June 4, 2023 • 45 mins
Join Brooke Taylor (@Brookeradio) and RaeLynn (@RaelynnOfficial) for a conversation about new music, Jesus, friendship and the journey of being an independent artist.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Okay, you're ready, I'm ready. Okay, let's do it backstage.
Welcome to Backstage with Brook. You'reall access passed to music City, where
nothing is off limits. Grab adrink, let's go backstage. Yeah.
I'm so excited about this episode.I feel like we have been talking about
(00:20):
doing this forever. Y'all. Welcomegirls here, y'all, I'm here.
She's made it. I made it. We did book this a couple weeks
ago, and I woke up feelinglike covets, and I really appreciated Brooke
letting me. I mean, that'swhat best friends are for, right,
(00:41):
Jesus, you're my friend. It'sso funny because we always talk about our
relationship and how we met and justkind of like our story. Yeah,
right, and I met in liketwo thousand and fourteen or fifteen. Yeah,
fourteen or fifteen. Yeah. Yeah, you had just finished everything with
the voice. Yeah, you're doingyour whole thing. And I worked at
Radio Disney, and I mean,I feel like we were children. I
just sature the other day of mestanding next to this tour of us at
(01:04):
your face on it, and youlook so awkward in the photo. You're
like, I'm gonna take this.That's the funniest part. My mom was
taking the picture because my mom sentit to me and she was just like
throwback, and I was like,I literally remember you. That's so fun.
Don't you love moms and their throwbacks? No, like, absolutely not,
but I am that like we arethose moms now. We were like,
(01:25):
every little thing that you do,I'm gonna take a picture. Have
you seen that? Like me?And it said I have six photos of
me in nineteen ninety four, andthen it said, and my daughter has
one hundred and five photos of herfrom eight to eight oh five, And
I'm like, that is literally.I was going through my phone last night
de leting you know, there's likeseven good jillion photos on there, and
it's like everything's of Emma. It'syour life is Emma, My life is
(01:48):
Daisy. But it's just about howit makes sense. Okay, we got
to talk about this new music videoyou just put out. What's wrong with
that? I am It's funny.The other day you were saying something and
I was just like, no,you just you want your husband to be
on a tractor with a shirt off, well in the grass, drinking a
margarito while Daisy's playing in the pool. Yeah, I was like, this
video doesn't have to be much aslong as my husband takes off a shirt
(02:09):
and I'm drinking a mark and dayshe's in a blue pool. The video's
done. Like when when you guysthought of like the concept and stuff for
the video, were you like alittle or was Josh weirded out by taking
a shirt off on a video foreveryone to see. This is the thing
about Josh that I love so muchabout him, Like he he's always like,
oh I don't want to do itor I can't do it, But
(02:30):
then like on set, he youknow, his personality is so funny and
if you don't know as personality,he's just so when you get to know
him, he's so quirky and funnyand so with everything to be Like,
so do I need to take myshirt off now? I really gonna keep
it on? He was just beinghilarious. I know, I feel I
feel bad because I make Josh beingon my music videos now, But first
of all, like, I'm notgonna hire a dude to take off a
(02:53):
shirt like when, and it wouldn'tfeel authentic to me, Like I my
life is Josh and Daisy and musicand if the video or the song needs
to have them in it, thenI think it should be them. And
I think it gives fans this islike a little inside book inside your family.
And I think that that's such ahuge part of your life now that
(03:14):
I think it's awesome that you sharethat with everybody. It is and too,
it's just like those are videos thatall have forever. That's things like
I was thinking, most like Daisydoesn't have home videos. She has two
music videos. She has thousands ofpictures on the phone, music videos that
she's going to look back and belike who she is? Literally the best?
And I just I love that wehave kids that are around the same
(03:37):
age. Yep, we reconnected whenI moved to Nashville. And I mean
watching you become a mom, butlike knowing you before that I think has
been one of the coolest things toexperience as a friend. Is like knowing
you and the fact that you haven'tstopped chasing your dream even though you have
become a mom. And I don'tknow why I'm getting emotional right now,
(03:57):
oh my gosh, but it's Ifeel like so many people in the industry
they get this big like screeching halt, or they are scared to have children,
or they just put that on thebackburnner and it's not a priority for
them. And I know for youand Josh, having a family has always
been a huge priority. I thinkthe biggest lie that I didn't I believe
(04:18):
for a moment, but I didn'tlike is that children were gonna, you
know, just turn my world upsidedown. And yes they do, but
it's not a bad thing. Likeyes, I mean you know it with
Emma, like you have to havebetter time management and you have to figure
things out, but there's such ablessing and being a mom and it gives
(04:39):
you a selflessness that I feel likeeverybody needs them life. Yeah, And
I you know, I was lookingthinking back about my career and I was
I said this recently in another interview. I've I'm so thankful that I've always
kind of gone with my gut asan artist and as a person, because
I was told at twenty one whenI got married, oh that's not good
(05:00):
idea, or oh you gotta beavailable, you gotta be single, you
gotta do all these things, andI remember, like it was such a
rebel move for me to like kindof give the middle finger, be like,
no, I'm gonna I'm gonna marrythis man. I know I'm in
love with him, I know he'smy husband, and I'm gonna like,
I don't care what you say,Like, this is my life and even
though I have a career, I'mnot gonna let my career stop my personal
(05:21):
happiness because in twenty years, thirtyyears, forty years, yeah, I
don't know if I'll be on astage singing. I'm not going to be,
probably not, and maybe I would. Maybe I'll be like Dolly and
do a couple shows a year,But I'm just saying, like, all
I'm gonna have is my family,and I'm not gonna be one of those
people that wakes up one day andhas nothing and has all these accolades and
as lonely as hell. That's justnot the vibe I one. Well.
(05:42):
And so the whole premise of thispodcast is like the backstage of life and
things that happen. And I lovethat you brought up the fact that like
the industry people higher up saying youcan't do this because it's not good for
business. When you were going throughthose motions and I mean, because you
dream this is this career is whatyou've dreamed of since you're a little and
(06:02):
having someone tell you that what wasDo you remember how you felt in that
moment. Well, first of all, I'm like I just first I started
doing music because I loved it.I didn't do it to be a business.
And you find out the business andof course it changes and it becomes
your job. But like I wentinto music as a kid knowing that I
(06:24):
wanted to have a family, knowingthat I wanted to get married, knowing
that I still can have a personallife and a professional life. So then
you get all of these you know, people with their opinions and percentages and
vibes and oh you should be thisor you should be that, and it
just it didn't become fun anymore.And I was just like, Okay,
(06:45):
well that can be your opinion,but I'm going to do it this way.
And I you know, and there'sthere was times where I did listen.
There was times where you know,I put out a song that probably
wasn't my favorite song, and Ihad other songs that were like more in
depth of what I felt like asa songwriter and arist I wanted to put
out, but I don't regret thosemoments because they all bring you to who
(07:06):
you are today. And I thinkthe biggest thing that like, the biggest
advice that I give to this likenext generation of artists is don't get so
caught up in the here and nowthat you don't focus on, like,
you know, creating that personal lifefor you too, and your friends and
like, like, friendships are soimportant, and it took me so long
(07:30):
to find those people that, like, I can absolutely trust with everything in
my life because especially I telling likethis, everybody wants something right, and
I feel like it's hard to especiallylike with the platform that you've been given,
it's hard to trust everybody around youbecause, like you said, somebody
you might just want something from you. They might want an into the music
business and stuff like that. Combatingthose different like feelings, I mean it's
(07:55):
hard. I think the best thingthat you can do is not be jaded.
So like IOE is, like,if anybody wants to talk to me
or spend time with me, up, I always I'm open arms. I
like, I will talk to anybody. I will give anybody advice. I
think that's what we're called to do, Like and but then you can I
have discern it. You can quicklyrealize if somebody like is in it for
(08:16):
the right reasons or if they're justbeing sketch. And then and those people
were really weeded out by when stuffreally happens with you or they are they
there for you right you know.And that's one thing that Abbo has kind
of leaned on. Yeah, Imean friendships, community, Those relationships are
so important, and those people thatkeep you humble. Yes, Like we
all know who she is. She'sout in the lobby right now to me,
(08:37):
like one of your best friends you'venoticed since since what basically growing up?
Yeah, and her and I havebecome really good friends too. But
one of my favorite qualities about heris that she'll snap you right back.
She'll keep you humble, like,she'll keep it out, she'll keep it
end to me, fight like sisters, like in a good way, like
and it's not fight, it's likea nitpicky like she annoys me like you
know, but like vice versa.But that's how you are with your best
(09:00):
friend. We were I was talkingabout that with somebody. I was like,
it's you can't make old friends.And the cool thing about Demi.
Like Demi moved here and last year, I mean she was living in Baytown,
she was working on a bank andshe's like, I just need to
change bays of moving to Nashville.And literally I was like, oh my
god, this is awesome. Dreamcome true, dream come true. Because
even me and Demi kind of likeme and you, I think the sucky
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thing about being away from your friendsor the people that you love is,
you know, especially as a momor at the time being married, like
you get so caught up in you, Like you get so you forget to
call people, you forget to doall these things. And even to me,
before she moved here, we maybetalked once a month. You know,
we didn't talk all the time.But when we talked, we talked
for like six hours. But wedidn't talk all the time. She would
(09:46):
come visit me like twice a year, but she had her life. I
had my life. Same thing withyou when you moved to Chicago and I
sure doing all your stuff. Whenyou moved back from La you had your
life. I had my life,and like we stayed as connected as we
could. But like when you livein the same town and we you know,
mean you obviously we're all just superconnected now, but like you can,
(10:07):
it's you can live day to daytogether, and it's it's just a
different, different thing. And Ithink that that's such an important thing that
we always talk about, is howimportant a community is. I feel like
so many people get so wrapped upin social media and you know, these
are my friends online, which youcan have those friends, but there's literally
nothing like sitting face to face infront of somebody having a conversation, somebody
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that like has your back and cantalk you off the ledge. I mean
being you know, doing what wedo, having a platform. It's so
much fun, but it's so hardat the same time totally and being able
to have friends to understand that isreally great. Let's go to some of
those hard things that you just mentioned. This industry obviously is a roller coaster
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for so many reasons, and thebest way and the worst with all the
things. Yeah, I mean that'sany career. Yes, you're always wanting
something new, somebody else has gotit, you don't. That kind of
thing. But when it comes toyour career, the hard parts that nobody
gets to see, like being toldno or you know, not having a
label or things like that. Whatare some of those things that sometimes you
(11:13):
do struggle with and that nobody getsto see. Everybody gets to see Ray
on social media and her amazing youknow, your songs that you put out,
all of your videos, everything,your personality, like you're just one
of the best people. Thank you. What are some of those moments that
are just like hard for you thatyou struggle with. I think the thing
is, I'm always wondering if I'mdoing the right thing. Yeah, you
know, even though I'm I've hadmultiple record deals. When I came here,
(11:37):
I signed a Big Machine and thenI signed with Warner and then I
signed to round Your Records, andround Here was more of an independent deal.
