Kaylee Bell | |
---|---|
Born | 1989or1990(age 34–35) [1] Waimate, Canterbury, New Zealand |
Genres | Country |
Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
Years active | 2013–present |
Labels | Independent |
Website | kayleebellmusic |
Kaylee Bell is a New Zealand singer-songwriter. In 2013, she won the Toyota Star Maker award in Australia, making her the first New Zealand-born artist to win since Keith Urban in 1990. She released her debut studio album, Heart First, later that year. Bell has placed multiple singles in the Top 10 of the Australian Country Music Charts. She is currently the 'Most Streamed Female Country Artist' in Australia. Her second album, Silver Linings was released in November 2021. Bell opened for Brad Paisley on his World Tour NZ show late 2022 alongside Australian country singer Morgan Evans and was support act for Ed Sheeran on his Mathematics World Tour in 2023.
Bell was born in Waimate in Canterbury, New Zealand and began singing at the age of four. [2] She attended Craighead Diocesan School in Timaru. [3] Bell won the NZ Gold Guitar Award at age 18 and moved to Australia four years later to pursue a career in country music. [2] In 2013, she won the prestigious Toyota Star Maker award, which led to her releasing the single "Pieces" with fellow Australasian, Jared Porter. [4] The song received substantial airplay in Australia and earned the duo an APRA Award for Best Country Music Song at the 2015 APRA Silver Scroll Awards and the overall grand prize at the US Unsigned Only Competition, marking the first time a non-American had won the latter award. [5] [6] [2] Bell independently released her debut studio album, Heart First, in 2013 that included her first solo single of the same name. [7] Heart First won Best Country Album at the 2014 New Zealand Music Awards. [8]
In 2016 Bell released her breakout single "Getting Closer" a break-up anthem written with Morgan Evans, that charted on the New Zealand Heatseekers singles chart. Bell started reaching career highs on the Australia country music charts with the release of her singles "One More Shot", "Who I Am", "Keith", and "Wasted on You" in 2018 and 2019; these songs and "Getting Closer" were later repackaged as The Red EP in 2021. Bell's tribute to Keith Urban, 'Keith' went to #1 on The Music Network Country Chart where it spent 25 weeks on the chart. Three further one-off singles were released in 2020: "Light On", "Home", and "Be With You". [9] In 2021, Bell released three collaborative singles "That Summer" with Josh Mirenda or Lepnani, [10] "Before I Met You" with The McClymonts, and "Living Free" with Lindsay Ell, and announced that her second studio album, Silver Linings, would be released November 26, 2021. [11] 'That Summer' featuring Kiwi Pop Artist Lepani had crossover success at NZ mainstream radio in 2021 being 'the most added single to radio' for the month of May on hard hitters ZM, More Fm and The Hits.' Bell was chosen as the face for Spotify's EQUAL global programme for Female Artists in Music where she was featured on a billboard in Times Square, New York, USA.
In 2022, she auditioned for The Voice Australia and all four coaches turned for her. After Keith Urban was blocked, she chose to join Jessica Mauboy's team. [1] She was eliminated in the battle rounds.
In June 2023, Bell became the first independent Australasian female country singer to receive a gold certified single or EP, with The Red EP. [12]
Bell's third studio album Nights Like This was released in March 2024.
