The Bobby Bones Show - Women of iHeartCountry with Amy Brown: Guest Callista Clark

Episode Date: November 21, 2021

A special edition of a Women of iHeartCountry interview and performance. Amy welcomes new artist Callista Clark!Amy and Callista talked about her new song that you’ve probably heard on the radio called “It’s Cause I Am”, how she taught herself to play guitar and what it’s like being from a very small town. She also performed a couple covers from Sugarland and Maren Morris. And be sure to check out Women of iHeartCountry on your local iHeartCountry station every weekend hosted by Amy! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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top shelfcountrycruise.com or 888-381-4420. Hey, it's Amy. Thanks for listening and being subscribed to the Bobby Bone Show podcast. I wanted to share with you an interview that I did on Women of I Heart Country. It's a show that I host every weekend where we showcase women and country music. And this week, my guest was Callista Clark. We talked about her new song that you probably heard on the radio. It's called It's Because I Am and how she taught herself to play guitar and what it's like being from a very small town. She also performed a couple of covers from Sugar Land and Marin Morris and you'll hear all of that coming up. And just a heads up, you can listen to Women of IHeart Country, again hosted by me every weekend. Just check out

your local IHeart Radio station or search Women of IHeart Country on your IHeart Radio app. Right now we're going to play my interview with Callista Clark, a special. Special edition of Women of I Heart Country. Here you go. Let's go, girls. Women of IHeart Country with Amy Brown. In studio now with Callista Clark. So you just turned 18 in September.

So what was more exciting for you, turning 18 and being a real life adult or signing your record deal? Hmm. Well, I'm going to say signing my record deal for sure. Also, I did just turn 18, but it doesn't. doesn't feel any different, like, at all. So there's that. Yeah, I'm not sure that 18 really does much for you, except for, like, now you, you are considered an adult. So what does it feel like as a new artist to have your debut song in the top 20? It's so unreal. I mean, I just put out this first collection

of music in February, and it's now November. So it's all seemed to happen really fast, and it's, I don't even know if I can put it in the right words, but it's incredible. Well, so you wrote the song with Cameron James and Laura Veltz, and so how did the idea come about for the song? So there had been a lot of moments in my career being a young girl, and, you know, I started doing co-rights in Nashville when I was 14, and I started doing gigs when I was 11. So, you know, a picture of little girl with the guitar, like, woo-hoo, I have big hopes and dreams, and I'm going to be an artist and all of these things.

And so there were a lot of moments where people kind of doubted me for that. And so I wanted to write a song as a new artist that introduced me in a really bold, fun, confident way. And we got it's because I am. Well, yeah, that's a song we're talking about. It's because I am. And we're going to play it now. Here's Callista Clark on Women of I Heart Country. Now with Callista Clark, and she's got her guitar, which is awesome.

Why don't you strum it so that everybody can hear. I sure do have my guitar. Yes. And she's about to perform a cover. of Baby Girl from Sugar Land. You probably know it. That song came out in 2003, and that's actually the same year you were born. It sure is. Oh my gosh. So when do you remember hearing the song for the first time? Well, growing up, my whole family, we've always been like super huge Sugar Land fans. And I believe the first song that I ever heard by them was stuck like glue.

And I immediately loved that song. But I had also heard about Jennifer Nettles through 4-H. We were both in the same 4-H performing arts group. It's called Clovers and Company. And it's where all these kids from the age of, I believe, 13 through 18. And, you know, we all play these instruments and sing and dance. It's like show choir type thing. And so I'd heard about her my whole life. And I heard Baby Girl.

And it was, you know, about hopes and dreams and making it in Nashville and making it as an artist. And so obviously that's one that's always been my favorite. And I got to sing that one with her when I was 12. So it's always been one that's super special. And so is it your parents that got you into country music? Yes. I grew up singing in church, so that's the first place that I ever sang at. But I've also been listening to 80s and 90s country since for as long as I can remember.

And I would go around places and sing at really small venues with my siblings. And we would do, yeah, 80s and 90s country and Motown and classic rock. And I started listening to the more current country, the older I got. And it's a really big part of me. How many siblings do you have? I have two. So I have an older brother, and he's 19, and a little sister, and she just turned 15. And y'all all play?

Yes. So y'all could just form a little family band if you wanted to. Yeah, I always would sing around places with them and do three-part harmony and all of those kinds of things. But the older they got, the more they were kind of like, you know what? Like, this is you. Have fun with that. But honestly, I feel like it's kind of what had to happen because growing up I was always

really shy. And so I feel like if they wouldn't have done that, I don't know if I would have had the courage to do that, you know? Yeah. Well, how about we play baby girl right now? You want to? Let's do it. Okay, here is Callista Clark covering Baby Girl by Sugar Land on Women of I Heart Country. They say this town, the stars stay up all night.

