Who Is Bellah Mae? The Story Behind Her Journey to Country Music

Today’s spotlight artist is one we are really excited abou since discovering her on social media. We chatted with Bellah Mae about her love for music, her career so far, and of course all about new music. Keep reading to learn more.

The United Kingdom native grew up in a town near Birmingham, where country music played a much bigger role in her childhood than it did for most of her friends and peers. Raised in a musical family, she grew up listening to country and rock and roll, thanks in part to her dad and grandfather, who both taught her to play music. Her grandfather was also a rock-and-roll musician who frequently traveled to Tennessee.

While country music wasn’t necessarily what the other kids around her were listening to, it was always a part of her world. As she got older, she began exploring songwriting herself, drawn to lyrics, stories, and the opportunity to put her own experiences into words. “I’ve always just been such a chatty person that’s had so much to say,” she shared. “I was desperate to start writing songs.”

She began writing in her early teens and quickly realized how much she loved it. For her, songwriting became a way to work through the things she was feeling, almost like journaling but on a much bigger scale. “I was a very, truly, like, intense kid,” she explained. “I felt things pretty deeply. And so for me, it was one of those things where I had to channel it into something.”

Her early musical influences helped shape the sound she would eventually develop. She grew up loving country-pop artists like Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift. Today. Today, she also loves artists like Carter Faith and Sienna Spiro and even Drake for his clever lyricism. “I just really do love fun metaphors and lyrics, and rap honestly does it really well,” shared Mae.

The Turning Point:

Mae’s appreciation for storytelling across genres has become a big part of her own music. With a sound that blends catchy, pop-leaning melodies with the kind of detail and honesty she loves in country songwriting, she has found a lane that feels distinctly hers.

The singer-songwriter first came to Nashville when she was 19, beginning a routine of traveling back and forth between the UK and Music City for writing trips. At the time, she was building her career in London, where she was signed to a major label for around three years. It was a valuable introduction to the music industry, but as the years went on, Nashville became an increasingly important part of her creative life.

“I think that was a narrative that was pushed on me a lot, having worked out of London, that no English people really have broken through country,” she shared.

She knew she could continue making pop music, which she genuinely enjoys, but she also knew where she felt most connected to the songs she was writing. Rather than choosing the direction that might have seemed more practical, she decided to take the risk and pursue the music she loved. “I could make more of the pop stuff, because I love music, but I’ll never feel fully connected to it,” she explained. “Or I could fully just take the risk and take the plunge.”

She ultimately left her previous deal and was fortunate to connect with Sony’s Nashville team at the beginning of the year. After spending time going back and forth between the UK and Nashville, she officially made the move in March. For her, the timing also coincided with a noticeable change in the country music scene back home. Having grown up as a country fan in the UK, she has watched the genre become much more visible, from songs charting to major country artists performing for huge crowds.

She recalled attending a concert in London’s Hyde Park and looking around at the thousands of people who had come out for country music. “I remember going to one of them and being like, ‘I know why I’m here, but how are you guys all here?’” she laughed. “I was like, ‘Where did you all come from? This is crazy.’”

Mae also believes that the boundaries between genres have become less rigid, making room for artists to bring their different influences into country music. “I think artists are their own genre,” she shared. “I would always define myself that way.”

Today:

Now based in Nashville, the singer-songwriter is introducing listeners to her sound with her incredible EP, Keep It Peachy. As someone who loves building a project around a central idea, she wanted the music, imagery, and track list to feel connected.

The peach itself has a personal meaning. It has long been a nickname for her, and she also loved the Southern imagery it brought to a project marking her introduction to Nashville, but the idea goes beyond the name. “On the surface, I’m super sweet,” she shared. “I would love to be known as kind and soft and gentle, but I think the songs that I write are kind of dressed up in that fun, cutesy way, but then they’re about real stories underneath.”

That idea guided the track list. She wanted the songs to be colorful while still exploring real experiences, with enough light and shade to show different sides of her personality and writing. Tracks like “Home Safe” lean into a more vulnerable side, while “Love Me Less” pushes boundaries in what she feels comfortable saying in a country song.The EP feels like a collection of the emotions and personal experiences, something Mae did intentionally.

Most recently, Mae has been sharing her current single, “Gimme Gimme,” which came together rather quickly during a songwriting session. “The first two songs that we’d written were really sad, and just really emotional songs. And I think we were both a bit fatigued with our own sadness for a second, and we were like, ‘Should we just do something fun?’ And it was late in the day, and so we just started messing with that. I think it was written start to finish in an hour.”

Looking ahead, she already has plenty more in the works, including a duet with Warren Zeiders that recently came out. Stay tuned from more from the songstress! 2027 is shaping up to be an even bigger year for her.

Connect:

To keep up with Bellah Mae, follow her on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.

Bellah Mae’s music is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.