And now I'm fully independent. Andyou know, even though I'm seeing
such success in different ways, it'sjust different success, you know, because
when you're independent, you know,you don't like you're not. And I
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guess it's not the cool the coolkids club, but like the award shows
and all that stuff. I mean, and I could do it, and
I could go, but it's justlike for me, like I'm just so
focused on the music right now andbeing with my family. Like it's a
lot personally it's a lot of workto you know, get a thousand dollar
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dress and go to a show,do makeup, do red carpet when you're
not nominated or not doing something.And now I'm not just that, like
I'm away from my family, andit's like what's worth it for me?
Like, of course I want todo those things. There's so much fun
to do. I love being there. But it's like I'm feeling this balance
of life. But yeah, itwas. There was definitely, you know,
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some some hardships, but it wasalways like through the time that I
was growing, there was so muchthat that God was doing like in me,
and he was making me so toughand like and two you know,
because when I had Daisy, Iwas like, dude, I really want
to do this anymore. Like Idon't know if I want to be an
(13:01):
arts anymore. I'm just in babyHeaven. I'm nursing. She's just like
the most uforic feeling is when youhave a newborn, Oh my gosh,
everything in the world doesn't matter,And like, you know, I was
like, and I don't want tobe away from her, and then obviously
shout out to my awesome husband.He's like you are meant to do this,
like you are called to be anartist, and even though it might
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look different, and he said,you know, God's not gonna give you
more than you can, more thanyou know about off, more than you
can choose. He's gonna give youeverything that you need and like. And
so that's the kind of what I'vebeen like leaning into. It's like I'm
in this new phase of just youknow, seeing what doors open. But
all that being said, going backto the hardships this industry, it is
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ups and downs. You know,you'll be at the peak of the mountain
and then the next day you canbe right at the bottom. And it's
not that it's first of all,it's not because of talent. It's not
because of you know, label asmanagers any of that stuff. People.
There's independent artists that are bigger thanthat are on labels, vice versa.
And so there's really no perfect formulafor being an artist, especially now there
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used to be there used to be, oh, you had to have a
deal, you had to go onradio towere you used to But that's not
the way it works anymore. It'sjust like, honestly, it's just finding
that magic and believing because you don'tknow when your moment's going to be.
I think about Walker Hayes, yearsand years worked at Costco, like his
story is incredible, and then overnightdidn't even like his daughter like created a
(14:33):
dance on TikTok blew him up.And it's just like what nobody knows when
their moment is. And it's sofunny because I always think about I'm like,
I'm We're all just like one momentaway from our moment. I think
it's so important for the new girlsmove in to Nashville and the new guys
that are chasing this dream be authentic. Go, you know, go take
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anybody that wants to take you tocoffee, Go to coffee, right a
crap ton of song. Let thembe good songs, bad songs. Don't
ever like that your next song isgonna get you better to your next song.
So it's like, just work hardand be authentic. Like that's my
biggest thing is I feel like somepeople come to this town and they realize
that they don't realize it's a smalltown. And the thing that's gonna let
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you in is you know, becauseone day you're gonna be at the top
of the mountain, but then oneday you're not and who like? Those
authentic relationships are the ones that aregonna last. And one thing that I
can say that I always did,even at eighteen nineteen, when because I
moved here at eighteen ye is whenI went to coffee somebody with somebody,
or if I went into a meeting, I didn't just talk about myself.
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Of course, you know, we'retalking about what I was doing, but
I asked them about them. How'syour kids, how's your life, where
are you from? And I didn'tdo that to be like quote unquote fake
or whatever. I do that becauseI care about people. This is a
people business and it's not even abusiness. I just think if you're a
people person, you do really welland industry because at the end of the
day, we're all humans and it'sall about connecting with people. And when
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you connect with somebody, i'd otherconnect with somebody then them love one of
my songs and leave with oh Ilike that song. I other than be
like I love hanging out with Ray. Yeah, I love the energy she
brings to my life. I wantto walk into a room and bring life
to somebody. I don't want towalk into a room and make somebody anxious,
yeah, and or what you know, what was this person going to
ask me to do for them today? And I think that that's something that
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nobody can take away from you asan artist. And that's what you should
figure out if you're moving to thistown. What is the thing that you
can bring into every room that makesyou different? Well, I think that's
one of the things that I lovemost about you is you truly are who
you are like social media in person, when you're having conversations with whoever you
are, you care. You reallydo genuinely care about people, and like
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your mind could be running a millionmiles a minute, but you're also good.
You're also going to be like howcan I help you? Like how
can I serve you? Like whatwhat can I do for you? And
I feel like in the industry specifically, like I mean, it's always a
war of like who's doing better andlike it's a competition, but you will
champion your fellow peers. You willshare them on always, even if there's
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that little I mean, we allhave it. Like in my career,
I'll see somebody do something and I'mlike, oh, I wasn't doing that.
There's a difference between wanting to dothe same thing and being jealous.
I don't think people understand, likeit's not because you could want things for
your life, like when I seemy friends succeeding, like I can want
that for my life and not bejealous of them, right like that there's
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that's two different things. And Iwouldn't even say that's competitive. I think
it's like who doesn't want to findsuccess and who doesn't want to be like,
oh dang, I want that.But it's all about how you manifest
that feeling. Do you manifest it? And like I'm gonna work hard or
are you just gonna sit on yourcouch and mope and bits about everybody like
that's that's you know, it's allabout how you react to it literally,
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and you're talking about like working hardand being that person who's you know,
chasing a dream and not giving up. And I think one of the best
pieces of advice that I was givingis how you can't have success without failure.
Yeah, it's good, and peopledon't understand that failure is not final.
Failure is the key to success becauseyou have to learn the mistakes.
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You have to learn how to correctthose You have to learn and get better
from those mistakes. Girl, haven'twe all? But I think it's so
important too in this industry, especiallyin Nashville, when everybody's doing the same
thing right, everybody's doing all thesethings, and you see someone else win
an award, or you see someoneelse you know, get a record deal
or things like that, it's justlike, just because there have been quote
(18:45):
unquote failures, which I don't thinkthey're necessarily failures, but maybe just like
things that didn't work out, bumpsin the road, it doesn't mean that
you're you know, there's a periodat the end of Raylan, you know
what I mean, Like you're it'sa comma and God is working in ways.
And I think it's been such ablessing for you, especially knowing that
we were Mom's right literally months apart, literally months apart. We went to
(19:07):
right when she'd be back to Nashville. She was pregnant and I was pregnant,
and I was like, let's goto True Food. Yeah. We
literally said there, and I rememberlike being like, oh my god,
I've missed Brooke so freaking much.It's so great when you have those friendships
where you just pick right back uplike it's never Those are the real ones
totally. And I think knowing thatGod has specifically ordained this, like this
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path in your career of where itwas a little bit of a lull,
yeah, because he knew that thislove that he was giving you with Daisy
and then just like growing your family, there's nothing like that. And I
said, I feel like if youwere to have been on a major tour
or on a road and trying tobe a mom, and the mom guilt
would have oh flooded your life.Yeah, And I hate that. I
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don't understand why mom guilt is sucha big thing. But I remember when
I had Emma, kind of howyou said, you know, with Daisy,
You're like, I don't know ifI want to do this anymore.
That thought crossed my mind too.And I've been in radio since twenty eleven
and it's like I've worked so hardto get to where I am. And
I'll tell you a funny story aboutbeing in Nashville, But like, I
(20:12):
remember having her and I was liketwo or three weeks postpartum, and I
was like, I don't know ifI want to go back to work.
But then you get over that,and like, I have a supportive husband
too. Andrew is just like youliterally have a microphone on purpose and I'm
not gonna let you quit. Yeah, And having that champion in not only
my life, but I know Joshis that for you too. It's so
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important to have a spouse that isnot only a good like leader, but
a champion for you to lead to. Absolutely, and as they know that,
that's why they married us, isbecause they know that we are determined
women that love what we do andthey're passionate about the platform that we have.
We're those We're the I don't knowwhat the world I'm looking for is,
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is like we are so like Joshand Andrew are so similar, and
then me or you are like thebig firecrackers in the room, like let's
go, we're gonna we're gonna leadthis, and our husbands are like,
let's go wherever you want to goon there, let's do it. So
I was thinking about this the otherday about how actually I was on a
podcast, um Heart of the Gulch. If you haven't listened to it,
(21:15):
my episode comes out soon. Buthe was asking me about like Nashville and
like why Nashville. So Ray andI we met on this music in our
Schools tour. Oh my gosh,it was so fun when I worked for
Radio Disney and we basically took thistour bus to nine different cities, different
schools. You would perform, Iwould do like a little Q and a
session, and then we'd present theschool's music program with a check pretty much.
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And we ended the tour at theGrand Ole Opry in Nashville. And
I remember she stayed at me thenight before because we were having so much
fun. We did. We hadso much you were like, you're coming
to my house. You're not stayingat your hotel room. Okay. So
I remember standing side stage at theOpery you had just finished performing, or
you are about to perform. Ican't remember, but Vince Gill walks on
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stage and I'm like, what ismy life right now? Because country music,
I mean, we grew up listeningto Vince Gill and all these like
legends, and I like tears startedstreaming down my face and I'm like,
what is my life? I'm standingnext to, you know, Vince Gill
performing in Nashville. I was like, I want to be here. And
I remember it's magic. In thatmoment, I was like God like planted
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the seat of Nashville into my heartand like what seven years later it happened.
It's so crazy how God will giveyou those little moments and and honor
it, Like if you pursue it, God will honor it. And I
love that. I think the funniestthing about that feeling, too, is
is sometimes you don't even have tovoice that to God. He just knows.
