Chapel Hart Open Up About Their ‘America’s Got Talent’ Journey: ‘The Nos Become Motivation’
Country trio Chapel Hart made waves when they first stepped on the America’s Got Talent stage in July of 2022. Their performance of their original song, “You Can Have Him, Jolene,” earned them not only a Golden Buzzer, but also the support of country legends Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn.
The family trio consisting of Trea Swindle, Danica Hart and Devynn Hart talked with Taste of Country about their background and their current notoriety. So, who is Chapel Hart?
Chapel Hart Almost Didn’t Try Out for America's Got Talent
"We were actually scheduled to go on tour with the Indigo Girls, and one of them got sick with COVID," Swindle shares. "(AGT scout) Lindsay Rush had reached out a couple of times. Maybe more than a couple of times."
The girls said no, but her persistence finally paid off, and they decided they would give it a shot.
“It’s the best decision we almost didn’t make,” Swindle says.
Simon Cowell Is Actually a Softie
Fans know Simon Cowell as the tough judge on AGT, and Chapel Hart expected that too — but were pleasantly surprised.
“Honestly, I feel like Simon has gotten a little soft over the years,” Swindle jokes.
“Simon had a son some years back,” Danica points out. “I think that being a parent has really softened him, so now I feel like he looks at it like, 'What if that was my kid?'”
Cowell being a lover of groups, Danica notes that she didn’t expect the interaction they ended up having with the judge backstage.
“He was so kind,” she continues. “He’s like, 'I’m rooting for y’all, I love what you’re doing.' I was still waiting for him to say something mean. I’m like, 'All right, go ahead and say it!'”
However, Cowell offered nothing but praise.
Chapel Hart Are Okay Their “Made It Moment” Had to Come Down to Going on AGT
“It might not be as frustrating as it seems, because we’ve been told 'no' so much,” Swindle shares. "The nos become motivation. It's kind of more validating. We aren’t crazy; we do have something the world is ready for, even if some people might not have thought that. Now we’ve put our foot out there, and the way it’s been received ... you can’t really hate that.”
“It’s a validation of the people who said you’re okay,” Danica expresses. “To put your song before America, it proves music is so much bigger than an area…a nation.”
The Process to Appear on AGT Wasn’t as Quick as Chapel Hart Thought
“It’s a super long process,” Danica expresses. “You think you just go on and boom!”
It actually takes many rounds to get to what viewers actually end up seeing on television. "We had no idea what we were really walking into," Devynn says. "It's a super long process."
Their Fans Have a Name
Carrie Underwood’s fans have coined the name Care Bears, and Chapel Hart’s fans have a nickname, too.
“Our fans are called the Congregation,” Chapel Hart says in unison. They note that they think Eric Church’s fans are also called that, but they aren’t worried about it.
“Sounds like Eric Church needs to change his name,” they joke. “We do call our little fans our sweethearts. They’re precious!”
The Judges' Heights Threw Chapel Hart Off
“Something I wasn’t expecting is that Howie, Sofia, and Simon are a lot shorter than I thought that they were,” Swindle jokes. “To be fair, we are all pushing six feet, almost.”