Long way from Waimate to the Mission stage

Kaylee Bell is excited at the prospect of playing to the big Mission crowds.

Kaylee Bell has come a long way since starting her musical journey as a 4-year-old in small-town Waimate deep in the South Island.

Her strong country music voice coupled with an energetic and crowd-warming live performance has helped her carve out a career which has seen her release a string of acclaimed records as well as play at every major Australian country music festival - having settled across the Tasman when she was 22.

She has visited and played at the home of American country music, Nashville, three times - not to mention joining the stage with the likes of Keith Urban and opening for Alan Jackson, The McClymonts and Tim McGraw.

On Saturday her career takes another step forward as she steps out at 2.45pm as one of the major support acts for the Dixie Chicks at the Mission Concert.

She said she was excited at the opportunity to join the American stars for their first New Zealand appearance.

With a passion for unforgettable melodies and sincere lyricism, Bell is fast becoming one of New Zealand's premier conveyors of contemporary country music.

As she explained, her musical journey started with a performance at age 4, alongside her brother and sister in Waimate.

A decade later it was an emotional loss that proved the catalyst for her career.
When her grandmother died she turned to music.

"After my Nana Bell died, I sat down and wrote a song called Roses and just felt from that day on I had this need to songwrite," she said.

"I then wrote a song for my school rock band for Smokefree Rockquest at Craighead Diocesan School in Timaru and the songwriting bug developed."

The now 26-year-old went on to write, perform and record with the first of her albums, 'Wayward', appearing in 2010.

Her talents were recognised with a nomination for the Golden Guitar for Best New Talent and a Tui Award at NZ Vodafone Music Awards for Best Country Album.

With preparations for a third record underway, Bell has provided a taste of what's to come with That's What I Call Crazy, and her new single Getting Closer which she co-wrote with highly acclaimed Australian country artist Morgan Evans.

The Mission Concert will bring them both together again as Evans is also on the strong opening bill.

Beyond the Mission, which she is looking forward to big-time, she is hoping to head to Nashville next month and is in the process of sorting out a publishing deal.

"I want to get over there and embrace the writing scene, that would be the dream - to be a full time song writer - just got to get over there and make it happen hopefully."