The Sit Down with Rissi Palmer
One of the biggest trailblazers in country music who has not just lead the way for artists of colour and underrepresented communities but provides a platform for the next wave of creatives to to follow in her path. Rissi Palmer glows with positivity and will bring her Color Me Country takeover to The Long Road festival for the fourth consecutive year and also performed at Country Calling in Chelmsford where we spent some time with her in the Essex sunshine.
Welcome to Chelmsford.
“Thank you, I like this, it’s so nice here. So, we're an Essex right?”
Yes, you are in Essex which is where I grew up. I’m a London boy now but this is home and it’s one of the newest cities in the UK.
“Ooh how long ago was that?”
I think about ten years ago maybe, it was obviously a big town but over here to be a city, you have to have a cathedral and a Royal Charter.
“Gotcha, so it is Chelmsford then?”
Yes, Chelmsford is the city and Essex is the county which would be like a state back home. Well that’s the geography lesson over and I know you haven't played yet but I saw you and you guys having a little wander around earlier.
“Oh yeah, we like to check it all out.”
What have been your first impressions looking at the site and how everything is organised here compared to stuff back at home?
“I cannot believe that this is the first year of this festival, it is so peaceful, like No one's crying ha-ha.”
That's always a good sign.
“People aren't running around, this is nice. We got it together.”
It's great to have you here and we're going to see you again next weekend as well for the FOURTH YEAR RUNNING! That’s crazy.
“I know, it is crazy because I didn't think we were gonna make it the first year to be honest ha-ha, you know money-wise and all of that.”
What makes it such a good partnership working with Baylen and being able to bring Color Me Country to take over the stage at The Long Road?
“I think that they get it. They get what we're trying to do, the audience gets it and they're very attentive, which is a really great thing. It's a great starter audience for the lot of the musicians that are playing who have never been overseas or have never played that size of a festival before. It's a great introduction to the audience, I think.”
That must be one of the coolest stages you've ever seen anywhere.
“I love it so much and like the smoke coming out of the chimney too.”
Welcome to Chelmsford.
“Thank you, I like this, it’s so nice here. So, we're an Essex right?”
Yes, you are in Essex which is where I grew up. I’m a London boy now but this is home and it’s one of the newest cities in the UK.
“Ooh how long ago was that?”
I think about ten years ago maybe, it was obviously a big town but over here to be a city, you have to have a cathedral and a Royal Charter.
“Gotcha, so it is Chelmsford then?”
Yes, Chelmsford is the city and Essex is the county which would be like a state back home. Well that’s the geography lesson over and I know you haven't played yet but I saw you and you guys having a little wander around earlier.
“Oh yeah, we like to check it all out.”
What have been your first impressions looking at the site and how everything is organised here compared to stuff back at home?
“I cannot believe that this is the first year of this festival, it is so peaceful, like No one's crying ha-ha.”
That's always a good sign.
“People aren't running around, this is nice. We got it together.”
It's great to have you here and we're going to see you again next weekend as well for the FOURTH YEAR RUNNING! That’s crazy.
“I know, it is crazy because I didn't think we were gonna make it the first year to be honest ha-ha, you know money-wise and all of that.”
What makes it such a good partnership working with Baylen and being able to bring Color Me Country to take over the stage at The Long Road?
“I think that they get it. They get what we're trying to do, the audience gets it and they're very attentive, which is a really great thing. It's a great starter audience for the lot of the musicians that are playing who have never been overseas or have never played that size of a festival before. It's a great introduction to the audience, I think.”
That must be one of the coolest stages you've ever seen anywhere.
“I love it so much and like the smoke coming out of the chimney too.”
I was talking to Jade Turner last week where I was telling her about it and I'm like, seriously girl, this will your favourite stage you'll ever play! She's like, really? It's like the facia of a log cabin, you'll play on the porch, smoke comes out of the chimney as you play, people will come out, they will be attentive and it will be a great crowd.
“and they will stay the WHOLE DAY! Like for hours.”
I’m very pleased that you're bringing her over as part of this.
“I know, I love Jade.”
I think that’s one of the really cool things about Color Me Country and we saw it last year as well when you had Angie K with you. People are seeing that you are not just looking to promote artists of colour but you are giving a space for indigenous artists and the Latinx community as well so it's really, cool that you are giving a platform to help a lot more people and share their voices, especially people like Angie who has even more barriers to cross.
