You may not have heard the name Harper O’Neill before – but she’s sure to be a name on many people’s lips before too long.
Originally from Dallas, Texas, she began her musical career in her school marching band before her parents bought her her first guitar. She moved to Nashville in 2018 and was later discovered on TikTok by Jody Williams, the former BMI head who’s worked with artists including Maren Morris and Carrie Underwood. Since then she’s won the prestigious American Songwriter Songwriter of the Year Award for her track ‘Somebody’, as well as releasing her latest EP ‘Guilty’ last month and opening for the likes of Morgan Wade and Brothers Osborne. She’s also just been announced as one of Ashley McBryde’s supporting acts for her UK tour in January.
Before the tour announcement, I recently caught up with Harper to talk about the new EP, working with producer Jake Gear, how she approaches her songwriting, being out on the road and her plans for the rest of the year.
For people who perhaps haven’t heard your music before, how would you describe your sound and your influences?
Yeah, so I’m really proud of this collection of songs because I think it represents the perfect intersection of music I love, which is soul music, old soul music, and obviously country music, and I believe it to be a country record. But one of my favourite things is I sent it back home to some friends and family. And some of them were like, “I’m so glad you made a country record.” And some of them were like, “I’m so glad you didn’t make a country record.” So I believe it to be country, but it’s been fun to see different reactions, depending on what other people are listening to.
As far as influences, I’m super influenced by Texas music and all the women that have come out of Texas [like] Kacey, Miranda, Maren, The Chicks, all those Texas artists – Norah Jones is a Texas artist. And then on the soul spectrum, you’ve got, like, toward Carole King, and then all the old soul music and I got really into that, like everything that was pretty much recorded at RCA Studio B I’ve listened to and just fell in love with over the last couple years. So kind of just combining those influences. There’s horns in it on some of it. But we tried to see what it would sound like if we moved a Memphis horn section to Dallas, Texas, and what that looks like and sounds like. So it’s been a fun process of finding where all those things kind of intersect.
You’ve just put out your latest EP ‘Guilty’ – can you tell us a bit more about that?
Yeah, so ‘Guilty’ is this second little collection of songs that I’ve released. And it’s made up of three songs. ‘Guilty’ being the title track, that one is one of my favourites. I don’t have a lot of love songs. This collection trends a little more toward heartbreak, I feel like in the grand scheme of the work that I’ve made so far, so it’s fun to have one that’s truly just about loving someone and like how fun that is. It feels very classic in the sense of what a love song should be. And then there’s ‘When You Love Me’ that I wrote by myself. And the thing I really liked about that song on this EP is sonically the arrangement is very happy. So if you’re not paying attention to the words, you can kind of just like groove along and vibe and it kind of lifts your spirits a little bit. But then if you just listen even the tiniest little bit it’s actually heart wrenchingly… It’s awful [laughs]. But in a cool way though.
And then the last song, ‘I Was Always Yours’, that came out last week is so special to me. I wrote it with a great friend of mine, Colin Nash. He had this idea and I’m so thankful he he brought it to the room that day. And I what I love about it is that I don’t feel like we often hear that perspective coming from women, especially in country music, right? Like this singer is clearly the villain of this story. She’s wishing she would have done things differently. She has regret, she has remorse, but she’s also still full of love. And they’re still connected through some sense of the universe. So I think it’s cool to hear that perspective, coming from a woman and just admitting that, you know, we’re not always the ones who get left and broken. I feel like country music has those, like sassy girl songs, but this is really, truly, she messed up. And I think it’s an important story to tell.
How have you found the reaction from fans to the EP so far?
I think it’s been generally good. I love that. My favourite piece of reactive comments are that each song is so different. And that’s really something I’m proud of. And I hope there’s a thread that weaves through them all, that connects them to each other. But it’s been fun to watch the reaction to some of the risks that we’ve taken. Like in the first couple songs that came out at the top of this year and last year, there’s horns and like these hip arrangements. And this set of songs, we did the strings, like the full orchestra kind of sound for ‘I Was Always Yours’. So I think I’m establishing from the jump of my career that, you know, expect the unexpected as far as this music goes, because it’s fun to always push those boundaries and paint with different brushes and kind of just have fun creating.
