We wrote and recorded “Wise Woman” as a duet with one of our best friends and fellow country music artist Mallory Johnson.
When we set out to release this song and video, we hoped that it would connect with people and that it would help spread a meaningful message of gender equality (and girl power!) We have been so moved by the response to this song, and it has already made so many of our dreams come true! We made a music video that features over 50 wise women that we admire from BC, Newfoundland and Nashville... we created, hosted and performed in a live, virtual concert Wise Woman - The Show featuring an all-star lineup of Canadian women in music that became a SiriusXM Country special… and we received so many incredible media features, including Billboard, CMT and interviews on CTV Morning Live, NPR's Atlanta station WABE, CBC, and many more radio stations across Canada!
So this blog is something extra special… We wanted to include words from all three of us and share our memories of creating this song together.
Julie: This song was stuck in my head from day one...
We were back home in Canada, and Carli was sitting at the kitchen island with her guitar while our Mom and Dad were cooking dinner. She started strumming on the first verse of what was to become this song and I immediately asked her “Do you have this recorded?!” Carli and I always say that that is the sign that one of us is onto something special – when I ask if she’s recorded it onto her iPhone yet, it is because I don’t want her to forget the idea! And that was definitely the case with this song. The words were powerful, strong, real and raw, and I loved what she had started.
We had a songwriting session booked with Mallory, and I knew this was the right song for the three of us to write together. Mal is not only one of my favorite people, but she is also one of my favorite songwriters in Nashville. It was one of those magical nights – as songwriters, you dream of these kinds of sessions. Maybe it was the patio lights or maybe it was the merlot - it was one of those nights where the music just flowed out of us. The best kind of songwriting sessions are when everyone is in an amazing, creative vibe, because that translates into writing a song that speaks to the heart and really means something to us as artists.
Mallory: I headed over to Julie and Carli’s house that evening with the intention of writing a song but expected our writing session would quickly turn into a classic girls night with wine, pizza, and gossip.
We had a bottle of wine opened on the back patio when Carli came out with her guitar and sang a verse of a song she had started titled “Wise Woman”. I’ll never forget the overwhelming emotions I felt hearing those few words. It was something not only women in the entertainment industry could relate to, but women in any industry. I’ll forever be grateful to Twin Kennedy for trusting me with this story and inviting me to tell my story as well. Music is a powerful thing that brings people together and I believe this song fits that description perfectly.
Carli: Writing with your best friends is what we call a “safe space”. The words in this song are things all three of us women have been told… “Play nice, play house and play along if you want to be wise woman…” and “You can’t get old and you can’t act young..."
We sat together that night and talked about the shared challenges we’ve been through, and the mixed messages that we get sent as women, and we put these stories right into the song. It was inspired by our shared struggles as women in a male-dominated country music industry, but we think it applies to women in any industry. I wish it wasn’t true, but we are still fighting for equality and the chance to have our voices heard. However, we believe that change comes from creating conversation, and our favourite form of conversation is music!
TK: We are so grateful for all of the wise women in our lives that inspire us every day, and we hope that this song can be an anthem for all women and our shared fight for equality, respect and opportunity.
We remember singing the song in 3-part harmony as it was being written – we could feel that it was made for more than just one voice. When we finished writing the song, we all felt so connected to the message, and we all wanted to record it! So… we decided that the way to make a song about female empowerment even more powerful was to record it as a duet (or should we say... a trio!) So that’s exactly what we did.
It's so fun looking back on the day we were in the studio recording "Wise Woman"...
Watch the official music video for “Wise Woman” now!
Watch Wise Woman - The Show!
Thanks so much for watching... love you all! XOXO
Photography by Jessica Steddom