“100%. We're no holds barred at Color Me Country because all of this is very intersectional. There is, you know, sexual orientation, there is race, there's gender and there's all kinds of things so I'm really glad that we've been able to have the people that we’ve had.”
I think that’s what is so important, Jade was talking about when she was starting out that beyond people like Crystal Shawanda, there weren’t many others that she could overly look up to, but you’re allowing people to get the chance to start that path. That’s one of the things that you have done and people like Mickey (Guyton) have done, where other communities need those trailblazers too.
“Oh, 100%. Sidebar here on Crystal but we're gonna try to get her next year. I wanted Crystal this year, but she had a conflict, but yeah, we're gonna try to get Crystal next year.”
Woah! She's good.
“Crystal is soooooo good!”
I know but Jade came over at the start of the year for Americana which was the first time I got to listen to her and she’s got some serious pipes.
“She’s phenomenal, she can sing!”
Well, you can sing too Girl!
“Well, thank you. I try.”
Music wise, you've put a little duet out quite recently.
“I did, with Eric Lee.”
How did that come about?
“Eric reached out to me on social media and he sent me the song. You know, I get things periodically and sometimes they're great and sometimes, they’re you know, not so great but this was really great. Eric is just a really phenomenal writer and a really phenomenal singer so I was like, yeah, I could hear our voices together and we did it remotely, then when we shot the video, that was the first time we were together.”
“and they will stay the WHOLE DAY! Like for hours.”
I’m very pleased that you're bringing her over as part of this.
“I know, I love Jade.”
I think that’s one of the really cool things about Color Me Country and we saw it last year as well when you had Angie K with you. People are seeing that you are not just looking to promote artists of colour but you are giving a space for indigenous artists and the Latinx community as well so it's really, cool that you are giving a platform to help a lot more people and share their voices, especially people like Angie who has even more barriers to cross.
“100%. We're no holds barred at Color Me Country because all of this is very intersectional. There is, you know, sexual orientation, there is race, there's gender and there's all kinds of things so I'm really glad that we've been able to have the people that we’ve had.”
I think that’s what is so important, Jade was talking about when she was starting out that beyond people like Crystal Shawanda, there weren’t many others that she could overly look up to, but you’re allowing people to get the chance to start that path. That’s one of the things that you have done and people like Mickey (Guyton) have done, where other communities need those trailblazers too.
“Oh, 100%. Sidebar here on Crystal but we're gonna try to get her next year. I wanted Crystal this year, but she had a conflict, but yeah, we're gonna try to get Crystal next year.”
Woah! She's good.
“Crystal is soooooo good!”
I know but Jade came over at the start of the year for Americana which was the first time I got to listen to her and she’s got some serious pipes.
“She’s phenomenal, she can sing!”
Well, you can sing too Girl!
“Well, thank you. I try.”
Music wise, you've put a little duet out quite recently.
“I did, with Eric Lee.”
How did that come about?
“Eric reached out to me on social media and he sent me the song. You know, I get things periodically and sometimes they're great and sometimes, they’re you know, not so great but this was really great. Eric is just a really phenomenal writer and a really phenomenal singer so I was like, yeah, I could hear our voices together and we did it remotely, then when we shot the video, that was the first time we were together.”
Oh, cool, but what about music from just you? Have we got anything in the pipeline?
“Three weeks!”
Woah, yay!
“Ha-ha, Surprise! I’ve got an EP coming out in three weeks and then I have an album coming out in January.”
You’ve been busy, busy, busy.
“Yeah, I’ve been working this year.”
I was gonna say because you havn't put things out for a while.
“Yeah “Still Here” was the last time but I've been writing so this year was the year to record it all and get it down.”
Very nice and obviously looking forward to playing out here today.
“Yes, I'm so excited. My band and I, we're so excited.”
Talking about The Smoke Band, that's the other thing that's really fun about how you run that stage at TLR, those guys are playing with everyone and they haven't met people properly until probably like a day or two before.
“Yeah, they’ll meet them on Wednesday ha-ha. I mean, they're extreme professionals so everything will be just fine.”