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
---|---|---|
NZ [13] | ||
Heartfirst |
| — |
Silver Linings |
| — |
Nights Like This |
| 3 |
Title | EP details | Peak chart positions | Certifications |
---|---|---|---|
AUS indie [15] | |||
The Red EP |
| 9 |
Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NZ Hot [17] | |||||||||
"Heartfirst" [18] | 2013 | — | Heartfirst | ||||||
"Pieces" [19] (with Jared Porter) | 2014 | — | East to West | ||||||
"That's What I Call Crazy" [20] | 2016 | — | Non-album single | ||||||
"Getting Closer" | — [upper-alpha 1] | The Red EP | |||||||
"Next Somebody" | 2017 | — [upper-alpha 2] | Non-album single | ||||||
"One More Shot" | 2018 | — [upper-alpha 3] | The Red EP | ||||||
"Who I Am" [24] | — | ||||||||
"Keith" | 2019 | 22 | |||||||
"Wasted on You" | — [upper-alpha 4] | ||||||||
"Light On" [26] | 2020 | — | Non-album singles | ||||||
"Home" [27] | — | ||||||||
"Be With You" | — [upper-alpha 5] | ||||||||
"That Summer" (featuring Josh Mirenda or Lepani) | 2021 | 17 | Silver Linings | ||||||
"Before I Met You" (featuring The McClymonts) | — [upper-alpha 6] | ||||||||
"Living Free" [30] (featuring Lindsay Ell) | — [upper-alpha 7] | ||||||||
"Same Songs" [32] (with James Johnston) | 2022 | — | Raised Like That | ||||||
"Small Town Friday Nights" [33] | — | Nights Like This | |||||||
"Christmas Tree Farm" [34] | — | non album single | |||||||
"Boots 'n All" [35] | 2023 | 20 | Nights Like This | ||||||
"When Summer Rolls Around" [36] | 13 | ||||||||
"Nights Like This" [37] | 37 | ||||||||
"Good Things" [38] | 21 | ||||||||
"Life Is Tough (But So Am I)" (with Navvy) | 2024 | 41 | |||||||
"Where Were You" | — | ||||||||
"—" denotes recording that failed to chart or was not eligible to chart. |
The APRA Awards are held in Australia and New Zealand by the Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | "Same Songs" (with James Johnson) | Most Performed Country Work of the Year | Nominated | [39] |
The Country Music Awards of Australia is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They commenced in 1973.
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | (unknown) | (unknown) | Nominated | [40] |
2023 | "Small Town" (with James Johnston) | Vocal Collaboration of the Year | Won | [41] [42] |
Silver Linings | Contemporary Country Album of the Year | Nominated | ||
Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
2024 | "Boots 'n' All" (directed by Shae Sterling) | Video of the Year | Nominated | [43] [44] [45] |
Kaylee Bell | Female Artist of the Year | Won |
The Country Music Association Awards (CMA) are an annual American awards show honouring the best in country music. Bell has received two nominations. [46]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Kaylee Bell | Global Country Artist Award | Nominated |
2023 | Won |
The Tamworth Songwriters Association (TSA) is an annual songwriting contest for original country songs, awarded in January at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. They commenced in 1986. [47] Kaylee Bell has won one award. [48]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | "The Seed" by Kaylee Bell and Lance Coassin | Amateur Contemporary Award | Won |
American singer and songwriter Pink has released nine studio albums, one live album, five video albums, six compilation albums, 59 singles, three charity singles, six promotional singles, and 51 music videos. Throughout her career, Pink has sold 60 million albums, 75 million singles and 2.4 million DVDs worldwide. According to RIAA, she has sold 18 million albums and 13.5 million digital singles. She is also UK's second best-selling female artist of the 21st century. Billboard ranked her as the fifth top female artist of the 2000s, eighth top female artist of the 2010s and the 59th greatest artist of all time. Official Charts Company hailed her as UK's most played female artist of the 21st century.
American pop rock band Maroon 5 has released seven studio albums, three live albums, two compilation albums, one remix album, six extended plays (EPs), 36 singles, eight promotional singles, and 43 music videos. The group originally formed in 1994 as Kara's Flowers while they were still attending high school. With a line-up of Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden and Ryan Dusick, they released their independent album, We Like Digging? in 1994. In 1997, they signed to Reprise Records and released an album, The Fourth World. After a tepid response to the album, the band parted with their record label and attended college. In 2001, the band regrouped and added James Valentine to the lineup, and pursued a new direction under the name Maroon 5.
American singer Miley Cyrus has released eight studio albums, three live albums, four extended plays and 42 singles. Popularly referred as the original "Teen Queen", Cyrus has sold 55 million singles and 20 million albums worldwide. According to Recording Industry Association of America, she has sold 32 million singles and 10 million albums in the US. Billboard ranked Cyrus as the ninth greatest Billboard 200 female music artist of all time and the 62nd greatest artist of all time.
