From YouTube to TikTok, The Band McMillan has found that the internet and social media is a driving force for them and other new artists in the industry. The group has found that both platforms allow them to grow their fan base, while releasing unique content that includes new music and some hilarious family moments.
What began as a fun way to bond as siblings, has turned into a strong love for music and a serious growing career. The country trio, comprised of Lauren, Kathryn and Robert McMillan, originally formed in 2012 on YouTube.
“At the time, it was very popular to make videos to cover songs which led to several artists being discovered that way such as Cimorelli, Cody Simpson, and Justin Bieber,” the group explained. ”We always thought it would be fun to give it a try and ended up falling in love with music through that process!”
As TikTok continues to rapidly rise in popularity, the band took to the social media platform to find a way to showcase their music while live events were unavailable. In doing so, they formed a slight connection with Country music artist, Miranda Lambert, who inspired their song, “Dear Miranda.”
“Dear Miranda” was penned as a letter to their biggest inspiration, Lambert, detailing how her music has been a major influence on their career. The song drops on June 17 and is available for pre-order now HERE.
“Her music has always inspired us and after her reaching out about our mashup, we knew we needed to write a song about the impact her music has had on our lives.”
As the band continues to grow their audience through their TikTok page, which features clips of new music and some of their hilarious family moments, The Band McMillan sat down with Music Mayhem to talk more about how their band got started, their musical inspirations, their upcoming new song “Dear Miranda” and much more.
Read on to find out what the band has been up to in this exclusive Q&A!
For our readers to get to know you a little bit more, can you share your backstory and how the band came to be?
We are The Band McMillan, a sibling country band made of Lauren, Kathryn, and Robert McMillan. We started posting at home music videos to YouTube in 2012 and shortly after decided that music was something we wanted to pursue seriously as a group.
Growing up, how did you and your siblings come to learn that you wanted to pursue a music career?
We started posting music videos to YouTube when Robert was 6 years old. At the time, it was very popular to make videos to cover songs which led to several artists being discovered that way such as Cimorelli, Cody Simpson, and Justin Bieber. We always thought it would be fun to give it a try and ended up falling in love with music through that process!
On June 17, you’re releasing a new song called “Dear Miranda,” could you tell us about the first time you connected or were inspired by a Miranda Lambert song? Which song was it and why did you connect with it?
We have been touched by so many of Miranda’s songs thanks to the vulnerability she gives each song but one that has really stuck out to us would have to be “Automatic.” The first time we heard that song it really resonated with us because the lyrics spoke directly to us. Everything in today’s culture has become so “automatic” and fast paced thanks to technology. It’s refreshing to take a step back and appreciate the simple things in life.
What led you to the decision to write a song in the form of a letter to Miranda Lambert?
In May of 2020 during the worldwide quarantine, we were posting one minute mashup videos on Instagram and YouTube as tributes to some of our favorite artists. Miranda ended up seeing the mashup we made of her songs and commented as well as gave us a follow. Her music has always inspired us and after her reaching out about our mashup, we knew we needed to write a song about the impact her music has had on our lives.
How has Miranda’s music impacted or influenced your lives and career?
From a songwriter standpoint, the simplicity of chord structure that she uses along with her heartfelt lyrics has been something that has influenced our writing style. She finds crafty ways to tell her stories while creating catchy melody lines that stick in the listener’s heads and hearts for a lifetime!
Did you expect your mom to cry when you played her “Dear Miranda” for the first time? What went through your mind when you saw her react that way?
We were not sure what her reaction was going to be but it was a super sweet moment for us all when she found out it was our song that brought her to tears! It made us all want to cry! (Happy tears of course!) 🥰
@thebandmcmillanher reaction tho….🥺😭 ##fyp ##fypシ ##foryou ##viral ##trend ##mom ##emotional ##sadsong♬ original sound – The Band McMillan
I noticed that Miranda actually follows your band on Instagram, has she reached out or heard the song you wrote about her yet?
We don’t think that she has, however, we do know that some of her family members have seen the video and that they were going to send it to her so hopefully she will hear it! If she does end up listening to it and reaching out, it would mean so much to us because this song holds a very special place in our hearts and we truly mean every word! ❤️
I noticed that several of your TikTok videos have gone viral over the past year. What does it mean to you to have your original music heard by millions of people and did you ever think these songs that have gone viral would ever be heard by a million people when you wrote them?
TikTok has played a huge role in increasing the amount of reach we have on social media. It’s pretty hard to wrap our heads around the fact that so many people have already heard our new music but it is such an honor. Being able to bring those songs to life in a whole new way through videos on TikTok has been a wonderful experience for us and we can’t wait for you to see what we have planned for our upcoming releases!!
With TikTok being a driving force in the music industry lately, How important do you feel TikTok is today in helping artists have their music heard?
We feel that TikTok is a wonderful outlet to create the opportunity for independent artists’ music to be heard by millions. We have already seen several artists go on to getting the attention of major record labels resulting in signing contracts with the companies ultimately launching their careers because of the power of TikTok.
Who are some of your biggest musical influences/inspirations? Are there any other artists that have influenced you as much as Miranda Lambert, that you would maybe write a song for in the near future?
Tim McGraw, Dolly Parton, and George Strait to name a few. We have referenced different artists in verses of one of our other songs but don’t think that we will ever write a song devoted to another artist other than Miranda as this song holds a special place in hearts.
What inspired you to pursue a career in country music and is this something you’ve always wanted to do?
Growing up we were always listening to the country greats (Tim McGraw, Brooks & Dunn, George Strait, etc.) and felt this had a major impact on us pursuing a career in the country music industry. Lauren has been the leader and driving force for our group and it wasn’t until her high school years when she found out she had a passion for song writing. That is when our love for music was born and we knew this was something we wanted to do at a professional level.
What challenges have you faced being in a country music trio with your siblings?
Thus far, we haven’t faced too many challenges. We are so glad that we get to pursue this career together and grow closer with each other through the process.
I noticed that your Mom appears in several of your TikTok videos, how supportive has she been and how has impacted your career so far?
Our parents have been super supportive of our music. We love to get our mom in our videos any chance we get! Her support has had a great impact on our career as it is a wonderful feeling knowing she will always be our number one supporter.
You previously released “Only Thing Missin’,’ could you tell us about that single and how it compares to your upcoming new song?
“Only Thing Missin’” is our debut single and was released April 23rd, 2021. It is a total country pop feel good summer song encompassing the story of a girl’s crush and everything that he has with the final tag line stating “the only thing Missin’ is me.” It is much more of a fun bop in comparison to the more serious/sentimental “Dear Miranda.”
What’s next for you for the rest of 2021 and beyond?
After “Dear Miranda,” we are planning on releasing another single late summer and hope to be back in the studio this fall to record new originals! We will also continue to post TikTok as well as play some shows around the southeast!