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He knows the desires of your heart. And so and like, you
know, there was little seeds thatI've played at all all throughout my life,
just I would never even say it, but he knows, like I
said, he knows the desire ofheart, and then it would happen eventually,
and you're just like, whoa youknow that? How did he know
that? And I think one ofthe best parts about you is your faith
and how authentic you are to shareit. And a lot of people in
(23:10):
not just in music, but inHollywood or whatever are scared to say like
I'm a Christian, yeah, orI do this. And I remember I
think it was in Chicago. Youhad come through the studio or something.
I think you were on tour withBlake Shelton your plan, I think United
Center or something, and we werelike talking about we're in this circle talking
about our faith and things like that, and You're like, I'm a Christian,
(23:30):
but I like to cost a littlebit, dude. That is me.
Listen, I you won't meet anybodyloves the Lord more than me.
But you know, one thing Ilove about Jesus is I'm not perfect.
And he knows that. And I'mnot saying I'm not trying to be better
every single day, but you knowtoo, I'm just a normal person.
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And it's like I am unapologetically aChristian. I know that everything that I
have, every gift that I have, my husband, my daughter, all
came from the Lord. I'm like, you know, just I wouldn't be
here without the grace of the Lord. And so I I love God so
much and um, but I'm alsolike kind of crazy, you know what
(24:12):
I mean. Love feu tequila shots, I love to have a good time.
I love a girl's night out whenevershe's like where's the wine? Always
every time and um, and oneday the Lord will convict me about it,
maybe, but he hasn't yet.So here we are. But you
know, I will say though II try. You know, there was
(24:34):
there was a time where I reallydidn't talk about much being a Christian.
But then I'm just like, itis my life, it is my day
to day, and I want toshow people that, you know, just
because you're a Christian doesn't mean youhave to be stiff and like this,
because that's just I mean, that'snot who I am. Yeah, not
at all. And I hear fromthe Lord and I know that God is
true and great and all the things. I feel like. I saw something
(24:56):
earlier today on social media that wastalking about just like the climate of the
world and like what everybody's so dividedand things like that. And I know,
I, for example, will getso many just questions like oh,
you're a Christian, so you believethis, And I'm like, listen,
I this is my answer. Iwas called to love God and love people.
I love literally everybody. Yeah,I don't care what you believe in.
(25:18):
I don't care if you're a Republican. I don't care if you're a
Democrat. I don't care if you'regay, if you're straight, or whatever
whatever your life is like, Idon't care. I love you as a
person and I think that Christianity specificallygets such a I guess bad rap if
you will, because there are peoplethat are mean and hateful towards other people,
and it's just like, that's notwhat the Bible says. And I
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think that people think, you know, especially the world we're in right now,
it's everything's a one size fits all. So if I believe in this
one thing that puts this label onme, or if I believe in this
one thing that puts this label onme, and I actually think that that
is the most false and ridiculous thingthat we could ever do, because just
(26:02):
because I might believe a certain thingdoesn't mean I take on everything that that
one thing believes and so or thatone thing stands for. And we've become
we have become really divided, andit's sad because we don't give we've lost
empathy for people. And I thinkwhen you lose empathy for people, you
know, it's just I can't reallyhave a conversation. And it's like,
(26:26):
yes, I believe in certain things, and yes there's certain things that I
will always believe and be strong aboutin my faith or whatever. But at
the end of the day, ifI lose empathy for my brother or sister.
And I'm referring brother and sister aslike friends and people that you meet.
Then what is life even about?Yeah, Like I might disagree with
(26:47):
you, cool, but at theend of the day, I love you,
And if something somebody were trying tohurt you, I would If a
bull was coming your way, Iwould step right in front of it from
you, because that's what we're calledto do, right, And I'm not
and put my Christian card to see, that's just being a good person.
And I think the only way thatwe're going to get to that next level
(27:07):
as a you know, country andas a world is by putting our pride
aside and the way we feel asideand hearing people out and understanding, hey,
we can all believe differently and livetogether in this beautiful world that God's
created. Yeah, and be okay. Well, and I think we're all
a little like just dramatic, Yes, one thousand percent dramatic. I have
(27:32):
to explain it to my mom forexample, like there will be something she's
like, I just I can't followher on Instagram anymore because of this,
so I have to comment on herFacebook page and you know, just being
just being mom and I love somuch, but I have to be like
Mom, I'll go to something andyou'll be like, I don't like that
dress, but I like the dress, so I'm gonna wear the dress.
(27:53):
Just because you don't like it doesn'tmean I can't like it. And I
feel like, I mean that goesfor literally anything, foods, your beliefs,
your you know, whatever you whateverhappens in your life, you don't
always have to have the same beliefs. And just because you differ doesn't mean
you can't be friends. Yeah,doesn't mean you can't coexist or because to
each other. That's what the worldwants you to do. That I mean,
(28:17):
like or to me and the enemy, like they we want to be
divided. They want us to notum, you know, have conversations,
because when you have a conversation,you um, you're just you ruin their
whole narrative, you know. AndI think and I love you saying that
to your mom because it's like I'myou know, I see crazy stuff on
(28:38):
my Instagram all the time, myFacebook and stuff, and I just keep
on the best thing is you canjust keep on my mom, And like,
yeah, I'm commented somebody posted somethingmean about you in a comment,
and my mom responded to them.She was like, this person's being mean
to range. They said that Ididn't look the same. Um on on,
(28:59):
like from being a girl a littleyou know, I'm being on the
voice. I'm like, no dirt. First of all, I've gotten my
lips done. I've gotten a filler. I will talk about my filler when
I will talk. And two,I'm freaking it's twelve years later, bro,
Like, who looks the same twelveyears later? You're like, I'm
a mom my body, my body'schanged, like I have like new rink
like for it doesn't even matter likethese like you're like, okay, let's
(29:21):
pull up your twelve year old peacherand then you twi year old. Let's
see if you look the same,all right? And then this little freak
control was saying that my kid neededto eat a salad, and I thought
and I had to delete it becauseI actually saw red. And it's like,
you can you can tell me thatI look crazy though like a blowfish.
I don't know what the hell youcan say about me. Just say
it about me, But if youtalk about my kids, it's done.
(29:44):
It's one. Yep. I'm soworried about when Daisy gets older because I
swear if a kid blows her,I'm gonna want to hurt somebody. And
Andrew will say that he's always likeI don't think that I'm gonna be able
to handle the day when somebody sayssomething mean about Emma or a kid,
because I'm gonna want to do thatabout my nephew. And like they had
(30:04):
to go to the school and everything, and I just just like nope,
I said, how do you dothat? Like how do you not go?
Because it's learned behavior. That's likemy biggest thing that I want to
teach Daisy is we're gonna love everybody. We're gonna respect everybody. Now,
you don't ever let anybody you know, be rude to you or if something
happens, you know, but youcome tell mommy. But like that's gonna
be like because I yeah, it'sjust girl. Not everybody parents like you.
(30:29):
So it's like not every parents likeyou would parents totally. And that's
so funny that you brought that upbecause online it's the same way. It's
like I'll see these girls that arelike my kid goes down for a now,
but this time, and they eatthis every single day at this time
and we're on a routine. It'slike everybody's different, dude. Yeah,
it's so hard the comparison game ofnot just like girls, people whatever,
(30:52):
people in your industry, but likethe mom comparison. I will go into
rabbit holes and I'm like, howdo you do that? Because it's just
like I'm like, am I abad mom? And then I'm like,
wait a second, no, thisperson is just doing something different. Then
let me like it's just I don't. And so now when I'm saying something
and somebody wants to like bitch aboutDaisy, I'm like, and all the
crazy moms that are mad that I'mgiving my daughter died dctor pepper right now.
(31:15):
She wanted it. She's not gonnadrink the whole thing. I'm gonna
give her a sip of it.Yes. It is so funny though with
being a mom, like the firstyear, like you can only have breast
Mountain, only have that, andthen it's like now they're just drink and
died dr pepper. Yeah, they'regrabbing your your Chick fil a cup and
literally it's fine, take a sip. You're not gonna like it. Yeah,
we always go spice and then thekids will take a sip and they'll
be like, Daisy kind of likesthe Daisy's crazy likes it now too.
(31:38):
She'll like go straight up to thecup and I'm like, dude, come
down, just one sip. That'sall you get. Let me get to
your milk after this, or yourapple juice something. Man. So when
it comes to Ray, raylan meyou you what do you want to happen
next? Like, what what doyou see within the next like this year?
(31:59):
Like, what are some of yourgoals that you're trying to accomplish this
year? Well, one of mygoals is to get back out on the
road. I've just announced quite afew dates, and then I have so
many more that I haven't announced yetthat I'm super excited about. Yeah,
we posted yesterday that I'm gonna youknow, I'm just adding shows. And
I went through like a little hardseason because I was getting a new agent
(32:20):
and a new manager and then youknow, I don't have a label or
publishing companymore, which has been awesome. I'm free and clear, which has
been this whole new, awesome thing. But it's a lot of work on
me and my team, so figuringthat out, navigating it. But I'm
putting people in place, which hasbeen really awesome. But next for me
is, you know, getting backout there on the road. I want
(32:42):
to build my just my playing outpresence again. I love being on stage
so much. You're literally the best, Oh my gosh, and I just
can't wait to be performing again.Like it's so funny. It's like the
whole reason we do this is toperform, and like we do it performing
like maybe one percent all the BSthat we do. So I'm excited about
that. And I'm excited about create. I know this sounds kind of crazy,
(33:07):
but like I've been really just likeasking God like what i want to
do, and I'm excited about creatinglike my own ecosystem of like the way
that I want to work. Andyou know, I do want to tour,
but I don't want to tour twohundred eights a year. I don't
want to like and if I dotour, I'm gonna bring my family out.
But I'm excited to really hone inon what is it to be an
(33:31):
artist that's a mom and to bea wife. And this next record,
this this whole group of music thatI'm creating and writing. You know,
it's like I'm not you know,listen, I do have fun songs like
rowdy. You know, a coupleof these new songs are going to be
out of control. But I'm alsolike, you know, we're talking about
(33:52):
the world being crazy, Like Ihave a daughter that's going to go into
this world and I'm so nervous aboutit, and I'm writing songs like that.
