615 Spotlight: Aussie Trio McClymonts Aim for No. 1 in America

It's been a very exciting year for sister trio The McClymonts. Brooke, Samantha, and Mollie have taken great steps to make a larger name for themselves in the United States after enjoying huge success in their native Australia, moving to Music City five months ago. Their single, "Wrapped Up Good," is making an impact at country radio, and they are starting to be recognized with major awards from organizations such as the Country Music Association. Their harmonies are tight, and their songwriting is nothing short of first rate.



For every Keith Urban that has been able to transcend nationalities with their sound in the genre, there are at least two that have not been able to. The McClymonts are making that jump - and making it successfully. When asked about the differences between marketing themselves here as opposed to (way) across the pond, Samantha said "Probably the biggest challenge between Australia and over here is we're part of Universal Music Australia, so there's more of a marketing arm behind us over there, and we've traveled all over there, so we have a fan base. So, when a record is released, they know its coming, and know where they can find it. Where, over here, we're doing it ourselves. So, we do notice a big difference."

She did say that they have been amazed at how much of music marketing here in the United States is viral. "We notice how important social media is, and the importance of marketing yourself wherever you go," she says, adding that they try to stay connected with their growing number of fans constantly. "It's good to keep updating because if we go to a fair or a festival, before they know who you are, they actually do their research. People will come up and say 'I've never heard of you before, but I saw your name on the festival list and thought I would go online and check out your music.' That's very amazing that they are so proactive."
 Sister Mollie adds that there are some other differences as well. "The radio tour really doesn't happen in Australia. It was awesome to see the way it works. You just go out and prove yourself," she said.

The McClymonts radio tour has given them a chance to meet radio programmers from across the nation -- a vital tool for any artist seeking airplay in a very crowded field, she admits.

"You've got to figure out how you stand out and how you break through the crowd, but you're lucky that it's a town of supporting and encouraging people and giving them a chance. That is amazing, when you consider that there are so many up and coming artists."

Brooke feels that performing live is their strong suit -- where they can really sell themselves to new fans. "I think it's awesome for us because we can go out and play live. We are a live band. It's nice to sing live and show them, so hopefully they will play the CD more because they get to know you and your personality."



The trio were recently awarded the 2011 CMA Global Country Artist award. Upon accepting the award for her sisters, Brooke said, "Wow, after five months of living here in Nashville, to have picked up the CMA Global Country Artist Award is an absolute honor."

With a single and album -- both titled "Wrapped Up Good," the future looks bright for this very talented trio. What are their goals for 2012? "We want to be number one, and we're going to stay there for 40 weeks," Brooke exclaims, adding that "We're going to be touring heavily. That's where people can see you, then they call up radio and request your music. We need fans to push our music as much as we can. We're just going to keep trying to create that fan base and growing it. We want to blow them away live. Anyone can do that in the studio, but you really want to do that live!"