June 19, 2023 • 44 mins
Join Brooke Taylor (@Brookeradio) and Hannah Ellis (@HannahGreyEllis) as they dive into the story on how Hannah almost gave up on college to pursue her passion of music. They dive into Hannah's faith journey, how she met her Husband and so much more. Grab a drink! Let's go Backstage.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
All right, queen, youre readyto rock and roll? Yes, babe,
(00:02):
let's go. All right, let'sbackstage. Welcome to the backstage with
Brook. You're all access past tomusic city where nothing is off limits.
Grab a drink, Let's go backstage. Hannah Ellison, We're here. Baby,
(00:22):
made it happen. I know.I'm so excited girl, Brian.
I feel like this is a longtime coming. I'm talking about doing this
forever. Absolutely, Like the momentthis became a thing in existence, we
were like, must happen. Yes, thank you. So backstage with Brook,
I always love to just kind oftalk about just behind the scenes of
life, things that happen backstage thata lot of people don't get to see.
(00:43):
And I love that we are friends, but like, I don't know
your entire story. It's so funny. I was literally thinking about that because
I'm like, we just like kindof met and fell in love, and
that's pretty much the extent of itso far. Literally, So I was
just like, I can't wait forus to kind of have one of those
like you're sitting on the couch withone of your girlfriends, drinking a bottle
of wine and you're catching I'm talkingabout why where does chitty chat? That's
(01:06):
all right, start from the beginning, Hannah Ellis, tell me the story
of like how you fell in lovewith music? Tell me all the things
I love it. I love it. So. Um, I'm originally from
Kentucky, small town in Kentucky calledCampbellsville, and my parents were both wedding
singers on the weekend. So likethey both can sing, and so I
always say that I was singing beforeI was talking, which is factual.
(01:29):
Like we have all these home videosof me and my older sister and they're
like trying to get me to singalong to songs with her. And so
always always had music in my life, and my parents, you know,
just really really supported that. Andas I got older, you know,
I was in quired and I didall of that, but it wasn't until
this is like the real real,Um, I guess, tell me the
(01:49):
realness. It's so ridiculous, butit's really true. What happened. So
I was senior in high school aboutto graduate at that time, I had
a full ride scholarship to him scholarshipto college. Like I sang, but
not like you know, I justsang. This is a hobby. Yeah.
And I took my little sister,who's like seven years younger than me,
to see the Hannah Montana movie.All yeah. Literally cry to the
(02:14):
whole movie, get to the endand she's singing the Climb and all this
stuff, and I'm literally like havingthis true, like Jesus telling me this
is what you're supposed to do.And I'm like, oh, no,
no, this is real. Ireally So I go home, I'm like
crying. I'm telling my mom.I'm like, well, I think I'm
supposed to be a singer. Shewas like, UM, let's call your
dad because my parents divorced, butthey like get along really well. Yeah,
(02:36):
And so we call my dad andhe's like, Okay, this is
not like a sport where you're gonnastart it and we're gonna quit it in
a year. This is like alife choice. And I was like no,
I'm serious. And he's like,I'll come over in the morning and
if you really do want to talkabout this, we'll talk about it.
And so he came over the nextday and me and him and my mom
sat down and we were kind oflike, what does this look like?
(02:58):
And I was like, I'm movingto Nashville. And they're like, after
you go to college? Did theygo to But it was awesome because they
were like, we absolutely support thedreamy, totally here for you. We
will do everything we can to likehelp you chase that down. But especially
like just my mom's a teacher andshe's very pragmatic, and she was like,
I just think, like, let'scheck that box. It's you're already
(03:21):
going for free, You're already accepted. Everything's already like good. So yeah,
I went to the University of Kentucky. I love it, and so
I ended up graduating three and ahalf years. Because I knew what I
wanted to do. I gotta go. So I was just like doing as
much school as I could. Andwhat's really um incredible is that it worked
(03:42):
out really nicely that Lexington's only threehours from Nashville. So like I would
I would plan my classes to whereI would go to class Tuesday through Thursday,
and then I would try to keepMondays and Fridays free so I could
come to Nashville and like rite orjust like just try to start exploring the
community here. You know. Igot really involved in NSAI. They were
(04:02):
super helpful and just like because Ididn't really write songs. Like when I
said I'm gonna go be a singer, we did what every eighteen year old
girl who's dad says, we supportyou, and went and cut a bunch
of songs, you know what Imean. Yeah, Like we didn't know.
And and that was when I startedwriting songs. Actually was like eighteen
and so I was just really tryingto get involved. And then after I
(04:25):
graduated, I moved here in topof twenty thirteen. Oh but backtrack one
second. In two and twelve,I came down and did an internship at
Big Machine with Laurel Kittelsen, whois just, I know, such a
wonderful person to like learn from inthat space. But that was super helpful
(04:46):
and just like helping introduce me tolike people down here and like meet people
in this community. And so whenI moved in twenty thirteen, I didn't
necessarily have like a lot of closefriends, but I at least had people
I knew that I could be.Can I come to a show with you?
What are you doing today? Yeah, come hang out exactly exactly.
So that was just awesome and yeah, and then so I moved here twenty
(05:11):
thirteen, and then I got mypublishing deal in twenty fifteen, which fun
little tidbit fact in there. Iwas on the Voice for like a millisecond
in twenty fourteen, and while Iwas out there about to audition, like
a day or two before, Igot an email from Jenny Appleton, who
is the publisher at UM. Shewas at curb Word at the time,
(05:34):
and and she was like, Hey, we'd really like to discuss giving you
a publishing deal. And I remembercalling my dad and being like, oh
my gosh, this is so awesome, but if I get on the show
then I can't do this deal.Don't worry. No one turned a chair
around, so it all worked out. Dang it. Who are the voice
coaches at that time? So itwas Blake, Christina um Pharrell and Adam
(05:59):
Levine and honest sleep like they wereso lovely, well all but like one
but it was okay, you know, girls, girls be hating sometimes,
but seriously though, there are somemean girls out there. Yeah, you
know. She was just very verynot impressed, but the other three were
very much like, we think youare really talented and that you're gonna do
well. And m I actually lovedwhat Adam Levine said because he was like,
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this is just a show, likeand of course they didn't air his
comment because he was like, thisis just a TV show and like there's
so many millions of ways to makeit, and I really feel like you
will, and I was like really, thanks dude. Yeah, so like
and then you know, I camehome and I ended up signing my publishing
deal in twenty fifteen with um wellit was word country at the time,
(06:47):
now Cardboard um yeah. And thenfast forward a couple of years. I
wrote a bunch of songs, gotsome cut by other artists, and put
out my own project, and thensigned my record deal like HERB Records in
March of twenty twenty. Not themost I mean, but listen, I
(07:08):
feel like it's so funny how yourstory has kind of like unfolded because how
you're like you're having this like internalconfliction of like do I still go on
the show? Do I take thispublishing like what I do? And God
was like, I'll make the decisionfor you. That's right. It's so
true. It's so true. Hehas just literally like moved me every time
that I'm like what's gonna happen,which is just always funny because I still
(07:30):
panic about things, even knowing weall do. It's gonna be fine.
I know you got me, butbut like I have questions exactly when when
did your your walk with your faithstart? When did that all happen?
Have you been in church since you'rea little Oh yeah, since like so,
um my mom's actually a p K, which is a preacher state for
(07:50):
anybody watching the don doesn't know whatthat means, and so always super super
involved in the church. My parentswere actually like youth leaders when I was
younger, and like, yeah,we were. It's deep in the bones.
So it's crazy how like even ifyou want out, yeah, you
know, it's like when you're whenyou're when you're digging that deep God,
(08:11):
God will never let you go.You'll never let you go regardless. But
it's so funny when you like haveyou grow up and it's just like rooted
that deep in your bones. LikeI remember being like, I don't know
how young I was at vacation Bibleschool making bracelets. That's right, the
plan. It's so nice to beable to go back to that and also
like to you have that foundation andyet you get to grow as a person
(08:33):
and really formulate what that relationship lookslike right for you individually, or you
know, like both of us weremarried, like what it looks like in
your family. And but having thatfoundation has just been it almost just makes
things so much easier because I feellike when you have when you don't have
that foundation, for example, makingdecisions or trying to get discernment or like
(08:54):
wisdom from other people, it's reallytough. It's so tough because it's like,
who do you truly look for,right and you're lying so much on
yourself, And at least I canspeak for me and say like that is
not it. No, we willalways let ourselves down. So you mentioned
being married. Tell us about yourhusband. How did you guys meet?
My God, how much time youhave? I mean, we got as
much time as you want to giveHenny no um. So I actually met
(09:18):
nick U a couple months after Imoved to Nashville. We lived across the
hall from each other in our apartmentcomplace. I was in one or two
and he was in one or nine. M our our meat story is it's
funny because I'm like, we havea meat cute, but it wasn't also
a meat cute. Because it waslike we met and we were like cool,
yeah, guys, moving on,like not really like neither person was.
(09:39):
I mean, I guess you couldsay both people thought the other was
not attracted, right, but likeit wasn't there was like not sparks.
Um. I kind of thought hethought highly of himself. If you meet
my husband, he's really stoic onimpact. And so I was like,
oh, this guy like thinks he'sit, and I'm no, thanks,
(10:00):
nothing, thank you next right,And so then like a couple of weeks
later, he m he was hangingout at that same neighbor's house that we
had met at and and we startedchatting and I was like, Okay,
maybe I misread this guy. Heseems cool. And then we just became
like best friends and were best friendsfor like a year year and a half
(10:20):
maybe before we started dating, likelike which was so funny to us,
but like all of our friends wereso annoyed with us by the time we
started dating because they were like,just date already. You're like, no,
we're just friends alone. What's funnythat you say that you were just
like not interested because that was thesame for my husband and I too.
Really we met at church, andhe was not in a good spot.
(10:41):
I was just out of a reallylong relationship. So we both met each
other and we happened to like thesame like football team, and You're like,
okay, cool, like are youfrom there? And he's like no,
I've just like alligators since I waslittle. So I became a Florida
fan. And I was like,what, please don't hate me. I
know you went to Kentucky, butI'm a Florida man. I love it.
But he so we keep the secwe keep it in the best what
(11:01):
I'm saying, where we are itis all in the family. And so
we met and we just were friendsfor a while and then all of a
sudden, like I remember we areat dinner one time with a couple of
friends and they were all like pickingon me, but it was just like
a funny way, like they wereall just like I was the butt of
all the different and he came uplike that, somebody went to the bathroom
and then he came over and hewas like sorry and like, gives me
(11:22):
a hug. And I was justlike, did I like a lot?
