Photo Credit: Chelsea Thompson
NASHVILLE, TN (September 16, 2022) – Callista Clark is a new face with an old soul, an impressive voice with a gift for writing insightful lyrics that both challenge and empower as reflected on her latest offering “Brave Girl,” available now. The 18-year-old co-penned the inspiring anthem alongside Emily Landis and Ben Johnson, emboldening listeners to embrace their uniquities as the chorus delivers words of encouragement, “Be brave, girl / Jump in and make your own wave girl / Say what you wanna say, say it like you mean it / You’re gonna be okay even if you don’t believe it.” Selected as Opry NextStage Artist for September, the rising female vocalist’s performance on “Brave Girl” is an affecting combination of the vulnerability that comes from living the lyric and the power of believing in its message. Watch a special acoustic performance of “Brave Girl” here.
“I wrote ‘Brave Girl’ when I was 15-years-old and at first, it was too emotional for me to perform,” shares Callista. “When I finally decided to play it at my live shows, I saw an immediate reaction from everyone and knew it was something special. I hope everyone finds a little encouragement and bravery through the message in this song.”
“Brave Girl” serves as the final preview of her eagerly-anticipated full-length REAL TO ME: THE WAY I FEEL arriving October 14 via Big Machine Records. Produced by Nathan Chapman (Taylor Swift, Lionel Richie, Keith Urban, Mickey Guyton), Callista’s debut album reveals a songwriter of considerable depth and wit and a gifted singer with confidence and an impressive presence unique to someone her age. Co-writing all 10 tracks, the Zebulon, GA native collaborated with a notable caliber of songwriters including Laura Veltz, Emily Shackleton, Liz Rose, Chris DeStefano and Jimmy Robbins. It all adds up to a powerful launch for an artist whose music is poised to become the soundtrack for the heartbreaks and triumphs of her generation. Fans can pre-order the album here.
REAL TO ME: THE WAY I FEEL TRACK LIST
1. “It’s ‘Cause I Am” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Laura Veltz
2. “Gave It Back Broken” | Callista Clark, Emily Shackelton
3. “Change My Mind” | Callista Clark, Dan Isbell, Jonathan Singleton
4. “Worst Guy Ever” | Callista Clark, Jordan Reynolds, Emily Weisband
5. “Brave Girl” | Callista Clark, Ben Johnson, Emily Landis
6. “Wish You Wouldn’t” | Callista Clark, Emily Falvey, Lalo Guzman
7. “Heartbreak Song” | Callista Clark, Chris DeStefano, Liz Rose, Emily Shackelton
8. “Don’t Need It Anymore” | Callista Clark, Cameron Jaymes, Melissa Peirce
9. “Sad” | Callista Clark, Sarah Buxton, Jimmy Robbins
10. “Real To Me” | Callista Clark, Casey Robert Brown, Laura Veltz
With Real To Me producing her first Top 20 “It’s ‘Cause I Am,” Callista became Country radio’s most successful new artist debut of 2021 and she shows no signs of slowing down. Blending inspiration from authentic, timeless classics with the sounds of her Georgia roots, Callista “commands her career from its breakthrough beginnings” (American Songwriter). The momentum has continues as Billboard featured Callista two years in a row on their annual “21 Under 21” list, plus she was the youngest member ever named to CMT’s Next Women of Country in the 2022 class. Callista’s Opry debut outfit, among other personal items, are currently on display at the GRAMMY Museum as part of The Power of Women in Country Music exhibit, running through the end of October. Following appearances on some of the year’s biggest festivals this year, Callista joins Brett Young in the UK this November for a run of sold-out shows. For more information and upcoming tour dates, visit CallistaClark.com and follow along with Callista’s journey on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
