I'm ok and you are ok

 

This is mental health awareness week/month. A definition of mental health from the World Health Organisation has a holistic approach to what this is and what it can mean for us in our daily lives. 

"Mental health is the foundation for the well-being and effective functioning of individuals. It is more than the absence of a mental disorder; it is the ability to think, learn, and understand one's emotions and the reactions of others. Mental health is a state of balance, both within and with the environment. Physical, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual and other interrelated factors participate in producing this balance. There are inseparable links between mental and physical health. More than 100 million people suffer from mental health disorders in the Western Pacific Region. Depressive disorders alone are responsible for 5.73% of the disease burden in here"

The question "how are you" is something that each of us ask on a daily basis when we meet someone we have not seen in a long time or if we bump into them in the supermarket. What answer are you hoping to hear, "I am fine thanks" Me too, see you later is sometimes how these conversations could go. Can we listen and be there for someone's honest answer as to how they really are and what they are feeling inside.

"How are you"

"Today I am not feeling my best, I am feeling frustrated with how people are treating me and what is going on in the environment" 

"Tell me more, I am listening and with you to express what that is about for you" 

I called my show Voice of a Woman which has two very strong aspects to it. The first is the exquisite voices women possess in music and what those voices express and tell us. We connect with artists in this way in so many deep levels and in this way this is good for our mental health, music lifts our mood, helps to heal us and validates the way we may be feeling about something that has happened to us in our lives we may not have had a chance to talk to anyone about. 

Grief is something we all go through with so much loss in our lives particularly over the last years with the pandemic and also throughout our lives with those who have died and who we will never forget. Song like this one certainly help to comfort, heal and help us to go through those emotions in a healthy way. Jenny Colquitt's song Tell Me Where The Light is is one song that really helps to cope with these strong feelings and what it can bring up for all of us. We all go through grief and loss in our own different ways and this is a healthy way to do this. 

                       Link to song  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma7qC0SlD_g

The other aspect of it is voices not being heard or silenced, everyone has their own story of their lives and what that is about for them. Everyone deserves to be listened to and to have empowerment in their own voice and not have the fears of judgement and more that can prevent someone seeking help. 

A sense of belonging is something each of us need to feel in our families, community, work place and within ourselves. So many experiences happen when growing up that can create some difficult challenges that we as humans have to face, abuse, bullying, strong expectations on us to perform and be a certain way at all times, discrimination based on sex, gender, race and disability. Basing this on the who meaning of mental health it is how we function with all this going on in our environments and how we process them when we are alone in our own environments. We can learn ways to cope with this.  

I was bullied at school and this feeling of never fitting in and never feeling that someone had your back is a hard thing to go through and can still go through that today. Not everyone will like you and they will not be shy to tell you that or they can just say the cruellest things and laugh when you cry and dislike the way they have treated you. As with the poster you can feel so alone in this and well meaning advice sometimes does not help, just ignore them, don't let it get to you, don't fight back, they are just going through something in their life, let them be. All well meaning advice but when you are the one being humiliated, hurt by the actions of someone else and you get no support in that it is hard to express through your voice how this can feel. Words hurt deep. 

Labels can be a helpful tool in some respects however in this context it can really hurt and destroy a person's self acceptance and esteem and make them feel guilty just about being who they are. So what if someone is carrying more weight than they should, so what if someone wants to change gender, so what if someone wants to listen to music you may not like, so what if someone has a different opinion to you. Does this mean they are a "Flipping idiot, what do they know" 

I have known individuals who have been so distraught and so in pain they have wanted to take their own lives. What pain and heartache must a person be in to want to do this. I have seen so many negative responses to this that it hurt to my very bones calling a person in pain a "That". Mental illness has come on from many years ago thankfully and there are still ways to go. It is a two way street when providing care and helping people who are in this amount of distress. It is about self compassion and recovery not keeping them stable. Finding meaning in life is so so important as at the end of the day we are all only human. 

