Photo: Larry Busacca/Getty Images
Natalie Stovall has been making music with The Drive for the last 10 years and she doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon.
The amazing vocalist and outstanding fiddle player, along with her band, released their latest EP in February and have been on the road ever since, promoting their new music.
Celeb Secrets Country spoke with Stovall earlier this week to talk to her about the band’s promotion for their EP and their progress on already making new music. Stovall also talked about her excitement opening up for Chris Stapleton and she shared an incredibly touching story about a fan of the country music group.
You can watch Stovall and The Drive’s music video for “Heartbreak” and read more about Stovall and her recent endeavors below!
Celeb Secrets Country: You just released an EP in February, how have you been promoting it since then?
Natalie Stovall: “Yes, we have been on the road a bunch, which is kind of what we do no matter what, but it’s been really nice to feel a real purpose for being on the road, which is what happens when you release new music. We did a music video that CMT has been playing for us, so it’s been really awesome!”
Celeb Secrets Country: Where is your favorite place that you’ve played so far?
Natalie Stovall: “It’s so hard to choose. I love when we get to do the overseas trips, every year for 7 years now, we’ve gone at least once or more than once a year over to the Middle East or to Asia or somewhere where our men and women are stationed around the world. One time we got to play on a ship, the USS John C. Stennis, they flew us out to it, deployed in the middle of the Persian Gulf, and it was Thanksgiving Day, so we got to serve Thanksgiving dinner to those aboard and then play a show for them. That was the coolest and most epic show that we’ve played in my mind.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What do you think your biggest accomplishment thus far as an artist it?
Natalie Stovall: “I would say, still doing this after 10 years. We’re still making music, and every time we put out an EP, I feel like it’s better than the last one that we put out. I have really big dreams for us and this band. I won’t stop until we’re selling out stadiums. I feel like being successful is also just being able to do what you love and I do that every day. I feel really proud that we’re all still doing this independently.”
Photo: Scott Legato/Getty Images
Celeb Secrets Country: Do you write all of your own music?
Natalie Stovall: “Yes, I write the majority of the music. I’m always open and looking for songs that move me and that I have to sing.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Are you already working on new music?
Natalie Stovall: “Yes, I think it takes so long to the point where it is released to everyone. By the time you get that done, you almost have to start making the new music as soon as the last thing is released. And I’m always writing on my spare time. I’m so excited about the new stuff I’m working on. We’re trying not to play the new stuff yet because, for a lot of people, the last EP is still brand new.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What is one of your best fan stories that you have?
Natalie Stovall: “We’ve got some of the most dedicated fans. One of the coolest stories that comes to my mind right now is that we have a very sweet guy who came to a show that we were playing in a casino, and after the show, he came up to me and he already had tears in his eyes and was just saying that he really appreciated what we did and he was very moved by us even though he had never heard of us before. He was very thankful he was at that show. I appreciated his kindness and hugged him and moved on, but then every time we went back to this specific area in the United States, this man would show up. He would always show up very early and stay after the show to talk to us. Come to find out a year or two later, he was suffering from a severe gambling problem when he was at that first show and he was super depressed and at a point in his life where he had no happiness and everything in his life was awful. He told us that that show that night showed him how much music meant to us and he started coming to more shows, which helped him step away from gambling. He now writes and makes his own music and albums. He is a very happy man now. He has found purpose in his life with music.”
Photo: Celebmafia
Celeb Secrets Country: Who is your favorite person that you’ve ever opened for?
Natalie Stovall: “We just opened up for Chris Stapleton. That was one of the most exciting opening spots for us to be able to perform. I don’t know Chris personally, but as far as getting to play for an artist, that was amazing. It was on the fourth of July too.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Since we are Celeb Secrets Country, do you have any secrets or fun facts about yourself that you’d like to tell us?
Natalie Stovall: “All of my secrets are in my hair, that’s what the guys always say about me. When I was younger, I won the silliest kid in America contest and they have been doing the contest for awhile and they never actually did another one after the year I won. Technically, I’m still the reigning silliest kid in America. I won a trip to Disney World for my whole family and I was on Oprah.”