And I'm writing a song about,you know, my husband and and
like growing up in a divorced homeand him looking at me a girl that
you know you could look at andbe like, oh, she's damaged goods
and saying, oh that's a wife. Yeah, that's a mother, that's
(34:13):
a home. Like those feelings andwriting a song like that, and and
this record is very mature because I'mlike most of my fans came from the
voice, right or they're still withme, so they're probably twenty nine,
thirty and their thirties. It's like, yes, I'm pretty sure I have
young fans too, but a lotof my fans are my age there and
they're growing up with me, andthey're probably in the same life that I'm
(34:35):
in and so or the same stageof life. And so it's like I
love that when Adele said, youknow, she's like everybody's writing for TikTok,
I'm writing for my thirty year oldfriend, Like, yeah, I'm
writing for my moms. And Ifeel that way. And so I'm really
just like like what, because Iwas like, what's your niche that you're
going form? Like my niche isjust being authentic and being a mom and
being an artist and being a wifeand and just chasing that. And when
(35:00):
I say ecosystem earlier, like Ijust want I want to do what I
love and make a living doing itand create just a a sphere of just
being happy, and just like andI can't have that. First of all,
I'm already happy. And I thinkyou can't chase happiness. You already
(35:22):
have to be happy. It's notsomething like I'm not gonna I've never been
somebody that's like, oh, whenI get to that level, I'm gonna
be happy, or when I getto that level, when I'm making that
much money, I'm gonna be this, this and this. First of all,
that's just not true. I havefriends that have accomplished everything they want
more in the music industry and there'sstill the most miserable ever. And honestly,
(35:45):
that's helped me navigate because it's like, Okay, this person has multiple
number ones. When I look atthe picture perfect person, why are they
there's noble? Why are they mean, like, you know, there's no
joy? And I'm like, I'mnever going to be that. I will
never be that. And so Ihave found happiness outside of music row and
(36:06):
outside of Nashville. And that's whyI feel like this next season is gonna
be so much fun, because whenyou're already happy where you're at. And
I'm not saying I don't have downdays. Girl. Two days ago,
I was like, why my day? Like we all we all do.
But I'm just saying, like,but even the person at the top has
those days. First of the talkprobably just wants a damn break. I
wants to just chill on their couchand yeah, he's of ice cream,
(36:28):
right, And so it's like there'salways there's always a pro and a con
to every stage of life. Butthe only thing that like, the one
thing that I'm focusing on focusing onis my happiness. Me being a mom,
me being a wife, and creatingan ecosystem where I can do it.
I love write music, but awhile and that was good. Good.
(36:54):
I said, you're gonna bring thatbutton, a little button out of
there. Huh um. Yeah,that's what that's the anything. And I
don't know what that looks like justyet, but I'm just gonna start going
through doors and you know, walkingthrough them, and it's gonna be cool.
I love that you're taking this seasonof life on your terms. Yeah.
I feel like so much of yourcareer has been other people telling you
(37:15):
what to do or putting their orwhatever. Yes, you are, this
is your you, This is rayon your terms. And I just love
that because you're creating the joy.You're speaking life into the seasons or the
spots in your life that you wantto flourish and grow. And you have
such a huge community around you that'snot only going to champion you, but
(37:35):
going to intercede like when you needit, when you're having those days and
there to lift you up. Andit's just I get chill bumps thinking about
it because I just see so manylike I've seen you as you know Raylan
from the Voice, I've seen youas Raylan on tour with Blake Shelton and
Miranda Lambert and all these things,and you were happy in those moments.
You were having the time of yourlife. But I think there's such a
(37:58):
maturity of you right now that's justlike I can do this on my terms
in a joyful, fun way andjust like handle it with grace and I'm
excited for you. Thank you.It's gonna be It's gonna be fun.
And We've got a lot of funthings. One thing that I'll talk about
is we have a it's so fun. We have a little kids country project
and there's so many various artists onit. There's so many awesome artists on
(38:21):
it. And when I was listeningto the songs to pick, I let
Daisy like help me pick it.And there was a song called shake your
Boots and it was like super fun, like there's a whole dance dude,
everything. And so the kids Project'sbeen fun. And that's the cool thing
about not being with um or notbeing with a label sometimes because they you
know, they'll kind of people don'tunderstand that part of it. But we're
back central book, so you canunderstand, like you can't just say yes
(38:44):
to everything when you have a teamof people like you know, and it's
sad because you should be able tobut you kind of have to fight for
what you want to do, whichis not what you should be able to
do when it comes to your musicand stuff. So anyways, projects like
that. I have a children's bookcoming out soon I haven't even talked about
yet. Oh, I've seen thepreview, y'all um. And then we're
(39:05):
doing a lot of fun things,so I'm I'm really excited. It's just
I kind of can do anything thatI want, like you said, and
you're you're championing yourself and I lovedoing it. You're doing it, honey,
And you're about to play in thiscelebrity softball game. Hello, are
you ready? I don't know,man, I gotta start working on my
catching skills. I'm actually pretty goodcatcher. I just gotta get better.
And I told Josh I want togo to the bat Incages tonight. Heck,
(39:25):
yes, well I'm gonna be therem seeing the game, so I'll
be your biggest fan on the sideline. I don't even know. My walkout
song is fire. Oh. We'llmake sure to post about it. It's
gonna be so good. Oh,and then CMA Fest stuff is coming up
to next week. Yeah, thisthis episode will be out Monday offs.
So before all the crazy. Whenit comes to being, you know,
(39:49):
a part of such a cool experiencefor Nashville, but also I mean it
gives back to such a great cause. Being a part of CMA Fest is
fun, right, It's so muchfun. It's it's busy, but it's
fun. And um, I'll neverforget my first SMA fast. I think
this is my tense CEMA pest,which is a decade of ray at CMA.
Um. Yeah, this this week'sget me fun. I'm doing the
(40:12):
the City National we're not not CityNational, the Folds of Honor, it
used to be City National long timeago. The Folds of Honor Celebrity Softball
game we're doing Wednesday night, I'mdoing the I'm singing at the Special Forces
Charitable Trust. Um, they're doinga big thing at woodwarth Theater. It's
gonna be so much fun. Andthen on Thursday, I'm singing on the
AMP stage. So the first firstartist up, which I like to be
(40:37):
like the first artist is not toohot, still pretty hot everybody, but
everybody. The best thing about mein The first is that everybody's fresh,
like everybody's ready to hear music.Everybody, and I mean our whole first
day too, our whole Bible studygroup. We're gonna be in the it's
gonna be it's gonna be awesome.But the CMA has just been so great
to me, and I think thecool thing about and I've said this before
(40:59):
CMA Fest is no other genre doesanything like this, and it gives you
a front row seat to meet andto see your favorite artist, but not
just a couple, literally everyone,and it's just like nobody else does that,
and it's super cool. Yeah,I'm excited about it. Well,
we do that. We do thisthing at the end of the podcast.
There's a little bubblegum machine and there'sa little question. They're all random,
(41:22):
so I don't even know what thisquestion is going to be. Don't ask
me what is your faite number mine? I'm not gonna say that out well,
this is the spicy version. Yes, okay, in sync or Backstreet?
(41:45):
Definitely in sync. I literally wasgonna say our friendships over if you
picksher? I never, I wasnever. I was never a backsherp Boys
fan. Wait, are they theones that say rock How bad? Is
that in sync? Or is thatfactory Boys? Yeah? So I gre
up in a very religious home andmy mom, you know, my aunt
(42:05):
Cindy, Um, she broke myCD Bactual Boys because I was listening to
Rock Your Body. Oh my gosh, she said, no secular music.
And now I'm talking about getting rowdyand drinking is a weird thing because I
remember growing up my mom. Iwas in the second or third grade,
I can't remember. And my friendBrittany Tocy, I remembered it to this
(42:29):
day, brought over an Alanis Morrisat CD and you're saying we were listening
to like Jagged Little Pill and likeall this stuff. And my mom was
like she is never allowed to comeover again. And I was just like,
why are you being so ridiculous?And I was in like private school,
you know, we were like underunder a tight like ship. But
transitioning to that like big of ayou know, it's good for us and
(42:52):
you understanding Jesus loves me, avacation Bible school, and then you're now
we're shrinking wine and customal. Iknow, I always like I'm gonna be
protective of Daisy, but also it'slike, you know, like I just
like I was like at ten oreleven, Mom, no, no,
but I was listening to the Thongsong and all the um you know,
(43:13):
all that all that musical scars.I would like put my top up in
a crop top and dance. Andit's like it's just so like my husband's
mom. I like, this issuch a funny story. His uh,
their friend made them a mix TVman and the first song on it was
save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, Oh my gosh, and like its
(43:35):
there. I mean, it's sofunny because now they're super chill, but
when they were like in the raisingkids and they were like being really protective,
and I agree with that, butit's so funny being a mom now
and you're like, you get asecond, what are you listening to?
And then I'll go back and I'llbe like, wait, I was listening
to songs about grinding on each other. Yeah. And so they she the
mom, They were like out onthe boat and then they get back and
(43:57):
I guess this Pam was like cleaning, this is my mother in law,
and save her horse, Round aCowboy comes on and so anyways, they
walk in. She decided to makean example. And so she had all
this like these vegetables and carrots andbranch and all the stuff, and she
put a little bit of goose poopon the corner of the plate. And
(44:17):
they walk in. Of course they'rewanting a snag ve it on the boat,
and they were like, wait,what's that. She goes, oh,
like she went into a big speech. She like let him have it.
She's like, oh, you don'twant to eat it. There's just
a little bit of goose poop onit. Like it's not it's not bad,
like you can you can eat theother stuff, Like it's just a
little bit of goosepoos said, it'sso funny when she talks about now she
(44:40):
thinks it's hilarious. But I lovethat. I'm like, oh, just
a little bit of I mean there'sjust a little bit of poop makes in
the brownie. Yeah, okay,I'm like now, it's like, yeah,
it's just so funny. I feellike there are going to be moments
within the next like five ten yearsthat we're gonna have to like think about
things like that to like teach ourkids live since and thinking about that,
(45:00):
I'm like, am I gonna bethat Mom. I don't know, am
I, I don't know. Butalso like I haven't like had to deal
with that yet. Days just likeone and a half, just climbing up
stairs and climbing up slides backwards toget everything, Yeah, get into everything
they're not supposed to. Yeah,and just so, I mean so I
don't have to worry about that yet, but once we do, we'll probably
(45:22):
have to start are a different textto have been developed. Oh man,
well, I love you so much. I'm excited about y'all. Raylan,
you gotta go get her new song. There ain't nothing wrong with that,
nothing wrong with that. I loveyou, Ray and I, Ray and I
Okay, you're ready, I'm ready. Okay, let's do it backstage.
