It is crazy that is nearly two years since Abbey Cone put out her debut EP and we last caught up with the joyous Texan (Read HERE) and a lot has changed in this time. Now putting out music independently, which saw her single “If You Were A Song” achieve considerably her biggest streaming numbers to date and last year she made her well overdue debut at the Grand Ole Opry before making her way across the pond this March to appear at C2C: Country to Country in London.
This really does feel so amazing to FINALLY be doing in real life. I don’t even know how long it’s been since we first started talking, it was during the early part of the pandemic I guess. “Yeah it’s been a while, have we talked like this, well obviously over Zoom but have we done like an interview since I’ve been an independent artist?”
No, we haven’t so it’s been a while since we’ve caught up properly but now you’ve come to see me at long last. Can you actually believe that you’re here? “No, I actually can’t, I’ve been waiting years to get here but it feels amazing and I love it.” You brought it up already but things have changed for you since we last did an interview and things have changed for the good in a lot of ways. Like you said onstage during the CMA Songwriters show that “If You Were A Song” had more streams than anything else that you had ever put out and you put it out on your own. I guess one big thing is that you have a lot more control of everything now you are putting out music independently. “I was talking to Fancy Hagood last night, we’re really close and he’s an independent artist as well, we were talking about why we love being independent and it’s because of multiple things but he was saying and it just resonated with me so much, that as an independent artist you get to celebrate the small victories. Things that maybe if you are with a label don’t even feel like victories because you’re on a roster of artists, this isn’t a case with all labels, like I’m not anti-label by any means but I am pro artist. For me as an independent artist over the last year, I have been able to celebrate these small victories that for me is my life, yes this is a job but this is my life, I write songs about my real life and this is what I done my whole life. When I can make small and consistent progress, then make goals that are important to me and look back on things you have achieved, you feel accomplished or that’s how I feel, I feel like you said that I’m actually in control and I’m having more fun. I wasn’t having fun anymore.”
It's everything else around putting out music too, like when we’ve kept in touch through socials and I’ve seen all your posts where you are doing things with Brittney (Spencer) who is obviously someone really great to be working with, then there is “The Pony Show” which you are putting on with Madison (Kozak) and every time you both post about it looks really fun. “It’s so fun, we took February off when I was on tour. As an artist sometimes and as a female artist it feels like we have to show up to these things that are like controlled by other people and you just do what you’re supposed to do. What’s so funny is that Madison and I were in the same CMT Next Women of Country class, and not because of anyone else but we barely talked to each other at that event even though we had known each other but I dunno just didn’t talk to each other there. We wanted to create an environment that truly was what we wanted it to be and I think taking control as a female in this industry has been really empowering and it’s been so fun having an idea then actually bringing it to life. It’s really fun and I don’t care if only two people show up because we’re doing this for us.”
You always seem to have like the best line-ups with really cool people playing, like the one that you’ve got coming up, I’m like what? “I know right. It’s like her and I have been in this town for like eight or nine years so we know cool people. We were actually talking about that and how do we have such another cool show planned but it’s really just our friends you know. We’ve worked really hard for our reputations, we’re good humans and we’re not assholes so, when you’re not an asshole and you work hard people will show up for you which has been really encouraging for us.” I think Madison was one of the last people I saw play live in the old times and before the world went to shit as she was opening for Chase Rice over here at the start of 2020. “She’s kind of more in her writer era than a performer right now but I’m going to get her to make an album.”
Like a lot of the Canadian girls that have moved to town, you scratch your head at how she is not a megastar that everyone is talking about but that’s the industry where very little actually makes sense about anything. Back to this weekend, like you said about you and Fancy (Hagood) being here then people like Hannah Dasher too, so there are so many independent artists playing the festival which is awesome because you guys REALLY want to be here. I’m not saying that other artists don’t want to be here but it’s not like a baby artist being brought over by a label or someone that their team feels like now is the perfect time to test the water, for you guys it is a real commitment. It’s a big time commitment and there are all of the costs that come with it which someone isn’t covering for you. “Yeah, I feel like my perspective on touring has shifted a lot over the past few years especially after the pandemic and my first record deal. I used to be really concerned with the look of a tour, that it was the right look for me and the fans were going to be the right demographic for me to now after going through what I went through with my first record deal. That changed my life, like since I was nine years old, I wanted a record deal, that thought embedded in my little childhood brain was what I wanted so bad, it was like once I get that record deal, that’s when my life starts. For it to have played out so differently than I thought it would, my life feels like and this sounds so dramatic here, but it’s like pre and post record deal. My perspective has changed so much on touring, I care musically about touring but not any of those other details apart from just playing music. I was just on tour with a girl group called Trousdale who are out of LA, they write with a lot of Nashville people and they are so incredible but when I accepted the tour I was like Oh they’re going to Oregon and I’ve never been there before. I see it so much more now as experiences that I’m privileged to have, which make me grow and change as a person where I’m less concerned with things because fell apart, everything literally imploded but that’s the lesson that I learnt. It’s going to look so much different to how you think it’s going to look.”
Like you said, it was something that you dreamt your whole life for once you achieve it, it wasn’t the dream you hoped it would be. “No, it just didn’t play out the same way, I also had changes in management and stuff after that and I’ve just ended up with a new independent team. I have learned so much now and why I’m so grateful for that experience is because I now know what I was missing if you know what I mean. Now what I think is important as an artist and for any artist is to hire people that are literally going to get in the trenches with you and I’ve been really lucky in the past year to put together a really great independent team and I’ve just signed a distribution deal with Downtown Artist & Label Services which is exciting.”
That’s really cool to hear. Let’s talk about this festival seeing as it’s what brought you here, you played your first set earlier so how did it go? “It was so good, I saw people out there singing. I’d been curious to see if anyone was going to know anything but there were a group of girls and I guess guys too that did. Everyone is real sweet here, not that people back home aren’t sweet but it’s a different energy and I feel really seen as a songwriter, which is what I had heard and what I was hoping for but I’ve really felt that so far.”
The main thing is that you are here and I really am so glad that you are here. When I first saw your name on the poster, I was like HOLY SHIT it’s happening girl! “Me too! I felt like I could have come before but it feels perfect that it’s right now and I feel like I’m glad that it didn’t happen until now.”
Things happen for a reason and happen at the right time. “Yeah and I feel like I’m having a more fun experience that I would have had at that point in time because I’m having so much fun this weekend.”
I agree, I think you would have found it different if you would have come over at that time but this has been amazing, as always I have all the time in the world for you so I will definitely do better at catching up properly way more often and hopefully this is the first of many times that you will come and see us. “Oh yeah, me too. I definitely hope to be back and thank you so much.”
“Hallelujah (Live from The Ryman)” from Abbey Cone is out now and is available HERE. You can find details for any upcoming North American shows that are on the way by checking out her WEBSITE or you can be the first to be in the know about any news of further forthcoming new releases along with all that Abbey is up to by giving her a follow on INSTAGRAMTIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
C2C: Country to Country will return in 2025 for three days of festivities in Berlin over the weekend of March 7th to 9th which you will be able to find further detail on their WEBSITE and on INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK where you will also be able to relive highlights from this year’s event.
The event will then roll back into London, Glasgow and Belfast the following weekend between March 14th and 16th which you can keep a look out for all forthcoming details at the event WEBSITE or socials (INSTAGRAMTWITTERFACEBOOK) with line-up details expected to be announced later in the year.