Country singer-songwriter Teddy Robb has been finding his way as an independent artist since parting ways with his label home Monument Records.
Recently Robb released his new single ‘Boots Need a Hat‘, an uptempo feel-good song that's perfect for the summer and destined for repeat plays at your local honky tonk. The song is the beginning of a new project from Robb and it's an exciting teaser for what's to come.
I caught up with Teddy recently to talk about his journey as an independent artist, discuss ‘Boots Need a Hat' and to find out what else he has coming up…
It's been three years since we last chatted. At that time you were signed to Monument Records and now you're an independent artist. What has that transition and journey been like for you?
It wasn't exactly an easy transition. I was very wrapped up in my identity, being a signed artist and doing that. It took a little bit of time just to adjust and settle in to being an independent artist. I was able to able to do that and now I feel really great being independent. I'm writing, producing and putting the music out that I'm really proud of, not that I wasn't proud of what I was doing with them, it was a really great experience – and quite frankly, I don't think I could even be doing this on my own if I hadn't had that experience. I learned so much from it. I'm taking what I learned from that, picking up the ball and and continuing on. I still feel like I have a lot to accomplish and a lot I want to prove. This song, ‘Boots Need a Hat', is the start of that next chapter for me.
I imagine that being on a major label, while it has its perks, it also has its downsides in terms of lots of people wanting to have their input. As an independent artist, are you enjoying having complete creative freedom?
Yeah, definitely. I was at a label with some really, really creative and genius people, but still when you have all those opinions, especially as young as I was then as an artist and trying to figure things out, it can get a little bit confusing. I'm not saying I'd never sign another deal. I think there will probably come a point where that will happen, but I'm having to trust my own gut because I don't have some of the people that I had to lean on to ask what they think of the music or production. I'm definitely learning to lean on what I like and I think it's a really cool place to be and I'm just learning a ton from it.
There's a lot more variety in the music you've been putting out since becoming an independent artist. ‘Boots Need a Hat' might be my favourite thing you've put out yet. Tell me about it…
I'm making this project right now and it's been a little bit since I've put music out. As I was preparing for this project I really had to look in the mirror a good bit and go, ‘OK, what is the reason I moved to Nashville and what is the reason I started doing music? What do I want to do?' After the pandemic – there were certainly some people who thrived during that time but for me, it was a difficult period and I'll just stop at that and I'm looking forward now – but I had to look at my career and look at myself in the mirror and go, ‘what do I want to do? What do I want to make?' For me, it's Country music. I moved to town because of guys like George Strait and Brooks & Dunn and early 2000s like Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and Billy Currington.
I want to make my version of what I loved about that so I wrote ‘Boots Need a Hat'. Like any other song that I've written, days go by and I'm starting to go, ‘OK, I can't stop singing this thing in my head'. I really wasn't sure about it when I wrote it and it kept telling me that it's probably going to need to be a song that I record. I started playing it live and felt like the crowd was reacting to it so it became an obvious decision. With restarting my career in a way, I felt like I wanted to put a song out that that just lets everybody know that I'm Country and this sound is a sound that I love. I think it's a really good thing to start as a fan, and I'm a fan of Country music, and I'm a fan of this song, even if I wasn't to be the artist to record it. That's what led me to releasing ‘Boots Need a Hat'.
The video for the song is a lot of fun and it features you dancing. What was it like to shoot?
I started drinking tequila this year (laughs) I wanted to come into this year with with a new mindset. We're always learning, and maybe I've taken life and my career a little too seriously in the past. Not that I don't take it serious, but I want to have fun. I want to make music that I'm having fun to. I am a lot of fun and I don't feel like I've gotten to show that side of me. Lisa, the girl that I'm dancing with in (the video) she's a professional line dancer, and I asked if she'd want to make a video. I asked, ‘would you want to find somebody to dance with for it and we'll do a video and I'll do the performance piece?' and she was like, ‘well, I think you should be the one to dance in it'. I was like, ‘you think you could teach me?' She had a lot of confidence. She teaches line dancing. She taught me to dance, and it was fun so I'm glad that came across.
You look like you know what you're doing. Those lifts are pretty confident…
We had a couple of practices. I know how to count, with music you've got to feel that, and I was able to pick up on it pretty quick. I played a lot of sports so I feel like I had the music and the athletic side. Dancing is a little bit of the two. I feel like I picked it up pretty quick and I was up for the challenge.
And how much tequila did you drink before the shoot?
I had a shot of tequila before we started dancing (laughs).
It's a really strong song and video. The reaction from the fans must feel validating for you and you'll soon be hearing what people think of the video on social media…
Oh yeah, you always find out. People won't fake it if they like or dislike something. I've always found that if people like something, a song will find its way. Releasing this independently, I didn't really ask much of anybody as I was releasing it. I just wanted to put this out and see what happens. It's been a week from releasing it, and it has been such a fun week. The phone has been ringing and I'm getting opportunities from it. It's been really cool to see people getting on board with this sound and the song. There's a lot more to come. I'm really excited about this whole project. There's more where this came from.
