‘Small Town,' big talent
Kellie Pickler began 2006 as a 19-year-old college dropout and former beauty queen, but before the year was out she was a country music star with a gold record.
The turnaround came courtesy of the North Carolina native’s participation in the fifth season of “American Idol.” Pickler came in sixth, but landed a record deal soon after leaving the show.
Her aptly titled debut, “Small Town Girl,” featuring five songs co-written by the singer, was released in October 2006 and has sold more than 700,000 copies. Singles such as “Red High Heels” and “I Wonder” also helped her get a nomination for Top New Female Vocalist at the Academy of Country Music Awards.
She was up for four awards at last month’s Country Music Television Awards and took home three awards – “Performance of the Year,” “Tearjerker Video of the Year” and “Breakthrough Video of the Year.”
Q. You’re still touring behind your first record, “Small Town Girl.” When can we expect the follow-up?
A. We are actually in the middle of trying to figure out the album’s release date, but we’re thinking at the end of summer or first of fall. I’m so excited about the new album. I’ve been writing a lot and doing studio work.
Q. How many songs on the record have you written?
A. So far all but two, but who knows?... I might end up writing the whole album or writing half of it or maybe one song or none at all. But this is my favorite part of the whole process for sure, writing and listening to songs and figuring out how I can make them come to life.
Q. What is your writing style like?
A. My writing style is an emotional roller-coaster ride because I write about my life. My music is 110 percent a reflection of my life, a reflection of who I am. I think with this next album I’m going to be telling people a lot of things that they don’t know. So I think it’s going to be a little bit of a shocker.
Q. Were you sad when you got voted off (“American Idol”)?
A. It’s so weird because I knew the night before the results show. I prayed about it and knew it was my time. I had already packed all my stuff, and I was ready to go. I think I was there for as long as I could handle it, and I was ready. But I was glad to be part of the show. I can’t complain. To complain … is kind of selfish.
Q. “American Idol” was not your first competition. You won a county beauty pageant in your native North Carolina and even competed for the state title.
A. I really am not a beauty queen. I’m the biggest slob. One of my best friends in high school, she was the definition of a beauty queen. She talked me into doing it. And I found that I could sing in there. I was, like, I want to do this so I can sing. All I could think about was: I want to win the talent portion. I honestly was a little upset when I did win because then I had to take the responsibilities that went along with it.
Q. Besides your singing, you’ve become known for some ditzy, embarrassing moments. … Does it bother you when your mistakes end up getting amplified on YouTube?
A. No. It used to bother me, but you know some people are going to love you, and there are some people who aren’t going to really care for you at all. The thing about me is I’m just an open book, and I don’t have anything to hide.
‘Small Town,' big talent | The Journal Gazette