Being kind is what has been in the media and what every human being wants in every respect, what does it mean to be kind to you, are  you kind to all the poeple you meert in your day? Are you kind to yourself ? Maybe you can try some of these tips and be kind today and everyday for someone who you may not know and who may just need it. 

Mental health awareness week is the time to start and continue these conversations so they become second nature and something we are all comfortable with doing as they are so so important and vital for so many of us and our health. 

How will you look after yourself and others today? How will you be kind to yourself and to others today? 

Lets Talk. 

Harriet Rose Love me Like That

 

A 12 year old girl by the name of  Harriet Rose who lived in a small town called Barnsley has had dreams of being a successful singer songwriter. Some people told her she would not and could not do it but she has not listened. Harriet has been honing her craft since then by writing, performing, singing and building a strong and supportive fan base.  In 2020 industry professionals, promoters, music lovers, fans and artists alike started to take notice of this stunning country/americana singer songwriter who has amazed people with this talent no matter where you are or what path you are walking in life. Harriet has catapulted herself to being one of the ones to watch in 2021 and beyond in this business by many industry professionals, blogs, presenters and national radio stations. In the last year she has won female of the year in the Women of Country in America beating Ashley Mcbryde and showing the amount of support she has gained through her loyal and supportive fanbase. Other accolades include Female of the year on dirt road fm and she is up for three awards with Belles and Gals UK spotlight awards which are voted for by industry professionals including best newcomer and song. 

Harriet released her debut single on the 21 Aug 2020 making her mark and sending a message to people "No Small Town chains would hold her back no more" This was a strong statement and the song had great production and vocals behind it and a young Harriet Rose holding a balloon in hand. To read this review Voice of a Woman wrote about this track you can go here 

https://voiceofawoman2020.blogspot.com/2020/08/harriet-rose-small-town-chains.html

This brings us to release day of 05 Feb 2021 for Love me Like That. Looking at the cover it made me think of the pain of losing something or someone which gives us the idea that this new track from Harriet has a different story to tell than her debut. The rose petals falling to the floor, dressed in black and in the woods all points to a story of deep emotional pain and loss. 

Starting to listen to the song this is going to be an emotional journey for the listener, the songs starts softly and gently with just guitar and very soft, intentional vocals from Harriet herself. 

"Sitting in another bar, waiting for it all to close

knowing that you're out with her 

and your probably gonna take her home"

This songs topic touches on someone who has been in an abusive relationship and sees this person be in what looks like a loving relationship with someone else. They are sitting there and insecurity takes hold while thinking back on past memories.

"Was there something that I could have done

something that  I could have said to make you stick around"

Reality sets in and questions in the narrators mind build and build to the chorus as the instrumentation and production gently build asking the questions 

"why you gotta love her right"

When I listen to this song and the chorus there seems to be an echo in the chorus wondering and questioning this very thing, not harmonies in the chorus, just a subtle double vocal as it were asking the most important questions and wonder the most important point in the song. It is haunting and poignant, why did I not deserve the love and attention you are paying to her? 

"was it ever your intention boy to stick around

cause all you were gonna do was let me down let me down"

This story continues in what I would term a grief process going through the stages of loss and losing yourself to someone you loved and wondering what has happened. Harriet's Vocals remain pure, vulnerable and bring out the emotion of this story. 

"staring at my phone again , waiting for you to ring"

The second chorus builds up and the drums kick in with some anger as well as sadness in the vocals wondering why he has to love her like that and not her, a most vulnerable place to be and feel and we hear the rawness of this pain in Harriet's voice and simple production. There has to be note of how emotional the guitar solo is in this song and where it comes because while listening this tugs at my heart strings. This is class playing Pete from Flatwave Music. The bridge slows down and again simple instrumentation and Harriet's vocals pondering and wondering about this exact thing, coming to the realisation that it is not her fault, being mistreated by someone is not her fault and healing can then begin to happen. This brings us into the last chorus and the power and skill from Harriet in her vocals

Love me like that shows a different side to the talent Harriet Rose possesses in the music industry and vocally is very different to the sass and feel of Small Town Chains. This song is going to tug at the heart strings, show you the versatility and prowess of the vocals , the talent and though behind the song and production from Pete at flatwave who knows how to bring this story and song to life in this way. What a team and this song is a must listen and Harriet Rose for me is one to watch and support in this music industry for sheer talent, skill and passion and care she gives to everything she does and that Pete at flatwave helps her to create. 

