Fusing a classic voice with raw rock, Aubrie Sellers released her critically acclaimed debut album, New City Blues, via an indie label in January. Since then, the self-proclaimed “garage country” artist has been on the road, opening for red-hot Chris Stapleton as well as headlining her own gigs.
“I have never toured this much before, so I’ve only been home for a couple of weeks in the past five or six months,” says Aubrie during a morning sit-down with Nash Country Daily. “That’s the biggest change. Over the last year, I’ve become more and more comfortable onstage. I’ve learned a lot about performing and being comfortable onstage. I’m pretty introverted, so I’ve learned how to talk to people, and all of that. It does not come natural for me to be the center of attention, per se. I mean, I love making music and singing and connecting with people in that way, but I’ve never been a person that loves to talk about myself. I’m learning.”
Aubrie’s onstage extroversion is paying off and the country music industry has taken notice. Last month, Aubrie signed with major label Atlantic/Warner Music Nashville and recently announced she will re-release her debut album on Sept. 30. The new deluxe version of New City Blues will feature Aubrie’s original 14 songs as well as two covers: The Zombies’ “The Way I Feel Inside” and The Beach Boys’ “In My Room.”
“I put New City Blues out independently, originally, and I just signed on with Warner Brothers about a month ago,” says Aubrie, who is the daughter of Lee Ann Womack and singer/songwriter Jason Sellers. “I wasn’t expecting all that to happen so fast. The reason I released my record independently and was on the road and doing all this stuff was because I wanted to stand alone and stand out and be myself and do things on my own. I think people are always going to bring up [my mother] and draw those connections. Obviously—and we live in the Google age—it’s not like you can’t type my name in and figure out everything about me. I’m very proud of my heritage. My mom was always 100 percent focused on the music, and it’s something I’ve learned from her. There’s no way to hide from it. I love my parents, but what I do is very different and I try to separate myself. People will say, ‘Are you going to get up and sing one of your mom songs?’ ‘Are you going to go on the road with your mom?’ I’m like, ‘No. I like doing my own thing.’”
Aubrie will continue to do her own thing when she joins Tucker Beathard’s Rock On College Tour this fall. She’s also slated for upcoming performances at Las Vegas’ Route 91 Fest, Austin’s ACL Festival and Nashville’s Americana Music Fest.
Check out Aubrie’s Grand Ole Opry performance of “Sit Here and Cry,” her upcoming single (Oct. 17) from New City Blues.
