In 2014, cousins Trea Swindle and Danica Hart began busking on the streets of New Orleans. The pair grew up in and moved from Poplarville, Mississippi, a whistle stop where radio stations are few and fuzzy and country music is king.
Singing on the streets of the Big Easy, they honed their craft and made diehard fans. When Danica’s younger sister, Devynn, joined, the trio quickly became a harmony-oriented, country music powerhouse.
With a string of new singles garnering top reviews — as well as a nod from CMT for "Next Women of Country 2021" — Chapel Hart is poised to be the next big thing in country music.
Chapel Hart along with their full band perform at the Roasting Room in Bluffton this Thursday.
In the midst of a 40-date summer tour, the trio and band have been burning up shows in the South, Midwest, and along the East Coast. None of this, though, would be possible had they not ventured out of New Orleans during the pandemic.
When the city shutdown for most of 2020, the performers were severed from their livelihood. The women took matters into their own hands and sought other places to perform and be heard.
“The pandemic taught us that if we can work during it, finding gigs and venues coming out of the pandemic is much easier,” said Danica Hart. “We built friendships and relationships that keep growing and helping us. The pandemic made us appreciate every person. It doesn’t matter if there’s one or 1,000 people in the audience. Give it your all and aim to really connect with people. Pursue it from the heart. We’re finally starting to see some of that commitment pay off.”
Indeed, their focus and authenticity is coming full circle. Last summer when they released “Jesus and Alcohol,” the tune piqued the ear of ZZ Top guitarist and front man, Billy Gibbons. He loved the tune so much he signed on for a cameo in the music video.
Their next singles “I Will Follow” and “You Can Have Him Jolene” garnered similar industry respect. CMT selected Chapel Hart for its 2021 cohort “Next Women Of Country.” The program promotes new and up and coming women in country music.
In a genre in which 84% of artists are white and male, that recognition boost from CMT is significant. And necessary.
“A lot of people right now seem to think there’s this wave of overnight sensation female African American country artists,” said Hart. "But I’m here to tell you, like Mickey Guyton, Reyna Roberts, Yola, we’ve been putting in the performance time and road miles, miles, real time and connection, and we keep challenging stereotypes everyday.
"We showed up in Nashville a couple years ago on a tour to do an open mic, and they told us they didn’t do R&B, that this was country night. And we told them ‘Just have the band play 'Stand by Your Man' and we’ll handle the rest.’ We keep pursuing, doing what we do — we’re from the country, real country, rivers and fishing — and all that translates even if we’re not what most people think of when they think country music. We’re changing that. We are.”
One step, one song, one show at a time Chapel Hart continues to break barriers of expectation in country music. So far this year, they’ve seen a steady increase in audiences and people who come to their shows and know their songs.
“Something that’s a surprise and just keeps me smiling is when we get someplace we’ve never played before, and people are singing our songs back to us,” said Trea Swindle.
“That’s just plain joy that what we write and sing is meaningful to people that they know the words and sing with us. That’s why we do this, to make music that connects from the heart.”
IF YOU GO
WHAT: Chapel Hart
WHERE: The Roasting Room, 1297 May River Road, Bluffton, South Carolina
WHEN: Thursday at 8 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Chapel Hart is unapologetically country and bringing their music to Bluffton's Roasting Room
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