To preorder the song you can go here, it comes out this Friday 05/02/21

Writer: Harriet Rose

Musicians: Harriet Rose, Ben Smith and Pete Thompson

Produced by: Pete Thompson

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/harrietrose/love-me-like-that

To learn more about Harriet Rose you will find her on all her socials at the following links

Website www.harrietrosemusic.com

Halle Kearns Finally

 

Halle Kearns has only been on the music scene for a short time but it really does feel like she is an established artist given the amount of success she has had in such a short space of time. Originally from Colombia MO, Nashville resident Halle Kearns is living her dream, literally. Halle has taken the time to decide what kind of artist she wants to be, what music she wants to make, her own individual style and she is selling it to the world. The world seems to be loving every single second from Pick me up, I Drink Whiskey to the moving Shoes to Fill, Halle is quickly becoming a fast favourite with many country fans throughout the world. Halle has racked up over 300,000 streams on Spotify, had videos premiered on CMT and is more and more in demand for live streams than ever before! What a rollercoaster ride it has been for this talented artist! 

Halle has named this EP Finally as it is something she has always wanted to do for many years, 5 yrs to be exact, and now that she is bringing it out this seemed like the most appropriate title for this EP. I have to firstly mention the cover as what I see is a self assured woman who is comfortable in her own skin and is enjoying the journey she is on with her music and where it is taking her. I really love this artwork. It is also her birthday when this EP drops this Friday.  

This EP has 5 tracks on it with all three previous releases included. The EP opens with the debut single that Halle released to give us all a little pick me up during these different times in the world and what a debut that was! Such a great opening debut to introduce Halle to the world and let us know what she is all about.

The EP's second track is Whatever you do and Halle has spoke on Facebook livestreams about what kind of feel this song has, she has described it as Zac Brown Band feel and after listening to this track I really have to agree. This track will bring summer to your winter as it is such a feel good anthem that would feel at home on a summer playlist. The production is similar to the most country songs of the Zac Brown Band catalogue and it is a very polished vocal performance with exceptional production backing her. This song could easily have been one of the lead singles, any of these songs could have been a single! Wonder how she choose the ones to release first!  

For me the next track Before he Could is one that stands out to me showing more depth and power in song writing and vocals. The meaning of this song is loving someone so much but being afraid of the hurt that could be caused to both parties so instead of trying she hurts him before he could. I find this song to be so moving and gorgeous showcasing a tender side to Halle's vocals with instrumentation that evokes even more feeling, almost to tears. I have a feeling that many people will be able to relate to Halle on a more deeper level when this song is out in the world. This would be a highlight of the EP for me and I will be interested to see the reaction of this song when the EP is out. 

"Ran from what I wanted, that front door was my way out, pulled out the drive way turned on the highway, looking down the easy route, I saw forever in his need you eyes He didn't deserve to hear goodbye but I was scared to let my heart do what it should so I broke it before he could"

The EP rounds of with the follow up two singles, I Drink Whiskey and hopefully this Christmas you can toast to someone with a drink or have a drink to get away from someone for a little while if they are driving you to drink!!

Lastly this EP finishes off with one of the songs Halle has written that is most important to her. Family is an important part of life and when you have family that supports and loves you all the way there is nothing else. Halle talks about this relationship with her father saying a prospective partner has serious shoes to fill to love her as much as her dad does, she won't settle for anything but the best as her father has taught her how important she is. This is a special song that any daughter can relate to who has this relationship with her father. 

This is a stunning debut EP for Halle that will only help validate her place on the music scene and continue this rise to stardom she is on at present! Happy Birthday Halle and what a gift to give yourself and your ever growing fanbase! 

