Vancouver Island’s rising pop-country artist turns heartbreak, mixed signals, and three unexpected phone calls into an infectious new single.
At just 17 years old, Vancouver Island-based country artist Kerrington Gillespie is making her mark on the Canadian music scene with a steady stream of releases, an infectious pop-country sound, and lyrics that capture the complicated emotions of growing up and moving on.
Her latest single, “Three Missed Calls,” blends glossy pop production with country influences, drawing inspiration from artists like Sabrina Carpenter and Megan Moroney. Written alongside Tavish Crowe and producer Jared Manierka, the track explores a familiar emotional setback: finally feeling ready to leave someone in the past, only to have them unexpectedly reappear.
“This song came from that moment when you’re finally over someone and genuinely doing great, and then they reach out and it sends you right back into the spiral you thought you’d left behind,” Kerrington shares. “It happened to me, so the song is personal, but I also wanted it to have that fun, girly pop energy with little country undertones.”
The single has already earned attention from Spotify, landing on the editorial playlists North Country and New Music Friday Canada, with Kerrington also appearing on the cover of Fresh Finds Canada.
Kerrington Gillespie Builds Momentum with “Three Missed Calls”
Describing her signature sound as “pop country with a lil’ heartbreak,” Gillespie has released ten singles in less than a year, accumulating more than 300,000 Spotify streams. Her songwriting journey has taken her from recording sessions in Canada with Crowe and Manierka to Nashville, where she has worked with songwriter Trey Bruce.
She’s also been building her reputation onstage, performing at British Columbia events including Sunfest, the Cloverdale Rodeo, the Salmon Festival, and the Vancouver Island Exhibition. She has also supported Canadian country artist Jojo Mason at the Alberni Fall Fair.
With a growing catalogue, valuable industry connections, and an unmistakable enthusiasm for storytelling, Gillespie is establishing herself as an emerging voice in Canadian pop-country.
Kerrington Gillespie Interview: The Story Behind “Three Missed Calls”
First off, congratulations on the release of “Three Missed Calls”! Can you tell us about the inspiration behind the song and how it came together?
Thank you!
The idea came from a night with my friends and a conversation around finally feeling over someone. Then they reach out, and somehow you’re invested again. I remember thinking, “There’s definitely a song in this,” and I knew that I wanted to keep the song light-hearted and fun.
You’ve described your sound as “pop country with a lil’ heartbreak,” which we love! How did you land on that description, and how do you feel your sound has evolved since your first release?
What I love about country is the storytelling but I’m also a girl who loves pop and so I think I’ve always blended the two in my music. The “lil’ heartbreak” part is because so many of my songs are about emotions, relationships and what I’m or those around me are going through.
I feel that my sound is definitely evolving, as I’ve become a lot more confident in who I am as an artist.
The single landed on Spotify’s North Country and New Music Friday Canada playlists, and you even appeared on the cover of Fresh Finds Canada! What was your reaction to seeing your music receive that kind of recognition?
As an independent artist, I spend so much time working on everything behind the scenes and hoping to find people that connect with the music. It can be overwhelming because there’s so much to do around releasing a song in addition to the creation of it.
So, when I see “Three Missed Calls” landing on those playlists or my face on the cover of Fresh Finds Canada, I’m incredibly grateful because opportunities like those help introduce my music to people who might not have found it otherwise. It’s a huge moment to know that the Spotify team heard my song and loved it enough to add it to these playlists. That is just so motivating to make more music and keep going!
You’ve released an impressive ten singles in less than a year! What keeps you inspired to create at such a fast pace, and do you ever find it challenging to slow down?
I think songwriting has become my favourite way to process life, so I’m constantly collecting ideas. Whether it’s something that happened to me, a conversation with a friend, or a random phrase, I’m always writing things down. I love creating all these worlds around my songs.
The challenging part is definitely slowing down. I always have another idea I’m excited about, but I’ve also learned over this past year how important it is to step back instead of racing to the next thing.
You worked with Tavish Crowe and Jared Manierka on “Three Missed Calls.” What was the creative process like with them, and what did each bring to the song?
I’ve been working with Jared for over a year and he just has a great energy and I really trust him when we are writing. We wrote “Three Missed Calls” (and another song you’ll hear in the near future) over two days.
Tavish brought this really great guitar riff that just totally changed the vibe of the song and gave it that glossy pop edge we were going for.
You’ve already performed at some fantastic events, including Sunfest, the Cloverdale Rodeo, and the Alberni Fall Fair alongside Jojo Mason. Is there a particular performance that stands out as a special moment for you?
I think it was my first performance at the Cloverdale Rodeo, simply because it was a pivotal moment for me. It was one of those “I LOVE doing this and I think I’m pretty okay at it, too” moments.
Because I’m a new artist really – just performing live since May of this year – I learn every time I perform and I love it more and more! I know I’ll keep growing but there’s nothing that beats the feeling of having a good show!
Finally, what’s next for Kerrington Gillespie? Can fans expect more new music, live performances, or perhaps a larger project on the horizon?
Definitely more music! I’ve been writing so much and I’m really excited about the songs coming next because I’ve grown so much and I feel like I have so much to say.
So… new releases, more live shows, and more opportunities to connect. My big focus is on growing as an artist, and putting out music that people want to listen to and see themselves in.
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