American singer Lady Gaga has released five solo studio albums, two collaborative studio albums, four film soundtracks, three remix albums, two compilation albums, four EPs, two live albums, 40 singles, and 14 promotional singles. Gaga made her debut in August 2008 with the studio album The Fame, which peaked at number two in the United States, where it was subsequently certified triple Platinum, while topping the charts in Austria, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Its first two singles, "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", reached number one in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and for the latter, becoming the world's biggest single of the 2009 calendar year. The album spawned three more singles: "Eh, Eh ", "LoveGame" and "Paparazzi". The latter reached the top ten in many countries worldwide, and number one in Germany.
Benjamin Joseph Levin, known professionally as benny blanco, is an American record producer, songwriter, record executive and author. He is the recipient of the 2013 Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also won the BMI Songwriter of the Year Award five non-consecutive times, and won the 2017 iHeartRadio Producer of the Year Award.
The discography of Canadian singer Justin Bieber consists of six studio albums, three remix albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays, 76 singles, and 10 promotional singles. Bieber has attained eight number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 and eight number-one albums on the US Billboard 200 charts. As of June 2019, Bieber has sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold 24 million albums and 121 million digital singles units as a lead artist, in the United States. Bieber was named the "Greatest Pop Star of 2016" by Billboard. He was also named the Billboard Year-End Top Male Artist for 2016 and placed number seven on the magazine's Decade-End Top Artists Chart for the 2010s.
New Zealand-Australian singer Stan Walker has released seven studio albums, two compilation albums, two extended plays, forty-eight singles—including seven as a featured artist—and twenty-one music videos. In 2009, Walker won the seventh season of Australian Idol, and signed a recording contract with Sony Music Australia. Walker's debut studio album Introducing Stan Walker, which contained selected songs he performed on Australian Idol, was released on 11 December 2009. The album debuted at number three on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, and number two on the New Zealand Albums Chart. It was certified platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association, and triple platinum by the Recorded Music NZ. The album's lead single "Black Box" peaked at number two on the ARIA Singles Chart, and number one on the New Zealand Singles Chart, eventually being certified double platinum in both countries.
Six60 is a New Zealand pop rock band formed in Dunedin, Otago in 2008. The band consists of Matiu Walters, Ji Fraser, Chris Mac, and Marlon Gerbes.
Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd has released five studio albums, one live album, three compilation albums, three mixtapes, nine extended plays, 79 single releases, and seven promotional singles. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has accumulated 18.5 million certified album-equivalent units and 126 million certified digital single units in the US, based on sales and on-demand streaming, as of August 2024.
The American singer, songwriter, and actress Ariana Grande has released seven studio albums, one soundtrack album, one live album, two compilation albums, two extended plays (EPs), fifty-four singles, and fourteen promotional singles. Throughout her career thus far, Grande has sold over 90 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she has sold over 131 million units, across albums, singles, and features, and 12 million albums and 93.5 million digital singles units as a lead artist. In the U.S., Grande has moved 22.4 million album units, and garnered over 23.6 billion streams across lead artist credits, according to Luminate. Having amassed over 105 billion consumed streams thus far, Grande is the most streamed female artist ever. She is also the most streamed female artist of the 2010s on Spotify and Apple Music. She has amassed 86 chart entries on the Billboard Hot 100—the third most entries for a female artist—including nine number ones and 22 top-10 hits altogether so far. Grande was named the sixth top female artist of the 2010s decade, and was ranked among Billboard's Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Artists, at number 78. Grande is also one of the best selling female artists in the UK, with over 31 million units.
New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde has released three studio albums, four extended plays, 12 singles and 13 music videos. At the age of 13, she was signed to Universal Music Group (UMG) and started to write music. In November 2012, when she was 16 years old, she self-released The Love Club EP via SoundCloud. It was released for sale by UMG in March 2013; a song from the EP, "Royals", topped numerous single charts internationally, including the US Billboard Hot 100. The track sold over 10 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling singles of all time.
