“We’re Betting On Ourselves”: How Magnolia Rising Found A Second Beginning

Success doesn’t always leave room for appreciation.

For years, Devynn Hart and Trea Swindle were moving too fast to stop and take it all in. As members of Chapel Hart, the Mississippi trio that captured international attention following their history-making Golden Buzzer moment on America’s Got Talent in 2022, they spent much of the decade doing exactly what every aspiring artist dreams of doing: touring relentlessly, travelling the world and building a devoted fanbase on both sides of the Atlantic.

But somewhere amid the airports, tour buses and television appearances, the moments themselves began to blur together.

Today, sitting in London ahead of a run of UK appearances that includes the University Rugby 7s Finals and two headline shows at Lil’ Nashville, Hart and Swindle are experiencing something they rarely had the chance to enjoy the first time around: perspective.

Magnolia Rising, their new duo project following Chapel Hart’s hiatus in 2025, represents more than a fresh name and a new collection of songs. It is a creative reset built around freedom, self-belief and the opportunity to approach a second chapter with the benefit of everything they learned during the first.

“What has surprised us most about this chapter is being able to go through all the steps again, but actually enjoy them this time,” Hart says. “In our last project, everything moved so quickly that we never really had time to appreciate the experiences or enjoy the moments. This time around it has been absolutely incredible.”

That sentiment surfaces repeatedly throughout the conversation. Magnolia Rising is not a story about leaving something behind. It is a story about rediscovering why they started in the first place.

“The main thing about this chapter is having fun,” Swindle adds. “Making the memories, but actually being able to enjoy them. We’ve circumnavigated the globe a couple of times, but realised we’ve been to dozens of countries and hadn’t really seen much of them. Even London — we’ve been here many times before, but this is the first trip where we’ve actually had time to explore the city.”

That appreciation for the journey sits at the heart of Magnolia Rising’s music.

From the outside, the duo’s recent singles — Dream Running, Hit The Ground Running and the newly released Bet On Me — might seem connected by little more than momentum and optimism. Spend time speaking with Hart and Swindle, however, and a deeper theme emerges. Every song is rooted in resilience. Every song is tied, in some way, to the process of rebuilding.

It’s no coincidence that Bet On Me has arrived at this particular moment.

The Soundtrack To A New Beginning

The song was written during the earliest stages of Magnolia Rising’s formation alongside friends Leo Brooks and Andrew Millsaps, formerly of Neon Union. At the time, neither Hart nor Swindle could have known quite how relevant its message would become.

“We realised this was our time to actually bet on ourselves,” says Swindle. “Starting something new can be scary because people are often a little wary of things they don’t know or aren’t familiar with. But the more the song evolved, the more it became the song of the season for us.”

The title alone speaks volumes. For artists stepping into a new chapter after years of success under another banner, self-belief is no longer simply a motivational slogan. It’s a necessity.

The duo see Bet On Me as a natural continuation of the story they began telling with Hit The Ground Running, another Magnolia Rising release centred around perseverance and determination.

“Life is going to knock you down,” Hart says. “Things are going to happen. But as long as you get back up and keep moving, that’s what it’s all about. Hit The Ground Running was about getting back up. Bet On Me was about finishing that story.”

What makes the songs resonate is that neither artist speaks about resilience as an abstract concept. They’re writing from experience.

Many of Magnolia Rising’s songs have emerged directly from personal challenges, frustrations and moments of uncertainty. Rather than avoiding those emotions, Hart and Swindle have embraced them as creative fuel.

“I think it’s important to tell your story however you can,” Hart explains. “A lot of the themes in these songs came from things we were experiencing and things we’re still going through. But instead of crying about it, let’s write about it. Let’s get those emotions out.”

The motivation extends beyond simple self-expression.

“Somewhere, somebody else is going through the same thing,” she continues. “We want to provide music that uplifts people and tells them, ‘Keep going. We’re not done yet.'”

For Swindle, honesty is what gives music its power.

“No one is always happy and no one is always sad,” she says. “We’re all human. As artists, I think it’s our responsibility to share those experiences because one song can connect with millions of people in ways you never expect.”

Country, Rock, Soul And Everything In Between

Trying to place Magnolia Rising neatly inside a single genre quickly proves impossible.

The duo’s Mississippi roots remain firmly intact, but their sound draws from country, Southern rock, gospel, soul and classic rock influences in almost equal measure. When asked to describe Magnolia Rising to someone hearing the music for the first time, Swindle offers an answer so vivid it immediately deserves to be quoted in full.

“It’s like if Stevie Nicks had a baby with all four of The Highwaymen and that child was raised on Gretchen Wilson, AC/DC and Heart.”

It sounds ridiculous.

It also makes perfect sense.