Did I like that? And Idid? And we started dating not too
long after that and here we aremarried. The baby get married. We
got married in August of twenty twenty. Okay, so y'all were right,
So funny. One of my bestfriends got married then I was May of
twenty one, so we're not thatfar apart. Marriage is the best man
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is. I'm telling y'all people ofthe world out there, if you marry
your best friend, it is thegreatest experience. Yeah, And it's funny
because it's like, oh, whatchange, Like what is the different and
it's just like nothing changes. You'rejust like you just yeah, that's that's
right, You're like you could.It's funny because we were saying it's this
weird thing where like, on onehand, nothing changes, but then you
(12:07):
do feel to weight in the gravityof it. Oh yeah, like you're
like, oh like faro faro foreveris a real word. Well, and
it's because we actually talked about thisin my Bible study group of how like
people think that marriage or like loveis this like butterflies and rainbows at all
point in time. And I'm like, listen, there is not one single
(12:28):
person on this planet that you likeevery second of the day. Okay,
like true, like yourself that much. Right, So I'm like, it's
funny with marriage, it's like itdoes you feel that weight of it,
because when you're dating somebody, it'sjust like okay, Sea, you know,
you're like, fine, just gobuy somewhere else, right, and
right marriage, you're like, yeah, we have to work this out,
right, that's the truth. Westill have to sleep in this bed tonight.
(12:52):
And it's funny. It's some ofthe best like marriage advice I think
I've ever been given was somebody toldus, like, you have to learn
how to fight. That's that's reallygood work, honestly, because it's like,
if you don't know how to fight, you're going to hurt each other
even more. That's right, BecauseI mean, I'm a hothead, so
I'll say things that and I'll hearit come out of my mouth and I'm
like, oh, yeah, Iwish I could think that. Yeah I
(13:13):
did. I mean a count.I didn't mean to say that though,
Yes, But learning to fight issuch a good piece of marriage advice because
it's like I love that. Thisis it's forever. I mean, at
least that's what I'm playing going anywhereelse. Oh man. I always joke
with nicking his joke around. We'relike, honestly, it's just we don't
want to start over. That justsounds really exhausting today's dating climate, Like
(13:35):
we are good like all these datingapps and things. I'm like, yeah,
miss on that I'm good. Whenyou were talking about your career and
sort of like the start of it, moving to Nashville and things like that,
was there ever a point in timewhere you were just like, I
don't think this is for me.I'm this is too hard. I want
to give up, you know,I feel like doubt, creep saying and
(13:58):
things like that. Was there evera moment where You're just like, I
don't know, dude. You knowwhat's funny, It's like I definitely am
a person that has like major insecuremoments and things like that. But I'm
also like, I'm really tenacious.Is that the word all love that my
friend Sarah sn you saw always tenacitywas like her favorite because like if I
(14:18):
decide something honestly like that's it.Yeah, Like I've just like made up
my Like there was never There wasdefinitely times I would call like my mom
or dad and be like, Ihave a college degree, I could be
making X amount of dollars right now, and I'm substitute teaching on the side
so I can pay for myself togo and write songs. What what is
(14:39):
happening right now? What am Idoing? You know? Yeah? But
but at the same time, itwas it was never a serious thought to
me ever to go home. Idon't know, I just once I it's
like we kind of joke. Sowith to reference Nick and Agan, he
was very like, no, I'mgood. I don't need a girlfriend right
now. We were early twenties,and he was just like, up things
(15:01):
I want to do in my lifeand I was like, yeah, we're
gonna date. So like you caneither just do that or you can wait
and do that. Right. Ihave made up my mind that you're my
person, so so and that kindof applies to like a lot of my
life. Like I just if there'ssomething that I really want, I just
keep working. I mean I justknow that, like more people would make
(15:22):
it if more people stayed, youknow. One, And I think going
back to your faith in that aspect, it's like God will give you the
desires of your heart, you know, and if that's truly what you do
want, I love that. Itis a mindset too, where you can't
let yourself give up. Yeah,you know, yeah, it really is,
and it's it's a constant, justlike we were talking about with love,
like you're always choosing that person overand over and over again. And
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and you know, that's how Ifeel about the music industry and doing what
I do, because there will bethese gorgeous moments where I like someone messaged
you about how your song affected them, or you're at a show and you
see people just like having the timeof their life and you're like, yes,
I get to be a part ofthis special moment in memory that they're
creating, and like that's what itjust feels like. I just know,
(16:07):
absolutely no, this is what I'msupposed to be doing well. And I
love that feeling too, of likeyou get to be such a special like
part of somebody, just whether it'sa release of them having a night out
away from the kids or just withtheir friends. Because like on my side
of it, I mean, we'llget tickets to things, right, so
I'll get to Taylor Swift moment.Oh, I was crying. I was
literally crying watching it giving away thosetickets. I mean, those little girls
(16:32):
will remember that for the rest oftheir lives, you know, and it's
like knowing that those moments exist becauseof the hard work and the blood,
the sweat materials that y'all have allput in. It's it's I mean,
it's truly. You can't describe thatfeeling. Yeah, yeah, so special,
it is, It really is.And it's just so fun to like
have a job that literally gets todirectly pour into community and like, and
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I speak for you as well doingthat. I mean anytime I talk about
you or like some of my friendswere like, I just love listening to
her. But like, truly,it's so positive and it's just like it's
such a breath of fresh air.You know. You can really tell,
you know when people are like,oh there's something different about Yeah, this
is like girl, that's Jesus.Yeah, me every day, that's Jesus.
That's funny. So Wine Country isofficially out this new song of yours.
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When it comes to songs that youare particular about, are that the
ones that you love the most?Yeah? Wine Country? Is it?
Is it at number one for youright now? I mean obviously it is
a number one for you right nowbecause it's the new one. But is
it Is it more so one ofyour favorites? Oh? Absolutely, because
it's like, first of all,it's just so it's like me in a
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song. It's so my personality becauseI've always been this like mixture of like
I love being a little boogie girland like wearing my fancy things and getting
all dressed up, but also likeI'm still from Kentucky. I'm still gonna
go home on Mother's Day and sitaround at my cousin's farm and barefoot and
play with their kids and like doall of that, and like we're still
(18:02):
gonna have that same energy. ButI think too, what I'm loving about
this song, what like the messagingof it is is that like so often
it's always like are you this orare you that? And like it's so
much more and and I feel likewe're all that way. We all have
a little bit of both in ayou know, it's just however however it
(18:22):
presents in your life well, andit's like you don't have to be the
same thing every day. I thinkI saw somebody posted a video. I
don't remember who said it. Ithink it was like Harry Styles or something,
but he was like the beauty ofevery day is that you can change
your mind every day. I lovethat, and we are all literally I
mean, you could believe something oneday and then the next day you're like,
wait a second. But like,honestly, great example, I'm looking
(18:42):
at you in this cute little LaDodgers had and like she's a baseball cat
girl, but over here off camerayou can't see that she's got her like
beautiful Sadie James had. That's atwo different girls. Literally, yes,
it's like ball cap hanging out orjust like my little you know. And
I just think that like this songlike invites people to just lean into that
(19:03):
and to just have fun with thatum and and I'm really I'm really excited
that people are really reacting to it. I'm excited for you because I feel
like going back to seeing the HannahMontana movie and deciding like, hey,
I think I want to give thisa shot. You ran for it for
three and a half years in college. You're like, Okay, I'm working
towards this goal. I'm going toget there. You moved to Nashville,
(19:25):
you get your publishing deal, you'reliterally crushing it, and then you make
your opery debut. You have yourdebut radio single, like looking back at
that moment, at that Handah Montanamovie, Now, oh yeah, what
would you tell little Hannah? Honestly, I would tell her, like to
not take your bad days so serious, you know, the days that you
(19:48):
that I did call and was likewhat am I doing? You know?
Or the just really tough and challengingmoments, or like moments when and I
think this more than anything, momentswhen other people were getting some that either
I thought I deserved or I wanted. I think I would just remind her
that like timing is everything, Ittruly is everything, and like there were
(20:10):
a lot of things I thought Ideserved at twenty four that I would have
absolutely squandered because I just would nothave been ready for those things. And
this I get to be like afully matured I mean most of the time
human and like know myself and knowmy art and my artistry and who I
want to be and how I wantto present my art, and like versus
twenty twenty four year old me wasjust like lost as a goose. Yeah
(20:34):
you're like where am I going?I would just tell the youngest version of
me that, like, yeah,don't don't take your bad days too hard
well, and I love that youbrought up how you the comparison game?
I mean, we all deal withit each and every single day, especially
with social media now. Raylan andI she did an episode here a couple
of weeks ago, and we talkedabout those moments where you see people succeeding
(20:57):
or you see people winning a war, getting something that obviously is a dream,
right, how do you deal withthose? Like, I mean,
they're intrusive thoughts, but they're nottrue, That's what I mean. How
do you deal with those when theycome in you're like that little bit of
like I want that too, butyou know what I mean, But not
my time yet? Yeah, Ithink that's what I have to really lean
into. Is that not my time? And also, you know, I
(21:21):
look around my life and I go, I have a pretty good life.
Yeah, I have things. Ihave an incredible healthy home life. I
get to go on the road andplay music. I get to be paid
to do music, which is stillcrazy to me. And so like,
I think it's just grounding yourself andwhat you do have. And then also
sometimes I think you just got totake that and use it as motivation,
(21:42):
not in a negative way. Butgo, okay, well, I just
need to keep working and I needto work harder and I need to like
really focus on if these are thingsI want? What are things I can
do? And it doesn't always worklike that. Yeah, you know,
and I think being honest with yourselfabout that, but also have goals.
