Southington-Born Country Pop Singer Returns for Apple Harvest Festival
- Gabriella Bassi-Belanger
- Oct 1
- 3 min read
For most people, the idea of a small-town girl living a double life as a musician is nothing more than an entertaining plotline, one reserved for fictional characters like Hannah Montana. For Southington native (and former Camp Sloper counselor) Erin Gibney, however, that idea has become reality.
Erin will be returning to Southington to perform at the Apple Harvest Festival on October 4th. During an interview with the Southington Outsider on September 25th, she said that after living in Nashville, Tennessee for 8 years and growing her career in the music industry, coming home “feels like Hannah Montana taking off the wig.”
Hometown Roots
As any Southington native who has left town could tell you, your roots stay with you no matter how far you stray. Erin echoed that sentiment: “I have a lot of nostalgia for Southington, and it has wormed its way into my songwriting and nearly every song I’ve put out. I feel so closely tied to it, and have had so many really defining moments that happened there.”
Much of Erin’s songwriting focuses on significant experiences, such as her breakup with her longtime Southington High School sweetheart. She also joked that there may be some influence in her songs from “some nights at 75 Center,” referring to the restaurant that was once located at that address downtown.
Her passion for performing also began during her time in Southington. She fondly remembers partaking in local competitions like ‘Connecticut Icon’ at just 13 years old. “I just loved it. I loved everything about it. I loved telling stories on stage, and it carried me through high school – it’s what brought me to Nashville.”
When asked if she had any lasting memories from the Apple Harvest, aside from the fritters, she revealed, “one of my first times on stage was actually at the Apple Harvest Festival. It’s so funny because back then I remember walking on stage and thinking it was the scariest thing in the world. I was shaking in my boots.”
“But now,” she added, “after 3 years of being on tour, it’s just an exciting feeling.”
Rise To Fame
After graduating from Southington High School, where she was class secretary, Erin moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. Despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Erin graduated in 2021. She signed with her current label, Rock Ridge Music, in 2020. Navigating a new city and a blossoming career posed additional challenges, especially for a 19-year-old. “Sometimes it’s easy to forget the bad moments when you’re living in the good moments,” she reflected.
“In this town you face a lot of no’s. You face a million no’s to every one yes, which can be really hard when you’re young.”
Even now, after releasing multiple successful singles and wrapping up her first headlining tour, there are still days that can feel difficult. “The hardest thing is keeping at it on the hard days. I wish I could go back and tell myself to stay positive even on the hard days because the needle does move every day, even when you feel like it doesn’t.”
“Still, I’ve always wanted to be a pop country singer,” she added. “It was always my dream. Coming up in the industry definitely had its growing pains, but I learned a lot through it, and I love my life here in Nashville.”
Looking Ahead
Erin will be releasing her new single, Risk, which is about her high-school breakup, on October 17th. “I’m really excited to release something that’s fresh and new. It’s very upbeat.” You can get an early preview of Risk during her performance at the festival October 4th at 7pm.
As far as what lies ahead for Erin, she says that she’s excited to see what’s in store given the trajectory of her career so far. “At this point, I feel so committed to my career that I’m just excited to watch it grow. I would love to be playing stadiums even if it’s just as an opener. I can promise you that even 10 years from now, I will still be playing. I will still be touring and doing the thing that I love.”
When asked if she thinks she’ll continue keeping the spirit of Southington alive in future songs, or return to the festival again, she confidently responded, “Oh, definitely!”