Is the song going to be part of an EP or an album in the future?
I'm going to drop an album. I've done multiple EPs, and I just think that it's time in in my career to put a full body of work (out) to tell the whole story of where I'm at in life right now. This is the first release of what's going to be an album called “Quittin' On Country”. That's going to come out in the Spring. I'll have a couple more songs coming out this year and then a couple in the beginning of next year, and then we'll put the full album out like April-ish.
What can you tease about the sound of the album? Is it in keeping with ‘Boots Need a Hat' or can we expect a lot of different sounds?
(There's) definitely going to be a couple more tempo dance hall kind of songs on it. It's going to be called “Quittin' On Country” and that song was definitely inspired by not wanting to give up on this. The sound of of the record will go with ‘Boots Need a Hat' for sure.
Will we be seeing more dancing from you then in the future?
I think we're going to have to. There's another song on the record called “Dancin' With An Old Flame'…
That lends itself to dancing doesn't it?
It does. It's a whole different feel. It's more groovy and sultry than ‘Boots', not as down the middle rock and country, but I think it would lend itself to another great dancing video, which I don't know if I'll do or if we'll have people do the dancing. I'm kind of enjoying it, so maybe I will get the boots out again and do some more dancing.
If you keep the dancing up, you might get an invite to do ‘Dancing With the Stars'. You never know…
I'm up for anything. I'm just excited for opportunities to come. I feel like my feet are firmly planted on the ground and I'm really confident in the music that I'm making. I'm confident in what I can do on stage and playing and playing guitar. Whatever opportunities come, I'm going to be really excited for whatever the future brings.
Last time we spoke you had the UK and Europe on your list of places to come and tour. Is that still on the agenda?
I'm actually going to be in Switzerland in September.
Not too far from the UK then?
Not too far! That's going to be my first time going over the pond. I love travelling. I want to see the world. I think that's a big part of why I love doing music because it's an opportunity to travel to go play shows and see things.
Something you've been sharing with your fans on social media is your fitness journey. Why did you decide to do that?
It's always been something that I've been interested and intrigued in. I've worked out most of my life. I guess the change this year is I've learned to be a little more disciplined with my eating. That's definitely been a learning experience. I've just cut out a lot of sugar and a lot of carbs this year. One thing that I have felt like is really supporting me right now is the creative community in Nashville. I have been getting amazing writes. I have an amazing producer, and the creative community in Nashville has just really got behind what I'm doing. There's these writers who write amazing songs, and it's like a job, and so they're taking their time to write songs with me and I almost feel like, well if this is my brand and my image and everything, I want to take that as serious as possible.
The best way for me to let everybody know that I'm taking it serious is to show up in shape, like I mean business, look good, wear a nice pair of jeans and boots. That's just been something that I wanted to make a point of this year, if you're investing your time in me it's not going to be wasted. I'm working really hard and that's not just on the music, it's also on my mind. It's on my my fitness journey. It's on everything. It's just a really easy way to let people know that there's some changes going on in your life, and they're good. That's been my purpose behind that. It's something I'm passionate about but also I am single. I want to take care of myself and that's also part of it (laughs). I want to go out and have fun and I think I'll stop there (laughs).
As us Brits would say, ‘single and ready to mingle'…
(laughs) yeah, absolutely!
I'm interested as I've been on my own fitness journey and I feel like it's one step forward, two steps back. Probably because us Brits love to go to the pub…
Man, one thing that's working for me this year is I only drink on Friday and Saturday. Because I'm so clean Sunday through Thursday, it doesn't take a whole lot to feel good. I could have a beer or two on Friday night, and I'm feeling pretty good and grateful for that. I've gone back to how I was in college where I won't drink Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, but I will a little bit on the weekend.
I fell like this could be an Instagram series for you – Teddy's Tips. You could drop some fitness tips once a week…
Man, I'm happy to to share what works for me. I'm not certified, I'm not a fitness coach and I don't want to pretend to be, but I've definitely spent almost 20 years working out now whether it's been for sports or just myself. I feel like I have a little bit to offer.
Is there anything else you're going to fit in before Christmas. Might we get a Christmas song this year?
My main focus is writing. I've got half of the album done, and I've got most of it written, but you never know. I'm going to go back into the studio in the Fall and cut the back half of it. I'm still writing five days a week right now and playing some shows. Shows that make sense. I'll go play, and that's my main focus. I don't know if I'll do a Christmas song, maybe I should? That's a great idea. I'd better start thinking about it now.
I'm a big fan of a Christmas song, so yes, please do!
I'm going to have to get on that!
Teddy Robb's new single ‘Boots Need a Hat' is available to stream and download now.
