Tales of jilted lovers and revenge, winning love, religion and home – country is the perfect genre for the lyric writer who wants to tell a story.
Country duo Forged, made up of Jess Teixeira and Shauna Muhonen of New Ipswich, are drawn to the genre due to its dramatic storytelling potential.
Their name, “Forged” is a symbol of strength – coming from the concepts of “forging ahead” as well as “forged in fire” and the idea of two separate things coming together as one, stronger entity, Teixeira says.
While they can come together in a harmony with the best of them their true passion is the writing, the duo say.
“Writing is definitely the focus,” Muhonen said. “We really like that it’s about storytelling.”
“We’ve sort of formed this backwards,” Teixeira admitted. “We wanted to be songwriters first, and then, we thought, ‘We should record these.’”
While they are working hard to produce their own music, Teixeira said, her ultimate goal is actually to hear one of her songs sung by one of her favorite artists.
The two each grew up singing, Muhonen learning harmonies at her mother’s knee, and Teixeira singing in the church choir. The two friends had sung together at church and the occasional event, and when Teixeira decided she wanted to formally record some of the songs she’d written, the two decided to form a band and do it together.
The two have even been able to get their songs some radio play on stations that reserve time for local or up-and-coming artists. They’ve been featured as “Catch of the Week” by Country 102.5’s Carolyn Kruse, and their songs are regularly played during the “Backyard Country” segment on 101.7 The Bull.
“It doesn’t even feel real,” Teixeira said, of hearing herself on the radio. “It feels amazing to know someone liked it enough to play it. We’re just two moms in New Hampshire. To go from changing diapers to hearing yourself on the radio is surreal.”
Her four children aren’t as impressed, Teixeira joked, having heard her songs too many times to find the experience novel.
“I say, ‘You don’t understand, I’m on the radio!’”
Music is still a side gig for both women. Muhonen, a mother of six, is a stay at home mom, and Teixeira provides mental health assessments at a hospital in Manchester. Teixeira raises money for recording costs through a home baking business where she sells her home-made macarons.
But their music career has gained some traction. The two have gathered a small number of recorded songs, including “Don’t Ask,” “Life Starts With Losing You,” “I Can’t Change You” and “I’m Gonna Break Your Heart,” all of which have gotten some radio play. The two would also like to start doing more live performances, Teixeira said.
Having started as a duo, the two have now gathered a backing band, consisting of Mike Pistone, Matt Johndrow, and Jonathan David Mancha, and are working on collaborating on the group’s new songs together – a new experience for them, they said.
To learn more about Forged, visit forgedmusic.com, or find Forged Music on Facebook or Instagram, or @4ForgedMusic on Twitter.