Stela Cole
{{Short description|American singer-songwriter from Peachtree City, GA U.S.}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| background = person
| name = Stela Cole
| image = Stela Cole does “the hand” during her LA Live Show on 10 NOV 2022.jpg
| image_upright =
| caption = Stela Cole doing “the hand” at her LA Live Show on November 10, 2022.
| birth_name = Hollyn Elizabeth Shadinger
| alias = Stela Cole, Hollyn Cole
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|10|21}}
| birth_place = Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.
| genre = Pop
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, piano, ukulele, bass
| years_active = 2010-present
| label = RCA Records, Ultra Records, Stelavision Records
| website = {{URL|stelacole.com/}}
}}
Hollyn Elizabeth Shadinger{{Cite web |title=STELA COLE Trademark of Hollyn Elizabeth Shadinger - Registration Number 5447812 - Serial Number 87603709 :: Justia Trademarks |url=http://trademarks.justia.com/876/03/stela-87603709.html |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=trademarks.justia.com |language=en}} (born October 21, 1997), known professionally as Stela Cole is an American singer-songwriter. Her song “DIY” held the record for the most first week streams{{Cite web |date=2022-09-16 |title=Stela Cole Chats Her Upcoming Single "Star," Self-Care Tips, And Creating Music — Raydar Magazine |url=https://raydarmagazine.com/stela-cole-interview/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=raydarmagazine.com |language=en-US}} on American Song Contest where she reached the semi-finals as a contestant for her home state Georgia.{{Cite web |title=American Song Contest 2022 Georgia: Stela Cole - "DIY" |url=https://eurovisionworld.com/american-song-contest/2022/georgia-stela-cole-diy |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=Eurovisionworld |language=en-gb}} Prior to ASC, Stela independently released her EP, “Woman of the Hour” (2020) and song “I Shot Cupid” (2021) through her self-funded label “Stelavision Records”{{Cite web |last1=Lefuturewave |last2=Lefuturewave |title=Introducing: Stela Cole - Woman of the Hour - Lefuturewave |url=https://lefuturewave.com/2020/02/27/introducing-stela-cole-woman-of-the-hour/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |website=lefuturewave.com |language=en-US}} and Venice Music.
Early life
Shadinger was born on October 21, 1997, in Knoxville, Tennessee. She was adopted at birth and grew up Peachtree City, GA.
Shadinger grew up playing goalkeeper, she injured her back at 15, ending her competitive soccer career.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-31 |title=STELA COLE RELEASES ANTHEMIC NEW SINGLE "RHAPSODY IN PINK" VIA ULTRA RECORDS |url=https://mundanemag.com/stela-cole-releases-anthemic-new-single-rhapsody-in-pink-via-ultra-records/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Mundane |language=en-US}} After sustaining a serious back injury during a game, she turned her attention toward writing songs. After recording her first demos, she caught the attention of local producers who recognized her talent and introduced her to eventual manager Steve Sparrow. Sparrow went on to teach Stela how to write songs in a professional manner and is still her manager to this day.{{Citation |title=Interview with Stela Cole | date=22 September 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsbSjfVS6to |language=en |access-date=2023-01-10}}
Shadinger graduated from Starr’s Mill High School in 2016 and sang the national anthem at her graduation ceremony.{{Citation |title=Hollyn singing National Anthem at Starr's Mill High School graduation | date=20 May 2016 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgoj8CCWzqc |language=en |access-date=2023-01-18}} She briefly attended Belmont University to pursue a degree in “Commercial Voice,” but dropped out to focus on her music career with RCA Records.