Welcome to Backstage with Brook. You'reall access passed to music City, where
nothing is off limits. Grab adrink, let's go backstage. Yeah.
I'm so excited about this episode.I feel like we have been talking about
(00:20):
doing this forever. Y'all. Welcomegirls here, y'all, I'm here.
She's made it. I made it. We did book this a couple weeks
ago, and I woke up feelinglike covets, and I really appreciated Brooke
letting me. I mean, that'swhat best friends are for, right,
(00:41):
Jesus, you're my friend. It'sso funny because we always talk about our
relationship and how we met and justkind of like our story. Yeah,
right, and I met in liketwo thousand and fourteen or fifteen. Yeah,
fourteen or fifteen. Yeah. Yeah, you had just finished everything with
the voice. Yeah, you're doingyour whole thing. And I worked at
Radio Disney, and I mean,I feel like we were children. I
just sature the other day of mestanding next to this tour of us at
(01:04):
your face on it, and youlook so awkward in the photo. You're
like, I'm gonna take this.That's the funniest part. My mom was
taking the picture because my mom sentit to me and she was just like
throwback, and I was like,I literally remember you. That's so fun.
Don't you love moms and their throwbacks? No, like, absolutely not,
but I am that like we arethose moms now. We were like,
(01:25):
every little thing that you do,I'm gonna take a picture. Have
you seen that? Like me?And it said I have six photos of
me in nineteen ninety four, andthen it said, and my daughter has
one hundred and five photos of herfrom eight to eight oh five, And
I'm like, that is literally.I was going through my phone last night
de leting you know, there's likeseven good jillion photos on there, and
it's like everything's of Emma. It'syour life is Emma, My life is
(01:48):
Daisy. But it's just about howit makes sense. Okay, we got
to talk about this new music videoyou just put out. What's wrong with
that? I am It's funny.The other day you were saying something and
I was just like, no,you just you want your husband to be
on a tractor with a shirt off, well in the grass, drinking a
margarito while Daisy's playing in the pool. Yeah, I was like, this
video doesn't have to be much aslong as my husband takes off a shirt
(02:09):
and I'm drinking a mark and dayshe's in a blue pool. The video's
done. Like when when you guysthought of like the concept and stuff for
the video, were you like alittle or was Josh weirded out by taking
a shirt off on a video foreveryone to see. This is the thing
about Josh that I love so muchabout him, Like he he's always like,
oh I don't want to do itor I can't do it, But
(02:30):
then like on set, he youknow, his personality is so funny and
if you don't know as personality,he's just so when you get to know
him, he's so quirky and funnyand so with everything to be Like,
so do I need to take myshirt off now? I really gonna keep
it on? He was just beinghilarious. I know, I feel I
feel bad because I make Josh beingon my music videos now, But first
of all, like, I'm notgonna hire a dude to take off a
(02:53):
shirt like when, and it wouldn'tfeel authentic to me, Like I my
life is Josh and Daisy and musicand if the video or the song needs
to have them in it, thenI think it should be them. And
I think it gives fans this islike a little inside book inside your family.
And I think that that's such ahuge part of your life now that
(03:14):
I think it's awesome that you sharethat with everybody. It is and too,
it's just like those are videos thatall have forever. That's things like
I was thinking, most like Daisydoesn't have home videos. She has two
music videos. She has thousands ofpictures on the phone, music videos that
she's going to look back and belike who she is? Literally the best?
And I just I love that wehave kids that are around the same
(03:37):
age. Yep, we reconnected whenI moved to Nashville. And I mean
watching you become a mom, butlike knowing you before that I think has
been one of the coolest things toexperience as a friend. Is like knowing
you and the fact that you haven'tstopped chasing your dream even though you have
become a mom. And I don'tknow why I'm getting emotional right now,
(03:57):
oh my gosh, but it's Ifeel like so many people in the industry
they get this big like screeching halt, or they are scared to have children,
or they just put that on thebackburnner and it's not a priority for
them. And I know for youand Josh, having a family has always
been a huge priority. I thinkthe biggest lie that I didn't I believe
(04:18):
for a moment, but I didn'tlike is that children were gonna, you
know, just turn my world upsidedown. And yes they do, but
it's not a bad thing. Likeyes, I mean you know it with
Emma, like you have to havebetter time management and you have to figure
things out, but there's such ablessing and being a mom and it gives
(04:39):
you a selflessness that I feel likeeverybody needs them life. Yeah, And
I you know, I was lookingthinking back about my career and I was
I said this recently in another interview. I've I'm so thankful that I've always
kind of gone with my gut asan artist and as a person, because
I was told at twenty one whenI got married, oh that's not good
(05:00):
idea, or oh you gotta beavailable, you gotta be single, you
gotta do all these things, andI remember, like it was such a
rebel move for me to like kindof give the middle finger, be like,
no, I'm gonna I'm gonna marrythis man. I know I'm in
love with him, I know he'smy husband, and I'm gonna like,
I don't care what you say,Like, this is my life and even
though I have a career, I'mnot gonna let my career stop my personal
(05:21):
happiness because in twenty years, thirtyyears, forty years, yeah, I
don't know if I'll be on astage singing. I'm not going to be,
probably not, and maybe I would. Maybe I'll be like Dolly and
do a couple shows a year,But I'm just saying, like, all
I'm gonna have is my family,and I'm not gonna be one of those
people that wakes up one day andhas nothing and has all these accolades and
as lonely as hell. That's justnot the vibe I one. Well.
(05:42):
And so the whole premise of thispodcast is like the backstage of life and
things that happen. And I lovethat you brought up the fact that like
the industry people higher up saying youcan't do this because it's not good for
business. When you were going throughthose motions and I mean, because you
dream this is this career is whatyou've dreamed of since you're a little and
(06:02):
having someone tell you that what wasDo you remember how you felt in that
moment. Well, first of all, I'm like I just first I started
doing music because I loved it.I didn't do it to be a business.
And you find out the business andof course it changes and it becomes
your job. But like I wentinto music as a kid knowing that I
(06:24):
wanted to have a family, knowingthat I wanted to get married, knowing
that I still can have a personallife and a professional life. So then
you get all of these you know, people with their opinions and percentages and
vibes and oh you should be thisor you should be that, and it
just it didn't become fun anymore.And I was just like, Okay,
(06:45):
well that can be your opinion,but I'm going to do it this way.
And I you know, and there'sthere was times where I did listen.
There was times where you know,I put out a song that probably
wasn't my favorite song, and Ihad other songs that were like more in
depth of what I felt like asa songwriter and arist I wanted to put
out, but I don't regret thosemoments because they all bring you to who
(07:06):
you are today. And I thinkthe biggest thing that like, the biggest
advice that I give to this likenext generation of artists is don't get so
caught up in the here and nowthat you don't focus on, like,
you know, creating that personal lifefor you too, and your friends and
like, like, friendships are soimportant, and it took me so long
(07:30):
to find those people that, like, I can absolutely trust with everything in
my life because especially I telling likethis, everybody wants something right, and
I feel like it's hard to especiallylike with the platform that you've been given,
it's hard to trust everybody around youbecause, like you said, somebody
you might just want something from you. They might want an into the music
business and stuff like that. Combatingthose different like feelings, I mean it's
(07:55):
hard. I think the best thingthat you can do is not be jaded.
So like IOE is, like,if anybody wants to talk to me
or spend time with me, up, I always I'm open arms. I
like, I will talk to anybody. I will give anybody advice. I
think that's what we're called to do, Like and but then you can I
have discern it. You can quicklyrealize if somebody like is in it for
(08:16):
the right reasons or if they're justbeing sketch. And then and those people
were really weeded out by when stuffreally happens with you or they are they
there for you right you know.And that's one thing that Abbo has kind
of leaned on. Yeah, Imean friendships, community, Those relationships are
so important, and those people thatkeep you humble. Yes, Like we
all know who she is. She'sout in the lobby right now to me,
(08:37):
like one of your best friends you'venoticed since since what basically growing up?
Yeah, and her and I havebecome really good friends too. But
one of my favorite qualities about heris that she'll snap you right back.
She'll keep you humble, like,she'll keep it out, she'll keep it
end to me, fight like sisters, like in a good way, like
and it's not fight, it's likea nitpicky like she annoys me like you
know, but like vice versa.But that's how you are with your best
(09:00):
friend. We were I was talkingabout that with somebody. I was like,
it's you can't make old friends.And the cool thing about Demi.
Like Demi moved here and last year, I mean she was living in Baytown,
she was working on a bank andshe's like, I just need to
change bays of moving to Nashville.And literally I was like, oh my
god, this is awesome. Dreamcome true, dream come true. Because
even me and Demi kind of likeme and you, I think the sucky
(09:24):
thing about being away from your friendsor the people that you love is,
you know, especially as a momor at the time being married, like
you get so caught up in you, Like you get so you forget to
call people, you forget to doall these things. And even to me,
before she moved here, we maybetalked once a month. You know,
we didn't talk all the time.But when we talked, we talked
for like six hours. But wedidn't talk all the time. She would
(09:46):
come visit me like twice a year, but she had her life. I
had my life. Same thing withyou when you moved to Chicago and I
sure doing all your stuff. Whenyou moved back from La you had your
life. I had my life,and like we stayed as connected as we
could. But like when you livein the same town and we you know,
mean you obviously we're all just superconnected now, but like you can,
(10:07):
it's you can live day to daytogether, and it's it's just a
different, different thing. And Ithink that that's such an important thing that
we always talk about, is howimportant a community is. I feel like
so many people get so wrapped upin social media and you know, these
are my friends online, which youcan have those friends, but there's literally
nothing like sitting face to face infront of somebody having a conversation, somebody
(10:28):
that like has your back and cantalk you off the ledge. I mean
being you know, doing what wedo, having a platform. It's so
much fun, but it's so hardat the same time totally and being able
to have friends to understand that isreally great. Let's go to some of
those hard things that you just mentioned. This industry obviously is a roller coaster
(10:50):
for so many reasons, and thebest way and the worst with all the
things. Yeah, I mean that'sany career. Yes, you're always wanting
something new, somebody else has gotit, you don't. That kind of
thing. But when it comes toyour career, the hard parts that nobody
gets to see, like being toldno or you know, not having a
label or things like that. Whatare some of those things that sometimes you
(11:13):
do struggle with and that nobody getsto see. Everybody gets to see Ray
on social media and her amazing youknow, your songs that you put out,
all of your videos, everything,your personality, like you're just one
of the best people. Thank you. What are some of those moments that
are just like hard for you thatyou struggle with. I think the thing
is, I'm always wondering if I'mdoing the right thing. Yeah, you
know, even though I'm I've hadmultiple record deals. When I came here,
(11:37):
I signed a Big Machine and thenI signed with Warner and then I
signed to round Your Records, andround Here was more of an independent deal.