American singer and songwriter Halsey has released five studio albums, two live albums, 11 extended plays, 28 singles, 10 promotional singles, and 36 music videos. After being signed to Astralwerks, she released her debut EP Room 93 on October 27, 2014, and then toured with larger acts to promote it and her upcoming album. Since her debut, Halsey has released nine Gold, 11 Platinum, seven Multiplatinum, and one Diamond single in the United States alone.
Edwina Margaret Lumsden, professionally known as Fanny Lumsden, is an Australian country music singer and songwriter. She has released 4 albums and 3 EPs.
Morgan John Evans is an Australian country music singer and songwriter, known for his heartfelt lyrics and dynamic performances. He first gained recognition with his "Self-titles" debut album in 2014, which peaked at number 20 on the ARIA Albums Chart. International success followed with his 2017 hit "Kiss Somebody" and his 2018 album "Things That We Drink To", which won the ARIA Award for Best Country Album in 2019. Evans' music, featuring chart-topping singles and emotionally raw songwriting, has resonated with fans globally, amassing over 800 million streams. His 2022 "Life Upside Down" EP, written during a period of personal upheaval, highlighted his vulnerability, with tracks like "Over for You" going viral. His global tours and sold-out shows, including two performances at the iconic Sydney Opera House in 2023, have cemented his status as one of Australia’s top country artists. He is currently working on his next album, set for release in 2025, which reflects his journey of resilience and optimism.
The American singer Morgan Wallen has released three studio albums, four EPs, 25 singles, seven promotional singles, and 13 music videos. On the US Billboard Hot 100 as of October 2024, Wallen has garnered two number-one songs with each spending multiple weeks atop the chart,. Wallen also has charted 69 songs on the US Billboard Hot 100 with 32 reaching the top-40, 20 reaching the top-20, 11 reaching the top-10, and three reaching the top-5. On the US Billboard 200, as of October 2024, Wallen has accumulated two number one albums with both peaking the chart for ten consecutive weeks or longer, and has accumulated 29 weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200, only Garth Brooks having more weeks at number one for a country music artist.
Stella Rose Bennett, better known as Benee and formerly Bene, is a New Zealand singer and songwriter from Auckland. In both 2019 and 2020, she consecutively won Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist and Best Pop Artist at the New Zealand Music Awards. Benee initially gained local prominence with her singles "Glitter" and "Soaked", before her 2019 single "Supalonely" saw international popularity following its success on the video-sharing platforms TikTok and YouTube. Benee subsequently released her debut album, Hey U X, in November 2020.
L.A.B. is a New Zealand reggae band formed in Whakatāne, Bay of Plenty in 2016. Its founding members are Brad Kora and Stuart Kora of the band Kora. They soon engaged Joel Shadbolt on lead vocals and guitar, Ara Adams-Tamatea, formerly of Katchafire, as bassist, and Miharo Gregory as keyboardist. The band mostly composes reggae music, with a mix of electronic, blues, rock and funk music.
American singer and actress Olivia Rodrigo has released two studio albums, one reissue, three extended plays (EPs), ten singles, and ten music videos. She contributed to the soundtrack of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, releasing ten promotional singles from it, with "All I Want" managing to chart worldwide at a peak position of 119. After signing with Interscope and Geffen Records in 2020, she released her debut single "Drivers License" in January 2021, which propelled her to international fame. "Drivers License" debuted at number one in the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, where it stayed for eight consecutive weeks, and topped the charts in 25 other countries. Subsequently, "Drivers License" was certified six times platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), eight times platinum in Canada by the Canadian Recording Industry Association (CRIA), seven times platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), three times platinum in Norway and Portugal, two times platinum in United Kingdom, Poland, New Zealand and Sweden, and platinum in 10 other countries.
James Johnston is an Australian singer. In 2009, Johnston placed third in the seventh season of Australian Idol. In 2014, he made the top 24 of the sixth season of The X Factor (Australia).
"Keith" is a song by New Zealand singer-songwriter Kaylee Bell from her first extended play, The Red EP (2021). Written by Bell with Phil Barton and Lindsay Rimes and produced by the latter, Bell recorded the song in 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. It was independently released on 15 February 2019. A country song, it makes reference to several songs by Australian singer Keith Urban, which led music critics to consider it as a tribute song to him.