Yeah, you know, get thatdream board up. That's right. So
(22:03):
like so I think that it's itis definitely I think that's always difficult,
but that and then you know,leaning your people, dude, community is
everything. Yeah, and like whenyou when your people are kind of gassing
you up, you're like, allright, okay, we're cool. And
it's so funny because it's like,you know, I'm for myself, Like
I'm I'm not going to talk goodabout myself. I mean I will,
but I'm not gonna gas myself upand not gonna be like, yeah,
(22:25):
I'm the best self right ever.I'm so good at this. And it's
just like you have your community ofpeople around you that when you are in
those bad days, yeah, theycan be like excuse me, Hannah,
yeah, right, do you rememberwhat you just did? Yeah? But
even just you sitting here and likelistening off these things and like, oh
my gosh, yeah, that wasso cool, and like I remember,
like, and it's funny because youknow, with us in this this world,
(22:48):
the um the goal line always movedright totally you get it, and
then it's not enough, and like, but I can remember not very long
ago, a year or two ago, when I was like, if I
could just hear my song on theradio, that will be it. That'll
be it. And it was inthat moment, and then about a week
later, I was like, ifI could hear it like a bunch of
times, that could be real exactly. Yeah. Well it's like like you
(23:11):
said, the goal line moves.It's like, right, once you hit
that goal or you achieve whatever itis, it's healthy to have another another
and I love that you know you'removing right along. But also not even
taking it from the granted sea thatin that moment of like eighteen year old
me, eight year old man wouldnot believe this. I mean even the
(23:33):
people that I've met, the peoplethat I've gone on tour with, I
mean opening up for Martina McBride waslike one of the wildest things for me
because she like almost strictly that waswhose songs I sang. In competitions from
eleven to sixteen. Yeah, Iwas like, she was my queen.
And then I went on tour withher and I'm on her bus with my
mom. Yeah, and I'm like, this is bizarre, literally, how
(23:57):
awesome. That's one of those momentswhere you're literally like sitting there, you're
like, okay, God, yeah, right, right, my dreaming,
that's right, that's right, that'sright. I don't remember what you said
that just brought this to my mind. But there's this like saying that my
husband and I say to each otherwhenever we're having our hard moments or whenever,
(24:17):
you know, things get uncomfortable ordifficult and we're feeling stretched or whatever,
and it's like, we have gettwo jobs, not half two jobs.
And I'm sharing that with my husband. It's so true though, because
I feel like it really anytime thathe's kind of like in a mood or
I'm in a mood and we sayit to each other, it's just like
it really brings you back down toearth because it's like, truly, that's
(24:37):
right, this is something we getto do. That's right. We don't
have to do it. We wereblessed with the opportunity to get to do
what we do. And I thinkthat's just something I don't know, a
little nugget of truth and I,oh my god, I love that,
and my husband would love that.So he used to work. His mom
owns a custom rug shop, andso he used to literally do like manual
labor, lank carpet flooring and stuff, and so he has such good perspective
(25:03):
constantly where he's like, this isnot work. I mean it's work,
don't get me wrong. It's atwenty four seven kind of weird job,
but like, this is not thatkind of work. So it's like,
I love that. Get two jobs, not seriously definitely quoting. So tell
us about Nick and what he's doing. I know that he's got his own
stuff going on, but I'm excitedfor him too. Yeah yeah, So,
(25:26):
um, you know, I feellike this year he's been leaning a
lot more into the songwriting, buthe's still releasing his own music, which
is so fun. His stuff's alittle more like soul songwriter. Yeah,
and um, but it's cool becausewe write together all the time. Like
we wrote my song wine Country,we wrote Country Can and like it's just
like so fun because he gets meand he pushes me too, you know,
(25:48):
like in the room, I canget pretty like this is what I
do, this is what I liketo do, and he'll kind of be
like that's cool. But like let'slet's like branch out, let's get a
little more fun. Let's let's throwa little of this in there, and
it can stretch you a little bitexactly and in a in a way that
I can like handle it, youknow, right. I remember what was
that? How many years ago wasit? You guys were on the Bobby
(26:10):
Bone Show together? I saw,Yeah, that was literally So what's funny
is it was January of twenty twenty. Yeah, it was like the last
thing we did and then we allwent away literally. Um no. It
was so fun and so funny becauselike the way that worked out was we
had done the cover of If theWorld Were Ending, um in December of
(26:33):
twenty nineteen, and it like literallyblew up like millions and millions of YouTube
views, and like we released itlike December twentieth by by literal Christmas Eve.
We were together and it was gettingone hundred thousand views an hour.
Oh my gosh. It was likeI was like, what is happening?
And so it was crazy, Sothey ended up bringing a song because the
(26:56):
song was so new that like alot of people thought it was our song.
We would get messages all the timeand you're like thank you, but
no, it's like but if Iwrote it, I would have so many
dollars right exactly, or like I'mnot getting that check yet. Where it
literally it was so sweet. Imean, both JP and Julia Michaels shared
it, Yeah, shared our coverbecause they were both like, this is
so sweet and so good and Ilove that. Yeah. It was just
(27:18):
such a cool moment and and it'ssomething that we really do value is getting
to do music together. Um,and we both have our own careers as
well, but like getting to sharein some of those moments, it's really
cool. I was just gonna say, you guys were still dating at that
time, my boyfriend girl, That'sright. How fun though, just getting
to do something that you love thatis basically in the DNA as you're as
(27:44):
your person. Yeah, And it'sjust so fun because it's so intertwined,
and you know, I know,there's lots of opinions and different people have
different takes on like dating someone orbeing with someone who does what you do.
And for us it's so good becausewe can stay so grounded and like
also very understanding. When I'm callinghim and I'm on the road and I'm
like, hey, it's eleven,my show just ended. We're about to
(28:07):
all go get drinks at this place. I'll hit you in the morning,
Like that's not weird for us,because like our job is weird. And
I'm like he's like, all right, love you buy, and like he
will do the same with me whenhe's out experiencing those moments, and like
it's just having someone that just totallygets it and is not like, well,
why didn't you call? Well thatwas weird. Yeah, is really
(28:29):
really nice, specifically in this industrybecause it is one of those things it's
bizarre. It is such a weirdschedule. I mean half the time you
probably don't even know what's on yourschedule that day. You just show up
and you're like, okay, hereI go where I literally literally it's like
I've gotten to where I'm like,week by week, I'm pretty good at
going, Okay, what's the week, because I mean these include flights like
today we just booked, we justbooked flights, have a show in Fresno.
(28:53):
Then I have to fly home toNashville the next day, to Philly
the next day, and then fromPhilly to Napa, which is a six
and a half hour one way fight. I know, I was like,
catch me with an ivy girl.I was just gonna say, catch me
with some caffeine injected into my thankyou. Oh my gosh. Do you
(29:15):
ever have those moments? We werejust like, man, I just need
to take a nap. Oh yeah, oh yeah. But you know,
I'm kind of like I'm like theenergies or Bunny, Like I'm so extroverted
that I do get my energy frompeople versus you know, my husband's an
extroverted introvert, so like he hasthe energy out, but he's got to
be alone to like refill the tank. And I'm pretty good at like refilling
(29:37):
the tank with people. I meandefinitely, I have moments like the last
two days have been my days off, and I was like, oh,
I just kind of get to likeclean my house and things by myself.
I'm so that way. I'm suchan extroverted introvert where I love my time
alone. Like my poor husband,you know, he's super down at home.
(30:00):
I'm you know, working all thetime, and then he runs merchandise
for different country artists, so he'slike on the road during the weekend.
So it's like Monday through Thursday.Before he hits the road, he's like
super Dad at home and I'll likeget home from work and he's like wanting
to chat and I'm like not today. Also, like you talk for a
living, literally, like that isliterally your your life. It's such a
(30:21):
weird thing because it truly is likeI mean I'm not talking specifically to anyone
on the radio. You're talking tojust this right in a studio by yourselves.
Everybody's like such a it's such aweird content. We feel like you're
talking to us. So that isthe goal, So thank you Jesus did
it. But yeah, it's sucha weird thing where I'm like, yeah,
(30:41):
I do. I do. Italk for a living and I can
be in a room and talk towhoever and do whatever. But then it's
just like those moments when I knowI need to like spill time into like
my relationship and like my husband,I'm just like can we just sit here?
Yeah? Right? Can we justwant? Yes? Well? And
we do. We always will havea show that I'll go on. He's
like, so it's a TV kindof night, just not watch anything,
(31:04):
and I'm like, yeah, thisis fine, let's get right. Oh
man, do you guys have anyshows that you guys watched together? Oh?
Yes, we It's harder to findshows that we watch separate, although
I do. Finally I finally foundone. I do Outlander. That's my
travel show. Got it so likeit's just like girly enough that he's like
not into it. Um, Imean Bridgerton also, but did you watch
(31:26):
the new one? I have towatch it. I'm almost at I think
I have one or two episodes left. It's that'll be another one of my
like travel shows. But together wewatch I mean ted Lasso. So we're
literally refusing. We have not watchedthe last episode because we're like literally not
ready for it to be over.So no comment. I will not give
(31:47):
you any spoilers because I don't haveany because I don't watch the show.
So some of my husband we startedwatching it together and he was like not
interested ish. It was just oneof those moments where he was just like,
I don't know if I care aboutwatching it, And then all of
a sudden he's likeinging this show andhe's just like, so it's so good,
and I was like, I needto watch it. The the finale.
(32:07):
Yeah, he like he was likeit wrecked me, but it was
but he was it was produced thatit was perfect. Yeah, I've heard
that it was good. So yeah, literally we've been like putting it off
because they're like actively not ready tolike finish the show. It's like you
don't want something good to yea.And like also, it's such a unique
show, like it's not like,oh well, let's roll into something similar.
(32:27):
There's not really because it's so positiveand yet there's so much weight to
it, like it's it's a reallygreat show. Um, what else do
we watch? I mean we loveSomebody Feed Phil, which is just such
a fun foodie show because we're hugefoodies. Like that is literally it's like
HGTV and Food Network in my house. Yeah, it's yeah, like literally
it's so funny. Um. Iwas doing an interview recently and they were
(32:47):
like, um, so, what'slike some of your hobbies like, and
I was I was like, well, cooking, and I was like I
was like but mainly I'm on theroad, so like I'm really good at
picking restaurants. Um, actually,yeah, I think my hobby is eating.
Like that is a hobby. Likea great meal, whether I made
it or someone else made it,it's eating. It's well, then you're
gonna have to come over because I'ma mean cut. Yes, let's go
(33:09):
out some steaks and stuff. Girl, there is no quicker way to my
heart. That's that's my jamp Andlike it's so fun because on the road.
