This month, my guest is Bethany Bysma from Hamilton, Ontario.<\/p>\n
Great to chat with you, Bethany! Tell us about your latest single, “Red Eye Lovin’.”<\/strong> I love the imagery of a red-eye flight. You sacrifice comfort, lose sleep, and deal with a little inconvenience, but the destination makes it worthwhile. Long-distance love is much the same. There are sacrifices along the way, but when the destination is your person, it\u2019s all worth it.<\/p>\n Who are the artists who have inspired & influenced you over the years?<\/strong> More recently, I\u2019ve been listening to Noah Gundersen and Maggie Rogers. They aren\u2019t country artists, but they\u2019re incredible songwriters. I\u2019ve been lucky enough to see them both perform live, and I\u2019m overcome with emotion every time. While everyone around me is dancing along, I\u2019m usually standing with my hands in my pockets, completely absorbed in the vocals, performance, and artistry. Their work inspires me to write thoughtfully and bring that same level of engagement and stamina to my own performances.<\/p>\n What have you learned about songwriting since you started writing?<\/strong> I\u2019ve also discovered how therapeutic songwriting can be. Life can knock you down, and writing about the big things helps break them into smaller, more digestible pieces. I tend to be an open book in a writing session. We\u2019re about to become real close friends in a short amount of time; I\u2019ll share just about anything if it serves the song.<\/p>\n Co-writing has taught me a lot. I love having other minds in the room to help sift through thoughts and ideas. I initially thought co-writing would come with a lot of pressure. I worried about wasting someone else\u2019s time if we didn\u2019t finish a song in one session, but other writers have been so kind and understanding. That freedom to explore ideas together is one of my favourite parts of songwriting.<\/p>\n So far in your music career, what are you most proud of? It could be one moment, one show or a challenge you faced.<\/strong> I\u2019m also proud to finally have music out in the world, and I owe a huge thank-you to Brian Melo for helping me get there. I was blown away by the turnout at my debut single release party for \u201cRope.\u201d The room was full of so much love and support; it was overwhelming in the most heartwarming way.<\/p>\n Tell us about your time competing in the Karaoke World Championships.<\/strong> I\u2019m incredibly grateful for the KWC community. It\u2019s given me lifelong friends and even introduced me to my long-distance love! My favourite part is attending Nationals in Calgary, Alberta. It feels like summer camp, bringing together friends from across the country to cheer each other on. Yes, it\u2019s a competition, but everyone\u2019s there because they love singing; they love the music. The atmosphere is very supportive and kind; it\u2019s a great hang.<\/p>\n In 2023, I had the opportunity to represent Canada in the duets category at KWC Worlds in Panama City. Now I\u2019m on the other side of the table, judging at the provincial and national levels. This year, I was invited to judge the World Finals virtually, held in Las Vegas. It was a very cool experience and a first for me!<\/p>\n If you could duet with any artist in a genre other than country, who would it be and why?<\/strong> What is on your bucket list for your music career in the next year?<\/strong> This month, my guest is Bethany Bysma from Hamilton, Ontario. Great to chat with you, Bethany! Tell us about your latest single, “Red Eye Lovin’.” Thank you for having me!…<\/p>","protected":false},"author":52719,"featured_media":74375,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1249],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-74311","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-country-with-dave-woods-2026"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nThank you for having me! I\u2019m honoured. We released Red Eye Lovin\u2019 just this past August, and it\u2019s about the bittersweet reality of long-distance love: the anticipation of reunions, the heartbreak of goodbyes, calculating time zones, and choosing to make it work despite the practical challenges.<\/p>\n
\nLove this question! I grew up with \u201890s country playing through our house. I can still hear my mom singing along to \u201cStrawberry Wine\u201d in our kitchen. I love Garth Brooks with my whole heart. I saw him in 2016, and it\u2019s still the best concert I\u2019ve ever attended. He has such a captivating presence and can make every person in a sold-out stadium feel like the show is just for them. I feel the same way when I listen to his records. I think the sensitive artist in me is drawn to his passion and sincerity. That era of country music is also incredibly nostalgic and comforting for me. I still cry every time I hear his voice on the radio \u2013 it doesn\u2019t happen often \u2013 but when it does, I crank it, sing along and know it\u2019s going to be a good day.<\/p>\n
\nThat you\u2019ll learn the rules but can break them anyway. We\u2019re taught the standard song structure, but some of my favourite tunes ignore this completely. I\u2019ve learned that the human brain searches for patterns, and familiar structures can make songs easier to learn and sing along to, but sometimes a story needs to be told outside that pattern. Songs don\u2019t have to rhyme either. If the story or emotion resonates, listeners will follow along.<\/p>\n
\nIn 2022, I developed vocal nodes, and I was terrified. You hear all the horror stories, so I assumed surgery was inevitable and worried my voice would never be the same. My vocal coach, Kristen Ruiz, was incredibly encouraging and taught me restorative vocal techniques that helped me avoid surgery. I came out of that experience healed with a better understanding of my voice and how to care for it. I\u2019m grateful to her and proud of how I worked through that challenge, which ultimately allowed me to keep pursuing music.<\/p>\n
\nThe Karaoke World Championships (KWC) is the world\u2019s largest amateur singing competition, but surprisingly, not many people know about it. It\u2019s where I cut my teeth as a performer, exploring different genres and styles while expanding my vocal range.<\/p>\n
\nWhat a tough question! My \u201cdon\u2019t overthink it\u201d answer is Kelly Clarkson. Her versatility and vocal technique are unmatched; I know I could learn a lot from her. She seems so kind, warm and welcoming; I love her energy. I think we\u2019d vibe well together and laugh a lot.<\/p>\n
\nI\u2019d love to play a show in Nashville and perform on some legendary stages in Toronto. I\u2019m already lined up to play the Rivoli and the El Mocambo early next year! Looking forward to it! I\u2019m also hoping to release an EP and get it circulating on Canadian Radio.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"