How do you write a love letter without it being a love letter? I have asked this question more than once during my time as Southern Fellow. There have been several artists whom I have had a deep admiration for, but none quite like our next artist on Feed the Band. Noelle Toland, once an enigma to me, is now someone I hold in high regard as a songwriter, but more importantly as a person.

At first look, it is easy to write off Noelle as another pretty blonde looking for fame in Nashville. Why? Because that’s exactly what I did when Noelle’s publicist first emailed me. Luckily for Ms. Toland, Nicole knows how to get my attention. She simply beats me over the head with something until I agree to give it a second look. After a few beatings, I offered to do a little interview with Noelle on Instagram. That interview proved that there was more behind Noelle’s infectious smile. However, I didn’t know how much until my recent trip to Nashville.

I spent a lot of time in Music City with Noelle. We broke bread, she introduced me to her dad, and oddly enough, we ended up axe-throwing partners. I rarely put people on pedestals, but there is something about Noelle’s energy that almost makes it impossible not to. Yet, every time I do, it feels like Noelle Toland takes a step down in a conscious act of modesty. For someone who could afford to be pretentious with few complaints from other people, however, Noelle is anything but.

I have learned over the years that being beautiful with a voice to match doesn’t make someone successful in the music industry. Those two could probably get you 80% there, but it is only part of the equation. However, if that’s all you have, you will hit a glass ceiling at some point. You have to have something else, an X-factor if you will. That part of the equation is different for every individual. Oddly enough, I got a glimpse of Noelle’s while throwing axes in Nashville.

For starters, in a room filled with leaders across the music industry, including me, Noelle was the first to step up to learn how to throw an axe. That says quite a bit about her character to start, but it was the hour after she threw the first one that shocked the hell out of me. I’m going to go ahead and say it, it was a disaster. Noelle had to have thrown a thousand times, only to get a few sticks. At times, I was scared to be standing next to her. Yet she never let vanity or my fear of dying get in her way. She didn’t stop until she got it right. After she figured it out the best she could, she stopped and became a cheerleader for everyone else.

I haven’t spoken much about Noelle as a singer/songwriter yet because I felt you needed to know the Noelle I know first. As I mentioned before, in the beginning, I felt a disconnect between Noelle and myself. Yet, to this day, Noelle always finds a way to meet me where I am. She does that with everyone through her music. The proof in the pudding with songs like “You’re an Arrow” and “The Sun Will Rise”. Behind the pretty face is a woman who puts her shoes on one foot at a time and has insecurities just like you and me.