That's literally something that is like oneof my like secret skill sets is
I'm really good at finding great placesto eat like anywhere. Like, what
(33:30):
are your some of your favorite placeshere in Nashville. Oh gosh, um,
I mean I love, love,love my Barcelona people like those That
is my heart and it just doesn'tmiss. They never miss. And there's
great wine there, so it's likeyou can't miss exactly exactly. Let me
think of girls. So I liveover in Donaldson area, So I love
(33:50):
we have Tenfold, which is abrewery over there. Girl, Literally she
knows our favorite, she knows thetrue Tenfold. There is nothing bad on
the menu there. Pizza's fire,they're chicken sand they're so good. Bowls
are good. Like I'll go thereand get a salmon bowl. And you're
like, you went to a brewery. I'm like, yes, trust me
when I say, if you arein Nashville, either you're here, you're
visiting, go to Tenfold. Itis so good. It is so good
(34:14):
because and you tell people and they'relike a breweries one of your favorite places,
I'm like, eat their food literallyand they just they just put that
the stage out on the patio,so they do a bunch of like and
you know that that's the same ownersas Nectar. I did not know.
Yeah, say two incredible places rightthere. So good. Nectar is fire.
Yeah, yeah, they're both sogood. Um, oh my gosh,
I could go forever. Um myfavorite one of my favorite like date
(34:36):
night places. And Nick and Idebate this a little bit because he's like,
it's not like the greatest food ever, but that's not its purpose.
Its purpose is to be great inlike their moment. And so it's like
once upon a time in France.Yeah have you been there? I have
not. Okay, it is literallylike it's not Nashville. They're all French.
It's like a French bistro. It'sso special and like, okay to
(35:00):
make when we say it's not thegreatest. It's like it's not high end.
Yeah, it is great food,but like it's so well prized.
It's like kind of a joke.You're like, how is this what?
But I feel like everything overseas iswell prized. Yeah, like what are
we doing here? Guy? Areyou doing here? And then you go
like to get a sushi roll downtownand it's like twenty six dollars for four
(35:22):
pieces? She got it, nailedit. Literally, that happen the other
day. I was like, whereare we? Literally, I'm like,
guys, what are you putting goldflakes in this? Yeah? All right?
Because there's not a lot this betterhave been swimming today. And I'm
still hungry. I hate that.I love sushi. I love, love,
love sushi, but every time Ieat sushi, I feel like I
leave hungry, Like one hour later, You're like, but what's for dinner?
(35:44):
Literally, I'm like, that wasa fun appetizer. Really gonna go
get some steaks? Oh my god? I love it, but no,
we have so many good food spotsaround Nashville. I'm in all right.
Next time that I'm feeding for something, I'm going to text you and be
like, girl, where am Igoing, where are we going? Let's
make it happen. I'm here forit. It so thinking of the next
I mean, we are six monthsinto twenty twenty three, which is a
(36:05):
wild crazy My kid is about toturn two, Yeah in a few weeks,
which is nuts. Oh my gosh, six months left of the year.
What are some of your goals forthe end of this year? Oh
man, I really just want tosee I want to see Wine Country just
continue doing well and connecting with people. I'm excited for some touris I'm going
on. I think there's some morein the works that will be really fun.
(36:25):
Yeah, And I mean I thinkthose are those are the two things
that really like move my spirit themost as far as from a work standpoint.
Also, we do have an albumfinished, so we're working on like
release plans, and like I reallyreally hope we get that like all packaged.
I'm ready to rocket roll because likethat, Like you know, the
(36:49):
focus over the last couple of monthswas really just getting Wine Country a good
start, and now we're going tostart shifting the focus to like the whole
record, and I'm so so,so, so so so excited to share
these songs with people. Because they'rejust there's just they kind of run the
gamut. You know. There's funsongs. There's songs I wrote for my
friends literally like to them. There'ssongs I wrote to myself. There's there's
(37:15):
just so much here that I'm reallypumped to share. And I think it'll
just continue opening up who I amas a person and an artist to my
fans and friends. I know,it's such I always feel like it's such
a shame. How like how Ican know someone and know like somebody else
I'll be like, they'll be like, oh, I'm not sure who that
is, and you need to know, you need to know her and putting
(37:37):
out a record and just continuing yourcareer. I just I know that people
are going to welcome you and likelove you so much because you're just one
of the kindest. I remember thefirst time we met. I was like,
she you can just feel it inyour bones when you're around good people.
And I just know that, Yeah, I really appreciate that, and
it's and you know what, Iactually um that is something I receive a
(37:59):
lot from like a lot of peoplein town and honestly other artists, like
they really love on me and theyreally support me. You know. I
get text from people all the timejust like, oh my gosh, you
looked so great on the carpet.Oh my gosh, just like out of
nowhere, and like I'm like,it's just really cool. And it does
make me feel really loved. AndI try to love people back, you
(38:21):
know, and it's hard sometimes it'shard to find those genuinely good people,
you know, not people who arejust good to be good. That's right,
You're just like actually genuinely good.So I love that. Thank you.
And speaking of Red Carpet, youwalked your first one this year.
Gosh, it was so funny.You know. It was fun because so
we did we did the CMTS andlike the idea, so Krista Rosa is
(38:42):
my stylist, and so we werelike, okay, we want to make
sure it's hair down what Hannah Ellislooks like. But it's fun because the
CMT awards, right, the morefun and the carpet all that. So
we did this like cute little midiblue dress and I was like, yes,
okay, when feel good about it. But then we were like okay,
ACMs were like up in the script, we're going like full glam old
(39:02):
Hollywood and literally could not be moreexcited about how it turned out. Like
I was so pumped. I loveaward shows because I just love how you
see people in like their outfits normallyright, but on a red carpet.
Like there's just something about seeing It'slike it's like promp, you know what
I mean, And it's just thefatally ever and I'm like, man,
(39:25):
this just happens like five times ayear, right right, And it's just
like those five times a year.You just see the glam and then like
fashion and just like so fake up. It's just so great to I love
it and you get to play.And that's what's cool too, is all
the awards are a little bit different, so like you kind of get to
go, Okay, what's this mode, what's this feel like? And like
(39:45):
you get to play with all thesedifferent styles that are like you know,
on your brand, but also likehave fun with it. But you're right
though, because CMT is always justlike kind of like a fun like neon
moment. I feel like, andthen like ACM, You're like, okay,
black on black on black on letlet's be serious here, Let's like
get super glammed. Up. Iremember my first ACMs. I was just
like, how do you pick dress? And I'm like, what do you
(40:07):
do? Oh? No, right? So much fun. Though, whenever
I'm not with Christa, though,I will shout out our mutual favorite,
which is the show they keep yourgirls looking like honestly, they're so great
now they have all those like likesingle pieces and stuff. I go in
there for like, if I havea show weekend and I'm just like,
hate everything in my closet, I'llgo like, get a shirt. It's
so cute, so great. Well, and it's funny because my husband his
(40:30):
cousin just went to her senior promright and they came to town to visit
and they were talking about it andshe was like I was talking to her
mom and she was just like,yeah, we spent probably eight hundred dollars
on her dress and then hair andmakeup. And I'm just like over here
thinking I have a two year oldand I'm like fast forward, she's sixteen
years I'm like, I'm one ofthe showroom girl, right dressing, I'll
(40:50):
wear What's the only time I willdo that is when she gets her wedding
down. I will buy that expensivedress for you to wear one time money.
That's the one form I know.It is so funny because whenever you
know, obviously I went to promwhen I was younger, and then now
that these kids have the showroom,I'm like, man, that's fairy.
Well it's because I remember saving upand I don't even remember how much I
(41:13):
paid for like one of my promdresses. But I had a job,
like I hadn't paid for that myself, and I'm like, if I could
have saved money and rented one,right, amazing genius. Yeah, they
crush it over out to the showroom. We love you, guys, We
love it, and it was seriouslyalways so good to see you. We
do this thing at the end ofthe podcast where I have this little gumball
machine here in the studio, randomjust willy nilly questions. So we'll see
(41:35):
which one comes out on the end. For you see, if I can
get it open, it's might beidiot prove it's like, don't mess up
your nails. I know, passit to me if you need help.
I might need help. Yes,Mom, I got you, I got
you both. I'll read it foryou. Okay, tag teaming it.
This one's hard, Okay, soI'm not also great nails, I noticed.
(41:58):
Thanks. Oh okay, we gotit. We did it, since
I did it. Okay. Thisone says, what is your favorite candy?
Oh? Super easy question. Thatis super easy. Maybe I was
like, or do you have alot of favorites? Um, okay,
I'm gonna give you two. Okay, I'm gonna give you my favorite candy
and then I'm gonna give you mylike true favorite sweet guilty pleasure. So
(42:22):
I think my favorite candy is abutterfinger. Okay, They're just kind of
classic, you know. I mean, I'm enjoyed sometimes, but I think,
really truly it's butterfinger. Okay.My guilty pleasure is a cosmic brownie.
I love a little one. Yes, I'm from with a little oh
(42:45):
yeah, oh yeah. Um Nonutritional value absolutely not, Like I don't
even know if there's anything real init. That's okay, doesn't still eat
it? Yeah, that is theone for me. When I told when
I told Nick that for the firsttime, he was like, that's kind
of disgusting, right. Those areour childhood wrapped in a freaking rappers Like
they're delicious, you can leave mealone. They're like literally four million calories.
(43:08):
But it's like, honestly, Ifeel like Little Debbie, like all
the snacks we I remember, there'sthere's six kids in my family, so
three boys, three girl kids,so we would always and all of us
always wanted something different, right,And like the little Debbie things back in
the day. I don't even knowhow much they cost anymore. They're back
in the day for a pack ofthem. So like my brother would want
the honey bun. Somebody want tostart crunchesbody wants the brownies, the Swiss
(43:30):
cake rolls, like I love it. Yeah, you just can't put a
price on that much. That wasmy thing. And it's like every once
in a while if I'm on likea long road trip and I'm like,
okay, so there is nothing wrongwith a little bit of indulgence. Okay,
you eat that cosmic brownie when youwant to grow. That is truly
the definition of you can't take thecountry out of the girl. You can
(43:52):
take her to the fanciest. I'vehad every gorgeous dessert out there, and
I'm like, give me a cosmicbir girl. Now, all these fans
are gonna start throwing cosmic Rownie's wholestage flowers, no roses, no bras
cousnia. Honestly, that's all Iwant is people to give me food.
Okay, okay, well I cando that for you. I'll give you
all the food, sure, fakean. It's so good to see you.
