INTERVIEW:
learning more about Bella Lam. A phenomenal Asian-American Country artist with a sound and talent like nobody around, I interviewed her around the release of her latest single, Bootfirst. I was interested to know more about the song and what it was like filming its amazing video. Having built a loyal and loving fanbase on social media, this is an artist that you need to connect with. Following the success of her Write It, Don't Text It series, where fans anonymously submit breakup stories or texts they would never send to an ex, Lam launched Bootfirst Confessions in support of the new single. The interactive campaign invites fans to share stories inspired by the song's themes of spontaneity, resilience, and taking chances, continuing Lam’s approach of turning fan experiences into part of the conversation around her music. She talks to me about her musical upbringing, how being born in Nashville impacted her, whether there are tour dates in the diary or any plans to come to the U.K., and how she feels about ongoing gender imbalance on Country stations. She gives a shout-out to fellow powerhouse Country queens Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson. I predict that Lam has a huge future and will headline major international festivals. A stunningly talented artist that is…
TRULY awe-inspiring.
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Hi Bella. Can you tell me when music came into your life and why Country music is the genre you decided to pursue?
Well, my mama says I came out of the womb singing, so music has always been a massive part of my life. Everyone in my family plays an instrument, and I grew up with some sort of music always playing in the house. We even had a grand piano in the dining room of my childhood home, so it’s always been something I was drawn to and loved. I think being born and raised in Tennessee, Country music has also been something I was always surrounded by. My mama was always playing Loretta (Lynn), Patsy (Cline), The Judds, and Dolly (Parton). I think it’s just something that came to me naturally, not just because of the twang in my voice and where I was raised, but also the storytelling and the feeling I get when I play it.
I guess being born in Nashville must have exposed you to so many artists and a rich culture. What was behind the decision to relocate to Chattanooga, and how does it differ to Nashville?
Well, I was born in Nashville, but I grew up in West Tennessee in a town called Jackson, right outside of Memphis. My parents moved to Chattanooga while I was in high school, and growing up, we were always visiting both Memphis and Nashville. Both are so rich in culture and full of music. In Nashville, you have the Ryman, Music Row, and all of these iconic Country music landmarks. In Memphis, you have Sun Studio, Beale Street, and it’s so rich in its musical history too. Even Jackson has its music history with Carl Perkins and The Rockabilly Hall of Fame. I was incredibly blessed to be raised in a place where the love of music is so evident and in a family that nurtured that love; it exposed me to so many different types of music and genres, and I really think you can hear it in my music now. It inspired me to listen to everything I could growing up. Not just Jazz, Bluegrass, Rockabilly, and Country, from where I was raised, but also Rock, Alternative, Pop and everything I could, because I loved music that much, and I still do.
“I think at its core it’s about taking a leap of faith and trusting your instincts”
You are an Asian-American artist in a genre that is more diverse than it was years ago but it still struggles. I know there are Asian-American artist making their mark, but do you feel the genre has a long way to go?
Over the past several decades, diversity has definitely increased in Country Music. There are so many great country stars like Charley Pride, Freddy Fender, and even Linda Ronstadt who had Hispanic heritage. Nowadays, there are so many more artists with diverse backgrounds, like Darius Rucker, MŌRIAH, Kane Brown, Tanner Adell, and so many more that I can’t even name them all. So while being Asian-American in Country music seems like a rarity, the genre is so much more diverse, and I couldn’t feel more welcome! I see it as adding my own sparkle to the genre.
Can you tell me more about partnering with viral line dance creator Madi Marie K to launch the official Bootfirst line dance? It has been a massive success, and it caught the eye of Lainey Wilson. How does that make you feel?!
