By Zach Killian
Local artist Josie Hargis was awarded Arkansas Country Music’s Inspirational Artist of the Year in Conway on June 5 at the Arkansas Country Music Awards.
“I was not expecting that at all,” Hargis told The Eagle Democrat about winning the award. “My mom told me I should probably prepare a little acceptance speech in case I did win and I just told her no. I did not think it was going to happen. I was nominated with some really talented groups who have done it longer than me and have more music out than I do. It was crazy. I blacked out when I went to make my speech.”
Hargis made her singing debut in 2019 with the Grace Cowboy Church Band. She said that was the first time she started singing publicly.
She enjoyed singing even before performing publicly.
“When I was really young, I would sing at my church with my grandma, who would take me every Sunday. We usually get there before anyone else and I would just get on stage and sing for her for a while,” said Hargis. “Then I stopped, and then started back.”
Hargis said she was shy about singing in public. However, singing a special at her church in 2017 got her back into singing. She commented she still gets nervous when she sings, even singing at church every Sunday.
Her uncle, David Mann, is one of her musical inspirations. Mann has helped co-write her songs. Hargis said members of the Grace Cowboy Band also have helped her a lot. Her other inspirations include Carrie Underwood, Maverick City Music, and Harry Styles.
Her first single, “My Best Friend” thrust her into the spotlight with over two million views on Tik Tok. The single also garnered her over 100,000 followers on the social media platform. She said she did not expect to get that much attention.
“I posted a little clip of [“My Best Friend”] on Tik Tok right after I wrote it and it got over 2.3 million views, which was insane, and we finally got it released,” said Hargis. “I think to be sort of a nobody, I’m getting a good bit of attention that I never would have expected. It’s crazy, but it’s good.”
Hargis said when it went viral, it was “mindblowing” to her. Her phone kept blowing up and she didn’t know what was going on.
What made her feel the most accepted was the positive feedback she received for her music.
The lyrics for “My Best Friend” were written in 30 minutes at Hargis’ house. It was the second song she had ever written.
“It was crazy how fast the words just came to me, definitely from God,” said Hargis.
Musically, Hargis said she comes up with a little melody in her head with the lyrics and sends it to her uncle, who puts music to it.
She recorded her first two songs at a recording studio in Crossett. She is working with D.J. Lisemby at his home studio on upcoming songs. Lisemby helps produce her music. He is also part of a Christian band named weRcalled.
“I’m super grateful for D.J., and his family, for being so helpful and willing to work with me,” said Hargis. “I’m super excited for future projects that we hopefully will get to work on soon.”
For her future music plans, she said she doesn’t really have any. As she puts it, she’s “flying by the seat of my pants.”
Hargis would love to continue writing music and write music for a living, even writing songs for other artists. Hargis also loves to perform.
“It would be great, but I’m not praying to get famous or rich or anything like that,” said Hargis. “As long as I can live comfortably and do what I love to do, that’s the dream.”
Hargis is working on new songs, saying she's always writing songs. Some she’ll forget about and come back to months later. As a solo artist, she is working on recording one song at a time. However, she is working on an album with Grace Cowboy Band.
Hargis told The Eagle Democrat she has already been contacted by small record labels and managers. However, she stated she hasn’t signed anything yet.
“I’m just trying to make sure I can trust people really,” she said.
Her dream tour would be with Carrie Underwood and another worship artist Brandon Lake.
Hargis is thankful for the support from the community and all the opportunities that have opened up.
“We’re just having fun and seeing what happens,” said Hargis.