(44:14):
I love you so much. Telleverybody where you are on socials,
um at, Hannah Gray Ellis onI Think everything that's TikTok, Instagram all
that, and then just Hannah Ellismusic on Facebook. I love you,
honey, I love You's good tosee you YouTube
All right, queen, youre readyto rock and roll? Yes, babe,
(00:02):
let's go. All right, let'sbackstage. Welcome to the backstage with
Brook. You're all access past tomusic city where nothing is off limits.
Grab a drink, Let's go backstage. Hannah Ellison, We're here. Baby,
(00:22):
made it happen. I know.I'm so excited girl, Brian.
I feel like this is a longtime coming. I'm talking about doing this
forever. Absolutely, Like the momentthis became a thing in existence, we
were like, must happen. Yes, thank you. So backstage with Brook,
I always love to just kind oftalk about just behind the scenes of
life, things that happen backstage thata lot of people don't get to see.
(00:43):
And I love that we are friends, but like, I don't know
your entire story. It's so funny. I was literally thinking about that because
I'm like, we just like kindof met and fell in love, and
that's pretty much the extent of itso far. Literally, So I was
just like, I can't wait forus to kind of have one of those
like you're sitting on the couch withone of your girlfriends, drinking a bottle
of wine and you're catching I'm talkingabout why where does chitty chat? That's
(01:06):
all right, start from the beginning, Hannah Ellis, tell me the story
of like how you fell in lovewith music? Tell me all the things
I love it. I love it. So. Um, I'm originally from
Kentucky, small town in Kentucky calledCampbellsville, and my parents were both wedding
singers on the weekend. So likethey both can sing, and so I
always say that I was singing beforeI was talking, which is factual.
(01:29):
Like we have all these home videosof me and my older sister and they're
like trying to get me to singalong to songs with her. And so
always always had music in my life, and my parents, you know,
just really really supported that. Andas I got older, you know,
I was in quired and I didall of that, but it wasn't until
this is like the real real,Um, I guess, tell me the
(01:49):
realness. It's so ridiculous, butit's really true. What happened. So
I was senior in high school aboutto graduate at that time, I had
a full ride scholarship to him scholarshipto college. Like I sang, but
not like you know, I justsang. This is a hobby. Yeah.
And I took my little sister,who's like seven years younger than me,
to see the Hannah Montana movie.All yeah. Literally cry to the
(02:14):
whole movie, get to the endand she's singing the Climb and all this
stuff, and I'm literally like havingthis true, like Jesus telling me this
is what you're supposed to do.And I'm like, oh, no,
no, this is real. Ireally So I go home, I'm like
crying. I'm telling my mom.I'm like, well, I think I'm
supposed to be a singer. Shewas like, UM, let's call your
dad because my parents divorced, butthey like get along really well. Yeah,
(02:36):
And so we call my dad andhe's like, Okay, this is
not like a sport where you're gonnastart it and we're gonna quit it in
a year. This is like alife choice. And I was like no,
I'm serious. And he's like,I'll come over in the morning and
if you really do want to talkabout this, we'll talk about it.
And so he came over the nextday and me and him and my mom
sat down and we were kind oflike, what does this look like?
(02:58):
And I was like, I'm movingto Nashville. And they're like, after
you go to college? Did theygo to But it was awesome because they
were like, we absolutely support thedreamy, totally here for you. We
will do everything we can to likehelp you chase that down. But especially
like just my mom's a teacher andshe's very pragmatic, and she was like,
I just think, like, let'scheck that box. It's you're already
(03:21):
going for free, You're already accepted. Everything's already like good. So yeah,
I went to the University of Kentucky. I love it, and so
I ended up graduating three and ahalf years. Because I knew what I
wanted to do. I gotta go. So I was just like doing as
much school as I could. Andwhat's really um incredible is that it worked
(03:42):
out really nicely that Lexington's only threehours from Nashville. So like I would
I would plan my classes to whereI would go to class Tuesday through Thursday,
and then I would try to keepMondays and Fridays free so I could
come to Nashville and like rite orjust like just try to start exploring the
community here. You know. Igot really involved in NSAI. They were
(04:02):
super helpful and just like because Ididn't really write songs. Like when I
said I'm gonna go be a singer, we did what every eighteen year old
girl who's dad says, we supportyou, and went and cut a bunch
of songs, you know what Imean. Yeah, Like we didn't know.
And and that was when I startedwriting songs. Actually was like eighteen
and so I was just really tryingto get involved. And then after I
(04:25):
graduated, I moved here in topof twenty thirteen. Oh but backtrack one
second. In two and twelve,I came down and did an internship at
Big Machine with Laurel Kittelsen, whois just, I know, such a
wonderful person to like learn from inthat space. But that was super helpful
(04:46):
and just like helping introduce me tolike people down here and like meet people
in this community. And so whenI moved in twenty thirteen, I didn't
necessarily have like a lot of closefriends, but I at least had people
I knew that I could be.Can I come to a show with you?
What are you doing today? Yeah, come hang out exactly exactly.
So that was just awesome and yeah, and then so I moved here twenty
(05:11):
thirteen, and then I got mypublishing deal in twenty fifteen, which fun
little tidbit fact in there. Iwas on the Voice for like a millisecond
in twenty fourteen, and while Iwas out there about to audition, like
a day or two before, Igot an email from Jenny Appleton, who
is the publisher at UM. Shewas at curb Word at the time,
(05:34):
and and she was like, Hey, we'd really like to discuss giving you
a publishing deal. And I remembercalling my dad and being like, oh
my gosh, this is so awesome, but if I get on the show
then I can't do this deal.Don't worry. No one turned a chair
around, so it all worked out. Dang it. Who are the voice
coaches at that time? So itwas Blake, Christina um Pharrell and Adam
(05:59):
Levine and honest sleep like they wereso lovely, well all but like one
but it was okay, you know, girls, girls be hating sometimes,
but seriously though, there are somemean girls out there. Yeah, you
know. She was just very verynot impressed, but the other three were
very much like, we think youare really talented and that you're gonna do
well. And m I actually lovedwhat Adam Levine said because he was like,
(06:25):
this is just a show, likeand of course they didn't air his
comment because he was like, thisis just a TV show and like there's
so many millions of ways to makeit, and I really feel like you
will, and I was like really, thanks dude. Yeah, so like
and then you know, I camehome and I ended up signing my publishing
deal in twenty fifteen with um wellit was word country at the time,
(06:47):
now Cardboard um yeah. And thenfast forward a couple of years. I
wrote a bunch of songs, gotsome cut by other artists, and put
out my own project, and thensigned my record deal like HERB Records in
March of twenty twenty. Not themost I mean, but listen, I
(07:08):
feel like it's so funny how yourstory has kind of like unfolded because how
you're like you're having this like internalconfliction of like do I still go on
the show? Do I take thispublishing like what I do? And God
was like, I'll make the decisionfor you. That's right. It's so
true. It's so true. Hehas just literally like moved me every time
that I'm like what's gonna happen,which is just always funny because I still
(07:30):
panic about things, even knowing weall do. It's gonna be fine.
I know you got me, butbut like I have questions exactly when when
did your your walk with your faithstart? When did that all happen?
Have you been in church since you'rea little Oh yeah, since like so,
um my mom's actually a p K, which is a preacher state for
(07:50):
anybody watching the don doesn't know whatthat means, and so always super super
involved in the church. My parentswere actually like youth leaders when I was
younger, and like, yeah,we were. It's deep in the bones.
So it's crazy how like even ifyou want out, yeah, you
know, it's like when you're whenyou're when you're digging that deep God,
(08:11):
God will never let you go.You'll never let you go regardless. But
it's so funny when you like haveyou grow up and it's just like rooted
that deep in your bones. LikeI remember being like, I don't know
how young I was at vacation Bibleschool making bracelets. That's right, the
plan. It's so nice to beable to go back to that and also
like to you have that foundation andyet you get to grow as a person
(08:33):
and really formulate what that relationship lookslike right for you individually, or you
know, like both of us weremarried, like what it looks like in
your family. And but having thatfoundation has just been it almost just makes
things so much easier because I feellike when you have when you don't have
that foundation, for example, makingdecisions or trying to get discernment or like
(08:54):
wisdom from other people, it's reallytough. It's so tough because it's like,
who do you truly look for,right and you're lying so much on
yourself, And at least I canspeak for me and say like that is
not it. No, we willalways let ourselves down. So you mentioned
being married. Tell us about yourhusband. How did you guys meet?
My God, how much time youhave? I mean, we got as
much time as you want to giveHenny no um. So I actually met
(09:18):
nick U a couple months after Imoved to Nashville. We lived across the
hall from each other in our apartmentcomplace. I was in one or two
and he was in one or nine. M our our meat story is it's
funny because I'm like, we havea meat cute, but it wasn't also
a meat cute. Because it waslike we met and we were like cool,
yeah, guys, moving on,like not really like neither person was.
(09:39):
I mean, I guess you couldsay both people thought the other was
not attracted, right, but likeit wasn't there was like not sparks.
Um. I kind of thought hethought highly of himself. If you meet
my husband, he's really stoic onimpact. And so I was like,
oh, this guy like thinks he'sit, and I'm no, thanks,
(10:00):
nothing, thank you next right,And so then like a couple of weeks
later, he m he was hangingout at that same neighbor's house that we
had met at and and we startedchatting and I was like, Okay,
maybe I misread this guy. Heseems cool. And then we just became
like best friends and were best friendsfor like a year year and a half
(10:20):
maybe before we started dating, likelike which was so funny to us,
but like all of our friends wereso annoyed with us by the time we
started dating because they were like,just date already. You're like, no,
we're just friends alone. What's funnythat you say that you were just
like not interested because that was thesame for my husband and I too.
Really we met at church, andhe was not in a good spot.
(10:41):
I was just out of a reallylong relationship. So we both met each
other and we happened to like thesame like football team, and You're like,
okay, cool, like are youfrom there? And he's like no,
I've just like alligators since I waslittle. So I became a Florida
fan. And I was like,what, please don't hate me. I
know you went to Kentucky, butI'm a Florida man. I love it.
But he so we keep the secwe keep it in the best what
(11:01):
I'm saying, where we are itis all in the family. And so
we met and we just were friendsfor a while and then all of a
sudden, like I remember we areat dinner one time with a couple of
friends and they were all like pickingon me, but it was just like
a funny way, like they wereall just like I was the butt of
all the different and he came uplike that, somebody went to the bathroom
and then he came over and hewas like sorry and like, gives me
(11:22):
a hug. And I was justlike, did I like a lot?