For more information on Halle Kearns go to her website which has all the pre save info for Finally you will need and more info on Halle herself. 

https://www.hallekearns.com/

Happy Christmas Biddy Ronelle and Tommy Taylor

Biddy Ronelle is a UK Americana singer with a powerhouse vocal that will definitely stop you in your tracks especially in the higher registers. She was featured on one of Voice of a Woman radio shows as legend of the week and one to watch as her vocals are just seriously good and the tracks she writes and produces are just stunning. Despite all this year has brought us all in the given climate, Biddy has had a number one EP with Aftershocks, a number one single with Thrill and a top ten single with David Luke to raise money for the Musicians charity in Let the Music Play in the UK iTunes chart. Biddy is cementing her place as a force to be reckoned with in the UK country scene.

Tommy Taylor is an Americana, southern, rock artist with real and powerful raw vocals thrown in with the mix. Could he be the male Biddy Ronelle? Just Maybe, just maybe? The songs he has released this year have gone top ten and have showcased so many different styles in music. He is simply breath taking to listen to. He has been playing in bands and delivering music for audiences for over 15 yrs and decided to release music in his own right. What an impressive start he has had with singles Keep on keeping on , a song for her and Popcorn. He has a top ten under his belt in the iTunes country chart and anticipation builds for what is next for this artist. Tommy also runs a bar in his native North Yorkshire which champions independent artists. 

What happens when you put these two exceptional artists vocally together writing, recording and releasing a track? Happy Christmas happens and let me tell you I have never been wished a merry Christmas in quite this way before and may not again! At first listen it is a rock ballad that is just epic to listen to and for a moment you are taken with where the heavy guitars and vocals take you, then Biddy reminds us it is merry Christmas the only way she can, vocal gymnastics and reaching notes that could be described as being unable to reach!! 

This track starts of with Biddy's vocal and piano which is gorgeous and beautiful. A strong electric guitar solo then breaks in followed by  Tommy's vocals in the second verse as the song starts to build adding guitars, drums and some serious male vocal gymnastics. This is what can only be described as a serious rock track with serious rock vibes, electric guitar solos that punch you in the gut hearing them. The track continues to build until what I would call the piece de resistance, Biddy wishes you a Merry Christmas the only way she can, with vigour, power and hitting that note right in it's centre! You will know which note I am referring to when you hear this track!! 

This song is a duet I will be listening to every Christmas for many years to come, maybe even if it is not Christmas as this is a really good song, amazing production and the song is laid bare as are the powerhouse vocals of Tommy Taylor and Biddy Ronelle. I would check this out and if you do not feel Christmassy after that, then hit rewind as you will eventually I can assure you! I know I do! This is the Christmas duet you didn't know you needed but now you do! The track was written by both Biddy & Tommy and features Will Watson on guitar, Nic Slack on keys and has been produced by the country producing wizard Stu Magru. Great work guys, I applaud you! 

I would love to see these two pairing up again, well done for the idea at the British Country Music Association Marketing team! Just a thought if you are reading this guys! I am looking forward to what these artists release next!

Go pre order, save, buy and Rock out this Christmas with Biddy Ronelle and Tommy Taylor and "Happy Christmas"  https://outnow.io/t/happychristmas

For more information on Biddy go to her website   

https://www.biddyronelle.com/

For more information on Tommy visit his website  

https://tommytaylormusic.com/

My Voice of a Woman Journey

 

Recently I asked for a social media audit from the fabulous Joey Clarkson and Laura Jenkins of your forte and they were asking me where the idea came from for Voice of a Woman. Voice of a Woman is born from the idea of supporting women in music to give them a supportive platform to show who they are through their music, their songs and their stories. I have always loved women in music and when I have loved a song the songwriter and or singer has always been female. 

Females in the industry I love are Lucie Silvas, Sara Barielles, Harriet Rose, Diane Warren, Natalie Hemby, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose, Hilliary Lindsay, Laura Veltz , Cerian, Daisy Chute, Jenny Colquitt and Kara Dioguardi. This list is by no means exhaustive and I could add to it on a daily basis as there are so many female singer songwriters whose lyrical talent and melodies are just stunning and I just fall in love with them every single song. Country music and the music I tend to gravitate towards are women writing about what means something to them, heartbreak, loss, dreams, fears, inadequacies and really inspiring upbeat songs to just say I am ok and you know what I can do this!

