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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August 27, 2025 @ 4:25 am
Don’t let this break you, you’re so much stronger than this storm. I look forward to what you bring us in the future, your talent is absolutely amazing. God bless ❤️
August 27, 2025 @ 5:48 am
Hopefully those talented ladies will soon return.
August 27, 2025 @ 5:51 am
Besides,none of the ladies has been in legal trouble,another reason apart from their obvious talent Country should embrace them.
August 27, 2025 @ 6:31 am
The ol’ Kristen Hall treatment.
August 27, 2025 @ 8:03 am
Ah man this sucks.
August 27, 2025 @ 8:21 am
Y’all are family. Come on now, get it together
August 27, 2025 @ 8:30 am
I’m very sad to hear about this. Really looked like they were going to blow up after the TV appearances.
Ironically one thing that I haven’t seen a lot of people say is that some of the earliest artists that started doing neotraditional music during the bro country era were all black folks.
Aaron Vance, Coffey Anderson, and these ladies were super early to the neotraditional party. I’ve listened to interviews with all of them and they were all the right age to grow up with it in the ’90s and just never did anything else. It’s unfortunate that now that neotraditional is all the rage, those folks are kind of on the sidelines. I’m not sure what happened with Aaron Vance but he’s a killer artist. Coffey Anderson had some family issues with his wife having cancer, which will definitely derail your career. But there’s absolutely no good excuse for how Chapel Hart didn’t break out more.
August 27, 2025 @ 10:34 am
We my heart is broken. This is so sad, one of my favorite groups, now no more. Just like in 1987 when the oak boys fired William Lee Golden over his long hair and beard, I think one of the reasons is they are fat shaming her. The group is worried about their image. I think this is one of the reasons she was pushed out
Face it when Taylor Swift gained a few pounds, Taylor Swift got called a cow, a pig, and a hippo, by some people on social media.
It’s so damn sad that this society still today is so obsessed over body image, not everyone does it, but those who do make damn sure their voices are the loudest. Looks mean nothing to me, it’s all about the talent. It’s so sad that we judge alot of people on how they look instead of the talent they have.
Not the biggest fan of lady GAGA, but she said it best when she called alot of social media a toilet, she is so right. I will never judge someone on their appearance alone, it’s their talent and personality that are the most important things to me .
August 27, 2025 @ 2:47 pm
“I think one of the reasons is they are fat shaming her. The group is worried about their image. I think this is one of the reasons she was pushed out.”
I agree with you. These ladies are terrific performers, and I enjoy them. Unfortunately, when a woman in the music biz is that heavy, that ends up being the focal point. When Heart was on their second run of chart success, Ann Wilson’s weight went up and that became the focus even though she sounded great and the sales were healthy.
This situation doesn’t surprise me, and I think that Danica Hart just won’t get traction as a solo act, even though she can sing and has charisma. As to Devynn and Trea, I’m not sure they’ll break through either. It’s a sad situation.
August 27, 2025 @ 7:28 pm
@O-C-F–William Lee Golden’s long hair and beard and Sterban’s “Oom Papa Mau Mau” / “Bah Bah Bah Bobbie Sue” bass licks were the Oak Ridge Boys’ two trademarks then and to this day. I’m sure the group’s reasons for pushing Golden out at the time were complex, but mostly revolved around his doing individual projects and a perceived lack of commitment to the group, as evidenced by his reluctance to learn and sing new material (which his replacement, Steve Sanders was ready to do on a dime). Not his iconic beard.
Anyway, Golden’s been back for near 20 years and it looks like he and Ace are the last two standing, as Joe is gone and Richard’s been ill and on hiatus for weeks and who knows if he’ll ever be back on the road.