Did I like that? And Idid? And we started dating not too
long after that and here we aremarried. The baby get married. We
got married in August of twenty twenty. Okay, so y'all were right,
So funny. One of my bestfriends got married then I was May of
twenty one, so we're not thatfar apart. Marriage is the best man
(11:43):
is. I'm telling y'all people ofthe world out there, if you marry
your best friend, it is thegreatest experience. Yeah, And it's funny
because it's like, oh, whatchange, Like what is the different and
it's just like nothing changes. You'rejust like you just yeah, that's that's
right, You're like you could.It's funny because we were saying it's this
weird thing where like, on onehand, nothing changes, but then you
(12:07):
do feel to weight in the gravityof it. Oh yeah, like you're
like, oh like faro faro foreveris a real word. Well, and
it's because we actually talked about thisin my Bible study group of how like
people think that marriage or like loveis this like butterflies and rainbows at all
point in time. And I'm like, listen, there is not one single
(12:28):
person on this planet that you likeevery second of the day. Okay,
like true, like yourself that much. Right, So I'm like, it's
funny with marriage, it's like itdoes you feel that weight of it,
because when you're dating somebody, it'sjust like okay, Sea, you know,
you're like, fine, just gobuy somewhere else, right, and
right marriage, you're like, yeah, we have to work this out,
right, that's the truth. Westill have to sleep in this bed tonight.
(12:52):
And it's funny. It's some ofthe best like marriage advice I think
I've ever been given was somebody toldus, like, you have to learn
how to fight. That's that's reallygood work, honestly, because it's like,
if you don't know how to fight, you're going to hurt each other
even more. That's right, BecauseI mean, I'm a hothead, so
I'll say things that and I'll hearit come out of my mouth and I'm
like, oh, yeah, Iwish I could think that. Yeah I
(13:13):
did. I mean a count.I didn't mean to say that though,
Yes, But learning to fight issuch a good piece of marriage advice because
it's like I love that. Thisis it's forever. I mean, at
least that's what I'm playing going anywhereelse. Oh man. I always joke
with nicking his joke around. We'relike, honestly, it's just we don't
want to start over. That justsounds really exhausting today's dating climate, Like
(13:35):
we are good like all these datingapps and things. I'm like, yeah,
miss on that I'm good. Whenyou were talking about your career and
sort of like the start of it, moving to Nashville and things like that,
was there ever a point in timewhere you were just like, I
don't think this is for me.I'm this is too hard. I want
to give up, you know,I feel like doubt, creep saying and
(13:58):
things like that. Was there evera moment where You're just like, I
don't know, dude. You knowwhat's funny, It's like I definitely am
a person that has like major insecuremoments and things like that. But I'm
also like, I'm really tenacious.Is that the word all love that my
friend Sarah sn you saw always tenacitywas like her favorite because like if I
(14:18):
decide something honestly like that's it.Yeah, Like I've just like made up
my Like there was never There wasdefinitely times I would call like my mom
or dad and be like, Ihave a college degree, I could be
making X amount of dollars right now, and I'm substitute teaching on the side
so I can pay for myself togo and write songs. What what is
(14:39):
happening right now? What am Idoing? You know? Yeah? But
but at the same time, itwas it was never a serious thought to
me ever to go home. Idon't know, I just once I it's
like we kind of joke. Sowith to reference Nick and Agan, he
was very like, no, I'mgood. I don't need a girlfriend right
now. We were early twenties,and he was just like, up things
(15:01):
I want to do in my lifeand I was like, yeah, we're
gonna date. So like you caneither just do that or you can wait
and do that. Right. Ihave made up my mind that you're my
person, so so and that kindof applies to like a lot of my
life. Like I just if there'ssomething that I really want, I just
keep working. I mean I justknow that, like more people would make
(15:22):
it if more people stayed, youknow. One, And I think going
back to your faith in that aspect, it's like God will give you the
desires of your heart, you know, and if that's truly what you do
want, I love that. Itis a mindset too, where you can't
let yourself give up. Yeah,you know, yeah, it really is,
and it's it's a constant, justlike we were talking about with love,
like you're always choosing that person overand over and over again. And
(15:45):
and you know, that's how Ifeel about the music industry and doing what
I do, because there will bethese gorgeous moments where I like someone messaged
you about how your song affected them, or you're at a show and you
see people just like having the timeof their life and you're like, yes,
I get to be a part ofthis special moment in memory that they're
creating, and like that's what itjust feels like. I just know,
(16:07):
absolutely no, this is what I'msupposed to be doing well. And I
love that feeling too, of likeyou get to be such a special like
part of somebody, just whether it'sa release of them having a night out
away from the kids or just withtheir friends. Because like on my side
of it, I mean, we'llget tickets to things, right, so
I'll get to Taylor Swift moment.Oh, I was crying. I was
literally crying watching it giving away thosetickets. I mean, those little girls
(16:32):
will remember that for the rest oftheir lives, you know, and it's
like knowing that those moments exist becauseof the hard work and the blood,
the sweat materials that y'all have allput in. It's it's I mean,
it's truly. You can't describe thatfeeling. Yeah, yeah, so special,
it is, It really is.And it's just so fun to like
have a job that literally gets todirectly pour into community and like, and
(16:55):
I speak for you as well doingthat. I mean anytime I talk about
you or like some of my friendswere like, I just love listening to
her. But like, truly,it's so positive and it's just like it's
such a breath of fresh air.You know. You can really tell,
you know when people are like,oh there's something different about Yeah, this
is like girl, that's Jesus.Yeah, me every day, that's Jesus.
That's funny. So Wine Country isofficially out this new song of yours.
(17:19):
When it comes to songs that youare particular about, are that the
ones that you love the most?Yeah? Wine Country? Is it?
Is it at number one for youright now? I mean obviously it is
a number one for you right nowbecause it's the new one. But is
it Is it more so one ofyour favorites? Oh? Absolutely, because
it's like, first of all,it's just so it's like me in a
(17:41):
song. It's so my personality becauseI've always been this like mixture of like
I love being a little boogie girland like wearing my fancy things and getting
all dressed up, but also likeI'm still from Kentucky. I'm still gonna
go home on Mother's Day and sitaround at my cousin's farm and barefoot and
play with their kids and like doall of that, and like we're still
(18:02):
gonna have that same energy. ButI think too, what I'm loving about
this song, what like the messagingof it is is that like so often
it's always like are you this orare you that? And like it's so
much more and and I feel likewe're all that way. We all have
a little bit of both in ayou know, it's just however however it
(18:22):
presents in your life well, andit's like you don't have to be the
same thing every day. I thinkI saw somebody posted a video. I
don't remember who said it. Ithink it was like Harry Styles or something,
but he was like the beauty ofevery day is that you can change
your mind every day. I lovethat, and we are all literally I
mean, you could believe something oneday and then the next day you're like,
wait a second. But like,honestly, great example, I'm looking
(18:42):
at you in this cute little LaDodgers had and like she's a baseball cat
girl, but over here off camerayou can't see that she's got her like
beautiful Sadie James had. That's atwo different girls. Literally, yes,
it's like ball cap hanging out orjust like my little you know. And
I just think that like this songlike invites people to just lean into that
(19:03):
and to just have fun with thatum and and I'm really I'm really excited
that people are really reacting to it. I'm excited for you because I feel
like going back to seeing the HannahMontana movie and deciding like, hey,
I think I want to give thisa shot. You ran for it for
three and a half years in college. You're like, Okay, I'm working
towards this goal. I'm going toget there. You moved to Nashville,
(19:25):
you get your publishing deal, you'reliterally crushing it, and then you make
your opery debut. You have yourdebut radio single, like looking back at
that moment, at that Handah Montanamovie, Now, oh yeah, what
would you tell little Hannah? Honestly, I would tell her, like to
not take your bad days so serious, you know, the days that you
(19:48):
that I did call and was likewhat am I doing? You know?
Or the just really tough and challengingmoments, or like moments when and I
think this more than anything, momentswhen other people were getting some that either
I thought I deserved or I wanted. I think I would just remind her
that like timing is everything, Ittruly is everything, and like there were
(20:10):
a lot of things I thought Ideserved at twenty four that I would have
absolutely squandered because I just would nothave been ready for those things. And
this I get to be like afully matured I mean most of the time
human and like know myself and knowmy art and my artistry and who I
want to be and how I wantto present my art, and like versus
twenty twenty four year old me wasjust like lost as a goose. Yeah
(20:34):
you're like where am I going?I would just tell the youngest version of
me that, like, yeah,don't don't take your bad days too hard
well, and I love that youbrought up how you the comparison game?
I mean, we all deal withit each and every single day, especially
with social media now. Raylan andI she did an episode here a couple
of weeks ago, and we talkedabout those moments where you see people succeeding
(20:57):
or you see people winning a war, getting something that obviously is a dream,
right, how do you deal withthose? Like, I mean,
they're intrusive thoughts, but they're nottrue, That's what I mean. How
do you deal with those when theycome in you're like that little bit of
like I want that too, butyou know what I mean, But not
my time yet? Yeah, Ithink that's what I have to really lean
into. Is that not my time? And also, you know, I
(21:21):
look around my life and I go, I have a pretty good life.
Yeah, I have things. Ihave an incredible healthy home life. I
get to go on the road andplay music. I get to be paid
to do music, which is stillcrazy to me. And so like,
I think it's just grounding yourself andwhat you do have. And then also
sometimes I think you just got totake that and use it as motivation,
(21:42):
not in a negative way. Butgo, okay, well, I just
need to keep working and I needto work harder and I need to like
really focus on if these are thingsI want? What are things I can
do? And it doesn't always worklike that. Yeah, you know,
and I think being honest with yourselfabout that, but also have goals.
