Household Name: Interview with Country Artist Adrian Johnston
“Household Name” is a new single by country singer Adrian Johnston who is both a music star and a mother. “Household Name” is all about her life and experiences as she finds balance and peace. Adrian is also the CEO of SHEALITY Boutique which provides trendy fashions for women or all shapes and sizes.
Adrian recently discussed her career via an excusive interview.
Meagan Meehan (MM): How did you get interested in music and why did you gravitate towards country?
Adrian Johnston (AJ): Music has been part of my soul from day-one; just ask my parents, I was the kid singing on the fireplace for the family anytime someone would listen, ha! I would say my love for country came from those 90’s country ladies! My first concert was Shania Twain, and I think after that I never looked back. As I have gotten older the appreciation country music has in its songwriting is what has continued to draw me in over the years.
MM: Do you write the lyrics or melodies for your songs first?
AJ: Typically, I have an overarching idea for a song lyrically whether it’s a title or a hook line, but I’m a melody girl mostly — vocals are my jam and if I can find where the singer can have the “moment” that’s where I bring my value in a songwriting session.
MM: Which of your songs is your favorite and why?
AJ: Well, I have to say this current song, “Household Name” is my most emotional song and gets me in my feels every time I listen to it… even now having heard it 1,000’s of times. But looking back through my older pieces one of my favorites is still “It Takes Time” — it was part of a songwriting session where we pumped out quite a few tunes, and this one was totally different than anything else we wrote that day — then when we jumped into the studio to record it, the vocals took on such a cool and unique style that I think really makes this one of my favorites forever and ever. I also had my friend Kylie Rae Harris featured on this song, who passed away in 2019, so to have this song with her forever, is really special.
MM: What did it feel like to hear your songs played on the radio and then watch them climb the charts?
AJ: Hearing your song play on the radio NEVER GETS OLD! It’s really the coolest feeling — knowing that people are hearing it, and playing it, and watching it move on the charts is truly the best pat on the back you could ever receive.
MM: What was the experience of filming the most recent music video like?
AJ: Well, my son cried through most of the scenes you see him in, so that wasn’t the most fun, ha! But, overall, my dear friend Amy Rankin-Tondre filmed and edited this entire video, and we have been friends for almost 15 years, so filming this with her was like a day with a girlfriend running around town, capturing moments that she saw, and was SO laid back. I’m so thankful to Amy for capturing not only the essence of the song, but timeless video footage of me and my family.
MM: How much does being a mother influence you?
AJ: Being a mom truly influences every aspect of my life now; not only is it extra coordination with babysitters and scheduling, but I find myself asking if it’s worth the time away from my son. These first few years of his life I will never get back, so I have learned to say no to some things that I would miss out on, something bigger at home. There will be a day when he is older and wants to go hang out with his friends before hanging out with mommy, and maybe then I’ll be able to go and do like I used to. But for now, he is wanting mommy and daddy to play cars with him at home every night, and that’s where I am meant to be!
MM: How did you become the CEO of a clothing company and why did you decide to get into fashion as well as music?
AJ: Fashion and music go hand in hand! Every girl is putting together her stage outfits from the moment she books the show! So, moving into that industry with my clothing store was a no-brainer! SHEALITY has not only dressed our local girls and our online shoppers for their everyday looks and special events, but some of my music girlfriends have worn SHEALITY on huge stages, like the Grand Ole Opry! I love that every occasion we have something for someone!
MM: How do you find the clothes that your company sells? For instance, do you work with designers?
AJ: I haven’t gotten the chance to design any specific lines for SHEALITY… YET! I would love for our store to be its own line someday, but we’ll have to see where it takes us! I source my clothes from all over and love working with the designers we have showcased in the store every time I’m at market buying.
MM: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
AJ: I don’t think I can say I have one specific moment, because my career has been a culmination of “highlights”… Everything from singing with Randy Rogers Band at Larry Joe Taylor Music Festival, to late night jams at Steamboat Music Fest with Zane Williams and Wade Bowen, to the tour I put together with my girlfriends, ‘Girls Raised in Texas” for years, to my last song released as a duet with Josh Abbott. In my opinion, a career shouldn’t be built around one big highlight, but a beautiful story of moments.
MM: How do you hope your music career — and fashion company — evolve over the next five years?
AJ: I would love to see more combinations of the two worlds continuing to collide. SHEALITY and music, to me, go hand in hand, and if there was a chance to continue to bring them together more often I will! I hope in five years we have a booming retail business, and hopefully I’ll be able to go on tour, and heck, take the store on the road too! Who knows!
MM: What are your ultimate goals for the future and is there anything else that you would like to mention?
AJ: My goal in everything is having my family as my priority and taking them along for the ride with my career, in whatever aspect that can be. I don’t want to live to work but work to live. I want my husband and son to be on the side of the stage at my shows, and our girls to be selling SHEALITY at the merch booth! I love having all of these aspects of my life together all the time, because it truly is my family and my everyday life people are seeing.