I think one of the best things that people see about the way you host that stage and I saw it earlier too that when you were watching Vicki, Poppy and the boys (First Time Flyers), you really get into it. You're having a good time at a festival, you’re not one of those people that go, yeah, I love festivals but just camp backstage apart from their set. You're always at the side of the stage, dancing away and giving it some.
“I love music. I'm a musician's musician, I want to see everybody win and I want to hear when it's good. I want you to know that you're doing good so, yeah, it's very important to me.”
So, you’re going to keep coming back then?
“As long as they’ll keep having me, I’ll keep coming.”
Just saying but March would be another cool time to head over for another festival.
“I would love to do C2C. We need to make that happen so put it out there.”
You would love it and I tell you what, I can’t think of anyone better that would be a perfect host for that stage with Bob Harris.
“I would love that, that would be a dream.”
With seeing the stage at The long Road, you must really enjoy the hosting as well.
“I do, it's fun. It was an unexpected thing, but it makes me really happy.”
I will let you go and get ready to play so, thank you so much for the hang, this has been awesome.
“For Who You Are” is Rissi Palmer’s duet with Eric Lee which is out now and available HERE. UK fan’s will get a further chance to catch Rissi on this trip as she will be hosting the Color Me Country takeover for the fourth year running at The Long Road festival this weekend. You can be the first to find out all about the new music that Rissi has on the way by checking out her WEBSITE and following along on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
This year’s Country Calling was a resounding success with plans for 2026 already in progress so you can be the first to find out more details on their WEBSITE and relive all the 2025 highlights on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
The Long Road Festival takes place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire over the weekend of August 22nd to 24th where you can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of the event by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
“Three weeks!”
Woah, yay!
“Ha-ha, Surprise! I’ve got an EP coming out in three weeks and then I have an album coming out in January.”
You’ve been busy, busy, busy.
“Yeah, I’ve been working this year.”
I was gonna say because you havn't put things out for a while.
“Yeah “Still Here” was the last time but I've been writing so this year was the year to record it all and get it down.”
Very nice and obviously looking forward to playing out here today.
“Yes, I'm so excited. My band and I, we're so excited.”
Talking about The Smoke Band, that's the other thing that's really fun about how you run that stage at TLR, those guys are playing with everyone and they haven't met people properly until probably like a day or two before.
“Yeah, they’ll meet them on Wednesday ha-ha. I mean, they're extreme professionals so everything will be just fine.”
I think one of the best things that people see about the way you host that stage and I saw it earlier too that when you were watching Vicki, Poppy and the boys (First Time Flyers), you really get into it. You're having a good time at a festival, you’re not one of those people that go, yeah, I love festivals but just camp backstage apart from their set. You're always at the side of the stage, dancing away and giving it some.
“I love music. I'm a musician's musician, I want to see everybody win and I want to hear when it's good. I want you to know that you're doing good so, yeah, it's very important to me.”
So, you’re going to keep coming back then?
“As long as they’ll keep having me, I’ll keep coming.”
Just saying but March would be another cool time to head over for another festival.
“I would love to do C2C. We need to make that happen so put it out there.”
You would love it and I tell you what, I can’t think of anyone better that would be a perfect host for that stage with Bob Harris.
“I would love that, that would be a dream.”
With seeing the stage at The long Road, you must really enjoy the hosting as well.
“I do, it's fun. It was an unexpected thing, but it makes me really happy.”
I will let you go and get ready to play so, thank you so much for the hang, this has been awesome.
“For Who You Are” is Rissi Palmer’s duet with Eric Lee which is out now and available HERE. UK fan’s will get a further chance to catch Rissi on this trip as she will be hosting the Color Me Country takeover for the fourth year running at The Long Road festival this weekend. You can be the first to find out all about the new music that Rissi has on the way by checking out her WEBSITE and following along on INSTAGRAM TIKTOK & FACEBOOK.
This year’s Country Calling was a resounding success with plans for 2026 already in progress so you can be the first to find out more details on their WEBSITE and relive all the 2025 highlights on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
The Long Road Festival takes place at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire over the weekend of August 22nd to 24th where you can find ticket details and further information on their WEBSITE and you can be the first to know all updates ahead of the event by checking out their socials on INSTAGRAM or FACEBOOK.
