Source: MakeLemonade.nz
Waimate – New Zealand country pop singer Kaylee Bell, from Waimate on the South Island, has been recognised with a massive photo of her on Times Square in New York.
Spotify recently unveiled their new commitment to fostering equity for women in music globally and Bell was selected to represent New Zealand and Australian artists as the face of this Spotify Playlist.
She has been profiled on a massive billboard in Times Square.
“I was mind blown when I got the news, it’s a big moment for sure and it’s very surreal as an independent self-funded artist.”
Women artists’ have been an integral influence on Spotify and the wider music industry. This has meant they have begun to end the disparity and amplify the work of female artists by extending their resources and generating more opportunities for them. They are doing this by creating a global branded experience with the Equal Global Music Programme.
In correlation with the massive profile, the award-winning country pop artist has hit five million streams with her 2019 tribute to Keith Urban across all streaming services. Urban us a New Zealand-born Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist and is married to actress Nicole Kidman.
Bell joins Kasey Chambers as the only two Australasian female country artists exceeding five million streams on a song.
New Zealand-based Bell is a big fan of Keith, even performing a duet with the superstar on two separate occasions, in Narrabri, Australia and five years ago in Wellington.
The artists have a common thread, both born in New Zealand, both relocated to Australia for some time, and both won Australia’s biggest country music talent search Star Maker, Urban in 1990 and Bell in 2013.
“Keith is an artist I have always idolised. He is the reason I moved to Australia to pursue my music and lead me to enter and win Toyota Star Maker, she says.
“I sat on the song for over a year before I had the courage to release it as I knew that any song written as a tribute holds a lot of weight, but I love that the fans have embraced this song and given it a life I could never have imagined.
“It’s the song people request and the one they love to ask about which is so cool as the idea started as a 2am voice memo with a melody and me trying to cram as many song titles of Keith’s into the song to make a story.”
Her recent single That Summer was the most added song to mainstream radio in New Zealand for the month of May. Five million streams are an amazing achievement for a self-funded and managed independent artist.
