“Three Missed Calls” is built around that very specific moment when someone you’ve finally moved on from suddenly calls again. What was happening in your life when you first started writing the song, and when did you realise you had something worth turning into a track?
It started with a girls’ night and way too much overanalyzing. Two of my friends were going through the exact same thing, and it made me realize we’ve all had that person who somehow shows up the moment you’re happy again and not thinking about them anymore. That’s basically where “Three Missed Calls” started.
There’s a really fun contrast between the subject matter and the glossy, upbeat sound of the song. How did you approach making a song about heartbreak feel playful and energetic rather than heavy?
I’m SO glad you noticed that!!!
Right from the beginning, that was the goal. I wanted the song to take a tough feeling and make the moment feel lighter. Sometimes when you’re going through it, you just want a song that acknowledges the feelings, but makes you smile.
You co-wrote the song with Tavish Crowe and Jared Manierka, who also produced it. What was the dynamic like in the room, and what did each of you bring to the song?
I really love working with Jared because I feel like he really helps me balance my influences. In this case, I think we both just knew the vibe right away which was that it was going to be heavily pop influenced with those country nuances, so the writing flowed really easy.
It was a two day write and Tavish joined us on day 2 of the write and he brought a fun energy that really made the song come to life.
You’ve described your sound as “pop country with a lil’ heartbreak.” Has that always been the kind of music you wanted to make, or is that something you’ve discovered as your songwriting has developed?
So, I really started writing in fall of 2025 and set this crazy goal in my last year of high school to put out a song every 4-6 weeks, so the songs over the past year have largely been influenced by my life, my friends lives or just random stories I’ve made up! My songwriting is very much still evolving.
You’ve recorded music both in British Columbia and Nashville, working with people including Trey Bruce. What has the Nashville experience taught you about songwriting and recording that has stayed with you?
Getting to work with Trey has taught me so much. He’s an incredible songwriter, but he’s also such a generous mentor.
Nashville writes are really different because everything starts with the story. People aren’t afraid to spend time finding the exact right lyric or angle, and I’ve learned that sometimes the smallest details are what make a song.
I got a text the other day about a week after a write with another incredible writer Trey brought in and he said, “Hey, I’ve been thinking about this verse and should we change it to this?”
So, being in rooms with writers like Trey has definitely made me a better songwriter.
You’re only 17, but “Three Missed Calls” is already your tenth single in less than a year. Looking back at everything you’ve released so quickly, how do you feel your songwriting and confidence as an artist have changed?
I feel like over the course of this year and my releases, I’ve really begun to find my style and my voice. I have all these ideas and enthusiasm that it can be overwhelming!
I feel like I’ve grown so much more confident as a songwriter and an artist, but I also feel like there’s just so much more ahead to learn and experience too.
You’ve already had more than 300K Spotify streams, and now you’re the face of Spotify’s Fresh Finds Canada playlist. What went through your mind when you found out the song had been selected and you’d be featured so prominently?
I mean it was totally crazy! It just felt surreal… like Spotify editors loved my song and thought it deserved to be heard!! That’s just so cool and it’s a hard feeling to describe.
My Dad was the one who saw the cover first and it took him by surprise and it took me a few seconds to really process that it was my face on there!! So cool!!
You’ve also been building your experience on stage through shows and festivals across British Columbia. What do you enjoy most about performing live, and is there a different side of you that comes out on stage?
So, I LOVE performing live. It’s such a rush. I love dressing up and those spontaneous moments with my band and interacting with the crowd. The feeling of people singing along with you or dancing, it just feels good. And I can’t really explain it but it just feels so natural to me to be up there as well, like I’m meant to do it.
With so much happening around “Three Missed Calls”, do you feel pressure to keep up the momentum, or are you enjoying the process and taking each release as it comes?
I always want to do too much and everything!! But it’s not really the pressure so much as I have just so many ideas and I love performing, I love being in the studio, I love writing, I love late nights by myself writing and playing… and I just want to do as much of it as I can right now.
When you look beyond “Three Missed Calls”, what are you hoping to explore next as an artist, and where would you love to see your music take you?
I just want to keep doing what I’m doing but even more if it! I feel like an EP is the next natural step and I’d love to join a tour and do more live shows.
For more about Kerrington Gillespie, visit KerringtonGillespie.com or find her on social media:
Instagram: @kerrington.gillespie
TikTok: @kerringtongillespie
Spotify: sptfy.in/kerringtongillespie
YouTube: @kerringtongillespiemusic
