Kaylee Bell has established herself as a prominent independent artist in country music. Many know her from her hit song, “Keith,” which has garnered over 37 million streams on Spotify to date. She boasts nearly 600,000 followers on TikTok, over 186,000 on Instagram, and close to 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, all of which contribute to her growing career. Although she has already achieved a great deal, she still has goals to accomplish. As a fan, I was thankful to have the opportunity to sit down with Kaylee during CMA Fest to see what is new with her. Please keep reading to learn more about Bell and her music.
Kaylee Bell: The Journey of an Independent Artist
Kaylee Bell’s musical journey is awe-inspiring, primarily because of her unwavering determination and hard work as an independent artist. Bell, a former Toyota Star Maker winner, continues to impress everywhere she goes. The singer/songwriter said, “I take pride in the fact I’ve been able to make a lot of things happen through hard work and perseverance. I always wanted to have a global career in country music. While growing up in New Zealand, I was exposed to American country music, which has always been a part of me. It’s unbelievable when I look back at all I have accomplished. From singing at four years old to now touring New Zealand, Australia, America, and the UK, it’s everything I could have imagined.” Her early exposure to American country music has shaped her musical journey.
Managing and funding your career can be a considerable challenge, but Kaylee seems to continue making the right moves. Bell continued, “I’ve always been self-managed, but recently I signed with a company called C3 management. It’s amazing to have them on board and see what we can achieve in the U.S. But I love the idea of being independent because it means I can connect directly to the fans. There is no BS or anything in between. Any opportunity that I have, it is because of the fans.”
“Keith”: Behind the Music
Like many, I first took notice of Kaylee Bell after hearing her song, “Keith.” As a massive fan of Keith Urban, I love the nostalgia of all the cleverly written song titles incorporated into Bell’s song. Bell has followed a similar career path to Urban’s. Kaylee explained, “I think Keith is the ‘GOAT’ when it comes to the live show. He was born in New Zealand and rose through the Australian ranks before moving to Nashville, where he achieved the impossible. So, I’ve always been a massive fan out of respect for that and knowing how hard that side of everything is. However, his music is infectious and brings immense joy. And with my song, “Keith,” that’s what I wanted to capture. I hope my music brings you the same joy it brings me.”
If you are a Keith Urban fan, listen to her song and see how many songs are referenced. As a songwriter, I can appreciate how well she crafted those titles into a cohesive song. Bell said, “I had a crazy dream and woke up with the idea to tell the story of falling in love for the first time, but using Keith Urban song titles. But if you weren’t a Keith fan, it still needed to make sense. If you are a Keith fan, there are numerous Easter eggs to find. I think we landed on 14 song titles within the song.” This song certainly reflects her creativity and talent.
Kaylee Bell Continues to Check Items off Her Musical Bucket List
As someone who began singing at such a young age, Kaylee Bell keeps reaching new heights in her career. From viral songs to performing in front of one of her musical idols and opening for Ed Sheeran, Bell’s journey has been filled with remarkable experiences and achievements. She discussed a few of these experiences with me, and her achievements are truly something to be proud of.
“Keith” is her most-streamed song, amassing over 37 million streams on Spotify alone. But imagine singing her song on The Voice Australia with Keith Urban sitting in a coach’s chair. Bell said, “To play that song in front of Keith would have been terrifying anyway, let alone play it to the back of a chair. It was one of the most daunting things I have done in my life, as there was no safety net. I was grateful Keith turned first, and I wanted to work with him, but another coach blocked him.”
Winning the Toyota Star Maker puts you on the map in Australia. But it can also bring other opportunities. Bell reflected, “I moved to Australia straight out of the university, which was the next step toward moving to America. Winning the Toyota Star Maker in 2013 was a turning point that launched my career. It brought me to Nashville for the first time, and I got the bug from the start. In 2023, Bell won a CMA Global Artist award and had the opportunity to open for Ed Sheeran in New Zealand. The Kiwi singer noted, “That tour was one of the best things I’ve done in my entire life. He was so generous. We got to play three stadiums and three of his warm-up shows.”
Kaylee Bell Releases the 4th Song off her Upcoming Album, “Cowboy Up”
Kaylee Bell began the buildup for her September 26th album release last November with the release of the title track. So far in 2025, Bell has released three singles: “Ring on It,” “Red Dirt Romeo,” and her most recent single, “The Thing About Us.” The one thing that rings true in Bell’s music is that you definitely can hear Keith Urban’s influence. Her music features driving, energetic, upbeat rhythms as well as infectious melodies.
Kaylee discussed the writing of two of your latest singles. The singer/songwriter said, “I wrote ‘Ring On It’ in New York last year while being there for a one-month residency. I was itching to write and got paired with some random guys. They were not country music writers, but it was fun. They told me, “We’ve always wanted to write a country song.” So, I said, well, the day is today. I wrote it as a bit of a joke because I have been with my partner for a long time.”
“Red Dirt Romeo” was released on May 30, 2025. Tom Jordan, formerly of Seaforth, is the producer along with Riley Bria. Bell said, “I wrote it with two of my friends, Trey Gust and Riley Bria. Riley is also a huge Keith Urban fan. We’ve been writing a lot and were trying to write something that encompassed that early Keith vibe. We had this title and began looking at the story like Romeo and Juliet. It was fun to bring the theatrical world into a small-town love story. It’s also been a song that slotted so naturally into a live set.”
What does the future hold for Kaylee Bell?
As much as Kaylee has accomplished so far in her career, she has the potential to do even more. The sky is the limit for her, in my opinion. Kaylee said, “The Grand Ole Opry is still on my bucket list.” It is shocking to me that Kaylee has not yet made her debut in the circle on the Opry stage, but Bell is not discouraged. She continued, “I’ve always wanted to feel like I am ready for it. So, I know it will happen when the time is right.”
Talking with Kaylee Bell, you can sense how driven she is, but also how much she loves making music. Bell said, I want to tour stadiums in America. That’s always been the dream. I have always been obsessed with everything Shania Twain did. She is probably my biggest inspiration, and I am not just saying that. I read her book every year, and I have dug deep into her story, admiring how she took her time and did it right. She got to play in stadiums. As a female in country music, I think it’s important that we have the chance to be put into those sorts of spots. When I write my music, I am thinking of those stadium shows. That’s my dream.”
My Thoughts
Kaylee Bell has quickly become one of my favorite female artists in country music today. I admire her drive and determination to continue to build her artistry and fan base. It is this drive that will land her on the Grand Ole Opry stage sooner rather than later. As a fan, I am excited to see her career continue to grow. But, as we wait for those stadium shows, let’s enjoy the music and every opportunity to see Kaylee Bell on stage.
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