Career
= 2018: Musical debut with RCA Records =
In 2018, Cole signed with RCA Records which released her debut single "You F O" {{Cite web |title=NEW POP SINGER/SONGWRITER STELA COLE SIGNS WITH RCA RECORDS AND RELEASES DEBUT TRACK & MUSIC VIDEO FOR "YOU F O" – Sony Music Canada |url=https://www.sonymusic.ca/press_release/new-pop-singer-songwriter-stela-cole-signs-with-rca-records-and-releases-debut-track-music-video-for-you-f-o |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=www.sonymusic.ca}} and later on distributed her debut project "Throwing Up Butterflies"{{Cite web |title=Stela Cole Releases Debut EP Throwing Up Butterflies Via RCA Records Today – Sony Music Canada |url=https://www.sonymusic.ca/press_release/stela-cole-releases-debut-ep-throwing-up-butterflies-via-rca-records-today |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=www.sonymusic.ca}}
Later in 2018, RCA Records dropped Cole a week after she played them the demo of her song "Love Like Mine" due to creative differences. According to Cole, They envisioned her to be a spin-off Meghan Trainor whereas Cole had a entirely different vision for her career and musical future.{{Citation |title=Interview with Stela Cole | date=22 September 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsbSjfVS6to |language=en |access-date=2023-01-15}}
= 2020: Woman Of The Hour EP =
In 2020, Cole started to roll out her EP "Woman Of The Hour" via independent music distribution service AWAL.{{Cite web |title=Stela Cole "Love You Like Mine" {{!}} Kings of A&R |url=https://kingsofar.com/2020/04/09/stela-cole-love-you-like-mine/ |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=kingsofar.com |language=en}} Before the release of the EP, every track was released as a single except Kiss or Kill which was released with the final EP delivery. The debut single of the EP was "Woman of the Hour.”
In a TikTok livestream, Cole revealed that she was able to fund her extended play, “Woman of the Hour” with the leftover money she saved from her RCA Records deal. Cole also stated on this livestream that she owns the masters to this EP and her song “I Shot Cupid,” therefore earning enough from streaming to pay her bills.{{Citation |title=26 AUG 2022 - Stela Cole - TikTok Live |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4ideh0l1Hc |language=en |access-date=2023-01-19}}
= 2021 - 2023: American Song Contest & Signing to Ultra Records post EP =
In early 2021, Stela teased her single "I Shot Cupid" on social platform TikTok. She then she released it onto all platforms on 1 June 2021 independently.{{Cite web |last=Cole |first=Stela |title=Stela Cole - I Shot Cupid |url=https://www.tiktok.com/music/I-Shot-Cupid-6964775235560146946?lang=en |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=TikTok |language=en}}
Later in 2021, Cole officially signed with Ultra Records.{{Cite web |last=Major |first=Michael |title=Stela Cole Releases New Single 'Bye Bye Blues' |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Stela-Cole-Releases-New-Single-Bye-Bye-Blues-20221021 |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}} Her first single with the label was "Walking On The Moon." Cole also appeared in the first ever season of American Song Contest to represent her home-state Georgia. She represented Georgia with the track "DIY" {{Cite web |title=American Song Contest 2022 Georgia: Stela Cole - "DIY" |url=https://eurovisionworld.com/american-song-contest/2022/georgia-stela-cole-diy |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=Eurovisionworld |language=en-gb}} Cole made it to the semi-finals of the show where she was eliminated.{{Citation |title=Stela Cole Performs "DIY" LIVE At The Semifinals {{!}} American Song Contest |date=9 May 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79lP2Mlo9bM |access-date=2023-01-10 |language=en}}
Cole throughout 2022 - 2023 continued to release a series of Non-album singles through her label Ultra Records including "Rhapsody In Pink", "Star", "Bye Bye Blues" & Roses.{{Cite web |title=Stela Cole discography - RYM/Sonemic |url=https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/stela-cole |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=Rate Your Music |language=en}}
= 2024 to present: Exiting label deal and Debut LP 'I Die Where You Begin' =
Cole used 2023 to split with her previous label and reclaimed her place as an independent musician via indie distribution service Amuse, in which she started rolling out her debut album. Cole cites Fleetwood Mac, The Mama’s and Papa’s, Tame Impala, The Eagles, Arctic Monkeys and more as inspirations for this new musical era. Cole describes this new era in her music as "more than a musical evolution, a rebirth."{{Cite web |title=Amuse Artist - Stela Cole |url=https://www.amuse.io/en/artists/stela-cole/ |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=amuse |language=en-us}}