And now I'm fully independent. Andyou know, even though I'm seeing
such success in different ways, it'sjust different success, you know, because
when you're independent, you know,you don't like you're not. And I
(12:00):
guess it's not the cool the coolkids club, but like the award shows
and all that stuff. I mean, and I could do it, and
I could go, but it's justlike for me, like I'm just so
focused on the music right now andbeing with my family. Like it's a
lot personally it's a lot of workto you know, get a thousand dollar
(12:20):
dress and go to a show,do makeup, do red carpet when you're
not nominated or not doing something.And now I'm not just that, like
I'm away from my family, andit's like what's worth it for me?
Like, of course I want todo those things. There's so much fun
to do. I love being there. But it's like I'm feeling this balance
of life. But yeah, itwas. There was definitely, you know,
(12:41):
some some hardships, but it wasalways like through the time that I
was growing, there was so muchthat that God was doing like in me,
and he was making me so toughand like and two you know,
because when I had Daisy, Iwas like, dude, I really want
to do this anymore. Like Idon't know if I want to be an
(13:01):
arts anymore. I'm just in babyHeaven. I'm nursing. She's just like
the most uforic feeling is when youhave a newborn, Oh my gosh,
everything in the world doesn't matter,And like, you know, I was
like, and I don't want tobe away from her, and then obviously
shout out to my awesome husband.He's like you are meant to do this,
like you are called to be anartist, and even though it might
(13:22):
look different, and he said,you know, God's not gonna give you
more than you can, more thanyou know about off, more than you
can choose. He's gonna give youeverything that you need and like. And
so that's the kind of what I'vebeen like leaning into. It's like I'm
in this new phase of just youknow, seeing what doors open. But
all that being said, going backto the hardships this industry, it is
(13:45):
ups and downs. You know,you'll be at the peak of the mountain
and then the next day you canbe right at the bottom. And it's
not that it's first of all,it's not because of talent. It's not
because of you know, label asmanagers any of that stuff. People.
There's independent artists that are bigger thanthat are on labels, vice versa.
And so there's really no perfect formulafor being an artist, especially now there
(14:11):
used to be there used to be, oh, you had to have a
deal, you had to go onradio towere you used to But that's not
the way it works anymore. It'sjust like, honestly, it's just finding
that magic and believing because you don'tknow when your moment's going to be.
I think about Walker Hayes, yearsand years worked at Costco, like his
story is incredible, and then overnightdidn't even like his daughter like created a
(14:33):
dance on TikTok blew him up.And it's just like what nobody knows when
their moment is. And it's sofunny because I always think about I'm like,
I'm We're all just like one momentaway from our moment. I think
it's so important for the new girlsmove in to Nashville and the new guys
that are chasing this dream be authentic. Go, you know, go take
(14:54):
anybody that wants to take you tocoffee, Go to coffee, right a
crap ton of song. Let thembe good songs, bad songs. Don't
ever like that your next song isgonna get you better to your next song.
So it's like, just work hardand be authentic. Like that's my
biggest thing is I feel like somepeople come to this town and they realize
that they don't realize it's a smalltown. And the thing that's gonna let
(15:18):
you in is you know, becauseone day you're gonna be at the top
of the mountain, but then oneday you're not and who like? Those
authentic relationships are the ones that aregonna last. And one thing that I
can say that I always did,even at eighteen nineteen, when because I
moved here at eighteen ye is whenI went to coffee somebody with somebody,
or if I went into a meeting, I didn't just talk about myself.
(15:41):
Of course, you know, we'retalking about what I was doing, but
I asked them about them. How'syour kids, how's your life, where
are you from? And I didn'tdo that to be like quote unquote fake
or whatever. I do that becauseI care about people. This is a
people business and it's not even abusiness. I just think if you're a
people person, you do really welland industry because at the end of the
day, we're all humans and it'sall about connecting with people. And when
(16:06):
you connect with somebody, i'd otherconnect with somebody then them love one of
my songs and leave with oh Ilike that song. I other than be
like I love hanging out with Ray. Yeah, I love the energy she
brings to my life. I wantto walk into a room and bring life
to somebody. I don't want towalk into a room and make somebody anxious,
yeah, and or what you know, what was this person going to
ask me to do for them today? And I think that that's something that
(16:30):
nobody can take away from you asan artist. And that's what you should
figure out if you're moving to thistown. What is the thing that you
can bring into every room that makesyou different? Well, I think that's
one of the things that I lovemost about you is you truly are who
you are like social media in person, when you're having conversations with whoever you
are, you care. You reallydo genuinely care about people, and like
(16:53):
your mind could be running a millionmiles a minute, but you're also good.
You're also going to be like howcan I help you? Like how
can I serve you? Like whatwhat can I do for you? And
I feel like in the industry specifically, like I mean, it's always a
war of like who's doing better andlike it's a competition, but you will
champion your fellow peers. You willshare them on always, even if there's
(17:17):
that little I mean, we allhave it. Like in my career,
I'll see somebody do something and I'mlike, oh, I wasn't doing that.
There's a difference between wanting to dothe same thing and being jealous.
I don't think people understand, likeit's not because you could want things for
your life, like when I seemy friends succeeding, like I can want
that for my life and not bejealous of them, right like that there's
(17:37):
that's two different things. And Iwouldn't even say that's competitive. I think
it's like who doesn't want to findsuccess and who doesn't want to be like,
oh dang, I want that.But it's all about how you manifest
that feeling. Do you manifest it? And like I'm gonna work hard or
are you just gonna sit on yourcouch and mope and bits about everybody like
that's that's you know, it's allabout how you react to it literally,
(18:00):
and you're talking about like working hardand being that person who's you know,
chasing a dream and not giving up. And I think one of the best
pieces of advice that I was givingis how you can't have success without failure.
Yeah, it's good, and peopledon't understand that failure is not final.
Failure is the key to success becauseyou have to learn the mistakes.
(18:22):
You have to learn how to correctthose You have to learn and get better
from those mistakes. Girl, haven'twe all? But I think it's so
important too in this industry, especiallyin Nashville, when everybody's doing the same
thing right, everybody's doing all thesethings, and you see someone else win
an award, or you see someoneelse you know, get a record deal
or things like that, it's justlike, just because there have been quote
(18:45):
unquote failures, which I don't thinkthey're necessarily failures, but maybe just like
things that didn't work out, bumpsin the road, it doesn't mean that
you're you know, there's a periodat the end of Raylan, you know
what I mean, Like you're it'sa comma and God is working in ways.
And I think it's been such ablessing for you, especially knowing that
we were Mom's right literally months apart, literally months apart. We went to
(19:07):
right when she'd be back to Nashville. She was pregnant and I was pregnant,
and I was like, let's goto True Food. Yeah. We
literally said there, and I rememberlike being like, oh my god,
I've missed Brooke so freaking much.It's so great when you have those friendships
where you just pick right back uplike it's never Those are the real ones
totally. And I think knowing thatGod has specifically ordained this, like this
(19:30):
path in your career of where itwas a little bit of a lull,
yeah, because he knew that thislove that he was giving you with Daisy
and then just like growing your family, there's nothing like that. And I
said, I feel like if youwere to have been on a major tour
or on a road and trying tobe a mom, and the mom guilt
would have oh flooded your life.Yeah, And I hate that. I
(19:51):
don't understand why mom guilt is sucha big thing. But I remember when
I had Emma, kind of howyou said, you know, with Daisy,
You're like, I don't know ifI want to do this anymore.
That thought crossed my mind too.And I've been in radio since twenty eleven
and it's like I've worked so hardto get to where I am. And
I'll tell you a funny story aboutbeing in Nashville, But like, I
(20:12):
remember having her and I was liketwo or three weeks postpartum, and I
was like, I don't know ifI want to go back to work.
But then you get over that,and like, I have a supportive husband
too. Andrew is just like youliterally have a microphone on purpose and I'm
not gonna let you quit. Yeah, And having that champion in not only
my life, but I know Joshis that for you too. It's so
(20:33):
important to have a spouse that isnot only a good like leader, but
a champion for you to lead to. Absolutely, and as they know that,
that's why they married us, isbecause they know that we are determined
women that love what we do andthey're passionate about the platform that we have.
We're those We're the I don't knowwhat the world I'm looking for is,
(20:53):
is like we are so like Joshand Andrew are so similar, and
then me or you are like thebig firecrackers in the room, like let's
go, we're gonna we're gonna leadthis, and our husbands are like,
let's go wherever you want to goon there, let's do it. So
I was thinking about this the otherday about how actually I was on a
podcast, um Heart of the Gulch. If you haven't listened to it,
(21:15):
my episode comes out soon. Buthe was asking me about like Nashville and
like why Nashville. So Ray andI we met on this music in our
Schools tour. Oh my gosh,it was so fun when I worked for
Radio Disney and we basically took thistour bus to nine different cities, different
schools. You would perform, Iwould do like a little Q and a
session, and then we'd present theschool's music program with a check pretty much.
(21:38):
And we ended the tour at theGrand Ole Opry in Nashville. And
I remember she stayed at me thenight before because we were having so much
fun. We did. We hadso much you were like, you're coming
to my house. You're not stayingat your hotel room. Okay. So
I remember standing side stage at theOpery you had just finished performing, or
you are about to perform. Ican't remember, but Vince Gill walks on
(21:59):
stage and I'm like, what ismy life right now? Because country music,
I mean, we grew up listeningto Vince Gill and all these like
legends, and I like tears startedstreaming down my face and I'm like,
what is my life? I'm standingnext to, you know, Vince Gill
performing in Nashville. I was like, I want to be here. And
I remember it's magic. In thatmoment, I was like God like planted
(22:22):
the seat of Nashville into my heartand like what seven years later it happened.
It's so crazy how God will giveyou those little moments and and honor
it, Like if you pursue it, God will honor it. And I
love that. I think the funniestthing about that feeling, too, is
is sometimes you don't even have tovoice that to God. He just knows.
