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After COVID-19 put a pause on live entertainment, your favorite artists are ready to hit the road and entertain audiences safely with brand-new tours and experiences. And regardless of where you are, we're offering an all-access ticket to every must-see concert of the summer. Welcome to E!'s Backstage Pass.
Lookin' for a good time? Well, look no further than a Lady A show.
After much anticipation, the country music group made up of Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood kicked off their What a Song Can Do summer tour last month.
And as the Grammy winners continue to hit the road and perform their biggest hits in cities across the country, E! News is getting an exclusive look into how the trio pulls off an unforgettable show after an unpredictable year.
"There have been so many times over the last several months where we've just been so disheartened," Hillary exclusively shared with E! News. "Is it going to be possible? When is it going to make sense? When is it going to be safe?" Spoiler alert: It's time for a "Champagne Night."
After following all COVID-19 protocols and local guidelines, the group is delighting thousands upon thousands of fans with new and old hits including "Lady," "Just a Kiss," "Need You Now" and more.
While this certainly isn't Lady A's first tour together—the group has been making music magic since 2006—Hillary can't help but feel extra grateful this season. And after perfecting set lists, lighting, stage design and more, the group is stronger than ever as they follow the "weekend warrior schedule" that includes shows primarily between Friday and Sunday nights.
"It's really hard to express in words, but at some point, every time we sing together or we're in a writing room creating together, there's this moment that I recognize what we do as the three of us is so special and I say that with complete humility of like, we were divinely brought together to do this for a reason," Hillary explained. "That, I think, is one of the things that I'm the most grateful for, of just being in a band, in a friendship with two men that I not only respect and adore like my brothers, but we were a part of something that's bigger than each of us."
As Lady A prepares to perform in Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri this weekend, E! News is getting a backstage look into this summer's tour. Keep scrolling and get your tickets before it's too late.
Lady A is hitting the road throughout the summer for the What a Song Can Do 2021 tour. Now through Oct. 10, the group consisting of Hillary Scott, Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley will perform across the country for new and old fans.
During Lady A's summer tour, the group will perform their Chris Tomlin hit "Who You Are to Me." According to Hillary, the track provided hope in the past year for so many. "This song in particular was just such a place of comfort and just remembering that we are not alone, that there is someone who created us who loves us and who is near to us," she shared with E! News. "With all of the fear that we've felt over the past several months and all of the anxiety, it's just been one of those songs that we've really leaned on and as a band, our own personal faith has deepened so much over the past 16 months."
"Our bond and our belief in who we are and what we do together as a band has deepened," Hillary explained. "We really want our live show to be a place that is full of love and welcoming to everyone and an experience that you leave feeling joy, feeling good and full and hopeful."
While this tour is a bit more casual than Lady A's previous Las Vegas residency, Hillary still couldn't contain her excitement about the fashion she was bringing to the stage. "This album and this tour is really all about what is going to embellish the songs and the music," she teased. "It's a lot more about the music and musical moments. I'm definitely very particular about what I'm wearing and very excited about what I'm wearing."
"I'm loving FARM Rio right now," Hillary revealed when teasing her tour wardrobe. "There are a couple of jumpsuits from FARM Rio. It's more of the comfort that I can have in what I'm wearing and still look stylish and feel confident, but then to be able to emote and perform the songs to the level that I believe they deserve."
"Sometimes, there have been tours where I'm so buttoned up and cinched in on in certain outfits that...it's almost distracting me from my ability to really be fully in the songs," Hillary explained. "And that is what I don't want. I want my outfits to enhance the experience, but not hinder me from being fully present in performing these songs, because I think I've ached for these moments for so long that I don't want anything to distract me from connecting with the audience and the song."
Always thinking of the fans! Hillary and Dave love to sign memorabilia for a few lucky attendees before showtime.
Before concerts begins, Hillary and the band gather together for a spiritual moment. "We say a prayer. 'Let this be moments in time for everyone out there that they feel joy, they feel loved, they feel just positive,'" she explained. "'All of the goodness of life and what we believe live music can bring to you.' That's really kind of where we start each night before the show."
Before seeing the audience and packed venues, Charles spends time with opening act Niko Moon backstage.
Carly Pearce is also scheduled to perform at select Lady A shows this summer. As Hillary teased, "We're going to have a collaborative moment with our openers in our set every night, which we're really excited about because we are huge fans."
What do two country music artists do before showtime? Play ping-pong, obviously.
Charles can sometimes be spotted walking backstage with wife Cassie Kelley and son Ward. According to Hillary, Lady A tries to perform Fridays-Sundays to allow time for family during the week. As she explained. "For us, especially right now, it's all about getting back to our families and holding the days that we are home very precious to us."