Chaparelle

Zella Day, Jesse Woods, and Beau Bedford formed Chaparelle in 2023, performing live shows and then releasing their debut singles, “Bleeding Hearts” and “Sex and Rage”.  Earlier this year, Chaparelle signed with Mom+Pop Music, releasing the third single from the album, “Devil’s Music.” The band wrote and recorded their music, produced entirely by Bedford, in their home city of Austin, Texas.

Day and Woods began their collaboration by writing together, which quickly turned into romance. The couple was then joined by Bedford, a producer who worked on Wyatt Flores and Orville Peck’s recent releases. They have since gone on a US tour with stops at Newport Folk Festival, performing with Paul Cauthen and at Willie Nelson’s Luck Reunion. The group has consistently gained followers with their musicianship and sexy and captivating live shows. 

Chaparelle released their single, “Inside the Lines” and announced the release of their debut album Western Pleasure slated for April 18, 2025.  The new album, along with “Devil’s Music” (released in late January) are their first releases since signing to Mom+Pop, To celebrate the debut album announcement, the band will be playing a pop up show at Brooklyn’s Desert 5 Spot on Wednesday, February 26th.

In addition, Chaparelle will bring their unique musical style on an extensive North American tour which kicks off with their second appearance at Willie Nelson’s LUCK Reunion on March 13, 2025 and will weave its way across the US, hitting festivals, an opening slot with Charley Crockett at Red Rocks, SXSW, BottleRock and many others. 

Zella Day says about the album ”Introducing WESTERN PLEASURE. Born and raised in the central Texas Hill Country, our album is a celebration of life. Through loves quarrels, and victories is a deep well of inspiration that keeps us together. Like a country song so simple and true is the spirit of Chaparelle. At last, the pleasure is all yours. “Western Pleasure,” our debut record, is out on 4/18/25.

Zella also talks about the legends that inspired “Inside the Lines”

“I was first introduced to the LA icons Marty and Elayne by going to the Dresden on the weekends for a martini. They were an immaculate duo, always in matching sequins with Marty on drums and Elayne on piano and flute, gigging every week at the Dresden for 41 solid years playing jazz standards. I was inspired to write a song about their love after I heard of Marty’s passing in 2022. They were inseparable on and off the stage till the very end. “Inside the Lines” is a Hollywood story, one of my personal favorites.”

Fans are enraptured with Chaparelle with their hints of iconic country couples such as George Jones and Tammy Wynette or Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. They explain further (from an interview with radio station KHOL): 

“I grew up in the church, so harmony to me is like one of the more spiritual elements of music and has always been a huge part of the music that I make, “ Woods said. “To me, a live show when people can really get into a harmony and get really tight, it’s the most compelling thing you can watch someone do.” Day said the country legends they draw inspiration from were all successful solo artists who also created a fascinating dynamic on stage together. “[We were] choosing people to listen to that are toeing the line of that yin and yang, that feminine/masculine balance within music,” Day said.

In that same interview, they explained the origins of Chaparelle:

“The collaborative project started with a recommendation from an ex-boyfriend. Zella Day’s former beau suggested she check out singer-songwriter Jesse Woods’ music. After Day invited Woods to attend a show of hers, they arranged a writing session, and the two immediately clicked. “In that first week of writing we kept it professional three out of the five days,” Day said with a smile. For Woods, it was a new experience, both professionally and personally, as the pair became an item about halfway through. “I’ve never collaborated,” Woods said. “I’ve written and produced everything on my own. We were writing some, experimenting and flirting, really. We wrote five songs in three days. And it was really fun and fruitful. And then we were like, ‘Let’s start a band.’”  “Chaparelle” is likely a nod to the native brush of Texas where they now reside together.”