Well, I don't know. Can't seem for the glow of the neon lights. Well, it's a long way. From here to the place where the home fires burn, well, it's 2,000 miles and one left turn. Dear Mom and Dad, please send money. I'm so broke that it ain't funny. Well, I don't need much, just enough to get me through.

Please don't worry, because I'm all right. See, I'm playing here at the bar, and I will, this time I'm gonna be. make our dreams come true. Well, I love you more than anything in the world. Love your baby good. Yeah, your baby good dreams come true. So, Colista, you're from Zebulin, Georgia, population 178.

So what's there to do there? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You have to go to the city above us called Griffin to do anything, like grocery shop. There's literally nothing. And then how far after Griffin to get to like, is that where a Walmart would be? Yes. Okay.

Yes. That's where everything is we go there a lot. So you all probably still do the whole, I was thinking about this the other day. If I need a cup of sugar, I just go to the store and get a cup of sugar. Like gone are the days at least where I live where you go to the neighbor to get a cup of sugar and an egg. But that probably still goes on. Yeah. It definitely does.

I love that. I know. It's so sweet. So when did you learn to play the guitar? I have been playing guitar since I was 11. The first instrument I learned was ukulele and I was 10. And so, yeah, I just love music and I love learning different things. Okay, I read somewhere that you self-taught yourself how to play eight different instruments.

Yeah, I believe it's eight. I got really bored during quarantine. I mean, yeah, and plus there's nothing to do in your hometown. own. So what are those? Like piano, ukulele, what is this list of instruments? Okay, let's see. ukulele, guitar, piano, bass. If you count electric guitar being separate. Yeah, why not? You know, it's kind of different. Six-string banjo, mandolin, and then a keytar. That one, you know, like I said, quarantine. I feel like that's all I have to say. What is a keytar for those of us that don't know? So it's a keyboard that you play like a guitar.

You hold it and it's like on your hip. It's kind of like, okay, think of 80s. Keytar. That's what it is. Okay, I'm picturing it now. So which one are you best at? Hmm. I would say acoustic guitar.

That's the one I play the most for sure. And when it comes to writing songs, you wrote your first one at 11. So what was that called and what was it about? It was called Wildfire. And it started off as a poem for a song. school poetry contest and my mom read it and she had been writing songs for church and things like that and she had been trying to get me to write songs but I for some reason was really scared to do that I guess because I thought since I was so young nobody would believe anything that I was writing about

or like no one would want to hear my stories anyway and so she read that and was like we definitely need to turn this into a song and that's what we did I love that and then when it came down to you posting covers on YouTube whose idea was that It was my idea. I started doing social media just to keep in touch with my friends and different performing arts groups like I was telling you about and things like that just posting, oh, here's this song. This is what's stuck in my head today. And I would just be in my pajamas and like not even brush my hair and just be really laid back and chill and just post really last-minute covers of things. And I guess the one that most people would know me from is my cover of Have You

Ever Seen the Rain by Credence Clearwater Revival. I was at the beach with my family. And my granddad said I should bring back some CCR. It was a song that my brother used to sing when we would play gigs and stuff. And so it was really last minute. I'm like scrolling on my phone in the video looking at the chords. But yeah. And then what about TikTok? When did you decide to hop on that?

Hmm. I feel like it was longer ago than I think because of last year of being like so strange. But let's say, I think it was like two or three years ago now. I love TikTok. And at first I was like, no, I'm not going to do it. because I know I'm going to be so addicted to it. And here we are. No, my friend describes TikTok as the last happy place left online.

Yeah. Yeah, there is so much on there that can be positive. But when it comes to comments from people online, what's the number one comment that you're most tired of hearing? Ooh, like a negative one? Yeah, or just anything that's referencing you. That I need to gain weight. Oh.

That one. That's a good one. You know what? I'm just going to go ahead and say, here and now, and you can agree with me, like, we just need to stop commenting on people's bodies, period. I think that's a good rule. I do. Yeah, I agree. Or like, yes, eat a burger, not necessary. Yeah. And for some reason, people feel the need to comment on people's bodies, no matter which way, it's swinging, they have something to say. And in general, we just need to stop commenting about bodies,

period. I agree with that rule. And it's always a burger. It's never any other fattening food. It's always it's always that. I don't get it. No, it's people's go-to and just got to stop. I'm in studio now with Callista Clark, and she's got her guitar, and she's about to perform a cover of the Bones by Marin Morris, which is such a good one.

So how has Marin inspired you as an artist? Marin is one of my favorite country singers. She's just so powerful. And I also, I love women who do it all. Women who play instruments and write songs and have incredible vocals, and she's definitely one of those women. Have you had a chance to meet Marin yet? Not yet. I met Ryan.

Ryan heard. Yes. Which is Marin's husband who's also a singer's song. Yes. So that was cool. And he knew who I was. So maybe I'm a little closer to Marin knowing who I. Oh yeah. No, for sure. And it's only a matter of time before you come across her. Well, that would be amazing. I really do love her and her music. So if you could put together a dream tour, like an all-female country tour, Like what artists would you put on the lineup with you? Hmm. Well, Marin, for sure. Definitely Marin Morris.

