For fans of the country trio Chapel Hart, all eyes will be on the finale of season 17 of America’s Got Talent on NBC. The group from Poplarville, Mississippi, who call New Orleans home, are among 11 finalists on the talent show, competing for a $1 million grand prize. Darius Rucker will appear with the group in their closing number. The show will be broadcast live at 8 p.m. Central on Wednesday, September 14.
Sisters Danica and Devynn Hart along with their cousin Trea Swindle, make up Chapel Hart and have proven they are truly a force to be reckoned with. These women have found a way to gift wrap their Mississippi roots and Louisiana spunk and share it with listeners around the world. They received a standing ovation on the September 13 finals round of the show after singing an original song, “American Pride.”
Rolling Stone reported, “The patriotic number wasn’t without its problems, and it all ended in tears as the threesome battled vocal issues from start to finish, an issue both [judges] Simon Cowell and Howie Mandel raised in their wrap-up.”
“Some of the vocals were a bit off because of nerves. Forget that,” Cowell remarked. “I really, really like you and I’m really happy that you did what you did tonight. Good for you.”
“Some of the vocals were off,” added Mandel, “and maybe because you were emotional and because there was a lot of pressure. I think America’s going to like that song. But the last two songs you did were 10 times better.”
In a Facebook post, Chapel Hart wrote, “We want to first say we’re sorry if anyone feels let down by our performance. We wanted to give a tribute to our family and to the men, women and allies who fight for this country and unity and freedom. Tonight may not have been the best vocal performance, but we have never been more proud of ourselves in our lives!”
In 2021 Chapel Hart was inducted into CMT’s Next Women of Country, the institution that has been known to help up-and-coming female country artists such as Kelsea Ballerini, Ashley McBride, and Gabby Barrett. The Mississippi trio’s music has reached fans around the globe earning them the title of International Group of the Year as well as International Song of the Year for the single “You Can Have Him Jolene” in Scotland. They were also nominated in multiple categories by the British CMAs including “Group of the Year” and “Album of the Year” for their sophomore release “The Girls Are Back In Town”.
Chapel Hart has two performances scheduled in Louisiana in the weeks to come, including the Bogalusa Blues and Heritage Festival on Friday, September 23, and the Gretna Fest on Sunday, October 9.
Chapel Hart will make its debut at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Saturday, September 17. For more information, about the group, visit here. Read more about the group’s rise to fame in a cover story from the April 2022 digital edition of OffBeat.