There is the storytelling tradition of classic country music, the swagger of Southern rock, the emotional weight of gospel harmonies and an unmistakable sense of rebellion running throughout the music. Magnolia Rising doesn’t sound interested in fitting comfortably into any one category.

That freedom is also becoming one of the project’s greatest strengths.

“Very few people in life are granted a redo.” — Trea Swindle

The duo speak with particular excitement about the unreleased material they’ve been writing over the past year, hinting at a catalogue that may ultimately define Magnolia Rising far more than the songs already released.

“We’ve done this for almost a decade,” Swindle says, “and I don’t think we’ve ever been this excited about the songs.”

The challenge, it seems, is no longer writing enough material, it’s choosing which songs to release first.

“We’ll think we have enough songs for an album,” she says, laughing, “and then we’ll have another week of writing and suddenly all those songs are better.”

Hart nods enthusiastically.

“We’ve got songs that I’m absolutely itching to release.”

Britain Has Become Part Of The Plan

Spend enough time talking to Hart and Swindle and one thing becomes immediately clear: Britain’s role in Magnolia Rising’s future extends well beyond a handful of tour dates.

Their affection for UK audiences is genuine, but it is also rooted in years of experience. Long before Magnolia Rising existed, the pair had witnessed first-hand the enthusiasm British fans bring to country music. This visit, however, has reinforced those feelings.

Country music occupies a different cultural space in Britain than it does in the United States. While American audiences are surrounded by the genre, British fans often have to seek it out. They travel for festivals, support independent venues and actively hunt for new artists. That level of commitment hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“The first few times we performed in the UK were eye-opening,” Swindle says. “Our UK fans are rabid in the best possible way.”

She laughs before clarifying. “There’s just a different hunger for country music here. People actively seek it out.”

That passion transforms the atmosphere inside venues.

“There’s nothing like the energy of the crowd,” Hart says. “When they’re giving it to us, we can give it right back. It’s just this constant exchange all night long.”

“I want them to walk out of the venue ready to take on whatever monster they’re facing in their own personal lives.” — Devynn Hart

The admiration extends beyond music. Recent weeks have introduced the duo to some distinctly British pastimes, including pub culture, darts and a newfound appreciation for shandy.

“I’ve discovered a few new beers that I like,” Hart admits. “She’s a shandy girl now,” Swindle laughs.

The conversation quickly turns to darts. “We might be looking at the next couple of world-class dart throwers,” Swindle jokes. Hart immediately bursts out laughing. “It has become a real obsession. Any free time we’ve had since we’ve been here, we’re at the darts.”

The stories are delivered with plenty of humour, but they also reveal something more significant. For perhaps the first time in their careers, Hart and Swindle are allowing themselves to experience the places music takes them.

And Britain has made quite an impression. “I tell Trea all the time that we could move over here,” Hart says.

More Than A Comeback

What emerges most clearly from the conversation is that Magnolia Rising is not simply a comeback story.

It is a story about perspective.

Many artists spend years chasing opportunities. Hart and Swindle achieved them. They toured internationally, built a devoted fanbase and stood on some of the biggest stages available to them.

Very few artists then get the chance to start again with all of that knowledge already in place. Swindle understands exactly how unusual that position is.

“We realised this was our time to actually bet on ourselves.” — Trea Swindle

“Very few people in life are granted a redo,” she says.

It’s a simple observation, but one that explains much of Magnolia Rising’s outlook. Rather than trying to recreate the past, the duo are embracing the opportunity to experience success differently.

“We’re lucky enough to have all of those experiences and go all those places again,” Swindle continues.

That gratitude is shaping their ambitions – a full-length project is expected in 2026, with additional releases planned before the end of the year. Beyond that, both artists are already looking towards a future that includes a much deeper relationship with the UK.

“We’ve done the O2 before,” Swindle says. “I’d love to come back and do that again.”

Hart’s ambitions are equally straightforward.

“I want to do a full UK tour. I love it over here. I love the people. I love the appreciation.”

Leaving People Stronger Than They Arrived

For all the discussion about future records, bigger stages and growing audiences, the most revealing answer arrives near the end of the interview.

Asked what she hopes people remember after seeing Magnolia Rising perform, Hart doesn’t mention chart positions, streaming numbers or career milestones.

Instead, she talks about empowerment.

“I want them to leave feeling empowered,” she says. “I want them to walk out of the venue ready to take on whatever monster they’re facing in their own personal lives.”

It is, in many ways, the perfect summary of Magnolia Rising. The songs acknowledge life’s difficulties without becoming consumed by them. They celebrate perseverance without pretending the journey is easy. They encourage listeners to keep moving forward because Hart and Swindle have spent the last few years doing exactly that themselves.

A new name. A new chapter. A catalogue built on resilience, confidence and belief. Or, as the duo themselves ultimately describe Magnolia Rising in three words:

“Resilient.”

“Confident.”

“And Rowdy.”