EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Halle Kearns Chats Backstage @ C2C Festival

This past weekend C2C Festival took over the O2 Arena in North Greenwich with the event running until Sunday. Music & Tour News were lucky enough to land media access for the three days and caught up with Halle Kearns backstage.

How are you finding your London experience so far?

It’s amazing, an absolute dream. Everyone here is so kind and welcoming and warm. It’s just so weird to look out and see people singing my songs across the world. It’s so, so cool.

You’ve played stages including The Barrelhouse, and The Saloon, what were those experiences like?

The Barrelhouse was just so packed and fun and just what you picture a festival stage to be and The Saloon was a very intimate, dark room. Great lighting. I love that kind of room. I love the listening set-up and playing more slow and ballad types of songs in that setting. I think you can do a little more storytelling too.

Do you feel there is a difference between the UK and US audiences when you’re playing live?

Oh, big time! The UK is way more respectful and just like attentive I guess. They care a lot about the art and the music, not that the US doesn’t but they show it differently haha. I noticed yesterday that people only got their phones out when they wanted to record, they were never just on their phones or scrolling or having silent conversations. They were watching or singing along.

Is there a song that you feel has connected more with the UK audience compared to the US?

I’ve been making everyone clap on one song ‘Homemade Margaritas’ and that has been fun, getting everyone involved. I think ‘High School Friends’ has been a pretty big standout as far as to what people are talking to me about.

You mentioned your new single ‘Homemade Margaritas’, how excited are you about this release?

So excited! I can’t believe it’s here already I feel like it snuck up on me. I’m really excited about that one. It’s gonna be a fun one. The visuals for it are so, so great. I’m so excited for everyone to see them cos they just really add to the song.

Do you plan on releasing an album on the back of this single?

Yeah, this will be the second single on a six-track EP that comes out this summer.

Is there a standout song for you on that record?

I really love ‘Homemade Margaritas’ just cos it’s so lighthearted and easy and fun. But a song called ‘Clothes On The Line’, I actually haven’t talked about this song yet, but ‘Clothes On The Line’ is probably my favourite on the whole project. I wrote that with Andrew Petrov, and Emily Landis.

What would you say has been your biggest career highlight so far?

Honestly, just the people that I’ve gotten to meet through the process. Like you, we would never have been able to meet. Music is the thing that connected us and I think that’s just the coolest thing. Like across the world, we get to get together and chat about life. I think that’s so great.

How do you manage to juggle going around the world as an artist whilst staying connected to home life?

There’s a lot of chaos involved haha but like you said it’s very not glamorous at times but it’s half the fun. It’s a whirlwind. You miss family a lot and you miss your friends and miss like the normalcy of routine but I think when you take into account the pros and the highlights and everything it makes it all worthwhile. Honestly, though I think the only thing that gets me through it is my relationship with the Lord. The only thing keeping me sane through all of this is that, and finding renewed peace and joy every day.

Have you found that you write songs that draw from that inspiration with your relationship with God?

Yes, I actually just wrote a song called ‘Carries Me’ and that’s gonna be the song that closes out the EP. There are six songs on there, the project is called ‘Quarterlife Crisis’ so it’s all the ups and downs from this crazy whirlwind of being in your twenties or thirties. I had five songs written for it and it felt like something was missing and I realised it’s the thing that ties it all together and makes it make sense and for me that’s Jesus so I wrote this song called ‘Carries Me’ that almost feels like the answer to the quarterlife crisis.

What would you say has been the biggest learning curve over the past few years?

I’ve definitely changed and grown in a lot of ways in vocal, lyrics sound all of that stuff of course as that just comes with time but I think having grace for myself has been the biggest thing that I’ve learned over the last couple of years. Just learning to slow down and appreciate where I am, no matter where that is has probably been the biggest thing I’ve learned.

What piece of advice would you give to your younger self knowing what you know now?

Oh my gosh! Just “continue to spread joy to anyone you meet and be patient. You’re where you’re supposed to be when you’re supposed to be there for as long as you need to be there, and that’s okay. Just slow down and enjoy where you are”.

One last question, what would be your message to your UK fans?

There are no adequate words to thank them properly but thank you for listening to my songs it is life-changing for me in so many ways. Every stream means so much to me and I’m just grateful to be able to do this so I’m gonna keep doing it and always make music for the people who want to listen to it.

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