Country music is constantly progressing. 2016 seemed to be the year not only for women, but also for groups.
Music City’s newest craze are female-based duos and trios, and Celeb Secrets Country has been making sure these #GirlBoss ladies are on your radar before they hit it big. Today we introduce you to Southern Halo — three sisters from Mississippi who have hopes and dreams of making it in the male-dominated genre.
Natalia (principal songwriter, guitarist, and lead vocalist), Christina (drums), and Hannah Morris (bass) are the country-rockin’ teenagers that you would want in your girl squad at school. With the help of SESAC’s 2012 Writer of the Year Catt Gravitt (Kelly Clarkson, Jake Owen), and Gerald O’Brien (Martina McBride, Trace Adkins), the three sisters unveiled their self-titled album Southern Halo last year, which currently features their new single “Rewind.”
In just a short amount of time, Natalia, Christina, and Hannah have opened up for artists such as Craig Campbell, Old Dominion, Maren Morris, and Brantley Gilbert, in addition to having their own web series Southern Halo on Radio Disney Country. They also scored a nomination (and a win) for Vocal Group of the Year at this year’s Nashville Universe Awards (November 7), and we had the opportunity to speak to them about the nod moments before the big show.
“We are so excited for the Nashville Universe Awards!” Natalia shared with us exclusively. “Funny story about the Wildhorse Saloon is during our very first time in Nashville — when we were like 9, 10, and 11 — we went up to the manager when we were kids and told him that we wanted to play there. He told us that is was very cute, but we are making history tonight by getting to actually play here at the Wildhorse!”
Southern Halo is the sweetest group of young women that definitely need to be on your radar. The future has big things in store for this southern trio, and we can’t wait to share their journey with you!
Check out the full Q&A with Southern Halo below, and make sure to keep up with Natalia, Christina, and Hannah by following them on Twitter at @3Halos.
Celeb Secrets Country: You girls are all sisters, but how did you all get started as a band?
Natalia: “Like you said, we’re all three sisters, born and raised in the heart of the Mississippi Delta, so we basically have all always had a strong love for music. I picked up the piano when I was about 6 years old, and really took on to guitar when I was about 12. The girls over here wanted to play music too because they saw how much fun I was having!“
Christina: “And how people loved her for playing music and gravitated towards her for entertainment and stuff. We were like you know, we want to be a part of that too. With our different personalities, we took up our own instruments. Me, Kristina, being the middle child and what not, being all crazy, had to take up the drums!”
Hannah: “And then me being the youngest of the group, being very chill, so the bass really fit my personality.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What is your favorite part about performing with each other?
Natalia: “I would have to say is basically getting to do what we love as sisters. I know a lot of people say it, but performing on stage, you can seriously feel everybody’s movements and everything flowing together. It is so much fun!”
Christina: “My favorite part would have to be the head bobbing when I am playing the drums! I have this long hair and every time we play, it ends up going all over the place! I don’t know how, but it does!”
Hannah: “Just definitely getting to do what we love together as a family is great.”
Celeb Secrets Country: What makes your band unique compared to other country bands?
Natalia: “Well, I guess you could say, the real unique part about this band is that we are three sisters. We’re coming in to the music industry and taking it on as sisters. Doing the business all together, it is just a lot of fun because siblings are already usually best friends, but by getting to do something like this brings us even closer together. I find that very unique.”
Christina: “You may only find sibling trios that sing and don’t usually play instruments. So I think that is also pretty unique about us!”
Celeb Secrets Country: How would you describe your sound for someone who hasn’t heard you yet?
Natalia: “I would have to say the sound is very loud and fun! You should never have a bad time when you come rock out with us.”
Christina: “We love to bring other people up on stage with us to rock out! We all also have our own unique sounds! Natalia, playing the guitar, she loves country music, then I love rock music, and Hannah loves pop! So we incorporate that in to everything.”
Hannah: “Although we are three sisters, we all differ vocal wise. So there are certain things I can tackle and vise versa for each one of us. We make it work!”
Celeb Secrets Country: Do you have any funny stories from being on the road?
Hannah: “Probably like when you get a hiccup while you’re performing and trying to sing! That is probably the funniest.”
Christina: “Or when you break a string or break a stick.”
Natalia: “Or when the sound just goes completely out! We’ve had many instances when the power goes right out, whenever that happens we don’t mind it. When that happens it just gives us the opportunity to grab the acoustic guitar and sit on the edge of stage and do some acoustic songs.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Who are your biggest musical influences?
Natalia: “I adore Vince Gill! He’s an all together great musician, performer, entertainer, songwriter, I strive to be just like him. He’s awesome!”
Christina: “I love the Foo Fighters! Dave Grohl is just amazing! We went to see his concert in Memphis one time and I was blown away. I was just jamming out by myself and it was so much fun.
Hannah: “For me, Jaco Pasorious is such a great bass player! But pop-wise, Selena Gomez and people like that.”
Celeb Secrets Country: Since we are Celeb Secrets Country, do you have any secrets or fun facts about yourselves that you would like to share with us?
Hannah: I am most definitely the animal lover of the group for sure.”
Natalia: “That is the funny thing about Hannah! Any time we’re on the road, Hannah is always begging us to pull over to the side of the road to pick up some kind of animal. We keep a lot of dog food in the back of our van so we can give it to all the wild animals. Something that people wouldn’t think about Christina, or they probably would think, is that she is the last person to pack! We will have an event or somewhere to go, and this child will not start packing until we are heading out the door!”
Christina: “But I make it work! They don’t know how good I am at this. They’ll be packing and think that I am not going to make it, but I always do.”