Net toen ik dacht 'Ik heb het nu wel gehad met die nieuwe, jonge countrysterretjes' dropt dit nummer in onze mailbox. Lap, den dezen verkocht! Tuurlijk hangt er een bak stroop aan deze song, maar geef toe, het blijft een mooi liedje met een mooie boodschap.
Ook mooi: deze 23-jarige muziektherapeut - haar echte naam is Hunter Wolkonowski - werkt met oorlogsveteranen en vertaalt hun verhalen naar liedjes. Ze blijkt trouwens de eerste countrymuzikant in méér dan 30 jaar die haar (radio)debuutsingle helemaal zelf schreef.
Lees
Speaking exclusively with CMT about the making of the video, HunterGirl shared: “I knew that I wanted it to focus on other people more than myself. I wanted to include a little girl chasing after dreams, a girl that was comparing herself to other people on social media, and a little boy who was worried about his mom. It was really important to me to include my work with veterans as well, so the Air Force veteran in the music video is a tie back to my grandfather who was in the Air Force and passed away a few years ago."
“What I hope people take away from this music video is that if you’re thinking about giving up on something, please give it a second chance because there are a ton of people who need you here,” she continued. “I think we forget sometimes how our story aligns with so many other people’s stories, because we are worried about things going on in our own lives. There are so many people who have touched my life, and if they would’ve given up on their dream, I don’t think I would be the same person I am today.”
On Nov 2, HunterGirl partnered with Musicians On Call and visited Nashville’s Veteran Affair’s (VA) Hospital in honor of Veterans Day (...) and in gratitude of their heroic service, performing for patients, their families and staff, which will be shared with VA hospitals across the country. Having worked with veteran organizations since her teens such as A Soldier’s Child, Operation Song and Freedom Sings, HunterGirl has helped numerous vets transform their stories into songs. "Music heals every single day," she explains. "Watching a veteran write a song for the first time, it's tough for someone to talk about things that they've experienced, but by sharing their story, music truly does heal. I feel blessed I’m able to be a part of that and give the gift of music to someone else." About HunterGirl:
A Tennessee native, singer/songwriter HunterGirl has been performing since she was three years old and writing songs since she was nine. In her early teens, she performed at venues across the United States, competed in singing competitions and won the 2014 Texaco Country Showdown. After graduating high school, she moved to Nashville and immediately started playing gigs at Nashville’s most famous venues including Tootsie’s, Rippy’s, Jason Aldean’s Bar, The Listening Room, and HonkyTonk Central, winning songwriting contests such as “Nash Next” and the prestigious “Nashville Songwriter Association International” in her spare time. Due to having family members who served in the military, HunterGirl holds a deep admiration for our Country’s armed forces and tenaciously works with many veteran organizations, where she uses music therapy to transform veterans’ stories into songs. She’s shared the stage with Country superstars Old Dominion, Florida Georgia Line, Kane Brown, Alan Jackson, Lainey Wilson, Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels, Sara Evans and more. Last year, she competed on American Idol, where the “country singer with a bright future” (Hollywood Life) delivered standout performances that Taste of Country called “impressive,” “shining,” “chill-worthy,” and “glowing,” winning the hearts of millions across the country. Praised by Idol judge and Country superstar Luke Bryan as the “new age Miranda Lambert” and his “favorite female Country voice,” “HunterGirl has wowed the Country music community since she stepped foot onto the American Idol stage” (Billboard). “Despite missing out on the win, her crooning vocals and intimate original song, ‘Red Bird,’ has made her one to watch in the Country scene” (American Songwriter). Skyrocketing to No. 1 on iTunes All-Genre and Country charts, “the budding Country star” (Taste of Country) performed her heartfelt and deeply personal original track “Red Bird” on Live with Kelly & Ryan and has appeared on Good Morning America. Now, with the release of her label debut tracks “Hometown Out Of Me,” “Lonely Outta You” and her hauntingly powerful debut radio single “Ain’t About You,” driven by her distinct and genuine vocals, unwavering tenacity, and heart of gold, HunterGirl is on the fast track to becoming Country’s next big female artist.