(22:44):
He knows the desires of your heart. And so and like, you
know, there was little seeds thatI've played at all all throughout my life,
just I would never even say it, but he knows, like I
said, he knows the desire ofheart, and then it would happen eventually,
and you're just like, whoa youknow that? How did he know
that? And I think one ofthe best parts about you is your faith
and how authentic you are to shareit. And a lot of people in
(23:10):
not just in music, but inHollywood or whatever are scared to say like
I'm a Christian, yeah, orI do this. And I remember I
think it was in Chicago. Youhad come through the studio or something.
I think you were on tour withBlake Shelton your plan, I think United
Center or something, and we werelike talking about we're in this circle talking
about our faith and things like that, and You're like, I'm a Christian,
(23:30):
but I like to cost a littlebit, dude. That is me.
Listen, I you won't meet anybodyloves the Lord more than me.
But you know, one thing Ilove about Jesus is I'm not perfect.
And he knows that. And I'mnot saying I'm not trying to be better
every single day, but you knowtoo, I'm just a normal person.
(23:51):
And it's like I am unapologetically aChristian. I know that everything that I
have, every gift that I have, my husband, my daughter, all
came from the Lord. I'm like, you know, just I wouldn't be
here without the grace of the Lord. And so I I love God so
much and um, but I'm alsolike kind of crazy, you know what
(24:12):
I mean. Love feu tequila shots, I love to have a good time.
I love a girl's night out whenevershe's like where's the wine? Always
every time and um, and oneday the Lord will convict me about it,
maybe, but he hasn't yet.So here we are. But you
know, I will say though II try. You know, there was
(24:34):
there was a time where I reallydidn't talk about much being a Christian.
But then I'm just like, itis my life, it is my day
to day, and I want toshow people that, you know, just
because you're a Christian doesn't mean youhave to be stiff and like this,
because that's just I mean, that'snot who I am. Yeah, not
at all. And I hear fromthe Lord and I know that God is
true and great and all the things. I feel like. I saw something
(24:56):
earlier today on social media that wastalking about just like the climate of the
world and like what everybody's so dividedand things like that. And I know,
I, for example, will getso many just questions like oh,
you're a Christian, so you believethis, And I'm like, listen,
I this is my answer. Iwas called to love God and love people.
I love literally everybody. Yeah,I don't care what you believe in.
(25:18):
I don't care if you're a Republican. I don't care if you're a
Democrat. I don't care if you'regay, if you're straight, or whatever
whatever your life is like, Idon't care. I love you as a
person and I think that Christianity specificallygets such a I guess bad rap if
you will, because there are peoplethat are mean and hateful towards other people,
and it's just like, that's notwhat the Bible says. And I
(25:40):
think that people think, you know, especially the world we're in right now,
it's everything's a one size fits all. So if I believe in this
one thing that puts this label onme, or if I believe in this
one thing that puts this label onme, and I actually think that that
is the most false and ridiculous thingthat we could ever do, because just
(26:02):
because I might believe a certain thingdoesn't mean I take on everything that that
one thing believes and so or thatone thing stands for. And we've become
we have become really divided, andit's sad because we don't give we've lost
empathy for people. And I thinkwhen you lose empathy for people, you
know, it's just I can't reallyhave a conversation. And it's like,
(26:26):
yes, I believe in certain things, and yes there's certain things that I
will always believe and be strong aboutin my faith or whatever. But at
the end of the day, ifI lose empathy for my brother or sister.
And I'm referring brother and sister aslike friends and people that you meet.
Then what is life even about?Yeah, Like I might disagree with
(26:47):
you, cool, but at theend of the day, I love you,
And if something somebody were trying tohurt you, I would If a
bull was coming your way, Iwould step right in front of it from
you, because that's what we're calledto do, right, And I'm not
and put my Christian card to see, that's just being a good person.
And I think the only way thatwe're going to get to that next level
(27:07):
as a you know, country andas a world is by putting our pride
aside and the way we feel asideand hearing people out and understanding, hey,
we can all believe differently and livetogether in this beautiful world that God's
created. Yeah, and be okay. Well, and I think we're all
a little like just dramatic, Yes, one thousand percent dramatic. I have
(27:32):
to explain it to my mom forexample, like there will be something she's
like, I just I can't followher on Instagram anymore because of this,
so I have to comment on herFacebook page and you know, just being
just being mom and I love somuch, but I have to be like
Mom, I'll go to something andyou'll be like, I don't like that
dress, but I like the dress, so I'm gonna wear the dress.
(27:53):
Just because you don't like it doesn'tmean I can't like it. And I
feel like, I mean that goesfor literally anything, foods, your beliefs,
your you know, whatever you whateverhappens in your life, you don't
always have to have the same beliefs. And just because you differ doesn't mean
you can't be friends. Yeah,doesn't mean you can't coexist or because to
each other. That's what the worldwants you to do. That I mean,
(28:17):
like or to me and the enemy, like they we want to be
divided. They want us to notum, you know, have conversations,
because when you have a conversation,you um, you're just you ruin their
whole narrative, you know. AndI think and I love you saying that
to your mom because it's like I'myou know, I see crazy stuff on
(28:38):
my Instagram all the time, myFacebook and stuff, and I just keep
on the best thing is you canjust keep on my mom, And like,
yeah, I'm commented somebody posted somethingmean about you in a comment,
and my mom responded to them.She was like, this person's being mean
to range. They said that Ididn't look the same. Um on on,
(28:59):
like from being a girl a littleyou know, I'm being on the
voice. I'm like, no dirt. First of all, I've gotten my
lips done. I've gotten a filler. I will talk about my filler when
I will talk. And two,I'm freaking it's twelve years later, bro,
Like, who looks the same twelveyears later? You're like, I'm
a mom my body, my body'schanged, like I have like new rink
like for it doesn't even matter likethese like you're like, okay, let's
(29:21):
pull up your twelve year old peacherand then you twi year old. Let's
see if you look the same,all right? And then this little freak
control was saying that my kid neededto eat a salad, and I thought
and I had to delete it becauseI actually saw red. And it's like,
you can you can tell me thatI look crazy though like a blowfish.
I don't know what the hell youcan say about me. Just say
it about me, But if youtalk about my kids, it's done.
(29:44):
It's one. Yep. I'm soworried about when Daisy gets older because I
swear if a kid blows her,I'm gonna want to hurt somebody. And
Andrew will say that he's always likeI don't think that I'm gonna be able
to handle the day when somebody sayssomething mean about Emma or a kid,
because I'm gonna want to do thatabout my nephew. And like they had
(30:04):
to go to the school and everything, and I just just like nope,
I said, how do you dothat? Like how do you not go?
Because it's learned behavior. That's likemy biggest thing that I want to
teach Daisy is we're gonna love everybody. We're gonna respect everybody. Now,
you don't ever let anybody you know, be rude to you or if something
happens, you know, but youcome tell mommy. But like that's gonna
be like because I yeah, it'sjust girl. Not everybody parents like you.
(30:29):
So it's like not every parents likeyou would parents totally. And that's
so funny that you brought that upbecause online it's the same way. It's
like I'll see these girls that arelike my kid goes down for a now,
but this time, and they eatthis every single day at this time
and we're on a routine. It'slike everybody's different, dude. Yeah,
it's so hard the comparison game ofnot just like girls, people whatever,
(30:52):
people in your industry, but likethe mom comparison. I will go into
rabbit holes and I'm like, howdo you do that? Because it's just
like I'm like, am I abad mom? And then I'm like,
wait a second, no, thisperson is just doing something different. Then
let me like it's just I don't. And so now when I'm saying something
and somebody wants to like bitch aboutDaisy, I'm like, and all the
crazy moms that are mad that I'mgiving my daughter died dctor pepper right now.
(31:15):
She wanted it. She's not gonnadrink the whole thing. I'm gonna
give her a sip of it.Yes. It is so funny though with
being a mom, like the firstyear, like you can only have breast
Mountain, only have that, andthen it's like now they're just drink and
died dr pepper. Yeah, they'regrabbing your your Chick fil a cup and
literally it's fine, take a sip. You're not gonna like it. Yeah,
we always go spice and then thekids will take a sip and they'll
be like, Daisy kind of likesthe Daisy's crazy likes it now too.
(31:38):
She'll like go straight up to thecup and I'm like, dude, come
down, just one sip. That'sall you get. Let me get to
your milk after this, or yourapple juice something. Man. So when
it comes to Ray, raylan meyou you what do you want to happen
next? Like, what what doyou see within the next like this year?
(31:59):
Like, what are some of yourgoals that you're trying to accomplish this
year? Well, one of mygoals is to get back out on the
road. I've just announced quite afew dates, and then I have so
many more that I haven't announced yetthat I'm super excited about. Yeah,
we posted yesterday that I'm gonna youknow, I'm just adding shows. And
I went through like a little hardseason because I was getting a new agent
(32:20):
and a new manager and then youknow, I don't have a label or
publishing companymore, which has been awesome. I'm free and clear, which has
been this whole new, awesome thing. But it's a lot of work on
me and my team, so figuringthat out, navigating it. But I'm
putting people in place, which hasbeen really awesome. But next for me
is, you know, getting backout there on the road. I want
(32:42):
to build my just my playing outpresence again. I love being on stage
so much. You're literally the best, Oh my gosh, and I just
can't wait to be performing again.Like it's so funny. It's like the
whole reason we do this is toperform, and like we do it performing
like maybe one percent all the BSthat we do. So I'm excited about
that. And I'm excited about create. I know this sounds kind of crazy,
(33:07):
but like I've been really just likeasking God like what i want to
do, and I'm excited about creatinglike my own ecosystem of like the way
that I want to work. Andyou know, I do want to tour,
but I don't want to tour twohundred eights a year. I don't
want to like and if I dotour, I'm gonna bring my family out.
But I'm excited to really hone inon what is it to be an
(33:31):
artist that's a mom and to bea wife. And this next record,
this this whole group of music thatI'm creating and writing. You know,
it's like I'm not you know,listen, I do have fun songs like
rowdy. You know, a coupleof these new songs are going to be
out of control. But I'm alsolike, you know, we're talking about
(33:52):
the world being crazy, Like Ihave a daughter that's going to go into
this world and I'm so nervous aboutit, and I'm writing songs like that.
