In an era where country music often teeters between polished pop and gritty Americana, The Castellows are planting a flag for something more rooted and personal. The neo-traditional country trio of sisters from rural Georgia, Ellie, Powell, and Lily Balkcom, are redefining the family band archetype with haunting harmonies, honest songwriting, and an unmistakable Southern spirit. Their newest project, Homecoming, is a heartfelt milestone that captures the essence of their upbringing, their journey through the music industry, and the evolving sense of identity that comes with it.
Fresh off their debut at California’s famed Stagecoach Festival, The Castellows announced the release of Homecoming, a seven-track EP that arrived on May 30. The project serves not just as a musical statement, but as an autobiographical sketch of the past year; a transformative stretch that saw the trio graduate from buzzy newcomers to Billboard’s Country Rookie of the Month.
“Homecoming encompasses the way we’ve been feeling for the last year,” the band stated. “These songs are personal to us and share our convictions about the world. We take our listeners on a journey, and our hope is that they’ll get to know us better after listening.”
That journey, emotional, geographical, and artistic, threads through each track. From nostalgic recollections of their childhood on a farm in Georgetown, Georgia, to reflections on life on the road and the aching relief of returning home, Homecoming is a time capsule as much as it is a collection of songs. “It’s cool to put out songs and projects like this,” the sisters shared, “because we can look back and think of where we were when we wrote them, how we were feeling, and what we were experiencing.”
Among the standout tracks is “Sheltered,” an autobiographical ode to their upbringing as homeschooled farm kids. Rather than shy away from stereotypes, the trio leaned into them, playfully reframing the term “sheltered” as a badge of honor. “We really love that we were homeschooled,” they explained. “Being homeschooled is kind of the reason why we are the way we are today, and we thought it deserved a song.”
Another highlight, “Broke,” was one of the first songs the sisters wrote after landing in Nashville and is steeped in the tradition of country storytelling. Penned with songwriter Erik Dylan, “Broke” unfolds from the perspective of a coal miner’s wife. “There are a lot of great songs about coal miners out there,” they said, “and we wanted to have our own. It shows the artistic side of writing and storytelling through song; the kind of lyrics that let you picture everything in your head.”
That balance between vivid storytelling and raw emotion is what defines The Castellows’ sound- one that fuses the timeless with the contemporary. Entertainment Focus described Homecoming as “a rich, rootsy collection that threads nostalgia, rural life and the search for identity through seven beautifully crafted tracks…creating a sound that’s both timeless and refreshingly current.”
That signature blend of old and new is no accident. The Castellows have long cited traditional country influences, evident in their stunning cover of Patty Loveless’s “You Don’t Even Know Who I Am.” But they’re just as comfortable collaborating with newer acts like Flatland Cavalry, as they did on “Place They Call Home.” Through both tributes and original tracks, the sisters continue to carve out a distinct space that respects the past while shaping the future.
The release of Homecoming marks another major step in a whirlwind journey that began in early 2023, when the trio first started turning heads in Nashville. By spring, they had inked a deal with Warner Music Nashville and Warner Records, and quickly got to work writing, recording, and performing. In just over a year, their momentum has been impossible to ignore.
Now, The Castellows are building on that momentum with a string of high-profile appearances and accolades. In addition to being named a SiriusXM “Highway Find” on The Highway, the trio landed on multiple 2024 “Watch Lists,” including CMT Next Women of Country and CMT Listen Up. They also earned their first major award nomination for CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year at the 2024 CMT Music Awards.
This summer, they’re taking their rising star on the road, opening for Thomas Rhett on his Better in Boots Tour, which includes a stop at Boston’s Fenway Park on July 19. Then, come fall, the spotlight shifts fully to them as they launch their first-ever headline tour, The Homecoming Tour, kicking off in Austin, Texas on September 13. The tour will hit 15 cities, with more dates expected to be announced.
Even with this surge in exposure, The Castellows remain grounded; a testament to the small-town values that continue to shape their worldview and music. As they put it, “One way to sum up the EP is through our favorite lyric from ‘Freeway’: ‘You don’t know what you’re feeling until you hear it in a song.’”
With Homecoming, The Castellows haven’t just released a collection of songs, they’ve extended an invitation. One that welcomes fans into their story, honors the land and legacy they come from, and proves that sometimes, the road to country music’s future runs straight through the past. Visit TheCastellowsMusic.com for a full list of tour dates!
“These songs are personal to us and share our convictions about the world..."