Voice of a Woman to me is also a very personal thing, a journey for me in terms of my own voice and what it is I want to say and who I want to be. Too often in life  through being bullied, being laughed at, being humiliated, being misunderstood, being excluded from groups, losing my mother at a young age, not feeling like you fit in in the world, it has felt like my own voice in a way has been silenced and when I speak sometimes it does not seem to be heard by some of the most important people in my life. 

Losing a mother at a young age is something that has always been hard for me as from an early age I slipped into the mothering role and not the young girl role which made my life a bit different growing up. I did not have those fun experiences other kids had growing up and just being a kid. I was caring for the family and sacrifices were made unknowingly by me. I asked myself "why do I not fit in" "Why Am I being bullied". I did not understand grief and the loss of a mother so young and all that went with that. I wasn't able to talk about it so was alone in all of that. I don't think it is something that can be understood come to think of it, loss is something you may learn to live with however it is hard at times and to understand why would be important for someone so young and at any age. 

Some have mentioned in passing to me "you are too quiet" You are a Loner" which I have to say is so off the mark I do not even know where to begin to answer them. Writing my own story and truth I am a carer and have been in that role for so many years. Firstly with the loss of my mother and then to take care of a family member also took seriously ill. I nearly lost them, they needed me and I was there for them. Caring is a role that people make sacrifices in and lose parts of themselves through that process. In this process though "where was my voice, where is my voice, where am I in all of this" I found myself very alone in it all and not sure where to turn, trying to speak and not being heard or if my words did get heard I was "sensitive", "what was I talking about" and other such disrespectful remarks came my way. 

Music to me is my safest place to be and go through all of this, Harriet Rose was such a gem to have written Imagine Paradise about her story of losing a mother at a young age. When I heard this song healing was taking place. Harriet was telling my story and all the things I wanted and needed. This moment to me was so special and will forever remain so. 

Voice of this woman was born out of all this, a path for me to become who I am, to love what I love, to do what it is that is important to me, to have something that is mine that I just am so passionate about and love.  

This is just the tip of the iceberg in what voice of a woman really means to me and the true place it came from. Voice of a Woman means more to me than anyone could ever know. Maybe now you can have some insight into what it truly means for me and not something to exclude anyone. Part two coming soon. 

Together Country I Won't Forget To Miss You

Everything starts with an idea and this idea with help and support comes to fruition. This single is a collaboration between Scarlet River Management, Country Chat with Dom and all the artists within the picture above, Brittany McLamb, Daniel Borge, Charlotte Young, Georgia Nevada Emilia Quinn, Bob Fitzgerald, Emma Moore and Kyle Elliot and the song is written and produced by Tyler Spicer and Aidan Thompson. This group of people have come together to become Together Country to bring you the song "I won't forget to miss you" in aid of Mental Health charity Mind. 2020 has not been the year that everyone had planned. The pandemic around the world has meant people have not been able to see loved ones, have lost livelihoods and have seen huge losses in terms of business and even lives so this unity and song brings some hope and a message to send to our loved ones all year round but particularly this Christmastime. Physical health is important but we cannot forget how important our mental health is and how we take care of ourselves and our family is equally as important always. 

I Won't forget to Miss you is beautiful ballad that will make you reminisce about those loves ones you have in your life that you want to see, hug and be with them but due to the difficult and challenging climate at present around the world this is a challenge we were not expecting in 2020. We can't travel to enjoy music with friends, we can't travel to see people in other countries without being in isolation for two weeks. It is hard on all of us and music is something that can bring us altogether. The songs makes me feel nostalgic when I listen to it remembering people in a loving and caring way, those I love who are here and those who are no longer here. I am missing many people and not being able to go and see them makes me miss them all the more. There is no way I will forget to miss them and this song is a loving tribute to all of them, to all of you. They are always on my mind and with this song it really is a loving way to let them know.  It is a beautiful modern country track that I can see people sending to their loved ones this Christmas and possibly many of them after. I messaged the artists to ask what it meant to be involved in the song and what it meant that it was for mind mental health charity.

