Page 29 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 24 May 2018
After a hiatus, Sugarland start a conversation with music

got back to us, and was like which is about school me.'
'I love it and I want to be a shootings and bullying. Did Nettles: And it's super an-
part of this.' That's the way you struggle with how to themic too because I had
music's supposed to work write this? read this beautiful article
with artists. Bush: I was coming to visit about Ruby Sales. She's a
AP: Is there a balance with Jennifer to write and I'd civil rights activist and she
the important messages seen the newspaper in the has an amazing story. But
that you weave into these back of the airplane you in it she talked about really
songs? know and it was a school the question that we need,
Nettles: It's pretty simple shooting that was in the the human question that
because if you want to en- northeast. And I just folded we need to ask each other
gage people, the best way it up and put it back. I'm is 'Where does it hurt?'
to not do that is yell at them going to write Sugarland AP: Do you think it's really
and make them feel bad songs. I can't look at this. hard being a parent when
about themselves. If you But I had to get it out. So these things keep happen-
want to engage people, I put it in my phone and ing?
the best way to do it is to I walked in the door and Bush: If you value a child
In this May 5, 2018, photo, Jennifer Nettles, left, and Kristian Bush offer them a conversation Jennifer is like, 'How are you and a kid or teenager, you
of the country duo Sugarland pose in Nashville, Tenn., to pro- in a way that might open feeling? What are you do- can kind of get through
mote their new album, “Bigger,” out on June 8. them up and what a won- ing? What's on your mind? anything. But if you deval-
derful way to open people What's on your heart?' And ue them, if you stop listen-
By KRISTIN M. HALL, Associ- the studio working on their up through music. I was like, 'Oh you're not ing or you stop caring or
ated Press first single in years called, AP: The strongest message (going to) like this, but we you stop giving to them,
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — "Still the Same." on this album is a song that can't write this.' And she's then you're going to create
When the Grammy-award "We just had so much to hasn't been released yet like 'Oh yeah? That's pret- people who end up creat-
winning country duo Sugar- say," Nettles said. "And the called "Tuesday's Gone," ty awesome. Send that to ing these problems. q
land went back to the stu- flow of it was fast and easy."
dio after a five-year hiatus, What came out of that was
Jennifer Nettles and Kristian "Bigger," their new album
Bush had a big secret to out on June 8, and a new
keep under wraps. tour that starts May 25.
Pop superstar Taylor Swift, They like to joke that while
who shares the same Nash- they were away, the genre
ville-based Big Machine passed through its bro-
Records label with Sugar- country movement. But
land, not only offered them a lot has changed in the
a song she co-wrote but American landscape that
even wanted to sing har- the two songwriters wanted
mony with them. to address. The new music
"That stuff was on lock is uplifting and interwoven
down," Nettles joked of with subtle nods to equali-
the collaboration called ty, the #MeToo movement,
"Babe," which is now sitting feelings of isolation and
in the Top 30 of Billboard's fear, bullying and gun vio-
Hot Country chart. Bush lence.
said the recording wouldn't The two spoke to The Asso-
have been released if they ciated Press recently after
didn't get her approval. "If a short rehearsal in Nash-
she didn't like it, then we ville, Tennessee, where
weren't going to tell any- they were practicing some
body," Bush said. Sugarland of the new songs they were
and Swift both broke out in getting ready to debut on
Nashville about the same tour. The answers are ed-
time in the early 2000s, both ited for brevity and clarity.
riding the wave of emotion- ___
driven country pop and big AP: What was Taylor Swift's
live productions. After five reaction to your version of
studio albums, a prime- her song?
time TV special and two Bush: We've never really
Grammy Awards, Sugar- done anybody else's songs.
land announced a hiatus in And it was even more
2012 as Nettles welcomed nerve-wracking because
her first child, Magnus. you know she's really good
During the break, they both at it and you really don't
explored other musical want to let somebody
roots, with Nettles acting on down.
Broadway and on TV, and Nettles: And she has really
Bush working as a record loyal fans.
producer. But last year, the Bush: And it was like, 'If you
two felt the ties that bind don't like it, it's totally cool.
get a little closer and they It's totally fine.' And what
found themselves back in was awesome is that she