In The Round with Jillian Jacqueline, Kat Higgins, Harper O’Neill & Jordyn Shellhart

Jillian Jacqueline launched her career in 2014 as a country-pop singer specializing in bright, inviting material, a sentiment showcased on her debut single "Overdue." This open-hearted, positive energy formed the basis of Side A and Side B, a pair of EPs released on Big Loud in 2017 and 2018. Side B featured the Keith Urban duet "If I Were You," that helped broaden her audience, and on 2022's single "Magic" she undertook a more mature, pop-focused sound. 

Jacqueline was born in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, and spent most of her childhood there before moving to New York City in her early teens. A precocious talent inspired by the music playing on the family's stereo -- including Patsy Cline, Elvis Presley, the Dixie Chicks, Carole King, James Taylor, and Patty Loveless -- Jacqueline began singing at an early age and was performing at local coffee shops when she was only seven. When she was eight, Jacqueline recorded an album in her guitar player's home studio. A year later, she became part of the cast of Christmas from the Heart, a Yuletide revue starring Kenny Rogers that ran for three months on Broadway. She spent the next several years as part of Rogers' touring show, and through Rogers, she was introduced to Billy Dean and Suzy Bogguss, who invited the young vocalist to join them on the duet single "Keep Mom and Dad in Love" in 2001. 

Around this time, Jacqueline formed a group with her sisters known as the Little Women Band; the act toured extensively, but Jillian dropped out when she began to burn out on touring life and wanted to pursue a more traditional education. During her hiatus, pondered the notion of a solo career, and after completing her studies at Philadelphia University in 2010, she relocated to Nashville and began making a name for herself as a singer and a songwriter. In 2013, Jacqueline cut six songs with songwriter and producer Richard Marx, and in 2014 Marx produced a single for her, "Overdue," featuring harmony vocals from Vince Gill. The tune became a major online success, racking up over a million streaming plays. Jacqueline followed "Overdue" with the Jillian Jacqueline EP in 2016. After signing with Big Loud Records, she released "Reasons," the lead single from her Side A EP which appeared later that year. For her August 2018 single, "If I Were You," Jacqueline collaborated with Keith Urban, returning a month later with a second single, "Sad Girls," which she co-wrote with Nashville songwriting ace Lori McKenna. These two songs were featured on Side B, the companion EP to 2017's Side A, which appeared at the end of 2018. 

Big Loud never released Side A and Side B as a two-in-one Jillian Jacqueline album. By 2020, the label and single parted ways, and Jacqueline independently released "Wait for the Light." After staying silent for two years, she signed a distribution deal with Virgin Music and returned in 2022 with "Magic," a single co-written with Shane McAnally and Tofer Brown that incorporated atmospheric washes of synth and a nuanced but distinct pop bent, a picturesque blend reminiscent of Kacey Musgraves' genre-bending Golden Hour.

Growing up with seven kids in the house and a father who loved listening to Irish music, Kat Higgins remembers pushing play on the family’s tape deck, learning songs like “Fields of Athenry” and “Danny Boy.” It wasn’t long before she and her brothers and sisters were performing them together for her parent’s friends. What started out as a song or two at parties quickly grew into full on concerts.

“We looked like a scene from The Sound of Music,” Kat remembers. “We wore matching outfits, and stood in order of height.”  By the time she was ten years old, she was earning money at it, and by age 13, she had bought her first guitar.

She learned to play that guitar and eventually began honing her skills as a songwriter. As the group became more popular, it wasn’t just family and friends who took notice. Open Road/Universal Music Canada soon came calling. By this time, some of the siblings had lost interest in being in a band, so along with one sister and brother, The Higgins were formed.

The transition into a country music trio was effortless with the sound of their tight-knit family harmonies.  Kat loved that storytelling was at the heart of country music.  She co-wrote almost every song they recorded and at 19, she was well on her way to realizing what she had been born to do.

The group’s unique sound and catchy melodies propelled the trio to the top of the Canadian radio charts.  They were nominated for multiple awards including CCMA Group/Duo of the year.  However, the group disbanded when older sister Eileen decided to become a stay at home mom.  All was not lost.  Kat knew where she belonged. During the making of the band’s albums, she travelled back and forth to Nashville, where she spent her time co-writing.

Kat finally made the one-way trip to Nashville for good. “Music is the true constant in my life,” says Kat with a smile. “The only relationship I’ve known how to maintain is with mr. guitar.”  Like some of her influences, The Dixie Chicks, Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and Emmylou Harris, she knew the importance of crafting a song.  Kat thrived on producing the music, not just singing it.

Having caught the attention of Nashville music industry veteran Pat Higdon, she was offered her first publishing deal with Patrick Joseph Music.  A young uninhibited spirit blended with old soul wisdom, Kat knows how to tell an emotional story.  Her vulnerable lyrics compliment her smoky and unique voice.

While many things have changed for Kat in the last few years, the motivation of her craft has stayed the same.  “It’s a simple goal, whether through a lyric, a melody or a performance, I just want to make people feel.”

Having signed her first publishing deal at 14 years old, Jordyn Shellhart literally grew up writing songs with Nashville’s elite. Since then, Shellhart has blossomed into a songwriter in her own right, with credits including Little Big Town’s Grammy-nominated “Sugar Coat,” and songs recorded by Kelsea Ballerini, Cody Johnson, Don Williams, Lori McKenna and others. Now signed to a co-venture with Sony/ATV Publishing and legendary songwriter Tom Douglas, Shellhart is currently working on her debut album.