Yeah, you know, get thatdream board up. That's right. So
(22:03):
like so I think that it's itis definitely I think that's always difficult,
but that and then you know,leaning your people, dude, community is
everything. Yeah, and like whenyou when your people are kind of gassing
you up, you're like, allright, okay, we're cool. And
it's so funny because it's like,you know, I'm for myself, Like
I'm I'm not going to talk goodabout myself. I mean I will,
but I'm not gonna gas myself upand not gonna be like, yeah,
(22:25):
I'm the best self right ever.I'm so good at this. And it's
just like you have your community ofpeople around you that when you are in
those bad days, yeah, theycan be like excuse me, Hannah,
yeah, right, do you rememberwhat you just did? Yeah? But
even just you sitting here and likelistening off these things and like, oh
my gosh, yeah, that wasso cool, and like I remember,
like, and it's funny because youknow, with us in this this world,
(22:48):
the um the goal line always movedright totally you get it, and
then it's not enough, and like, but I can remember not very long
ago, a year or two ago, when I was like, if I
could just hear my song on theradio, that will be it. That'll
be it. And it was inthat moment, and then about a week
later, I was like, ifI could hear it like a bunch of
times, that could be real exactly. Yeah. Well it's like like you
(23:11):
said, the goal line moves.It's like, right, once you hit
that goal or you achieve whatever itis, it's healthy to have another another
and I love that you know you'removing right along. But also not even
taking it from the granted sea thatin that moment of like eighteen year old
me, eight year old man wouldnot believe this. I mean even the
(23:33):
people that I've met, the peoplethat I've gone on tour with, I
mean opening up for Martina McBride waslike one of the wildest things for me
because she like almost strictly that waswhose songs I sang. In competitions from
eleven to sixteen. Yeah, Iwas like, she was my queen.
And then I went on tour withher and I'm on her bus with my
mom. Yeah, and I'm like, this is bizarre, literally, how
(23:57):
awesome. That's one of those momentswhere you're literally like sitting there, you're
like, okay, God, yeah, right, right, my dreaming,
that's right, that's right, that'sright. I don't remember what you said
that just brought this to my mind. But there's this like saying that my
husband and I say to each otherwhenever we're having our hard moments or whenever,
(24:17):
you know, things get uncomfortable ordifficult and we're feeling stretched or whatever,
and it's like, we have gettwo jobs, not half two jobs.
And I'm sharing that with my husband. It's so true though, because
I feel like it really anytime thathe's kind of like in a mood or
I'm in a mood and we sayit to each other, it's just like
it really brings you back down toearth because it's like, truly, that's
(24:37):
right, this is something we getto do. That's right. We don't
have to do it. We wereblessed with the opportunity to get to do
what we do. And I thinkthat's just something I don't know, a
little nugget of truth and I,oh my god, I love that,
and my husband would love that.So he used to work. His mom
owns a custom rug shop, andso he used to literally do like manual
labor, lank carpet flooring and stuff, and so he has such good perspective
(25:03):
constantly where he's like, this isnot work. I mean it's work,
don't get me wrong. It's atwenty four seven kind of weird job,
but like, this is not thatkind of work. So it's like,
I love that. Get two jobs, not seriously definitely quoting. So tell
us about Nick and what he's doing. I know that he's got his own
stuff going on, but I'm excitedfor him too. Yeah yeah, So,
(25:26):
um, you know, I feellike this year he's been leaning a
lot more into the songwriting, buthe's still releasing his own music, which
is so fun. His stuff's alittle more like soul songwriter. Yeah,
and um, but it's cool becausewe write together all the time. Like
we wrote my song wine Country,we wrote Country Can and like it's just
like so fun because he gets meand he pushes me too, you know,
(25:48):
like in the room, I canget pretty like this is what I
do, this is what I liketo do, and he'll kind of be
like that's cool. But like let'slet's like branch out, let's get a
little more fun. Let's let's throwa little of this in there, and
it can stretch you a little bitexactly and in a in a way that
I can like handle it, youknow, right. I remember what was
that? How many years ago wasit? You guys were on the Bobby
(26:10):
Bone Show together? I saw,Yeah, that was literally So what's funny
is it was January of twenty twenty. Yeah, it was like the last
thing we did and then we allwent away literally. Um no. It
was so fun and so funny becauselike the way that worked out was we
had done the cover of If theWorld Were Ending, um in December of
(26:33):
twenty nineteen, and it like literallyblew up like millions and millions of YouTube
views, and like we released itlike December twentieth by by literal Christmas Eve.
We were together and it was gettingone hundred thousand views an hour.
Oh my gosh. It was likeI was like, what is happening?
And so it was crazy, Sothey ended up bringing a song because the
(26:56):
song was so new that like alot of people thought it was our song.
We would get messages all the timeand you're like thank you, but
no, it's like but if Iwrote it, I would have so many
dollars right exactly, or like I'mnot getting that check yet. Where it
literally it was so sweet. Imean, both JP and Julia Michaels shared
it, Yeah, shared our coverbecause they were both like, this is
so sweet and so good and Ilove that. Yeah. It was just
(27:18):
such a cool moment and and it'ssomething that we really do value is getting
to do music together. Um,and we both have our own careers as
well, but like getting to sharein some of those moments, it's really
cool. I was just gonna say, you guys were still dating at that
time, my boyfriend girl, That'sright. How fun though, just getting
to do something that you love thatis basically in the DNA as you're as
(27:44):
your person. Yeah, And it'sjust so fun because it's so intertwined,
and you know, I know,there's lots of opinions and different people have
different takes on like dating someone orbeing with someone who does what you do.
And for us it's so good becausewe can stay so grounded and like
also very understanding. When I'm callinghim and I'm on the road and I'm
like, hey, it's eleven,my show just ended. We're about to
(28:07):
all go get drinks at this place. I'll hit you in the morning,
Like that's not weird for us,because like our job is weird. And
I'm like he's like, all right, love you buy, and like he
will do the same with me whenhe's out experiencing those moments, and like
it's just having someone that just totallygets it and is not like, well,
why didn't you call? Well thatwas weird. Yeah, is really
(28:29):
really nice, specifically in this industrybecause it is one of those things it's
bizarre. It is such a weirdschedule. I mean half the time you
probably don't even know what's on yourschedule that day. You just show up
and you're like, okay, hereI go where I literally literally it's like
I've gotten to where I'm like,week by week, I'm pretty good at
going, Okay, what's the week, because I mean these include flights like
today we just booked, we justbooked flights, have a show in Fresno.
(28:53):
Then I have to fly home toNashville the next day, to Philly
the next day, and then fromPhilly to Napa, which is a six
and a half hour one way fight. I know, I was like,
catch me with an ivy girl.I was just gonna say, catch me
with some caffeine injected into my thankyou. Oh my gosh. Do you
(29:15):
ever have those moments? We werejust like, man, I just need
to take a nap. Oh yeah, oh yeah. But you know,
I'm kind of like I'm like theenergies or Bunny, Like I'm so extroverted
that I do get my energy frompeople versus you know, my husband's an
extroverted introvert, so like he hasthe energy out, but he's got to
be alone to like refill the tank. And I'm pretty good at like refilling
(29:37):
the tank with people. I meandefinitely, I have moments like the last
two days have been my days off, and I was like, oh,
I just kind of get to likeclean my house and things by myself.
I'm so that way. I'm suchan extroverted introvert where I love my time
alone. Like my poor husband,you know, he's super down at home.
(30:00):
I'm you know, working all thetime, and then he runs merchandise
for different country artists, so he'slike on the road during the weekend.
So it's like Monday through Thursday.Before he hits the road, he's like
super Dad at home and I'll likeget home from work and he's like wanting
to chat and I'm like not today. Also, like you talk for a
living, literally, like that isliterally your your life. It's such a
(30:21):
weird thing because it truly is likeI mean I'm not talking specifically to anyone
on the radio. You're talking tojust this right in a studio by yourselves.
Everybody's like such a it's such aweird content. We feel like you're
talking to us. So that isthe goal, So thank you Jesus did
it. But yeah, it's sucha weird thing where I'm like, yeah,
(30:41):
I do. I do. Italk for a living and I can
be in a room and talk towhoever and do whatever. But then it's
just like those moments when I knowI need to like spill time into like
my relationship and like my husband,I'm just like can we just sit here?
Yeah? Right? Can we justwant? Yes? Well? And
we do. We always will havea show that I'll go on. He's
like, so it's a TV kindof night, just not watch anything,
(31:04):
and I'm like, yeah, thisis fine, let's get right. Oh
man, do you guys have anyshows that you guys watched together? Oh?
Yes, we It's harder to findshows that we watch separate, although
I do. Finally I finally foundone. I do Outlander. That's my
travel show. Got it so likeit's just like girly enough that he's like
not into it. Um, Imean Bridgerton also, but did you watch
(31:26):
the new one? I have towatch it. I'm almost at I think
I have one or two episodes left. It's that'll be another one of my
like travel shows. But together wewatch I mean ted Lasso. So we're
literally refusing. We have not watchedthe last episode because we're like literally not
ready for it to be over.So no comment. I will not give
(31:47):
you any spoilers because I don't haveany because I don't watch the show.
So some of my husband we startedwatching it together and he was like not
interested ish. It was just oneof those moments where he was just like,
I don't know if I care aboutwatching it, And then all of
a sudden he's likeinging this show andhe's just like, so it's so good,
and I was like, I needto watch it. The the finale.
(32:07):
Yeah, he like he was likeit wrecked me, but it was
but he was it was produced thatit was perfect. Yeah, I've heard
that it was good. So yeah, literally we've been like putting it off
because they're like actively not ready tolike finish the show. It's like you
don't want something good to yea.And like also, it's such a unique
show, like it's not like,oh well, let's roll into something similar.
(32:27):
There's not really because it's so positiveand yet there's so much weight to
it, like it's it's a reallygreat show. Um, what else do
we watch? I mean we loveSomebody Feed Phil, which is just such
a fun foodie show because we're hugefoodies. Like that is literally it's like
HGTV and Food Network in my house. Yeah, it's yeah, like literally
it's so funny. Um. Iwas doing an interview recently and they were
(32:47):
like, um, so, what'slike some of your hobbies like, and
I was I was like, well, cooking, and I was like I
was like but mainly I'm on theroad, so like I'm really good at
picking restaurants. Um, actually,yeah, I think my hobby is eating.
Like that is a hobby. Likea great meal, whether I made
it or someone else made it,it's eating. It's well, then you're
gonna have to come over because I'ma mean cut. Yes, let's go
(33:09):
out some steaks and stuff. Girl, there is no quicker way to my
heart. That's that's my jamp Andlike it's so fun because on the road.
