Originally from Columbia, MO and now calling Nashville, TN home is rising artist Halle Kearns. Her songs are currently in rotation at Sirius XM’s The Highway. In addition, she was previously featured as “the artist of the week on both Radio Disney in the U.S and Country Hits Radio in the U.K.” (Kearns). She has also opened for the likes of Trace Adkins, William Michael Morgan, Casey Donahew, Eli Young Band and Tracey Lawrence. In December 2020, Kearns made waves with her debut EP, “Finally”, which garnered over 2.7M+ streams, “reaching number 5 in the U.K Country iTunes charts and number 7 in the U.S. It has also been a hit on streaming services, surpassing 3 million Spotify streams, appearing on the Hot Country, New Boots and Wild Country editorial playlists and seeing Halle reach 740,000 monthly listeners.” (Kearns). Her second track on the album, “Whatever You Do” gained over 2.5M+ Spotify streams alone. Follow the success of her EP, Kearns recently released her latest single, “Plans”– an upbeat pop-country love song that speaks to someone who is finding themselves falling head over heels for the person they are dating and making plans to spend more time with them.
Recently I spoke to Halle Kearns about her start in country music, her latest single and her goals for this year.
Kyla Pearson: For those who are unfamiliar with your music, can you tell us a bit about your path to pursuing country music? What made you want to become a country artist?
Halle Kearns: I’ve listened to country music as far back as I can remember. It’s what I was raised on, so when I began playing guitar/singing, country is what naturally fell out! I was hooked on it the moment I began playing guitar at about 13, but it wasn’t until I was around 16 years old that I decided this is what I would pursue as a career.
KP: Your musical sound leans more towards pop-country. What made you want to pursue this stylistic direction? Who/which artists would you say, have influenced your sound?
Halle Kearns: I really tried hard to refrain from labelling myself and forcing myself into a specific genre. I just love creating music. More specifically, the type of music I would love to listen to! I grew up on 90’s country and top 40 pop mostly. I love Alan Jackson, Martina McBride, The Chicks, etc. but I also grew up listening to Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Amos Lee, Norah Jones, and so many more!
KP: If you could collaborate with one of your musical influences, who would it be & why?
Halle Kearns: I would absolutely love the opportunity to collaborate with Brett Young. He is so talented and his songs just melt me. I think our tone would be complementary too!
KP: You’re latest single, “Plans” was released on April 16th. Plans is an upbeat pop-country love song that speaks to someone who is finding themselves falling for the person they are dating and making plans to spend more time with them- Which is relatable to many who are experiencing the excitement at the beginning of a new relationship. What was the inspiration behind the song?
Halle Kearns: My favourite part of songwriting is the storytelling aspect. I don’t just want people to connect with my words, I want them to feel connected to me as well! For this reason, I always make sure my songs are authentic and something I’ve experienced personally at some point in my life. I have definitely fought a fear of commitment in relationships throughout my life, and this song talks about meeting someone great enough to pull you away from that fear!
KP: Can you tell us a bit about the songwriting/recording process that went into making the song? How did you come up with the hook for the song?
Halle Kearns: I wrote this song with 2 amazing girls, Lydia Dall and Aimee Walden. We had such a blast creating “Plans” because I think all 3 of us girls had been on one side of this equation or the other. When I finally hit the studio with it, I knew I wanted the production to match the super high-energy that was brought by the lyrics. As always, my producer Stephan knocked it out of the park!
KP: How does this song differ from your previous releases? What are you hoping to achieve with this new single?
Halle Kearns: I think this song brings new energy to my artistry. I am actively trying to tell more and more of my story every time I write, while also letting it be light-hearted and fun on occasion! I want people to see more and more of what they’re getting when listening to me. (While also providing a summer, windows-down, jam! 😉
KP: Looking back, 2020 was a challenging time for many and it especially hit the entertainment/music industry harder than most. What was one lesson you learnt in light of the pandemic that has helped you grow as both an artist and individual? What is one opportunity you had that you may not have had under normal conditions?
Halle Kearns: I think one of the most practical tools I gained was learning how to handle adversity in this industry. I learned a ton about how to rebuild and keep pushing forward even when things aren’t running the way they typically run. One of the most beautiful things I witnessed though was the way our country music family came together. We really did everything we could to check up on one another and look out for each other.
KP: Moving forward in 2021, what is one goal you hope to achieve with your music by the end of the year? Do you plan on releasing new music other than “Plans”?
Halle Kearns: My goal this year is to keep releasing music that I’m proud of, and let whatever happens, happen. I have day-to-day and micro goals, but what I’m learning is the more control I let go of, the more beautiful this journey gets. I couldn’t have planned it out the way it’s all happened if I wanted to! So I’m working really hard, and creating music I love, and letting the rest unfold! When your steps aren’t exactly planned out, there are no missteps. 🙂
Listen to “Plans” now:
Stay up to date with Halle Kearns:
Instagram: https://bit.ly/2QGBrwu
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hallekearnsmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HalleKearns
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3aOB2ip
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3gPiLp2
Website: www.hallekearns.com
Works Cited
Halle Kearns. “ABOUT.” N.d. Halle Kearns, www.hallekearns.com/about. Accessed 10 Apr. 2021.
Kearns, Halle. Interview. Conducted by Kyla Pearson, Apr. 10 2021.
Kearns, Halle. “Featured: Rising artist Halle Kearns”. Photo courtesy of Craig Brooks. Accessed Apr. 10 2021
Unknown. “Official cover art for Halle Kearn’s single, “Plans””. Photo courtesy of Craig Brooks. Accessed Apr. 10 2021
