my head and it normally never goes the
(09:55):
way I planned in my head. What's the first thing
you do on SHOWD And what's the first thing you
do after a show?
Speaker 3 (10:03):
Ooh, So I'm a huge routine person. Same love a
morning routine.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
Honestly, the first thing I do on a show day
is probably make coffee. I'm a huge coffee addict. It's
the first thing I did when we rolled up today
into Boston, hopped off the bus, went for a little
walk to one of my favorite cafes around here, it's
called Tata.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
Got myself some coffee to get the day going.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I also love working out, like I keep a yoga
mat and waits like with me on the bus and
it kind of just gets my head right for the day.
A lot of times I try my best to do
vocal exercises. It's really important to just take care of
your voice when you're out playing shows, like three days
in a row. More than that, sometimes it can take
a toll, so put in your body first, your mind first,
(10:46):
and making sure you're in the right zone.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
As we get closer to show, it's a lot of
pump ups in the green room.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
We carry a speaker around with us everywhere. We call
it Bozy. It's just a little bow speaker, and we
got the jams going and honestly a lot of dance music.
That's kind of like when I end up playing it
the most. Just like to get pumped up, to get
hyped for a show. We'll do like a little huddle
a prayer. Sometimes we do a shot of tequila. I
love tequila, and then and then hit the stage and
(11:16):
it's just that adrenaline rush before And there's nothing I
love more than live performance. Like I feel like live
music is so special. There's nothing that will ever take
the place of it. Just being able to be in
a moment with people that have connected to songs that
you've written. It's like a family. It feels like a
little therapy session slash party.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
That's gotta be such a cool feeling seeing the fans
so close connecting with you.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
It is, it is, and it's.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
That that keeps me going, Like on the days that
are hard that I'm tired, it's that feeling of connection
that keeps me doing what I do. And then yeah,
after a show, honestly, it just starting to wind down,
like taking the makeup off, getting some comfy sweatpants. A
lot of times I'll do like a little meet and
greet after shows. Sometimes it just depends on the day.
(12:05):
But and then we roll into the next city. It's
a crazy life. Now.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
I love hearing how much dance music has meant to
you in your life. Do you remember the first dance
song that made you fall in love with EDM.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Honestly, when you mentioned Avichi, I remember, like, hey brother.
When that song came out, it like rocked my world
and I played it so much. I think I was
probably around twelve, and that was a time in my
life where I was really branching out and starting to
find different genres.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
But that song really made an impact on me.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
And it probably was the country influence, like the guitars
and just the instruments that he chose to work with
was so different at the time.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
That is such an amazing song.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
I'm not saying that I'm making any suggestions, but it
might be a cool cover if you haven't done it already.
Speaker 4 (12:50):
That's a great idea, Brian, I might have to throw
that in the set.
Speaker 1 (12:54):
You're welcome, consider me as your management now.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Now, finally, in Finky's first in honor of the success
of Hot Honey, It's got the lyrics if you had
half a heart, you let me go. What's a bad
habit of yours that if you could let it go,
it would be the first thing you would get rid of.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
Ooh, what a question.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I have a really bad habit of sometimes getting bored
in my love life and calling exes.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
But we want the drama. I'm here for the drama.
I told you I set fire in my love life
and this is what I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
I know it's a bad habit, but you know, girls
gotta have drama in her life sometimes.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
But it's great for new songs.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
Exactly, exactly.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
Well, let's talk about Hot Honey.
Speaker 2 (13:44):
I saw your stripped down performance of it, which was amazing.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
How was this song born with you and Tiesto?
Speaker 4 (13:52):
So he originally sent me the song and it was
actually some of the writers on it were friends of mine,
people that I collaborated with a lot. So I was like, Okay,
there's some connections here. I love that, and he just
fell in love with my voice. And actually his wife
was a big fan of my music and had been
for a long time. I think she was part of
the reason that he reached out to me. But I
(14:14):
sang on it and it just felt right. I tried
to do my own thing with the verses and bring
a little bit of that country flavor to it, to
really blend those genres, and it's just been the most
incredible adventure, one of.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
My favorite things I've done over the past couple of years.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
I got to go to Vegas for the first time
with him and get to be a part of his world.
And you know, we played it for the first time
at one of the nightclubs that he was taken over,
and then I got to perform it live with.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
Him at a pool party.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
So that was a lot of fun, just getting to
do things that I never thought I would and I'm
so grateful that he asked me to be a part
of it.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
EDM shows are a crazy world, aren't they.
Speaker 3 (14:51):
Oh it's so different, but I love it. I love it.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
It's very different, but the audience is kind of just
as passionate as country fans are, which is amazing.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
And it was just so much fun.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
I feel like I didn't I didn't know what to expect,
but the connection you feel at those shows is pretty awesome.
Like you've just got a group of people that want
to have fun and they love music, and they're there
to connect and just kind of like get lost in
a moment and it's a really special environment.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
And I hope I get to do a lot more
with it.
Speaker 1 (15:24):
Now. How long ago did you guys start working on it?
Speaker 3 (15:26):
Oh, this has probably been like a year in the works.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
It's crazy how long it takes these songs to, you know,
come to life. And it had been written before I
even heard it, so I can't remember what the actual
date of creation was, but I got the song. We
went back in and made a couple tweaks to the lyrics,
rewrote some things to make it more Me and h
got in the studio saying it, and then from that
point it was just off and run.
Speaker 3 (15:50):
And we got to do a music video too, which
was a lot of fun.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
If you guys out there listening haven't seen it, please
go check it out.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
It was a dream come true for me.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I've always as an artist wanted to be able to
make a music video with like a rain scene, a
fire scene, and it was just so wild to get
to watch that come to life and to be a
part of it. I actually probably almost died a couple
of times because it is real fire like. I had
many near death experiences making this video, but it was
(16:20):
so worthy.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
So worth it.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Well, congratulations on all the success of it. It is
so amazing having you in this world. What is next
for a lot of Springsteen.
Speaker 3 (16:30):
Man more music. I'm so excited.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
I've been writing for my sophomore album and getting ready
to step into this next chapter.
Speaker 3 (16:40):
And I've kind of just done a deep dive on.
Speaker 4 (16:44):
How I've kind of been operating when it comes to
love and relationships and attachments and digging into triggers and
drama and kind of working through that in the process
of healing and finding a way back to yourself, to
the core.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Of who you are.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
And I'm so excited to take fans on that journey
and just get to release more songs.
Speaker 2 (17:03):
I love hearing that now as somebody who does it
a lot. One of the triggers might be reaching out
to your exes just saying, you're right.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
There's a reason I know this because I've been analyzing it,
and you know, it's just some things you wish you
didn't know, but now you do, and it's time to
fix it.
Speaker 2 (17:22):
You got to learn somehow Alta Springsteen. It is so
incredible finally meeting you. Thank you so much for your
time on America's Dance thirty, Thanks.
Speaker 4 (17:30):
For having me, and thanks for all the support on
the song. It seriously means the world. I've been watching
it climb and it's just so so special and I'm
kind of geeking out, so thank.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
You so much and hopefully knock on wood, it's still climbing,
so come on, let's.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Go my first radio number one.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
Like Bosh said, so that would be so incredible.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Got true, Let's do it, Let's make it happen. J
America's Dance.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
Ernie counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 4 (17:54):
America's Dance thirty
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