Tamara Chauniece, Kasi Jones, and Stacy Johnson were all at different music career paths within their musical journey before joining together to form the all-girl R&B trio The Shindellas. Chicago native Johnson had been honing in her craft as a teenager working for a family-owned production company in the jingle business as Jones hustled around Los Angeles between acting, songwriting, singing, and theater work. Meanwhile, Chauniece worked on her own music in Dallas alongside posting viral clips of herself singing different songs.

They were all brought together by a hitmaking combo made up of songwriter Claude Kelly ( Miley Cyrus’ “Party in the USA”) in addition to Churck Harmony (Rihanna’s “Russian Roulette”) through their label Weirdo Workshop. According to Johnson, more than their creative ability brought them together as they all moved to Nashville during the group’s early beginnings.

“Like they’re wonderful personalities with their empathy and grace,” said Johnson.“Their ability to understand the female and what it takes to show up daily and their grace for that. I feel so blessed to be a part of The Shindellas and to have really seen this dream come true and come alive.”

Since dropping their funky gospel-tinged first single, “Reconsider,” in 2018 from their 2019 debut EP Genesis, there are some unpredictable approaches that The Shindellas have taken to their R&B sound. It’s easy to hear in the more soulful “Happy to See You” or piano-focused vocal exercises like “Lullaby.” All of that is brought together through some beautiful three-part harmonies and uplifting lyrics that are fairly catchy.  They have a new name for it.

“Our genre is called New American Soul,” Johnson said before Chauniece interjected. “We’re trying to preserve the recipes that made R&B, what it was that made R&B pop music because at one point it was popular music.”

Contemporary American music hasn’t seen a highly successful R&B girl trio since a three-member Destiny’s Child ruled airways well over a decade ago. That doesn’t even count the 90s when TLCs and SWVs of the world were hot commodities or years prior. Chauniece mentioned that the concept of a trio in the genre is beautiful.

“We know what media has told us but what our experience has been is that we know that we are our best selves together and we’re stronger together,” said Chauniece. “I think that the more they see this, the more they see us, the more they see women coming together leaving all the cattiness and all of the other stuff at the door; the more they’ll see that groups are necessary and they’re possible.”

Jones also discusses how much the music industry has changed, especially for women.

“There’s so much more transparency in terms of the music business now as well,” said Jones. “A lot of those groups were signed when they were super young. It’s a breeding ground for infighting along with working so hard and not being compensated or getting paid.”

Let’s be clear: The Shindellas are grown women who recognize the collective goal as a group. That dedication has given them a solid fanbase and various opportunities within Nashville. This includes being the first R&B trio to perform at the Country Music Awards Country Christmas show and even showing support against Tennesse’s anti-LGBTQ legislation by performing at the Love Rising show.

“I think it’s more about the music and standards of excellence you’re bringing to your music for acceptance,” said Johnson. “We’ve been able to break the mold here with so many things. We’ve definitely been accepted in all of the genres here in Nashville.”

The Shindellas hope to push even more boundaries through their latest full-length album Shindo. Set for release on Oct. 20, the project will be their first since 2021’s Hits That Stick Like Grits. The group’s name has origins in the term Shindo. Johnson mentioned that they used a made-up word while in the studio.

“That’s to describe a feeling you get, like in church,” Johnson explained. “It’s like goosebumps or inspired chills. We’re the women who bring the chills.”

Singles from Shindo include the 80s R&B grooves sounding “Ooh La La” and more modern flair “Juicy” brings a taste from the album.

“Shindo is a celebration of love and joy and womanhood and sisterhood,” said Chauniece before Jones added, “We take to some new places on this record including R&B ballads. It’s just giving everything. You can just put it on and just let it ride.”

The Shindellas represent women in music who know themselves personally and creatively regardless of genres besides working as a collective. “It’s kind of amazing because when we come together, powerful things can happen,” said Jones.