And I'm writing a song about,you know, my husband and and
like growing up in a divorced homeand him looking at me a girl that
you know you could look at andbe like, oh, she's damaged goods
and saying, oh that's a wife. Yeah, that's a mother, that's
(34:13):
a home. Like those feelings andwriting a song like that, and and
this record is very mature because I'mlike most of my fans came from the
voice, right or they're still withme, so they're probably twenty nine,
thirty and their thirties. It's like, yes, I'm pretty sure I have
young fans too, but a lotof my fans are my age there and
they're growing up with me, andthey're probably in the same life that I'm
(34:35):
in and so or the same stageof life. And so it's like I
love that when Adele said, youknow, she's like everybody's writing for TikTok,
I'm writing for my thirty year oldfriend, Like, yeah, I'm
writing for my moms. And Ifeel that way. And so I'm really
just like like what, because Iwas like, what's your niche that you're
going form? Like my niche isjust being authentic and being a mom and
being an artist and being a wifeand and just chasing that. And when
(35:00):
I say ecosystem earlier, like Ijust want I want to do what I
love and make a living doing itand create just a a sphere of just
being happy, and just like andI can't have that. First of all,
I'm already happy. And I thinkyou can't chase happiness. You already
(35:22):
have to be happy. It's notsomething like I'm not gonna I've never been
somebody that's like, oh, whenI get to that level, I'm gonna
be happy, or when I getto that level, when I'm making that
much money, I'm gonna be this, this and this. First of all,
that's just not true. I havefriends that have accomplished everything they want
more in the music industry and there'sstill the most miserable ever. And honestly,
(35:45):
that's helped me navigate because it's like, Okay, this person has multiple
number ones. When I look atthe picture perfect person, why are they
there's noble? Why are they mean, like, you know, there's no
joy? And I'm like, I'mnever going to be that. I will
never be that. And so Ihave found happiness outside of music row and
(36:06):
outside of Nashville. And that's whyI feel like this next season is gonna
be so much fun, because whenyou're already happy where you're at. And
I'm not saying I don't have downdays. Girl. Two days ago,
I was like, why my day? Like we all we all do.
But I'm just saying, like,but even the person at the top has
those days. First of the talkprobably just wants a damn break. I
wants to just chill on their couchand yeah, he's of ice cream,
(36:28):
right, And so it's like there'salways there's always a pro and a con
to every stage of life. Butthe only thing that like, the one
thing that I'm focusing on focusing onis my happiness. Me being a mom,
me being a wife, and creatingan ecosystem where I can do it.
I love write music, but awhile and that was good. Good.
(36:54):
I said, you're gonna bring thatbutton, a little button out of
there. Huh um. Yeah,that's what that's the anything. And I
don't know what that looks like justyet, but I'm just gonna start going
through doors and you know, walkingthrough them, and it's gonna be cool.
I love that you're taking this seasonof life on your terms. Yeah.
I feel like so much of yourcareer has been other people telling you
(37:15):
what to do or putting their orwhatever. Yes, you are, this
is your you, This is rayon your terms. And I just love
that because you're creating the joy.You're speaking life into the seasons or the
spots in your life that you wantto flourish and grow. And you have
such a huge community around you that'snot only going to champion you, but
(37:35):
going to intercede like when you needit, when you're having those days and
there to lift you up. Andit's just I get chill bumps thinking about
it because I just see so manylike I've seen you as you know Raylan
from the Voice, I've seen youas Raylan on tour with Blake Shelton and
Miranda Lambert and all these things,and you were happy in those moments.
You were having the time of yourlife. But I think there's such a
(37:58):
maturity of you right now that's justlike I can do this on my terms
in a joyful, fun way andjust like handle it with grace and I'm
excited for you. Thank you.It's gonna be It's gonna be fun.
And We've got a lot of funthings. One thing that I'll talk about
is we have a it's so fun. We have a little kids country project
and there's so many various artists onit. There's so many awesome artists on
(38:21):
it. And when I was listeningto the songs to pick, I let
Daisy like help me pick it.And there was a song called shake your
Boots and it was like super fun, like there's a whole dance dude,
everything. And so the kids Project'sbeen fun. And that's the cool thing
about not being with um or notbeing with a label sometimes because they you
know, they'll kind of people don'tunderstand that part of it. But we're
back central book, so you canunderstand, like you can't just say yes
(38:44):
to everything when you have a teamof people like you know, and it's
sad because you should be able tobut you kind of have to fight for
what you want to do, whichis not what you should be able to
do when it comes to your musicand stuff. So anyways, projects like
that. I have a children's bookcoming out soon I haven't even talked about
yet. Oh, I've seen thepreview, y'all um. And then we're
(39:05):
doing a lot of fun things,so I'm I'm really excited. It's just
I kind of can do anything thatI want, like you said, and
you're you're championing yourself and I lovedoing it. You're doing it, honey,
And you're about to play in thiscelebrity softball game. Hello, are
you ready? I don't know,man, I gotta start working on my
catching skills. I'm actually pretty goodcatcher. I just gotta get better.
And I told Josh I want togo to the bat Incages tonight. Heck,
(39:25):
yes, well I'm gonna be therem seeing the game, so I'll
be your biggest fan on the sideline. I don't even know. My walkout
song is fire. Oh. We'llmake sure to post about it. It's
gonna be so good. Oh,and then CMA Fest stuff is coming up
to next week. Yeah, thisthis episode will be out Monday offs.
So before all the crazy. Whenit comes to being, you know,
(39:49):
a part of such a cool experiencefor Nashville, but also I mean it
gives back to such a great cause. Being a part of CMA Fest is
fun, right, It's so muchfun. It's it's busy, but it's
fun. And um, I'll neverforget my first SMA fast. I think
this is my tense CEMA pest,which is a decade of ray at CMA.
Um. Yeah, this this week'sget me fun. I'm doing the
(40:12):
the City National we're not not CityNational, the Folds of Honor, it
used to be City National long timeago. The Folds of Honor Celebrity Softball
game we're doing Wednesday night, I'mdoing the I'm singing at the Special Forces
Charitable Trust. Um, they're doinga big thing at woodwarth Theater. It's
gonna be so much fun. Andthen on Thursday, I'm singing on the
AMP stage. So the first firstartist up, which I like to be
(40:37):
like the first artist is not toohot, still pretty hot everybody, but
everybody. The best thing about mein The first is that everybody's fresh,
like everybody's ready to hear music.Everybody, and I mean our whole first
day too, our whole Bible studygroup. We're gonna be in the it's
gonna be it's gonna be awesome.But the CMA has just been so great
to me, and I think thecool thing about and I've said this before
(40:59):
CMA Fest is no other genre doesanything like this, and it gives you
a front row seat to meet andto see your favorite artist, but not
just a couple, literally everyone,and it's just like nobody else does that,
and it's super cool. Yeah,I'm excited about it. Well,
we do that. We do thisthing at the end of the podcast.
There's a little bubblegum machine and there'sa little question. They're all random,
(41:22):
so I don't even know what thisquestion is going to be. Don't ask
me what is your faite number mine? I'm not gonna say that out well,
this is the spicy version. Yes, okay, in sync or Backstreet?
(41:45):
Definitely in sync. I literally wasgonna say our friendships over if you
picksher? I never, I wasnever. I was never a backsherp Boys
fan. Wait, are they theones that say rock How bad? Is
that in sync? Or is thatfactory Boys? Yeah? So I gre
up in a very religious home andmy mom, you know, my aunt
(42:05):
Cindy, Um, she broke myCD Bactual Boys because I was listening to
Rock Your Body. Oh my gosh, she said, no secular music.
And now I'm talking about getting rowdyand drinking is a weird thing because I
remember growing up my mom. Iwas in the second or third grade,
I can't remember. And my friendBrittany Tocy, I remembered it to this
(42:29):
day, brought over an Alanis Morrisat CD and you're saying we were listening
to like Jagged Little Pill and likeall this stuff. And my mom was
like she is never allowed to comeover again. And I was just like,
why are you being so ridiculous?And I was in like private school,
you know, we were like underunder a tight like ship. But
transitioning to that like big of ayou know, it's good for us and
(42:52):
you understanding Jesus loves me, avacation Bible school, and then you're now
we're shrinking wine and customal. Iknow, I always like I'm gonna be
protective of Daisy, but also it'slike, you know, like I just
like I was like at ten oreleven, Mom, no, no,
but I was listening to the Thongsong and all the um you know,
(43:13):
all that all that musical scars.I would like put my top up in
a crop top and dance. Andit's like it's just so like my husband's
mom. I like, this issuch a funny story. His uh,
their friend made them a mix TVman and the first song on it was
save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy, Oh my gosh, and like its
(43:35):
there. I mean, it's sofunny because now they're super chill, but
when they were like in the raisingkids and they were like being really protective,
and I agree with that, butit's so funny being a mom now
and you're like, you get asecond, what are you listening to?
And then I'll go back and I'llbe like, wait, I was listening
to songs about grinding on each other. Yeah. And so they she the
mom, They were like out onthe boat and then they get back and
(43:57):
I guess this Pam was like cleaning, this is my mother in law,
and save her horse, Round aCowboy comes on and so anyways, they
walk in. She decided to makean example. And so she had all
this like these vegetables and carrots andbranch and all the stuff, and she
put a little bit of goose poopon the corner of the plate. And
(44:17):
they walk in. Of course they'rewanting a snag ve it on the boat,
and they were like, wait,what's that. She goes, oh,
like she went into a big speech. She like let him have it.
She's like, oh, you don'twant to eat it. There's just
a little bit of goose poop onit. Like it's not it's not bad,
like you can you can eat theother stuff, Like it's just a
little bit of goosepoos said, it'sso funny when she talks about now she
(44:40):
thinks it's hilarious. But I lovethat. I'm like, oh, just
a little bit of I mean there'sjust a little bit of poop makes in
the brownie. Yeah, okay,I'm like now, it's like, yeah,
it's just so funny. I feellike there are going to be moments
within the next like five ten yearsthat we're gonna have to like think about
things like that to like teach ourkids live since and thinking about that,
(45:00):
I'm like, am I gonna bethat Mom. I don't know, am
I, I don't know. Butalso like I haven't like had to deal
with that yet. Days just likeone and a half, just climbing up
stairs and climbing up slides backwards toget everything, Yeah, get into everything
they're not supposed to. Yeah,and just so, I mean so I
don't have to worry about that yet, but once we do, we'll probably
(45:22):
have to start are a different textto have been developed. Oh man,
well, I love you so much. I'm excited about y'all. Raylan,
you gotta go get her new song. There ain't nothing wrong with that,
nothing wrong with that. I loveyou, Ray and I, Ray and I
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