Cole began this new musical journey via the release of debut single 'Die Hard'{{Cite web |last=RECORDS |first=BROKEN 8 |title=Stela Cole’s shares new single 'Die Hard', a release that is equally flawless and harrowing |url=https://broken8records.com/blogs/watch/stela-cole-s-shares-new-single-die-hard-a-release-that-is-equally-flawless-and-harrowing?srsltid=AfmBOopbRb3R3X3ztbf9DHl5eOc5MQC9yCwOa0y6EBk_beNAx6U0ms5X |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=BROKEN 8 RECORDS |language=en}} She then continued to release singles 'Midnight Killer, Blood Orange Wine, Feel It Again, Candyland, all of which later appeared on a prequel EP of the album 'IDWYB: The Prequel, with new accompanying single 'Now or Nevermind
Following this, Cole announced the album title 'I Die Where You Begin', accompanied by the full tracklist via social platforms and a pre-release page on streaming service Spotify, for release on 14th March 2025.{{Cite web |title=Spotify |url=https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/3wmWRhWSZdqz92vzljR99h?si=a400a6ca3c304cfd |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=open.spotify.com}} Vinyl variants were also announced for pre-order during this time.{{Cite web |title=I Die Where You Begin |url=https://record-stop.com/products/i-die-where-you-begin |access-date=2025-02-14 |website=Record Stop |language=en}} The vinyl also features the tracks Famous Last Words, Exit Wounds & Rose Colored Lover which are not on the digital streaming variant.{{Cite web |title=I Die Where You Begin |url=https://record-stop.com/products/i-die-where-you-begin#:~:text=Tracklisting: |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=Record Stop |language=en}} Upon the album's eventual release, Cole released the music video for the track 'Loverspell' off the project.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daGieHiZG58 |title=Stela Cole - Loverspell (Official Video) |date=2025-03-14 |last=Stela Cole |access-date=2025-03-16 |via=YouTube}}
Discography
= Studio albums =
{{Discography simple|album1=I Die Where You Begin|album1-releasedate=March 14, 2025|album1-label=Stelavision Records, Amuse (music company)|album1-formats=LP, digital download, streaming}}
= Extended plays =
{{Discography simple|album1=Let Me In (released as Hollyn Cole)|album1-releasedate=January 12, 2016|album1-formats=Digital download, streaming|album2=Throwing Up Butterflies|album2-releasedate=August 10, 2018|album2-label=RCA Records|album2-formats=Digital download, streaming|album3=Woman of the Hour|album3-releasedate=November 20, 2020|album3-label=Stelavison Records, AWAL|album3-formats=LP, Digital download, streaming|autoitalicize=}}
= Singles =
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Title !Year !Album |
| Maybe Love Will Last{{Citation |title=Maybe Love Will Last by Hollyn |date=2014-09-23 |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/maybe-love-will-last/921685853?i=921685863 |language=en-US |access-date=2023-01-17}} (released under the name “Hollyn”)
|2014 | rowspan="3" |Non-album single |
| Bodyrush{{Citation |title=Bodyrush |date=2017-04-21 |url=https://open.spotify.com/album/42fswUB2qjhQgEzvbPY94N |language=en |access-date=2023-01-17}}
| rowspan="2" |2017 |
| Secret Lover{{Citation |title=Secret Lover |date=2017-05-26 |url=https://open.spotify.com/track/2lDAzJm7TSENEmeMnfmQxk |language=en |access-date=2023-01-17}} |
| You F O
| rowspan="2" |2018 | rowspan="2" |Throwing Up Butterflies |
| Throwing Up Butterflies |
| Woman of the Hour
| rowspan="6" |2020 | rowspan="6" |Woman of the Hour |
| Love Like Mine |
| Goldrush |
| The Day It Rained In Southern California |
| Graveyard Shift |
| No Man's Land |
| I Shot Cupid
| rowspan="2" |2021 | rowspan="2" |Non-album single |
| Walking On The Moon |
| DIY (From "American Song Contest")
| rowspan="4" |2022 |American Song Contest: Episode 4 |
| Rhapsody In Pink
| rowspan="4" |Non-album single |
| Star |
| Bye Bye Blues |
| Roses
|2023 |
| Die Hard
| rowspan="8" |2024 | rowspan="8" |I Die Where You Begin |
| Midnight Killer |
| Blood Orange Wine |
| Feel It Again |
| Candyland |
| Blue Moon |
| God Loves You |
| Stereoqueen |
= As featured artist =
| class="wikitable"
!Title !Year !Album |
| Edit You
(KREAM featuring Stela Cole) | rowspan="2" |2019 | rowspan="2" |Non-album single |
| Sweater
(Codeko featuring Stela Cole) |
References
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Category:21st-century American women singers
Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters
Category:American women pop singers
Category:American women singer-songwriters