The Sit Down with July Moon
Formed in 2021, July Moon made an immediate impact with the release of their self-titled debut EP in 2023, which caught the attention of major press outlets and fans alike. Their breakout year led them to their first headlining tour and earned them coveted opening slots for industry giants like Tedeschi Trucks Band, Tyler Farr, The Wallflowers, Josh Ross, and Lee Greenwood.
The all-female trio of Piper Bateman, Page Mackenzie, and Braelyn Watt, out of Nashville, Tennessee are redefining the sound of country with their unique blend of timeless rock and fearless storytelling which they are coining their sound as “Fleetwood Country”. The trio recently made their first trip across the pond to Europe which included a main-stage performance at Country Calling in Chelmsford where we were able to spend some time with the girls.
Thanks for stopping by, I thought your set earlier was great and I loved the “Rhiannon” cover.
“Oh, thank you.”
It was cool because typically when people are influenced by Fleetwood Mac, that's not the song that people are doing. It's always like, you know “The Chain” or “Go Your Own Way” and things.
“Yeah we're into like more witchy like, you know, creepy kind of soundings, soulful songs.”
Is that SoCal type sound something that is a big influence? I know you're not from out west, but you almost have a West Coast sort of sound.
“Yeah, for sure we love the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac then, I mean, obviously we have a ton of country influences too, but when it comes to that, yeah for sure.”
You’re all in Nashville now, but where was home originally for the three of you?
“I’m from Maryland, close to Washington D.C.”
“I'm actually from Nashville.”
So, you’re a real life unicorn in the country music business ha-ha.
“Then I’m from Charleston, South Carolina.”
Oh, cool. Charleston is a very nice place, but how did you all get together? How long ago did you first kind of meet and decide you'd be quite good as a trio?
The all-female trio of Piper Bateman, Page Mackenzie, and Braelyn Watt, out of Nashville, Tennessee are redefining the sound of country with their unique blend of timeless rock and fearless storytelling which they are coining their sound as “Fleetwood Country”. The trio recently made their first trip across the pond to Europe which included a main-stage performance at Country Calling in Chelmsford where we were able to spend some time with the girls.
Thanks for stopping by, I thought your set earlier was great and I loved the “Rhiannon” cover.
“Oh, thank you.”
It was cool because typically when people are influenced by Fleetwood Mac, that's not the song that people are doing. It's always like, you know “The Chain” or “Go Your Own Way” and things.
“Yeah we're into like more witchy like, you know, creepy kind of soundings, soulful songs.”
Is that SoCal type sound something that is a big influence? I know you're not from out west, but you almost have a West Coast sort of sound.
“Yeah, for sure we love the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac then, I mean, obviously we have a ton of country influences too, but when it comes to that, yeah for sure.”
You’re all in Nashville now, but where was home originally for the three of you?
“I’m from Maryland, close to Washington D.C.”
“I'm actually from Nashville.”
So, you’re a real life unicorn in the country music business ha-ha.
“Then I’m from Charleston, South Carolina.”
Oh, cool. Charleston is a very nice place, but how did you all get together? How long ago did you first kind of meet and decide you'd be quite good as a trio?
“So, four years ago, Braelyn and I met through mutual friends in the industry that kind of connected us. There was a need for female trios in Nashville so they put us together and we formed a band, which became July Moon and it was with a different person. The third girl was a different person but she left and then at the beginning of last year, we decided we would add a third member if we found the perfect person and then we found Page. I had known Page for eight years, we had written together for years in Nashville and I thought of her, like, why don't we write with her and see how things go? They hit it off super-fast and I already knew that we were friends so it was just kind of like it happened, it was meant to be and have been together ever since.”
I’d read that you have a link with Liz Rose so who first met Liz and how did you first get to work with her? Were you die hard Swifties?
“Ha-ha No. Not really die hard, but I just I had a friend that grew up with Liz and I’d met her multiple times years ago then our previous band member was signed to her publishing company. But I knew her even before that, just through knowing people, growing up in Nashville and she was there so it was through degrees of knowing someone that is knowing someone.”
Talking about this festival here, I know you were on first is always not the easiest slot to play but what have your first impressions been of Country Calling compared to stuff you've seen back at home?
“Everyone has been so nice, Donna has been amazing and she was told us how excited she was for our set so many times. The whole time we have been here everyone's been great, like our show in York was incredible too.”
Oh, did you play at Forty Five Vinyl Cafe?
