Rising country artist Kelli Belles, known by her stage moniker Belles, is hitting the road this fall on her highly anticipated Trust Issues Tour. The tour kicked off on October 11th in Nashville, Tennessee, at The Basement and marked the beginning of a series of performances that will span the country, including stops in Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and more.
Belles comes from a musical family. Her grandmother, Geraldine A. "Jeri" Rizzuto, was a renowned jazz singer who performed in Chicago and throughout the Midwest. She also had a stint with the well-known Paul Moorhead Orchestra.
Jeri had four daughters, whom she eventually groomed to become a performing quartet. Belles’s mother, Jaymie, grew up singing with her sisters in a band called Mulberry Lane. They were signed to MCA Records out of LA in the early 2000s. Jaymie started a solo project about five years ago, and her daughter, Kelli, joined her. She loved it. They became a duo and switched all the lead vocals to Kelli.
Belles explained I grew up touring around the Midwest with them in their van, going to county fairs, and being backstage at different shows. And that was where I got the bug for music. I always looked up to my mom so much, and I was like, ‘I just want to be on stage and do that.’ And it just seemed like the most fun life.”
The Mulberry Lane band composed and sang original music, and Belles’ mother, Jaymie, was the only one who could play guitar; she was the lead songwriter. That put the songwriting bug in Belles as well.
While the group Mulberry Lane was not a country band, her mother loved country music and always had it on in the house.
She recalled, “I grew up hearing the Dixie Chicks in my house, and Shania Twain and Loretta Lynn and that old trio album with Dolly Parton and all that stuff was what I grew up on, even though my mom was singing pop music.”
Belles was not a fan of high school, so she graduated early at age 16 and enrolled at the University of Nebraska, where she studied chemistry for two years. But she was still playing bars and gigs on the weekends and was torn between attending med school or chasing her musical dreams.
Her teachers told her, “You have to stop missing class to play shows. You must be more committed to this path.”
By this time, Belles knew what she wanted to do, so she sat down with her mother and grandmother and told them, “I am not happy doing this chemistry thing.”
Belles was 19 when she decided to move to Nashville. She and her mom were singing as a duo, but they both knew that eventually, Belles would go solo.
Belles is a gifted songwriter, and in 2021, she had her first solo hit, “He Gave Me a Ring,” off her debut album All Hat No Cowboy. The song, based on an entirely true story, is about a boy proposing to her after she caught him with another girl. It has the storytelling prowess of a Taylor Swift song but the sass of a Loretta Lynn tune. The song, which has had millions of streams, ends majestically when it proclaims, “He gave me a ring. I gave him the finger.”
Belles admitted that she has “really bad taste in men,” which is a central theme in many of her original songs.
The song “Man Outta Me” is about when you start acting like your ex. Belles grew up on the road and hung out with all the roadies who accompanied her mom/aunts’ band. “That tour kind of made a man out of me a little, so it was a combination of that and my ex that inspired this song.”
Another relatable song that Belles has released is “Choose Me Then,” as in “If I was the last girl on earth, would you choose me then?” A girl just wants to be someone's priority.
In 2023, Belles teamed with Hailey Mae Campbell for the song BYOB (Bring Your Own Boyfriend). The energetic tune warns an acquaintance to keep her hands off her guy. You would think you were listening to an original Taylor Swift song.
A song that Belles put out earlier this year is “I Hate Trucks,” which explores the conundrum of jumping up and riding in these big trucks with your fancy clothes on, but you can’t help it because you love the guys who drive them.
More recently, she released “The Guy Next Door,” another true story about a neighbor in her apartment complex whom she had a little crush on because he was so friendly. The bridge states I hear my doorbell ring/ My heart just skipped a beat/ It's the guy across the street/ He brought me roses, and he kissed my cheek/ Woke up, it was all a dream/ 'Bout the guy next door. The guy already had a girlfriend in real life, but nevertheless, a terrific song came from it.
Belles signed a global recording and publishing deal with Deluge Records in September. This partnership represents a pivotal moment in her career, and the company is eager to support Belles as she continues to leave her imprint in music.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Belles to the Deluge family,” said Deluge Founder David Robkin. “Her authentic storytelling, captivating voice, and undeniable talent make her a perfect fit for our roster. We’re excited to support her as she continues to turn heads in the Country music world.”
Now in the middle of her Trust Issues Tour, the alluring Belles brings her stellar story songs to her loyal fanbase. Belles connects with her 386k followers on TikTok, 131k on Instagram, 160k on YouTube, and 158k on Facebook fans with her relatable music and live interactions.
Belles’s mission is clear: to write songs that resonate deeply with her audience, making them feel empowered, confident, and understood. As long as she continues down that path, we will hear from her for many years to come.
Be on the lookout for new music promised to be on the way.
Follow Kelli Belle on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and all streaming platforms.
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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Facebook, Instagram, and X.
