Music
Quail P: From college football to country-blues
Country-blues artist Quail P shares how he went from Georgia State football to viral success with “What You Got” and his new EP, Macclenny, at Red Bull On the Record.
“I’m Good” had cross-over appeal, hinging on a simple guitar production and a feel-good hook, without feeling trite. In the video, Quail appeared on the back of a pickup truck alongside locals —including construction workers—from his hometown. This was country-blues, pure and simple. And with an unapologetic Black man at the helm.
“I thought, man, this is really interesting and really compelling,” Lewis says. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to sign you because of the paradox between what you might look like and the cover of the book versus what’s under the cover and then the chapters of the book.”
Quail P and Zeke Lewis discuss the next chapter
© Caria Reynolds
The music executive spoke affirmatively to the football-star-turned-singer inside Red Bull’s Atlanta office the night before Quail’s label debut, Macclenny, was released in early October. The conversation was part of the latest iteration of Red Bull On the Record, an intimate live music experience designed to introduce tastemakers to emerging artists.
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Who is Quail P?
Quail P reflects on his journey from football to music
© Caria Reynolds
Quail P first rose to viral prominence with the single “What You Got,” for many of the same reasons he first gained the attention of Lewis. To date, the song has been streamed more than 8 million times, a testament to its accessible hook and the singer’s raw take on a love song. “Baby, what you got can make me fall in love. I don’t know what it is. It reminds me of drugs,” he sings. As Lewis puts it, Quail’s music melds “the grit of Southern rap with soulful melodies and Americana-inspired storytelling.”
The singer’s latest project builds on this sound, while also introducing fans to Quail’s hometown Macclenny, Florida. Born Seth Paige, the singer was raised in the small town of roughly 7,000 residents that’s located just outside of Jacksonville. In a place where everyone seemed to know one another, Quail says he often spent his days playing with friends outside. He was raised inside the church and on the football field. As a running back, he led Baker County High to its first state championship conference and achieved the best season in the school’s history. After high school, he relocated to Atlanta to compete at the Division 1 level for Georgia State University.
By 2020, the pandemic had shut down college campuses, forcing Quail to reflect on the career that once seemed certain for him. “That’s when I really noticed, I don’t love this,” he says.
Music had long been a secret passion for the athlete, who first learned to play piano in the 6th grade. “But it wasn’t cool to my homeboys, so I never showed it off,” he says, laughing. As a teenager, Quail would freestyle rap with his friends, but he was also drawn to artists like Adele and John Legend. Still, he felt like Maclenny was a football town and he was a football star. “I’m just from a place where it’s like play football or get a job,” he says.
On the 31-second acapella intro track for Macclenny, Quail hints at this, singing “I was made in Macclenny, where there really ain’t a plan b. If football don’t work, then you’re in the streets. You can make it out, but only in your dreams.”
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How did Quail develop his country-blues sound?
Quail P brings Macclenny to life with a live band
© Caria Reynolds
Quail said he decided to finally give music a proper shot once he realized his passion for football had waned. Still, he carried the same work ethic from his days on the field into the studio, teaching himself guitar and honing in on his sound with each new song he recorded.
His early music leaned heavily into trap rap tropes, but Quail says he quickly realized he wanted to lean into a more positive sound. “The only audience I was thinking about was the people in my neighborhood and the people I saw on that block,” he says. “We’re from a small city, so that’s a small audience. I was making small music.”
Quail says he’d always loved rap, but he was also drawn to songs that felt timeless and universal, often gravitating to the sounds of blues, pop rock and stadium music. The success of “What You Got”—a song the singer says he didn’t immediately like—gave him permission to embrace a new sound. “I kept it and went back to making other music. But that song still rose above everything.” The song gained the attention of the label TWNSHP and, eventually, a licensing deal with Epic.
On Macclenny, he’s still pulling from his own personal experiences, while also teaming up with new collaborators, including the superstar producer Tricky Stewart on the songs “Make My Move” and “Happy Tears.” “I definitely learned a lot, just from sitting around and watching him and his team work,” Quail says of. Stewart, who previously worked with Rihanna and Justin Bieber, among others.
At the Red Bull On the Record event, Quail—who commanded the attention of fans and industry insiders with his vulnerable vocals—sang all seven songs from Maclenny with the backing of a live, four-piece band. This project is the result of years of hard work and determination, he says. Finally, on this day, he could celebrate with a room full of people who believed in his vision.
Fans eagerly shared what the moment meant to them, too. “You can be from a certain place, you can look a certain way, but sound and feel completely different,” a man in the crowd expressed. “That’s why I’ve locked in and [expletive] with you heavy.”
Quail, who looks up to musical icons like Bob Marley because of their ability to achieve longevity without diluting their messages, doesn’t take the kind words for granted.
“I want to show the youth that you don’t have to take certain routes to become successful or to make your way in life,” he says.. “When it comes to music, you can really uplift people. Music is very powerful.”
But as another fan pointed out, Quail’s positivity doesn’t just benefit young fans. “I’m 62, and I love your music,” she told the singer.
Years ago, Quail set out to create music that felt timeless. He wanted to create songs that captured universal experiences, without dimming his specific perspective as a southern Black man. WiIth Macclenny, he’s well on his way to creating a catalog that does just that.