I just feel so grateful that Madi wanted to do something like this. I didn’t know much about the line dance at first; my publicist sort of surprised me with it. I had told her that I was a big fan of this creator, Madi Marie K, and that she had such a cool boot collection, and she did line dancing content. Maybe a week or two before the song came out, she had texted me and said that Madi was going to choreograph a line dance for the song. I was so excited, not just because I was a fan of Madi, but because I knew it was something that my own fans would love, and I’m always trying to find ways to include them in releases and build that community. I had no idea it would take off the way it did; I still can’t believe that Lainey commented on it. Now, we’re doing the Bootfirst Line Dance giveaway for the fans. If they post a video of them doing the line dance, tag me and use the official hashtag (#bootfirstlinedance), they can win a $250 gift card to Boot Barn to buy their own pair of boots!
What was the inspiration behind the amazing single, Bootfirst?
I think at its core it’s about taking a leap of faith and trusting your instincts. It was my first ever co-write, so in the moment I was kind of going in bootfirst too. Kayliann Lowe and Jessica Cayne were so easy to work with, that they made the experience just so fun and creative. I kind of jumped all into it. I say this all the time, but I have a southern mama who jumps in without thinking, and an Asian doctor dad who is always thinking things through carefully and making sure he has a plan before he does anything, so the song really is a reflection of that. How I inherited both of those traits, and now I’m either all in or not at all.
The video looks like it was amazing fun to work on! How was it being on set, and who came up with the video’s concept?
It was so much fun! I think that’s why it’s so good, because you can tell we’re having fun in the video. It was just a fun, summer pool party, and it mirrors exactly how I want my fans to enjoy the song! With their friends in a pool, in a car windows down, at the beach, just having fun! Karl Weidmann with Southern Cabin Films was the director, and he came up with the concept and storyline. He is a dream to work with, and he shot my last music video, Take It Out on My Guitar, too.
You are a successful woman in Country music, but Country music gender inequality in 2026 remains heavily skewed. There is a persistent gender gap in terms of Country radio airplay and industry producer credits, while Country festival line-ups are male-dominated. Do this feel frustrating, and do you think this will change in years to come?
Right now, I turn on the radio, and all I hear is Ella Langley, Megan Moroney, and Lainey Wilson. They are absolute powerhouses and inspirations to women in music everywhere, no matter the genre, and I strive to be like them. I just hope for a world where the best song gets radio play no matter the artist. And one day, hopefully, fans can influence the airplay across the charts.
What comes next in terms of music? Might we hear an album or E.P., or are you focusing on singles at the moment?
I don't want to give too much away, but I am going back into the studio soon, and I’m writing more songs all the time. Just know you’ll have new Bella Lam music real soon!
“And to my fans who don’t feel like they have what it takes to achieve their dreams. No matter what, you can do anything your heart desires with hard work and determination”
Might we see you on the road anytime soon? You have a fanbase here in the U.K. Are you coming to see us here at any point?
I would love to, and I would love to book a tour to the U.K. and Europe! That would be a 2027 goal for me!
You have had quite a career and story so far. How does it feel looking back, and what would you say to your younger self who was dreaming of being an artist and had this all ahead of her?
It’s so funny you ask because, lately, every time I feel sort of stuck or down on myself, I think back to that little girl dreaming to be where I am now, and it always makes me feel better. She’d be in awe of where I am now, and this is just the beginning for me. I’d tell her that she is deserving of love, and all of those nights she spent at home while everyone else was invited out to do something or the other, playing her guitar, writing her songs, and honing her craft and her passion will eventually pay off. She has so much ahead of her, and she was born to do great things. And to my fans who don’t feel like they have what it takes to achieve their dreams. No matter what, you can do anything your heart desires with hard work and determination. I was born a preemie with birth complications that led to me growing up with a speech impediment and hand tremors that affected the way I played my guitar and sang my songs. I never in a million years thought I’d make a career out of music, but here I am playing 100 shows a year because I put in the work and made it happen. You can do anything!
Finally, and for being a good sport, you can name a song and I will end the interview with it. What shall we go with?
I’ve been on a big ’90s and early-2000s Country kick, so I’ll go with I Try to Think About Elvis by Patty Loveless! It’s been a repeat lately.
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