Nora Kelly Band delivers an exciting signature alt-country sound, as heard in their new single “Horse Girl”. This song and its accompanying music video were released in anticipation of their new album Rodeo Clown, out Aug 25.
This fun track places a spin on old-school country and is filled with strong musicianship and impressive vocals from both singer Nora Kelly and harmonies added by the band. It tells the story of an urban cowgirl. “When I started writing country music a few years ago, I arrived with a deep appreciation for the genre and history,” Kelly says.
“Still, I live in Montreal, where I earned a Fine Arts degree. I’m not trying to fool anyone. I’m no ‘Okie from Muskogee’ or ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’. But I’m not the first city slicker to love playing ‘cowboy’ either. In writing ‘Horse Girl’ it felt good to just come out with it … ‘I always tip my waiter but I’ve never tipped a cow’ and ‘I could ride the range but I don’t know how.’”
She adds, “Maybe this is the Nora Kelly Band’s theme song. It definitely was a group effort. I delivered the lyrics and vocal melody to the band, and more than any other track we really workshopped the music together. The result feels fresh and playfully new.”
The video has an older film feel filled with stimulating cinematography from a small town county fair. “We shot the video for ‘Horse Girl’ at a county fair in Ormstown, Quebec,” Kelly says. “Our day began at 9 a.m. at a horse competition, with each member of the band making bets on which horse would be voted best in show – Vader inexplicably chose correctly every time. After, we witnessed a demolition derby where young men in broken down cars slammed into each other, with firefighters and ambulances waiting on the sidelines. We also rode fair rides and played carnival games. Because the director and cinematographer were carrying a big camera, we looked like we were up to something important and this served its purpose. When it came time to shoot my close up on the ferris wheel, the ride attendant let us on for free and didn’t make us get off for a good 20 minutes.”
This single is joyful and certainly unique, as is the rest of Rodeo Clown – make sure to check it out! Find more about the Nora Kelly Band here.
“Horse Girl” is available now on major streaming platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music
Emma Page, a recent Journalism graduate of The George Washington University, possesses a passion for music journalism and storytelling in all its forms. Originally from Baltimore, MD, when she is not writing, she can be found at a local concert or making music of her own.
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