Georgia Nevada said "It’s been great to be a part of a feel good collaboration like this with so many awesome artists. They’re all so talented and I am so grateful to have been asked by SRM and Country Chat With Dom to be a part of it"

Kyle Elliot "It was such a rewarding opportunity to come together with other artists and friends from around the world to create such a meaningful project. It’s experiences like this that make me thankful to be apart of such a unique industry that allows us do such good for our community and our world. I hope this song can help brighten someone’s Christmas!”

Emilia Quinn "I was asked by Rachel to feature on the track and when she told me the whole concept and charity it was supporting I was definitely up for it. It was a really fun project to be part of and a little different to what I've done before! I think Mind is a really awesome charity, I actually did a Christmas gig with Whiskey Kisses to raise money for mind last year so something I'm totally up for supporting. This year especially everyone's mental health has taken a hit and if it helps support an organisation that help that it's worth every second I put in"

Emma Moore "It was so lovely to be asked to be a part of the song, especially by two people who work with a huge of amount of talented artists - it was such an honour. I think a small silver lining of this year has been in the value people have placed on their mental health, and how many more conversations are opening up about it. Mind do an incredible job of supporting people who are struggling and I think it’s the perfect choice to donate to this year, as the one place we should always feel completely safe is in our own mind"

Brittany McLamb "It was such an honor to have even been considered as a contributing artist for this project! I’ve never been a part of a collaboration of this size before, so I was excited to get involved and hear the track! When Dom and Rachel sent the track over my initial response was “This is good stuff!” I could immediately relate to certain aspects of the song! You’ll know what I mean when you hear it! :) The song lyrics and melody are a bit of an earworm, so don’t expect to get them out of your head for at least the rest of 2020! Haha! I love creating music in general, but when the music is able to support such a wonderful charity as Mind it puts the icing on the cake! Mental health is such an important subject matter and something that gets brushed under the rug all too often! It’s important that we have organizations that folks can reach out to when they need help and support!The process was unique in that we all recorded our vocals from different countries and brought them together to make a beautiful track. I learned my vocal parts and recorded them from my upstairs office with the assistance of my boyfriend, Aidan Thompson. It was a fun experience and I think everyone will love how it all came together and turned out!"

Charlotte Young "Loved being involved, an awesome team behind it in terms of writing, production and promotion and just felt nice to be a part of something special, mind is an extraordinary charity and very worthy cause, having being lucky enough to haven’t majorly suffered with mental health, I know it’s a battle I will see many loved ones fight and Mind do incredible work making sure we all stay afloat and are feeling healthy . With winter being a hard time for some hopefully this song will bring comfort and some cheer to this dreary year"

Bob Fitzgerald "I was delighted to be asked to be part of this beautiful project and to be working alongside so many great artists, all be it remotely. It’s a great track by Tyler Spicer and a truly wonderful and timely idea of Dom and Rachel to put it together. Mental Health awareness is such a meaningful and very relevant cause, right now as much as ever. Please do pre-order your copy and help raise awareness for Mind Charity.

The song itself has a very catchy hook and chorus that as Brittany says you will be singing and humming when you go shopping in the supermarket, yes I did that! Wait till you hear it and you will too! The riff at the beginning leads you in nicely to the song and the singing is gorgeous and to me shows another side to these artists voices. I must admit I had trouble deciphering a couple of voices! I have been listening to it a few times to try and figure that one out! Shows versatility in the vocals. 

"I want to hold you neath that New York skylight, stare into those big blue eyes, and celebrate another year oh how time flies, In a year that's been full of woe, holding onto family, holding on to hope, there's just one thing I want you to know I won't forget to miss you underneath the mistletoe"

This is the chorus which builds throughout the song and everyone sings it together at the end and it leaves a lump in my throat. 