“Yeah, it was sold out, packed to the brim, they said it was the most packed they had ever seen in their café so it was awesome. It was a challenge because when we were offered the main stage, we were like, oh, we won't have a full band, can we do that? Braelyn’s got the stomp pedal which she learned a couple months ago and that added a few things to the stage, so it was a challenge that we got overcome which was cool and we enjoyed it.”
I guess you hear all these things about playing over here and hear about the audiences where like in York for that first time where everyone's so attentive and they're not just drinking beers. Well, they are drinking beers but they are actually listening so that must be really fulfilling to play for.
“Yeah, we play a lot of bar gigs too, where you're just background music, so that is always our favourite to just tell the stories about us and the songs, we wish we could have had more time on this day to talk about the songs too, but yeah it’s so cool.”
I’d read that you have a link with Liz Rose so who first met Liz and how did you first get to work with her? Were you die hard Swifties?
“Ha-ha No. Not really die hard, but I just I had a friend that grew up with Liz and I’d met her multiple times years ago then our previous band member was signed to her publishing company. But I knew her even before that, just through knowing people, growing up in Nashville and she was there so it was through degrees of knowing someone that is knowing someone.”
Talking about this festival here, I know you were on first is always not the easiest slot to play but what have your first impressions been of Country Calling compared to stuff you've seen back at home?
“Everyone has been so nice, Donna has been amazing and she was told us how excited she was for our set so many times. The whole time we have been here everyone's been great, like our show in York was incredible too.”
Oh, did you play at Forty Five Vinyl Cafe?
“Yeah, it was sold out, packed to the brim, they said it was the most packed they had ever seen in their café so it was awesome. It was a challenge because when we were offered the main stage, we were like, oh, we won't have a full band, can we do that? Braelyn’s got the stomp pedal which she learned a couple months ago and that added a few things to the stage, so it was a challenge that we got overcome which was cool and we enjoyed it.”
I guess you hear all these things about playing over here and hear about the audiences where like in York for that first time where everyone's so attentive and they're not just drinking beers. Well, they are drinking beers but they are actually listening so that must be really fulfilling to play for.
“Yeah, we play a lot of bar gigs too, where you're just background music, so that is always our favourite to just tell the stories about us and the songs, we wish we could have had more time on this day to talk about the songs too, but yeah it’s so cool.”
In terms of putting music out, you recently released “What A Woman Should Be” but what are we looking at through the rest of the year in terms of what else is on the way?
“We have a lot of new music that should be coming, we’ve got a lot of things planned.”
Are you finding in terms of planning ahead that putting music out standalone as singles rather than badging a lot of things together as a project and things is the way to go, particularly as a newer act to a lot of people. It's like with socials as well how you can give each song its moment to do more with TikTok, Instagram and all that sort of stuff. Does that had a big part in like thinking about what and how you're going to put things out?
“Oh, for sure, yeah. I think we're going to try and do a little bit of both, you know, for projects themselves and singles, but it's definitely important to keep consistency and keep releasing, so that's our plan for sure.”
Amazing. It was cool to watch you earlier and I really enjoyed it, so hopefully you'll come back again.
“Oh yeah, if the offer is there, we will be there.”
The latest track “What A Woman Should Be” from July Moon is out now and available HERE. You can learn more about Piper, Page and Braelyn on their WEBSITE whilst you can keep up to date with all that they are up to socially over on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
This year’s Country Calling was a resounding success with next year’s event set to take place between the 14th and 16th of August so you can be the first to find out more details on their WEBSITE and relive all the 2025 highlights on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
“We have a lot of new music that should be coming, we’ve got a lot of things planned.”
Are you finding in terms of planning ahead that putting music out standalone as singles rather than badging a lot of things together as a project and things is the way to go, particularly as a newer act to a lot of people. It's like with socials as well how you can give each song its moment to do more with TikTok, Instagram and all that sort of stuff. Does that had a big part in like thinking about what and how you're going to put things out?
“Oh, for sure, yeah. I think we're going to try and do a little bit of both, you know, for projects themselves and singles, but it's definitely important to keep consistency and keep releasing, so that's our plan for sure.”
Amazing. It was cool to watch you earlier and I really enjoyed it, so hopefully you'll come back again.
“Oh yeah, if the offer is there, we will be there.”
The latest track “What A Woman Should Be” from July Moon is out now and available HERE. You can learn more about Piper, Page and Braelyn on their WEBSITE whilst you can keep up to date with all that they are up to socially over on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
This year’s Country Calling was a resounding success with next year’s event set to take place between the 14th and 16th of August so you can be the first to find out more details on their WEBSITE and relive all the 2025 highlights on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
