To say Taylor Sweely waited her entire life for July 14th wouldn’t be an understatement.
The release of her debut single, “Wine Not,” was the culmination of a deep love of music that began at just two years-old. Years spent singing in church and hours spent in her room listening to CDs of the artists she admired not only deepened that love, but set her on a path towards pursuing her own musical dreams.
Layered in steel and twanging guitars, Sweely’s debut effort captures the Georgia native turning in a solid, ranging vocal on a song tailor made to be an anthem for moms living life to the fullest.
We chatted with Sweely all about “Wine Not,” as well as her early love of music, her powerhouse female influences and more!
Pro Country: You’ve said that you developed a passion for music at just two years-old. What was it about singing and expressing yourself in that way that connected with you so early in your life?
Taylor Sweely: I could feel music in my soul from a young age. My mom had me in kindermusik class, and she wrote in my baby book that I would be a singer, because at the age of two, I was the only baby in class that sang on pitch and caught the attention of all the moms. After that, my mom had me singing every day; videoing me to send to my grandparents, and eventually, having me sing in church. I did not play with Barbies or toys, instead, I found joy in taking CDs in my room and singing for hours on end. I remember the first time I heard Celine Dion, instantly, her powerful voice made me want to learn every song of hers and aspire to be as good as her one day. I knew at a young age that my voice had the ability to touch others in a special way, and I have just always felt that it is God’s desire for me to share my voice with the world.
PC: After developing that early love for music, when did you begin to realize it was something you could, and wanted to, pursue as a career?
TS: A defining moment that solidified I was meant to sing happened at the age of 12. My pastor at our church heard my solo performance at their Christmas musical and requested that, for the first time, a child would sing on the adult’s only praise team and lead worship on Sundays. I was floored that the pastor recognized me, thought highly of me and entrusted me to such a special position, and from that day, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue as a career.
PC: Who are some of the musical influences you’ve drawn on to help shape your sound?
TS: While she’s not country, Celine Dion is one of the main influences that has shaped not only my sound, but the artist I aspire to be. Her effortlessly powerful voice has always amazed me. I respect the fact that she always performs with such vocal skill, great stage presence, and remains humble. Another influence in the country world would be Faith Hill. I’ve always likened her to a country-Celine. She too has powerful vocals (seeing a trend?) and has a wonderful ability to tell a story in her songs. Others would be Jo Dee Messina, Miranda Lambert and Carrie Underwood.
PC: You recorded and released “One’s a Couple” with Korey Rose in 2016. How much did you enjoy that collaboration with Korey and having the opportunity to tackle a song that had been previously recorded by artists like Lee Ann Womack and Ken Mellons?
TS: Recording “One’s a Couple” was my very first experience in a recording studio, and I immediately fell in love with the atmosphere in the studio. I was honored to be asked to be a part of the remake of such a great song, and I hope I did it justice. I’m always so proud to be featured on the song; it’ll always be special to me.
PC: You took a break from music for two years to raise your daughter. How much did you enjoy spending that time with your family, and how much have you enjoyed diving back into music recently?
TS: Taking the last two years off to be a stay at home mom has been nothing short of life- changing. It was always important to me to stay home with my baby because my mom stayed home with us. I truly think our bond is so special because of all that time she got to spend with us. Having a baby has also been bittersweet, however, because shortly after Tinslee was born, my mom was diagnosed with a rare disease, and also cancer. It’s been tough to juggle all of the emotions that come with not only motherhood, but also this diagnosis and the treatments my mom is having to go through. Because of this, I’m so intentional with the time I spend with my family, but now more than ever, I’m motivated to make it in the music industry so that my mom can see me pursue my dreams.
PC: You just released your debut single, “Wine Not.” What emotions were you feeling as release day was approaching, especially after taking time away from music prior to the release?
TS: I have been so excited and overwhelmed about the release of my first single, “Wine Not.” The process has been a learn-as-you-go situation, and I’ve learned a lot. From marketing to online distribution, getting playlisted to figuring out the right team to work with, to content, content and more content and everything else in between, it’s been a ride. I wanted to make sure I did the song justice and came back into the music world swingin’, so it was important to me that I market it as best as I could as an independent artist. I’m so proud of the song and everyone that played a part in it from my producer, to the musicians, to my photographer/videographer, and most importantly, my husband who funded it all and is ready for me to make it back [laughs]. It’s been a wonderful experience, and I pray it gets to the ears of as many people as possible, and I look forward to writing even more.
PC: Can you take us in the room and in your head and talk about how “Wine Not” came together?
TS: “Wine Not” was born during my two year hiatus when I decided to take a stab at songwriting for the first time in my life. It started with an idea from local country artist, Coffey Anderson, who threw out the title “Wine Not” when we were in a meeting one day. The next day, I went up to our balcony and wrote the whole thing by myself. I begged other people to write with me or help me with it because I didn’t know what I was doing as a first time songwriter, but I had no takers, so what you hear was all me. That includes the melody; I don’t play any instruments, so I just looked at the words and sung what I heard in my head, created a voice memo and it came to life from there. I wrote “Wine Not” from the place I was at in life as a mom and a wife who is still chasing her dreams. It’s an anthem for all the moms out there to remember who they are outside of being wives and mothers, and it’s a reminder to take care of themselves too: grab a glass, and turn up my song, wine not!?
PC: With “Wine Not” released, what do you have planned for the rest of 2023?
TS: The rest of the year will be spent writing and collabing on new songs, booking shows, and hopefully getting back into the studio. I’m so excited to see what comes from my first single and am open to whatever doors God opens for me.
PC: Is there anything you’d like to add?
TS: You can find me on all streaming platforms as well as: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube
*”Wine Not” is featured on The Best of Pro Country playlist!*
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