Send love to family, friends and the wider community, it is that one thing that will always help and heal during these difficult times and always.

Go and pre order this song and send it as gifts to your family and friends and raise money for Mind Mental health Charity to do their important work now and always. 

Sending love.

Here is the pre order link for the single which all profits are going to mind mental health. 

https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/togethercountry/i-wont-forget-to-miss-you-feat-charlotte-young-kyle-elliott-bob-fitzgerald-emma-moore-emilia-quinn-daniel-borge-brittany-mclamb--georgia-nevada

You can also donate to Mind Mental Health charity if you do not have itunes right here https://www.mind.org.uk/

Harriet Rose Small Town Chains

 Harriet Rose is a UK country singer, songwriter and multi instrumentalist who has been taking the UK scene, particularly the country music scene by storm with her songwriting craft, her song writing ability, her professionalism, her slick guitar changes and her vocals. Harriet lives in a small town and has big dreams to do what she loves and is in her heart to do, sing her own songs, tell her own story and do it in her own way allowing nothing to hold her back. Harriet describes her sound and songs as " sass, flare and a little bit of heartache" 

Harriet has been working the live music gigging scene for years and has honed and developed her sound and confidence and is now ready and in a place to release her debut single "Small Town Chains" This is possibly one of the most anticipated and in demand debut releases for a long time given how Harriet's fanbase has grown over time with consistent and stunning live streaming over lock down complete with her guitar named Shelia. Harriet wows everyone who hears her. I discovered her over lockdown and proud to support her always. Of all the songs Harriet has in her repertoire she could have released any number of them. On a personal note and a story I share and feel with Harriet, Imagine Paradise is one of those songs that got my heart as I know and have lived through that story. This song got me. Harriet got me. Since then each and every song is like she is telling my story. Country music is just that real people telling real stories that make you feel something and heal and inspire you all at the same time. 

This release of "Small town chains" is one of the most clever choices for Harriet to release. The narrative of the song is living in small towns there are so many people who can hold you back, want a piece of you to tear you down and why would anyone want to be successful, it's not going to happen. Harriet has other ideas cause the small town chains they won't hold me back no more. The song starts with steel pedal sound with acoustic guitar and Harriet's clear, crisp vocals kicking in and she is here to stay. She is commanding your attention with her vocal and the small town chatter where people just want to spend their time taking you down.  The drum pattern then kicks in and this sound to me is organic, strong, upbeat, a song that makes you want to dance, headbang and feel full of inspiration and that you too can take on the world and win. I listened to this song while driving and you cannot help but be carried along with the song and the feel and vibe created on this track. The production on this song is well intentioned, slick and superb all thanks to Pete from Flatwave. From reverb to echo to the whole vibe and feel of the track it is just superb from start to finish.  What a team to put this song together to start this incredible story of a small town girl who is moving on up and won't forget her roots but she won't be looking back she will be looking up. 

"Cause these small town chains they cant hold me back no more got some big time plans and that's all I'm living for"

I also find the cover artwork very poignant and moving. This is Harriet at a very young age, innocence and anything is possible holding a red balloon. The world awaits her and this small town decides this young girl can't amount to anything  because of where she is from. This isn't the real truth and a strong message from this song. Anyone can do anything if they believe and work hard. This message goes out to anyone now at any age. 

Harriet Rose is a name you will definitely hear more of in the future. She is destined to take the UK and worldwide music scene by storm on a rollercoaster ride of emotions through her skill, talent, drive and sheer powerhouse vocals. This doesn't feel like a debut, it feels like she is releasing a new single and is an established artist who has been in the music business for years. Harriet has earned the respect of fans, critics and music industry insiders and this will only grow overtime. This is a stunning debut and only the beginning of this story. She is moving on up!! 

Writer and vocals Harriet Rose

Musicians Danny Smart Tom Jane Harriet Rose

Production Pete Thompson

For more information and to pre order track release Friday 21 August go to https://www.harrietrosemusic.com