Last week was a big week for Chapel Hart. The trio, made up of sisters Danica and Devynn Hart and their cousin, Trea Swindle, made their debut on the Grand Ole Opry on September 17. only a few days after landing in the Top 5 on the season finale of America’s Got Talent.
Their inaugural performance on the sacred stage, coming after artists like Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and Darius Rucker have publicly lauded their music, is almost more than the trio can handle. Almost.
“Sure, we were having success before America’s Got Talent, but we’re realizing now that to achieve the much greater success that we want, expanding the reach of the joy and love our music brings is necessary,” Devynn tells The Tennessean. “I’ll never get tired of seeing the process of winning over greater numbers of fans in larger groups keep happening.”
“One thing though, it’ll make me cry,” she adds. “It’ll always make me cry.”
In their AGT audition, which earned them a collective golden buzzer from all four judges and host Terry Crews, Danica said that finding a home in country music as a trio of Black women had not been easy. While Chapel Hart might have found it easier to use their three-part harmonies in another genre, they never wanted to find a home anywhere but in country music.
“We’re as country as the day is long,” Trea maintains. “It’s not the twang but the truth that defines that. I like listening to Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Hank Williams while wearing my cowboy boots and sitting on the porch with my guitar.”
Now that they seem to be finding their place in country music, with a collaboration with Rucker already completed, and a return date scheduled at the Opry on October 8, Chapel Hart is resolute in what they want to achieve with their music.
“We want to bring real country music back to country radio. I’ll also suggest that we’re going to need a defibrillator added to our tour rider,” Trea says, reflecting on the three standing ovations they received at the Grand Ole Opry. “If we keep getting standing ovations like that, it might kill me. They’ll have to drag me by my ankles off the stage every night.”
Chapel Hart is well aware that, while their devotion to the genre of country music remains strong, they do have their own unique spin on what country music is, and how they interpret it to sound. As they play their music across the country, thanks in large part to their global exposure on America’s Got Talent, and ready the release of more music, Chapel Hart feels more confident than ever about their future.
“As people, we’re kind and know that because of who we are and how we were raised, you don’t have to agree on or believe in the same things to exist together,” Danica maintains.
Chapel Hart was introduced to the Grand Ole Opry audience by Jeannie Seely, who was celebrating 55 years of becoming a member. Find all of Chapel Hart’s music and tour dates at ChapelHart.com.