The stripped-down acoustic video version emphasizes the trio’s three-part harmonies and poignant lyrics and pulls powerfully on the heartstrings.
Even during lockdown, Nashville-based rising country trio Lost Saints have remained in the creative flow. “We just released our debut single, ‘We Don’t Fight,’ which we are extremely excited about and very proud of,” says Afton Addington. “We shot an acoustic video for the single coming out, and we are currently in the works to get a music video completed for the song as well. The lockdown has definitely pushed us to think outside the box in a lot of areas and find new ways to keep our followers engaged.”
Lost Saints consist of Afton Addington (originally from Houston), Chris Biano (Beaumont, Texas), and Derrick Casteel (Greeneville, Tennessee). Personal and musical harmony is the tie that binds them. Even if their debut single — co-written by Biano along with Brandon Chase and Ethan Hulse — is about love falling apart, lots of love is evident in the crafting and delivery of these moving vocals.
C&I talked with the band about their debut single came together and how Music City brought the three of them together.
Cowboys & Indians: How did you all meet and become Lost Saints?
Lost Saints: Afton, having recently graduated from Belmont University, moved into a small condo building where she met Derrick. They connected over their musical backgrounds and began getting together to sing around the piano for fun. Shortly after, Derrick met Chris at a writer’s round. Chris was a solo artist at that time, but Derrick had a feeling we would be a great fit as a trio and invited us over one night to sing. We immediately realized we had something special and spent the next year just getting to know each other better and becoming close friends. We really wanted the decision of becoming a band to happen organically and it did! All three of us have a background of singing in church, which has played a very big role in understanding harmony and blending as a group. Exposed to different genres of music as kids, ranging from pop to bluegrass, we have attempted to pull from each of those influences, giving us a unique sound that we believe lends to each of our musical backgrounds.
C&I: Tell us about “We Don’t Fight.” What inspired the song and what do you hope listeners will get from it?
Lost Saints: “We Don’t Fight” is an emotional ballad about learning to let go of a broken relationship. It takes a deep look into everything that was lost in hopes of finding something good in the aftermath. Unfortunately, that something good is a simple realization that at least “we don’t fight anymore.” All three of us have experienced our fair share of heartache and lost love. It’s something that connects all of us and we wanted to express that hurt from a new perspective in hopes that the song’s vulnerability can move people to healing.
C&I: What’s your favorite part of the song?
Lost Saints: Definitely the chorus and bridge. When the harmonies lock in it just grabs you and you’re immediately hit with the emotion of the song. The vocal dynamics in that section of the song were also fun to play around with when we were recording.
C&I: Generally speaking, what inspires you? How do you “refill the well” of creativity?
Lost Saints: We gain inspiration from everything around us — our friends, families, each other, etc. It’s so easy to be inspired whether it’s by hearing something new that’s still in the demo stage, jamming with friends, or just by walking down Broadway and hearing the bands (which we are definitely looking forward to happening again). Refilling the well can be challenging; everyone needs some down time now and then. There are times when you just have to step away from something you’re working on and come back to it later with a fresh mind. We each have our own ways of recharging, but just spending time together as friends outside of the music is always a good way for us to reboot.
C&I: What’s next for you? Any plans to release more music?
Lost Saints: Absolutely, you can expect more music soon! We plan on releasing the follow-up single to “We Don’t Fight” later this summer and we’re releasing the acoustic version of “We Don’t Fight” to streaming platforms later this month as well, so stay tuned!
For more on Lost Saints, visit their website, or follow them on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or Spotify.