On Chapel Hart Announcing a Hiatus
Whenever discussions of race and country music come up, Chapel Hart is one of the acts that actual country music fans cite as one of their favorites. The trio of two sisters and a cousin from Mississippi is traditional, but sensible and fun, and are perhaps some of the hardest working women in the business. They’re always showing up to functions and award shows, making big impressions at places like the Grand Ole Opry, yet they’ve always been on the outside looking in when it comes to breaking out into bigger country stardom.
As Black performers who became stars before entering the country space such as Beyoncé, Shaboozey, or BigXthaPlug siphon up so much of the attention in country these days, it’s country’s native Black performers like Chapel Hart that feel undeservedly overshadowed and under-appreciated.
When Chapel Hart received a “Golden Buzzer” on America’s Got Talent in 2022, they’d already developed a grassroots fan base. But when even this national attention didn’t result in significant industry support—despite their song “You Can Have Him Jolene” becoming a smash—the trio decided in November of 2023 to stop playing the industry game, and to focus more on just being musicians moving forward.
Now Chapel Hart has announced they’re officially going on hiatus, with two of the members forming a separate duo.
“Over the last few years, Chapel Hart has taken us places we never could have imagined. We have laughed, cried, grown, and stood on stages we used to dream about. More than anything, we have shared a bond that goes deeper than music, and that part will always remain,” the group said in a statement. “As we each step into new seasons in life, we have decided to press pause on Chapel Hart so we can explore other passions and dreams that have been calling to us individually. This is not a goodbye. It is a celebration of everything we have built and a step toward everything still to come.”
Members Trea Swindle and Devynn Hart are starting the duo called Magnolia Rising, while Danica Hart will also continue on, potentially as a solo artist.
Though the lack of industry support for the act certainly didn’t help their prospects, there was also some behind-the-scenes drama that likely led to the hiatus statement posted on Monday night, August 25th.
In now deleted Facebook posts from early July, Danica Hart claimed she had been abused by her bandmates and management for the band, while also claiming she was being forced out.
“Over the past several months, I have remained silent, but I can no longer stay quiet about what has happened,” Danica said. “I am being pushed out of my band and my company, and throughout this time, I and other members of our team have been subjected to physical violence and abuse. I am at the point of breaking.”
Danica continued, “I received a message tonight stating that if I didn’t sign a document typed up by Jeff Glixman and Trea Swindle and Devynn Hart saying, if I didn’t sign it by 12 a.m., they would be continuing their career in Chapel Hart without me! And my question is how???”
Though it’s obvious from the now deleted posts that infighting and drama definitely lent to this hiatus for Chapel Hart, the stress and trauma of trying to make it in the country music business likely also played a factor in that drama. The band had spoken openly about their frustrations over the years.
As Beyoncé wins Grammy awards, and Shaboozey and BigXthaPlug land #1 songs, the Black performers who started in country music, committed themselves to country music, and have spent their lives in pursuit of country music still face uphill battles. Only when these performers who are born and raised in country can find similar success to the genre’s top stars will we be able to celebrate the successes of Black performers.
If we’re to support Black artists in country music, those artists must be Black. But they also must be country.
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