Some people pick a lane and stay in it until the comments tell them they can leave.
Chanel West Coast left anyway.
Chelsea Chanel Dudley to the world as Chanel West Coast — Ridiculousness, the records, the West Coast years. Then Nashville rooms, and a different kind of write. She has heard both versions of the same sentence: not rap enough, not country enough. Her answer is the song. “So what am I then?” is not a branding exercise. It is the question she is done answering for other people.
The newest one is “Tennessee,” out this month. Writers and producers in town. The fire back on. That is the record she wrote after the rooms started feeling like home again. “Down to the Filter” came earlier in the year, after a “Need a Favor” cover caught the right people — Rob Ragosta, Grey Zeigler, Shane Bauman on the page. “Giddy Up” before that. Miranda-with-Gwen-Stefani is the joke she made about the sound. The work is the part that counts.
This Spotlight Series sit-down is the country chapter. Start with “Tennessee.” Then work backward.
Interviewed by Chris Ramos of Sons of Lions for The Country Note.
This is TCN Spotlight Series. A different artist every day. Pour something, watch the video, then come read the story.
Chanel West Coast socials
- Instagram: @chanelwestcoast
- TikTok: @chanelwestcoast
- X: @chanelwestcoast
- YouTube: Chanel West Coast
- Facebook: Chanel West Coast