Callum Kerr is a Scottish actor, model and country artist. He spoke about his forthcoming “Roots Under Me” EP, which will be released this July.
Most recently, Kerr signed a record deal with ONErpm Nashville and Huff Co.
Song selection process for the EP
On the song selection process for the EP, he said, “We put together about 50 songs in the beginning, a lot of which I wrote, and the others were cuts that were pitched to us.”
“We just narrowed them down 10 songs at a time, and we found our favorites. We kept narrowing them down until we had six. The best songs won, and we had our six,” he explained.
“Honestly, I hope this EP is something that the fans can bop to, and it is music that they can enjoy,” he said.
Kerr on his favorite songs on the EP
He declared all of the six songs on the EP as his favorites, and that he doesn’t have a favorite song, because all of them are special.
“We put in a lot of effort to make sure we had songs about everything: love, heartbreak, drinking, and growing up in a hometown. We managed to get a lot of different messages there,” he acknowledged.
Music and songwriting inspirations
On his music and songwriting inspirations, he remarked, “To be honest, it changes every time I do it. It depends on how I’m feeling that day. Most of the times, it starts with the title, or a melody, and then, we build it up from there.”
“If we start feeling good about it, then we will keep going. If not, we will finish the song and then, it will never get released,” he added.
Future plans
On his future plans, Kerr shared, “To keep releasing music and to keep doing our thing. I will be playing the CMA Fest in Nashville in about two weeks. I will be playing the Grand Ole Opry. The whole EP comes out on July 25th.”
Upcoming CMA Fest performance
In particular, Kerr is looking forward to performing at this year’s CMA Fest.
“I can’t wait. I’ve been here for three years almost, and it will be the first time I will be playing both the CMA Fest and the Opry. It’s cool,” he noted.
“It is always nice to play music in front of people, especially in the Nashville sunshine in the summer. It’s a step in the right direction and it’s another feather in the bow. I can’t wait to see how many people we can get out there to the stage, and I can’t wait to rock it out,” he elaborated.
Signing with ONErpm Nashville and Huff Co.
On inking a deal with ONErpm Nashville and Huff Co., Kerr said, “It was great. There were a bunch of different labels that got in touch with us at the time, and ONErpm was the third or fourth to get in touch. It was actually David Huff with Huff Co. that got the ball rolling.”
“David [Huff] told me about the plans that he and his brother Dann [Huff] had, and they were teaming up with ONErpm and it seemed like the perfect fit, and so far, so good,” he noted.
“I really love working with this team,” he exclaimed. “I am just hoping that we can continue to build and see where this can take us. David Huff is such a legendary producer, and to make music with him and his brother Dann is pretty crazy. I am pumped.”
“Dann is the best. He has worked with everyone. If he did not produce them, he has been a session guitarist for them, or he has helped them in other ways. Dann is a legend out here,” Kerr added.
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, Kerr said, “The positives are that you are able to reach a wider fanbase, and it makes marketing a little bit easier. I don’t know because I haven’t been in music before the digital age.”
“It seems like back in the day artists were worried less about content,” he observed. “These days, artists need to put out content all the time. It seemed like they concentrated more on the music back then.”
“The digital age does give people more opportunities to reach a wider fan-base, so I am thankful for it,” he added.
Advice for young and emerging artists
For young and aspiring artists, he said, “Learn how to produce. We are in a world where if you can produce your own music, you can put it out on your own. So, do everything yourself until people beg you to sign their record label. I think it is a really open world right now.”
“If you can learn to produce a song that is listenable, then you can put it out yourself, and you can really own your work,” he added.
Dream dream duet choice: Kaitlin Butts
Regarding his dream duet choice in music, Kerr revealed, “I’ve been listening to a lot of Kaitlin Butts right now. I think she is about to break through and become a star.”
“Maybe I can convince her to do a duet with me before she becomes a big star,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I think it is only a matter of time before the mainstream knows who she is.”
Musical influences
Kerr grew up listening to such musical genres as rock, pop-punk, and emo.
“I would listen to Fall Out Boy, Green Day, My Chemical Romance, Nickelback, as well as such country acts as Dierks Bentley, Toby Keith, Trace Adkins, Zac Brown Band, and Jason Aldean,” he said.
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be “time travel.”
“I would like to go back and see what the world was like before I was born… and then it would be cool to come back to the modern day and have my iPhone back,” he said with a sweet laugh.
Alternate career choice
His alternate career choice would be a “barbecue pitmaster or chef.”
Success
On his definition of success, Kerr stated, “Success means being able to provide a good life for my life, and getting some recognition that things are working.”
“Filled out stadiums would be great,” he said with a sweet laugh. “I am from a small town in Scotland, and I really enjoy it when people tell me that I’m doing really well.”
“I’ve always felt I could do something in the music world, and when other people see it as well, it gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling inside,” he added.
Message for his fans
For his fans and supporters, he expressed, “Thanks for being there. Thanks for listening. There is so much more to come, it is only get better.
“We are going to play some live shows, so keep an eye out. All the love from me. I couldn’t do this without the fans,” he said, effusively.
His “Roots Under Me” EP is available for pre-order on digital service providers by clicking here.
To learn more about Callum Kerr, follow him on Instagram, and check out his Linktree page.