That's literally something that is like oneof my like secret skill sets is
I'm really good at finding great placesto eat like anywhere. Like, what
(33:30):
are your some of your favorite placeshere in Nashville. Oh gosh, um,
I mean I love, love,love my Barcelona people like those That
is my heart and it just doesn'tmiss. They never miss. And there's
great wine there, so it's likeyou can't miss exactly exactly. Let me
think of girls. So I liveover in Donaldson area, So I love
(33:50):
we have Tenfold, which is abrewery over there. Girl, Literally she
knows our favorite, she knows thetrue Tenfold. There is nothing bad on
the menu there. Pizza's fire,they're chicken sand they're so good. Bowls
are good. Like I'll go thereand get a salmon bowl. And you're
like, you went to a brewery. I'm like, yes, trust me
when I say, if you arein Nashville, either you're here, you're
visiting, go to Tenfold. Itis so good. It is so good
(34:14):
because and you tell people and they'relike a breweries one of your favorite places,
I'm like, eat their food literallyand they just they just put that
the stage out on the patio,so they do a bunch of like and
you know that that's the same ownersas Nectar. I did not know.
Yeah, say two incredible places rightthere. So good. Nectar is fire.
Yeah, yeah, they're both sogood. Um, oh my gosh,
I could go forever. Um myfavorite one of my favorite like date
(34:36):
night places. And Nick and Idebate this a little bit because he's like,
it's not like the greatest food ever, but that's not its purpose.
Its purpose is to be great inlike their moment. And so it's like
once upon a time in France.Yeah have you been there? I have
not. Okay, it is literallylike it's not Nashville. They're all French.
It's like a French bistro. It'sso special and like, okay to
(35:00):
make when we say it's not thegreatest. It's like it's not high end.
Yeah, it is great food,but like it's so well prized.
It's like kind of a joke.You're like, how is this what?
But I feel like everything overseas iswell prized. Yeah, like what are
we doing here? Guy? Areyou doing here? And then you go
like to get a sushi roll downtownand it's like twenty six dollars for four
(35:22):
pieces? She got it, nailedit. Literally, that happen the other
day. I was like, whereare we? Literally, I'm like,
guys, what are you putting goldflakes in this? Yeah? All right?
Because there's not a lot this betterhave been swimming today. And I'm
still hungry. I hate that.I love sushi. I love, love,
love sushi, but every time Ieat sushi, I feel like I
leave hungry, Like one hour later, You're like, but what's for dinner?
(35:44):
Literally, I'm like, that wasa fun appetizer. Really gonna go
get some steaks? Oh my god? I love it, but no,
we have so many good food spotsaround Nashville. I'm in all right.
Next time that I'm feeding for something, I'm going to text you and be
like, girl, where am Igoing, where are we going? Let's
make it happen. I'm here forit. It so thinking of the next
I mean, we are six monthsinto twenty twenty three, which is a
(36:05):
wild crazy My kid is about toturn two, Yeah in a few weeks,
which is nuts. Oh my gosh, six months left of the year.
What are some of your goals forthe end of this year? Oh
man, I really just want tosee I want to see Wine Country just
continue doing well and connecting with people. I'm excited for some touris I'm going
on. I think there's some morein the works that will be really fun.
(36:25):
Yeah, And I mean I thinkthose are those are the two things
that really like move my spirit themost as far as from a work standpoint.
Also, we do have an albumfinished, so we're working on like
release plans, and like I reallyreally hope we get that like all packaged.
I'm ready to rocket roll because likethat, Like you know, the
(36:49):
focus over the last couple of monthswas really just getting Wine Country a good
start, and now we're going tostart shifting the focus to like the whole
record, and I'm so so,so, so so so excited to share
these songs with people. Because they'rejust there's just they kind of run the
gamut. You know. There's funsongs. There's songs I wrote for my
friends literally like to them. There'ssongs I wrote to myself. There's there's
(37:15):
just so much here that I'm reallypumped to share. And I think it'll
just continue opening up who I amas a person and an artist to my
fans and friends. I know,it's such I always feel like it's such
a shame. How like how Ican know someone and know like somebody else
I'll be like, they'll be like, oh, I'm not sure who that
is, and you need to know, you need to know her and putting
(37:37):
out a record and just continuing yourcareer. I just I know that people
are going to welcome you and likelove you so much because you're just one
of the kindest. I remember thefirst time we met. I was like,
she you can just feel it inyour bones when you're around good people.
And I just know that, Yeah, I really appreciate that, and
it's and you know what, Iactually um that is something I receive a
(37:59):
lot from like a lot of peoplein town and honestly other artists, like
they really love on me and theyreally support me. You know. I
get text from people all the timejust like, oh my gosh, you
looked so great on the carpet.Oh my gosh, just like out of
nowhere, and like I'm like,it's just really cool. And it does
make me feel really loved. AndI try to love people back, you
(38:21):
know, and it's hard sometimes it'shard to find those genuinely good people,
you know, not people who arejust good to be good. That's right,
You're just like actually genuinely good.So I love that. Thank you.
And speaking of Red Carpet, youwalked your first one this year.
Gosh, it was so funny.You know. It was fun because so
we did we did the CMTS andlike the idea, so Krista Rosa is
(38:42):
my stylist, and so we werelike, okay, we want to make
sure it's hair down what Hannah Ellislooks like. But it's fun because the
CMT awards, right, the morefun and the carpet all that. So
we did this like cute little midiblue dress and I was like, yes,
okay, when feel good about it. But then we were like okay,
ACMs were like up in the script, we're going like full glam old
(39:02):
Hollywood and literally could not be moreexcited about how it turned out. Like
I was so pumped. I loveaward shows because I just love how you
see people in like their outfits normallyright, but on a red carpet.
Like there's just something about seeing It'slike it's like promp, you know what
I mean, And it's just thefatally ever and I'm like, man,
(39:25):
this just happens like five times ayear, right right, And it's just
like those five times a year.You just see the glam and then like
fashion and just like so fake up. It's just so great to I love
it and you get to play.And that's what's cool too, is all
the awards are a little bit different, so like you kind of get to
go, Okay, what's this mode, what's this feel like? And like
(39:45):
you get to play with all thesedifferent styles that are like you know,
on your brand, but also likehave fun with it. But you're right
though, because CMT is always justlike kind of like a fun like neon
moment. I feel like, andthen like ACM, You're like, okay,
black on black on black on letlet's be serious here, Let's like
get super glammed. Up. Iremember my first ACMs. I was just
like, how do you pick dress? And I'm like, what do you
(40:07):
do? Oh? No, right? So much fun. Though, whenever
I'm not with Christa, though,I will shout out our mutual favorite,
which is the show they keep yourgirls looking like honestly, they're so great
now they have all those like likesingle pieces and stuff. I go in
there for like, if I havea show weekend and I'm just like,
hate everything in my closet, I'llgo like, get a shirt. It's
so cute, so great. Well, and it's funny because my husband his
(40:30):
cousin just went to her senior promright and they came to town to visit
and they were talking about it andshe was like I was talking to her
mom and she was just like,yeah, we spent probably eight hundred dollars
on her dress and then hair andmakeup. And I'm just like over here
thinking I have a two year oldand I'm like fast forward, she's sixteen
years I'm like, I'm one ofthe showroom girl, right dressing, I'll
(40:50):
wear What's the only time I willdo that is when she gets her wedding
down. I will buy that expensivedress for you to wear one time money.
That's the one form I know.It is so funny because whenever you
know, obviously I went to promwhen I was younger, and then now
that these kids have the showroom,I'm like, man, that's fairy.
Well it's because I remember saving upand I don't even remember how much I
(41:13):
paid for like one of my promdresses. But I had a job,
like I hadn't paid for that myself, and I'm like, if I could
have saved money and rented one,right, amazing genius. Yeah, they
crush it over out to the showroom. We love you, guys, We
love it, and it was seriouslyalways so good to see you. We
do this thing at the end ofthe podcast where I have this little gumball
machine here in the studio, randomjust willy nilly questions. So we'll see
(41:35):
which one comes out on the end. For you see, if I can
get it open, it's might beidiot prove it's like, don't mess up
your nails. I know, passit to me if you need help.
I might need help. Yes,Mom, I got you, I got
you both. I'll read it foryou. Okay, tag teaming it.
This one's hard, Okay, soI'm not also great nails, I noticed.
(41:58):
Thanks. Oh okay, we gotit. We did it, since
I did it. Okay. Thisone says, what is your favorite candy?
Oh? Super easy question. Thatis super easy. Maybe I was
like, or do you have alot of favorites? Um, okay,
I'm gonna give you two. Okay, I'm gonna give you my favorite candy
and then I'm gonna give you mylike true favorite sweet guilty pleasure. So
(42:22):
I think my favorite candy is abutterfinger. Okay, They're just kind of
classic, you know. I mean, I'm enjoyed sometimes, but I think,
really truly it's butterfinger. Okay.My guilty pleasure is a cosmic brownie.
I love a little one. Yes, I'm from with a little oh
(42:45):
yeah, oh yeah. Um Nonutritional value absolutely not, Like I don't
even know if there's anything real init. That's okay, doesn't still eat
it? Yeah, that is theone for me. When I told when
I told Nick that for the firsttime, he was like, that's kind
of disgusting, right. Those areour childhood wrapped in a freaking rappers Like
they're delicious, you can leave mealone. They're like literally four million calories.
(43:08):
But it's like, honestly, Ifeel like Little Debbie, like all
the snacks we I remember, there'sthere's six kids in my family, so
three boys, three girl kids,so we would always and all of us
always wanted something different, right,And like the little Debbie things back in
the day. I don't even knowhow much they cost anymore. They're back
in the day for a pack ofthem. So like my brother would want
the honey bun. Somebody want tostart crunchesbody wants the brownies, the Swiss
(43:30):
cake rolls, like I love it. Yeah, you just can't put a
price on that much. That wasmy thing. And it's like every once
in a while if I'm on likea long road trip and I'm like,
okay, so there is nothing wrongwith a little bit of indulgence. Okay,
you eat that cosmic brownie when youwant to grow. That is truly
the definition of you can't take thecountry out of the girl. You can
(43:52):
take her to the fanciest. I'vehad every gorgeous dessert out there, and
I'm like, give me a cosmicbir girl. Now, all these fans
are gonna start throwing cosmic Rownie's wholestage flowers, no roses, no bras
cousnia. Honestly, that's all Iwant is people to give me food.
Okay, okay, well I cando that for you. I'll give you
all the food, sure, fakean. It's so good to see you.
(44:14):
I love you so much. Telleverybody where you are on socials,
um at, Hannah Gray Ellis onI Think everything that's TikTok, Instagram all
that, and then just Hannah Ellismusic on Facebook. I love you,
honey, I love You's good tosee you YouTube
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