Jennifer Nettles. Let's Go. Girl Power. And then, Tinald, Arts. I just got to be a part of her brand new album. And it's really incredible. And I love TANEL. She's so sweet.

Oh, yeah. We love her too. Okay. That'd be a good one. So once this tour kicks off, you let us know because we're all going to want to come. Okay. All right. You ready to cover the song?

Here's Callista Clark, The Bones by Marin Morris on Women of Eye Heart country. In the home stretch of the hard times, we took a heart left, but we're all right. Oh, life sure can try to put love through it, but we build this right. So nothing's ever going to move it when the bones are good. The rest don't matter yeah the paint could build glass could shudder let it rain cause you and i remain the same when there ain't a crack in the foundation baby i know any storm we're facing we'll blow right all the while we stay but the house don't fall in the bones are good so good so good so how long after you you did the whole TikTok thing, YouTube, whatnot, that the record deal came into play.

I, okay, so it's actually pretty crazy. The way I remember it is I went to public school in like sixth grade and then I decided that I wanted to be homeschooled. So my first year being homeschooled was seventh grade. And I started posting covers and doing things like that and not thinking anything of it. I don't think I fully realized how big social media could be. And so I was just posting really last minute, not thinking anything of it. And I posted the have you ever seen the rain cover when I was 13.

And like literally Scooter Braun, my manager and his partner, Alison Kay, saw it. And then literally a week later, I was at Scooter's house. So it was just like, it all happened so fast. And I am still processing that. It's so crazy. No, I mean, that's pretty crazy. I mean, did you ever ask him, like when you're sitting at his house, like, how in the world did you come across my video? So Allison Kay is the one that.

saw it first and then she showed it to him and I don't even know I think somebody just tagged her in it it's crazy how social media works oh my goodness all right so now we're going to fast forward to the here and now which is cool because you're going on tour with mattie and tay it's the CMT next women of country tour all song no static which is going to be cool so how do you prepare for a tour like that i try not to freak out no but i love mattie and tay so much and it's really special that I'm getting to go out on the road with them um I myself am just like I'm so excited to be on the road every night and playing my music in front of actual people after quarantine and not seeing people in doing Zoom and all of those kinds of things.

I could not be any more excited for it. Do you have to do something to prepare your vocals for something like that? I mean, you're so young that it's like, oh, maybe you don't have to do what some other artists have to do. But what's something that's necessary before you hit the stage? I definitely do, you know, like the yoga, the staying calm, the vocal warmups. And then you even have to like vocal cool down. Like there's a lot of things. Stay really hydrated. All the things.

You definitely have to be on top of it because it's a lot. You mentioned the yoga. Do you have something you try to practice daily that helps keep you calm, especially being so excited about a tour or breathing exercises? All the things you just said, honestly, yoga, I just have this app on my phone. It's nothing fancy. So it's just something that I try and do as much as I can. And also something that I've found that really helps me is I'll like throw something.

thing with someone before I go on stage, it takes my mind off of it and it's just something, I don't know, it's really relaxing. No, it's a sensory thing. Yeah. Like my kids therapists have even talked about it, like, too, just to kind of, if there is, like my son in particular, like if there's stuff going on with him or he's not regulated, like we can go outside and throw a ball as hard as possible and something will reset him. It's really nice.

Yeah, so here, you heard it here. If you've got something going on or you'd have like nerves or something you're dealing with, I've heard too you can just, if you don't have a ball to throw or you don't have anywhere to like throw it against anything or someone to throw with, you can just go get an ice cube out of the freezer and chunk it outside as hard as possible. I've never even thought about that, but I feel like it would work. Yeah, you heard it here. You're also going to be doing a few dates with Scott and McCreary, which is cool, the same

truck tour and that's next year and he was on American Idol. Did you ever think about auditioning for a show like that? I did, but honestly for me, it's just something that I've seen that. that and I've watched all those shows and I really, really love it. We still watch The Voice in American Island all of those every single season, especially now that Ariana Grande is on the voice. Who, what? Oh, yeah. She went, who is she one of your favorites? Yes. I love her. I haven't met her yet, but what an icon. Oh, yeah, maybe one day. I love Kelly Clarkson. She's nice. They're all great. Okay, well, Callista, thank you so much for hanging out with me this weekend.

If you all want to follow Callista on TikTok and Instagram is just at Callista Clark. and you can check out her new Real to Me EP, which is so awesome. We just want to encourage you, like the women that you hear on the show, you've got to support them. We've got the new up-and-coming artists, the ones that have already paved the way for girls like Colissa. We got throwbacks, but supporting these up-and-coming women is where it's at, right, Colista? Yes, I totally agree. Thank you so much for having me. Thanks for coming.

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