Were you very clear on what songs you wanted to include when you put the EP together? Did you know it was always going to be those three or did it evolve during the process of making it?
It’s kind of one of those things that just showed itself. So I went with a collection of songs together in the studio and recorded them. And then as the release process has come about, I’ve tried in my head, grouping them together in all different ways. And I think the important thing is to find that thread between them that makes them belong together and speak to each other and exist well together. So it’s been a process that’s like slowly revealing itself over time.
Was there anything you learned from making the EP that you’re going to apply to other projects in future?
That risks pay off. I think I’ve learned that. It’s exciting to step outside the box a little bit.
You worked with Jake Gear on this project – what was it like working with him?
He was the perfect collaborator and creative partner for this project. He is just so dedicated. He’s a true music lover. And he’s not risk averse, which I’ve obviously connected with. And I kind of threw all these ideas at him and then he cranked them up a notch and threw him back. And I’m like, “Are you sure we can pull that off? You know, can we do that?” and he definitely just has like, a go get ’em attitude. And he’s just fun to work with. So it’s been a blast.
We’ve touched on this already but I wanted to ask a bit about your songwriting process. Do you have a particular way you approach that, or does it vary depending on the song?
Yeah, I think almost all songs are different, they start in different ways. It depends on if I’m writing by myself, or with a co-writer. Sometimes you kind of start with the vibe, sometimes you start with a lyric idea. But overall, I think it really starts with like a feeling. So ‘When You Love Me’, I was going through a period of my life where I was trying to reconcile that love is supposed to be this wonderful, magical thing, and I wasn’t experiencing it that way. It wasn’t hitting that way for me. So it kind of really, truly came from that feeling that I was experiencing, and then revealed itself slowly through the song. So it really just depends, but a lot of it has to do with things that I’m experiencing in my life.
You recently made a video for ‘Guilty’ as well. How was that?
That was kind of spooky for me, because I’m a new artist, and I’m kind of getting my feet wet with some of the mediums that are involved. And so I think it’ll be fun to watch me grow in those worlds. Like I’ve been playing and singing and writing for 10 plus years, but I’ve not been making music videos for 10 plus years [laughs]. So it’s gonna be really fun to learn those new skills and see how I can be creative in those worlds as well. So I’m excited to dive in more.
You’ve been out on tour quite a bit recently with people like Ashley McBryde, Morgan Wade and Brothers Osborne – how’s life on the road going for you?
It is an absolute dream. I’ve got a great group of musicians that are playing in my band. And they’re just class acts, and so talented. So that’s been a blast. And then to watch these headliners’ shows every night and learn from them and really take notes and then also find time to enjoy the show and relax. That’s kind of a perk of the job. You know, you get to go to all these incredible concerts. It’s been a blast, though. I’ve gotten to see different parts of the country, meet different types of people. And I think my favourite thing about it is I always come home with this feeling that like most people are good. I feel like right now we turn on the news, and we hear all of this stuff all the time. But when I’m out in the wild, it just feels like I don’t know where any of those people are. Everyone seems to be kind and good and respectful and nice. And so that’s something I’ve really enjoyed seeing well while touring.
Are there any songs you’re particularly enjoying playing live lately?
You know, I think ‘Guilty’ is probably my favourite one right now to play, I think because the song starts kind of really calm in that lower register. And by the time it gets the chorus, there’s a really big lift. I think in a live setting, it’s exciting. It draws some attention and I feel like it’s one of those songs that you can learn pretty easily as far as the words go. So I think people are starting to get on board a little bit which is great. My band calls it “all aboard the ‘Guilty’ train” [laughs]. We have fun.
