| Bella | |
| Origin: | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Genre: | Country |
| Years Active: | –, 2015 |
| Label: | Sony |
| Past Members: |
|
Bella were an Australian country music trio from Newcastle. They were formed as Anam Cara by Kate Ballantyne, Lyn Bowtell and Karen O'Shea (all on vocals) in 2002. They issued a sole album, Gravity (January 2005) before disbanding in 2006.
Bella were formed in 2002 as Anam Cara (Celtic for "soul mate") in Newcastle as a country music trio by Kate Ballantyne Lyn Bowtell and Karen O'Shea.[1] [2] All three had previously entered the Star Maker Quest at Tamworth Country Music Festival: Bowtell won in 1997, Ballantyne won in 1998 and O'Shea was a grand finalist in 1999.[1] [3] [4]
Ballantyne (born Katrina Aitken, February 1970, Newcastle), on guitar and vocals, had started performing professionally from 14 years-old and issued her debut single in 1991.[4] She released three solo albums, Tomorrow's Girl (1994), Too Hot to Handle (1998) and Flowers for Love (1999).[5] Bowtell and O'Shea had both graduated from the CMAA College of Country Music in 1997.[4] Bowtell (born,[6] Kleinton, Queensland) on vocals and guitar, was a member of Southern Steel, which issued their debut album, Headed South, in 1996. Bowtell and O'Shea co-wrote "I Can Fly", which appeared on the Various Artists' compilation album, Outback Adventures (1997).[7] Upon leaving secondary school O'Shea started her career in her home town, Darwin, Northern Territory, with a band the Sublimes. As of February 2002 O'Shea and her fiancée, Leo Skliros, owned a mango plantation south of Darwin.[7] Her debut album, Wish, appeared in that year.[8]
By mid-2003 Anam Cara had changed their name to Bella.[8] Their debut single, "Tumblin' Down", was issued in September of that year on an extended play of the same name via AgSongs.[8] [9] The label's owners, Barry Harley and Kate Nugent, had caught their show at The Brewery in Newcastle.[9] "Tumblin' Down" was co-written by American country musicians, Melissa Peirce and Jerry Salley.[10] Their second single, "About a Girl", was written by Bowtell and appeared in 2004. They have won Golden Guitars for Vocal Group or Duo of the Year in 2004 and 2005 for the songs "Tumblin' Down" and "About a Girl" at the Country Music Awards of Australia.[11]
Bella released their debut album, Gravity, on 17 January 2005 via Sony/BMG. It provided the group's third single, "She Still Believes", in August of that year, which reached the ARIA Singles Chart top 100. The track had been co-written by Bowtell with Salley. Bella disbanded in 2006 due to problems with their label and changes in their personal lives. Bowtell's father died, and she studied a Bachelor of Music; Ballantyne became a school teacher; O'Shea and Skliros had married and moved to the Hunter Valley where they raised their two children. Bowtell resumed her music career in 2011.
In October 2014 Bella reunited and undertook the She Still Believes Farewell Tour into 2015.[9] [12] They performed their final show at the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January 2016.[9]
| Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS [14] | |||
| "Tumblin' Down" | 2003 | — | Tumblin' Down |
| "About a Girl" | 2004 | — | Gravity |
| "She Still Believes" | 2005 | 99 |
The Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA) (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) is an annual awards night held in January during the Tamworth Country Music Festival, celebrating recording excellence in the Australian country music industry. They have been held annually since 1973.[15] |-| 2004| "Tumblin' Down" by Bella| Vocal Group or Duo of the Year| |-| 2005| "About a Girl" by Bella| Vocal Group or Duo of the Year|