Kaylee Bell, how are you feeling today?

What a sad day.

Seriously.

Um, I mean, the very first song I ever sang on stage when I was four years old was a Dolly Parton song [laughs] so in terms of the impact I think she's had on me, and just so many people, so many artists, um, over their course of careers, it's been huge.

Like, not many people leave a legacy like she has.

But in so many facets I always think of her, and there's just, like, so many complexities.

There's the songwriter Dolly, you know, there's the philanthropist.

Yeah

A case this curious needs some serious investigation.

Well, hey there, I'm Detective Hayley Dell, and I'm going to help you solve this here crime.

I've seen my fair share of strange cases in my time, but this one takes the apple pie.

When I stepped into Angelique's office, I found her sprawl beside her desk.

No signs of a fight.

Whoever knocked her off didn't leave much of a mess.

Her desk was covered in papers, most of them sealed, some of them showing the nasty financial state the manor was in.

I promise you that.

A case this curious needs some serious investigation.

Well, hey there, I'm Detective Hayley Dow, and I'm gonna help you solve this here crime.

I've seen my fair share of strange cases in my time, but this one takes the apple pie.

When I stepped into Angelique's office, I found her sprawl beside her desk.

No signs of a fight.

Whoever knocked her off didn't leave much of a mess.

Her desk was covered in papers, most of them sealed, some of them showing the nasty financial state the manor was in.

I promise you that.

Um, so but it sounds like you did not actually write the song in Nashville.

No. It's been, um, yeah, it's been funny.

We've got a studio at home, and, um, over the summer, a lot of my friends actually live overseas.

Tom Jordan, producer, he lives in Nashville.

Phoebe, um, she goes by an artist name called Navye, and she lives in London.

She's a full-time songwriter.

And we kinda just opened the studio up and we're like, "Hey, anybody home? Like, come around, and like, let's just like have some fun and write some songs." And honestly, the like, the, the feeling of no pressure, and it was summer, and it was just very relaxed, and I feel like we've kinda started almost like a whole new record by accident.

I really need to hang on to them for an album 'cause maybe there won't be enough." You trust that there will be more than enough for future albums.

Yeah, yeah,

yeah.

I can go on about this.

I'm here all day, guys.

It's amazing.

It's so cool to see a genre like just, you know, I was like, I say this a lot, but I always just dreamed that one day, you know, we would wake up and hear it on radio.

And now it's like.

Can you give us a quick rundown of what this is all about?

good i mean i know you can wax lyrical about it forever right like this is just

yeah i can go on about this i'm here all day guys it's amazing it's so cool to see a genre like just um you know i was like i say this a lot but i always just dreamed that one day you know we would wake up and hear it on radio and now it's like it's all over radio and beyond and everyone's coming to new zealand and it's just like it's becoming to be part of our culture which is really cool

Can you give us a quick rundown of what this is all about?

So, basically, I did a lot of writing at the start of the year with my producer, Tom Jordan.

He was over from Nashville at home.

And my friend, Navy, who I know you guys probably – Yes.

Yeah, big fan.

Yes.

Right.

And so who you're speaking about is a lady called Wendy, Wendy Thornton, who has, like, been in my life since I was a kid as well.

And she was just, like, this, like, magician on the keys.

And, like, I can name every member of, like, those bands that, like, those backing bands that we used to have.

And it's funny 'cause you, like, yeah, she's been a part of my life, you know, right through.

And it's, um, I just think it's such a unique thing that, um, in New Zealand, you think of, like, country music and, like, how do you get into it?

Yeah

... um, of like, yeah, just appreciating and, and acknowledging and, and I know when I, if I'm lucky enough to win anything, I'm always super grateful 'cause I don't, yeah, I don't take it for granted.

So he probably

does know who she is.

Or...

And she's just come back with a new record too.

Yes.

So she's relevant.

But then Maren, I mean, did Maren go pop or did she just happen to collaborate on one of the biggest songs? I think you are

she's transitioned to pop music?

Is that correct? Yeah, I

am.

So I had a little baby boy in January, James, and we spent quite a bit of time in hospital.

Congratulations.

We spent a bit of time over at Starship and they were amazing.

And I was just like, if I ever have a chance to give back, I want to give back.

And it just kind of all tied in really organically.

Yeah,