I also wanted to ask you about ‘Somebody’ and winning the American Songwriter award last year which was obviously a big breakthrough for you. What was that whole experience like?
It was crazy. You know, I obviously get the American Songwriter magazine, and I’m a huge fan of what they do and how they support their local artists at every level. And so I kind of entered on a whim, I just saw that there was a contest, and it had to be a song that I had released. And I’m so proud of that song. And once again, I feel like it’s a good classic kind of love song. I co-wrote that with my best friend Meg McCree, who’s just incredible herself in her own right, in her artist work and everything. And so I just submitted it. And one day, I got this phone call, and I just feel like the whole world flipped upside down. And the stuff that I’ve won through that contest has been super instrumental in kind of getting my business off the ground this year, like being able to go on tour. It’s expensive to get out there and take these opportunities. So I’m so thankful to them for for their support, not only in the magazine, but just as people, they’re great, great friends of mine now.
I was going to say I saw the post on your Instagram of the guitar they sent you…
It’s perfect. I write all my songs on that guitar now, because it came with this backpack case. So I can just go to all my writes. And it’s a great reminder when I look at it, I’m just like, you know, “keep going” and I take it as a sign that there are still songs to be written. And this can be such an up and down type of business mentally, so it’s always fun to see that guitar and just remember, “okay, I know I can write a song [and] remember how to do it.”
What’s still on the bucket list for you? Places you’d want to play, people you’d want to work with and so on…
Man, I mean, the list is long and gets longer every day [laughs]. So I would love to go to the UK and tour over there. As far as people to work with I’ve recently got connected with John Green, and Lucy Silvas. John Green is an incredible songwriter and producer. Lucy Silvas is an incredible artist and writer. And they’ve been two of my heroes for the longest time. So I’ve gotten to work with them a little bit. And that has been a total dream come true. They’re just fabulous people and incredible musicians and creators. So that’s definitely been a huge bucket list thing for me.
And then I’ve got a Red Rocks date in September. That’s so crazy. I got the email and I was like, “is this a mistake?! [laughs] You want me to what? This is awesome.” So I’m so excited. I’m going to be first of four acts that night with Dirk Bentley as the headliner, Ashley McBryde before him and then Red Clay Strays, which if you don’t know who they are, they are fantastic. Like I’m just all in on those guys. So that’s gonna be a huge one for me. I know my whole family’s coming out to Denver. So it’ll be a great family trip, I think.
What does the rest of the year look like for you?
Yeah, so I have definitely some more music that’s ready. So I think there will potentially be some more releases around the fall, which is so exciting. And then just getting on the road as much as possible, I think, getting as much as experience and just training and practice at it. And yeah, so just taking gigs as they come and putting my best foot forward and spreading the good news.
Can you give us any hints about the new music at all?
So I will say it’s produced by Jake Gear, so it’s going to be in this kind of similar world. I think it’s really gonna close out the whole picture of the last two EPs that I’ve released, so it’ll fill in some of the spaces and finish telling that story. So I’m really excited about that.
And lastly – do you have any plans to come over to the UK any time soon?
I’m hoping. I’m just waiting for the phone to ring. As soon as it rings, I will be there. But that’s definitely a big dream of mine. Um, And I know the fans over there have such a great reputation of being music lovers and supporters of young artists and so I’m excited to get my feet wet whenever that time comes. I hope it’ll happen soon.
See Harper O’Neill on tour with Ashley McBryde in the UK and Ireland in January 2024 – tickets on sale Friday 12th August:
17 January 2024 – O2 Guildhall, Southampton
19 January 2024 – O2 Academy, Bristol
20 January 2024 – Eventim Apollo, London
21 January 2024 – O2 Institute, Birmingham
23 January 2024 – Albert Hall, Manchester
24 January 2024 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
25 January 2024 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow
27 January 2024 – Waterfront Auditorium, Belfast
28 January 2024 – 3Olympia Theatre, Dublin
