Kaylee Bell grew up in Waimate, a small town on New Zealand’s South Island, where she first started singing at age four and learned guitar at eight. From family country music competitions to early songwriting inspired by country legends she heard through her grandparents’ song collections, Bell’s roots are deeply embedded in the tradition of storytelling.
She moved to Australia at 21 after winning the prestigious Toyota Star Maker award, and since then has built a career that bridges continents. She has opened for major acts like Ed Sheeran and Kane Brown, earned global streaming success, and become one of Australasia’s most streamed female country artists. Her breakout single ‘Keith'—a tribute to Keith Urban—became a viral anthem, crossing charts in the US, UK and Australia.
Forthcoming album ‘Cowboy Up,' scheduled for release on September 26, is Bell’s most personal project yet. It delves into themes of resilience, identity, self-worth, and motherhood, blending country-pop flair with bold, grounded storytelling. Produced by Tom Jordan (of Seaforth), the album features emotionally charged songs like the title track ‘Cowboy Up,' her powerful cover ‘Torn' and ‘Heartbeat,' written soon after Bell discovered she was pregnant. Coming off recent high-profile tours, chart milestones, and historic certifications (including becoming the first independent female Australian country artist to earn ARIA Gold with ‘Keith'), Kaylee Bell enters this new chapter more confident, honest and dynamic than ever.
Kaylee Bell wastes no time setting the tone on her sophomore record ‘Cowboy Up.' The title track kicks things off with jaunty, acoustic strums and steady percussion, before Bell’s voice takes command: “You hung the stars, I hung the moon.” It’s a song that bursts wide open into a bluegrass-tinged chorus, the kind of line-dance-meets-anthem moment designed to get crowds stomping. But beneath the breezy banjo and joyous rhythms lies a pointed message, as Bell urges her love interest to “Cowboy Up or Cowboy out!” It’s a lighthearted delivery of a serious ultimatum, marrying sonic playfulness with emotional depth.
That same mix of cheek and strength carries over into ‘Ring On It,' a track that channels pure Shania Twain energy. Bell’s voice cuts sharp against pounding percussion and electric guitars as she laments, “The longer this goes I ain’t getting any sweeter.” It’s been eight years, and she’s had enough of waiting. With its anthemic vocals, powerhouse chorus and arena-ready melody, ‘Ring On It' feels destined for radio success—and the kind of crowd-pleaser that will light up her live shows. Like Twain at her fiercest, Bell delivers empowerment with a wink, making it both fun and formidable.
The fiery streak continues with ‘Red Dirt Romeo,' a banjo-and-guitar rocker that barrels forward in the style of Keith Urban. Built on a repeating guitar line and snap-tight lyrics, it tells the story of falling for a cowboy cliché she knows she shouldn’t want but can’t resist. “I’ve what I need and I want you to be my red dirt romeo,” she pleads, caught in the drama of small-town desire. With its “woh oh” background vocals and expansive chorus, the track becomes a storm of passion and power, showing Bell at her fiercest both vocally and thematically.
‘The Thing About Us' offers no slowdown, instead soaring into another upbeat ode to love that lands somewhere between Sugarland and Urban. “This is a forever kind of love,” Bell declares, riding on waves of banjo, guitar and good-time energy. It’s the soundtrack for long summer drives and carefree porch dances, another example of Bell’s knack for crafting hooks that lodge themselves instantly in your head. That same warmth and joy carries into ‘Walk in Tennessee Tonight,' where she sings, “Let’s get a little lost right on the edge of town.” With its blend of banjo, electric guitars and steady percussion, it’s a song that celebrates small-town life and rural romance, delivered with Bell’s signature passion and infectious energy.
The pace shifts slightly with Bell’s campfire-styled cover of Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn,' a stripped-back, acoustic-leaning version that slots seamlessly into the album’s aesthetic. Instead of feeling like a standalone cover, it’s reimagined to suit Bell's sound—raw, heartfelt and perfectly placed to give listeners a breather. That reflective pause doesn’t last long, though, as ‘Song for Shania' bursts in with fiddle-driven joy. It’s Bell tracing her musical lineage, paying homage to her childhood idol with lines like, “I feel like Shania, every single time.” It’s funky, infectious and a heartfelt nod to the artist who taught her how to be both a rock star and a mother, linking past inspiration to present identity. It also slots in alongside Bell's break-out song ‘Keith' making you wonder who the third part of the tribute trilogy might end up being about!
Closing track ‘Heartbeat' is the album’s emotional centerpiece. Written after Bell discovered she was pregnant, it stands as the project’s only true ballad, rooted in tender acoustic guitar and plaintive fiddle. “Two blue lines sitting by the bedside light caught us both by surprise,” she sings, confronting the uncertainty of new life with honesty and grace. From preparing the nursery to facing her fears, Bell lays it all bare, ending the record on a poignant, personal note. At just eight songs, ‘Cowboy Up' is short but potent: a breathless, fearless collection of bangers in the Shania Twain–Keith Urban–Sugarland mould, balanced by a closing track that points to the next chapter in both her life and career. Ring the (Kaylee) bell, folks, this cowgirl's career is definitely on the up and up!
Tracklist: 1. Cowboy Up 2. Ring On It 3. Red Dirt Romeo 4. The Thing About Us 5. Torn 6. Song for Shania 7. Walk in Tennessee 8. Heartbeat Release Date: 26th September Record Label: Kaylee Bell Music LTD Buy ‘Cowboy Up' right here
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