Imagine if a game-changing email from Taylor Swift went to spam.
It opened up a brand-new audience for us, says 47-year-old Kimberly Schlapman.
Whose idea was that?
Credit: Nathaniel Wood for EW
KAREN FAIRCHILD:The producers were thinking about us singing an intro for Katy.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:So were you Team Adele or Team Beyonce?
KIMBERLY SCHLAPMAN:We love them both so much.
Nathaniel Wood for EW
That was our get-hype, get-going music.
And I dont think there was a kinder tribute than what Adele did.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Where do you fall when it comes to the Grammys adequately honoring the country genre?
FAIRCHILD:The Grammys have always been good to us.
I know in past years that maybe some of the country community didnt feel like it got its due.
But we have a voice in all of music.
We have a following that is worldwide.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Speaking of which, Girl Crush now has more than 69 million views on YouTube.
SCHLAPMAN:Holy cow!
PHILLIP SWEET:Thats crazy.
I had no idea.
JIMI WESTBROOK:Cheers to that!
[Everyone toasts.]
FAIRCHILD:Get your gimlet up!
FAIRCHILD:Whats a gimlet?
SWEET:Isnt that a drink?
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Theres a vodka gimlet with lime or a gin gimlet with lime.
SCHLAPMAN:Or you’re free to do a chicken giblet.
you could fry them and theyre pretty good.
What did you learn from the experience?
Thats the lesson this band has held on to and learned.
FAIRCHILD:At the time, a 6/8 ballad beat in country music should not have worked.
SWEET:It was against the odds.
I hope the song was a stepping-stone for getting back to that.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Lets talk about your new album,The Breaker.
Is it true that you recorded it in a church?
FAIRCHILD:Well, its [music producer] Jay Joyces studio in East Nashville.
I dont know if he believes in God, but he owns a church.
SCHLAPMAN:We recorded it in the sanctuary, which has a high ceiling.
It has incredible acoustics.
And since its a huge room, we can all be together and make eye contact.
Jay is in the middle, like the pastor.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:What were your hopes for the album going in?
SWEET:It evolved as the process went on.
A lot of times theres a song that feels like the cornerstone of the record.
That happened early on in the process for this.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Which song do you think will be the crowd-pleaser?
Its a hopeful song, and its really perfect for where the world is right now.
It seems like were in a gigantic swirl of chaos.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Sounds like you just got a little political there.
FAIRCHILD:It depends on what you mean by political.
If tolerance and kindness and acceptance and love are political, then I guess were political.
SCHLAPMAN:Better Man is a crowd-pleaser.
The audience has expanded for that because its from Taylor Swiftall of her fans want to know, What?
She wrote a song and a country band cut it?
SWEET:[When we got her email] I was thinking, like let it be good.
just let it be good.
[Everyone laughs.]
We all fell in love with the melody.
SCHLAPMAN:Its the first time shes pitched a song to another artist.
WESTBROOK:Weve known her since she was knee-high to a grasshopper.
SCHLAPMAN:She wrote her high school paper about us!
FAIRCHILD:It was a paper about perseverance, how to keep going.
It was pretty cool.
FAIRCHILD:Dont Die Young.
It was therapeutic to be in the room and talk about it.
Lori McKenna said she had this title, Dont Die Young, Dont Get Old.
Thats what we would say to each other on Panama Beach during spring break.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY:Is there a song onBreakeryoure afraid will be overlooked?
FAIRCHILD:I hope Beat Up Bible isnt.
Its a beautiful, heartfelt sentiment about faith and family.
We sang it the other night at the San Antonio Rodeo, and people literally cheered halfway through.
It rings true for people right now.
They just want to feel some peace.
[Looks at Sweet] You got all teary-eyed!
SWEET:Stop it.
FAIRCHILD:A band that cries together stays together.
What is choir camp, anyway?
SCHLAPMAN:It was an a cappella choir.
I got a scholarship.
Karen was a year ahead of me in college.
I was a freshman.
FAIRCHILD:Did you have to say that?
SCHLAPMAN:She was a year behind me.
I was three years older.
[Laughs] Im really not.
On the way to choir camp we were sitting back-to-back.
We found out we were both from Georgia.
We knew the same guy that broke my heart.
That started our friendship.
FAIRCHILD:Shes more like my sister.
SCHLAPMAN:Ill make it happen.
Ill also double-check she has false eyelashes.
This is how close we are.
FAIRCHILD:For a while, we synced up.
SWEET:Their moon cycles corresponded to one another.
WESTBROOK:Theres your scoop!
SWEET:Its hard to find firsts with this band, but thats one right there.
WESTBROOK:Are we on the fourth round or what?
FAIRCHILD:Im totally sober.
Its the dang truth.
Its three rounds and the truth.
