Photo courtesy of Heath Moffatt

Kerrington Gillespie was always meant to be on stage. From toddler-parent ballet classes to at-home concerts, she found any opportunity to perform.

For years she would take notes on anything that inspired her. She found an interest in the storytelling aspects of country music and was drawn to artists like Zach Bryan and Kacey Musgraves. She would jot down anything from street signs to comments made by friends. Then, her parents gave her the ultimate Christmas present: a songwriting session.

It gave her the push she needed to hone in on her dreams of being a songwriter. She found ideal collaborators in Trey Bruce, Tavish Crowe and Jared Manierka as they each bring out different sides of her. They helped her find a perfect blend of pop and country for a sound that is distinctly her own.

“I love being able to hear a song and really imagine it and see the story happening,” she said.

She gave herself a goal in 2026 to release one song a month. Her latest single, “Three Missed Calls”, is pop by definition but instrumentally country. The honesty in the lyrics mixed with precise guitar riffs is the reason why this song is the first one where she feels it best represents her as an artist.

The inspiration behind this song comes from a girls night where the conversation turned to exes. Two of Gillespie’s friends had recently received text messages from former boyfriends. They asked each other, how do these texts always come when you’re finally ready to move on?

The conversation immediately sparked an idea. She was in a songwriting session in Vancouver, beginning the second song of the day, when she started with the title. The next day, Crowe was given the task of adding a guitar riff that was reminiscent of today’s girly pop. After the first take, Gillespie knew that this scenario was something more than just her friend group could connect to.

“It’s not just you listening to music,” she said. “It’s so many other people. It’s important that it’s something that they can relate to and they can hear. I just think it’s so important for relatability and for people to be able to connect.”

Shortly after its release, she was spending a quiet night at home when she heard her mother’s shocked voice coming from downstairs. “Three Missed Calls” was chosen for Spotify’s “Fresh Finds Canada”. A photo of her adorned the cover art.

As she watched the momentum build, she knew this was a roller coaster she could not get off. She chose to defer her recent acceptance to the University of Miami and instead focus on writing and recording music.

“I was nervous at first because I did spend time applying to all of these schools,” she said. “But I might as well just go for it. I enjoy school but I know I’m going to be enjoying music more.”

While she isn’t in a traditional classroom setting, she is still learning. Studio and songwriting sessions are giving her access to new tools. Meeting industry professionals is guiding her to the next steps. She has also been gaining real world experience by immersing herself in her local music scene. She is putting in the work, and knows that she is ready to take on her next challenge.

“A lot of my first songs are a lot different than what I’m releasing now,” she said. “I was really getting a feel for what my sound is and who I want to be as an artist. I feel like I’ve really solidified that now.”

Gillespie can still feel the excitement she experienced as “Three Missed Calls” was coming together. It’s a feeling she plans to hold on to as she continues to find inspiration.