Carter Faith (@carterfaith) joins Apple Music’s Ty Bentli to celebrate the release of her debut album “Cherry Valley.” In the conversation, the rising songstress talks about what inspired her dreamlike album, working with Billy Bob Thornton, and shooting a new Netflix movie starring Jessica Chastain.
Carter Faith Tells Apple Music About Debut Album ‘Cherry Valley’
Carter Faith tells Apple Music about the influences for her new album ‘Cherry Valley’
Carter Faith: I write a lot of different style songs. I have a lot of different music that I like to listen to, so I guess a lot of different influences, but I really could not just go down one narrow lane for the album in my brain, at least. And so I was like, well, I guess I’m the through line. My story is the through line and the way I write lyrics and such. So that’s how I wrapped my head around it, I think.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music how she applied cinematic structure to her album ‘Cherry Valley’
Carter Faith: To me, when I was even doing the track listing, I was thinking of it as a movie, like what is the opening credits and then what’s the first scene, which is “Sex, Drugs, & Country Music” introduces a lot of the characters of the album, which was really fun for me to put together.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music where the title of her album ‘Cherry Valley’ came from
Carter Faith: ‘Cherry Valley’ is a place I drove through in Tennessee, and I just really, it was sticky in my brain. I wrote the name down, and I always just, when they say, go to your happy place, I kept picturing this place that I was making up in my brain, and I just called it ‘Cherry Valley.’ So that’s what it is to me. It’s just like a dreamland, I guess. I feel like it’s an embellishment on reality, and I feel like that’s how my music is. I am a more introverted person in real life, but when I write or play shows, it’s like embellishing a part of me, if that makes sense. So I like that music does that too.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music how Kacey Musgraves’ music has had an influence on her musical career
Carter Faith: I think about her a lot in this career that I’ve chosen in songwriting because she is of huge reason why I came to Nashville. I remember hearing “Merry Go ‘Round” for the first time, and then I remember hearing “Space Cowboy” and “Butterflies” when they came out. I was sitting in the parking lot at my high school and was late to class because I had to finish listening to them. I think about her so much because she has done what I try to do every day, which is be bold, and yeah, I guess empower listeners to be bold too. That’s what she’s done for me.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music how she met Billy Bob Thornton
Carter Faith: We got connected on text through Dave Cobb because they were talking about songwriting. And so Dave was like, “Oh, you would like Carter’s music.” And he was like, “Yeah, connect me with her.” So we got on text, I remember he called me, it said, no caller ID. I honestly thought it was my ex-boyfriend trying to call me. I was like, “What? Hello?” I answered. And it was him, and he was like, “What do you say about coming down to Texas and writing with me for a couple of days?” And I was like, “Yeah, I’ll be there.”
Carter Faith tells Apple Music about shooting her “Bar Star” video with Billy Bob Thornton
Carter Faith: We shot it at Magnolia’s Motor Lounge in Texas, which is a little bar that I love and that he loves, and that we have a mutual friend who plays music there. So bizarre. And yeah, I brought my whole team down. Somehow, we both had the same day open. Brought my whole team down, my mom came, she wanted to meet him, and he brought all the Landman people. It was just fun. We just had a good time. And it was cool seeing him in action, too.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music the story behind her song “Betty” off ‘Cherry Valley’
Carter Faith: Honestly, I met a chihuahua at a truck stop named Betty, and she had her nails painted, and I was like, if that dog was a woman, she would steal my man for sure. And I was like, Betty …Betty. I was writing little poems about it. I just couldn’t stop thinking about this damn chihuahua. And I went out to California with Tofer, and we were going to write with Shane, and I was like, “Is this idea dumb, Tofer? Tell me, Betty …bet he. Is that too songwriterey?” And he was like, “No, Shane, of all people, will crush that.” And I brought the idea, and then Shane wrote the song basically.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music how the song “Sails” came together off of ‘Cherry Valley’
Carter Faith: Lauren Hungate brought that idea in because she had just had a little baby boy, and she said she was watching him sleep. And that idea came. And so when she brought that in, I was thinking of my younger self, but then when we wrote it, it makes me think of my little brother. And I know Tofer [Brown], it makes him think of his little nephew. And so I like that. In the moment, I’m always thinking of my feelings and myself. And then it’s funny how when I’m finally done with the song and I got my feelings out of it, it attaches to someone else.
Carter Faith tells Apple Music the acting advice Billy Bob Thornton gave her ahead of her first acting role
Carter Faith: I called his ass up. I was like, “Do I need to take acting classes? I somehow got this role.” And he was like, “No, your life is your acting class.”
Carter Faith tells Apple Music how she learned about getting a role in the upcoming Netflix film “Heartland”
Carter Faith: So, I really love musical theater. So my team knows that I’m interested in acting because one day I was like, “My dream one day is to be in a musical. I would love that.” So they got this audition on their desk, and they were like, “Do you want to audition? You’d have to do it tomorrow.” And I think I was home with my grandparents, and I was like, “Yeah, I guess, do I have to memorize it?” And they were like, “No.” So I got on this Zoom audition and it was an hour long…I was like, “I don’t think it went well.” They kept asking me to do different ways and different ways of certain lines and stuff. And then I got a call from the director, Shauna. She was like, “I want to give you the role.”
Carter Faith tells Apple Music how she’s preparing for her first acting role in Netflix’s “Heartland”
Carter Faith: I’ve been really deep in the script. I’ve been watching those Actors on Actors videos on YouTube. That’s my prep. I’ve made playlists for the character. Her name’s Charlie. I’ve made vision boards, which is what I do for myself. So I’m like, okay, if I were her, what would I do as a person? And I took the Enneagram as her. And I’m a four, so we’re a little similar, I guess. But yeah, just as a singer, you get up and everyone’s like, “Be yourself. Be authentic. That’s what the people want to see.” And so it’s been a weird mental shift to be like, “No.”
Listen to Carter Faith’s “Cherry Valley” Album
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