Nashville-based band Audawind, composed of older sister Shelby Dufton and identical twin brothers Ben and Sam Dufton, released their debut single, “CHUG-A-LUGGA,” on Sept. 27. The upbeat and catchy song, combining rap and country elements, will surely get you off your feet.
“We wanted to make music that made people get up and dance,” Shelby Dufton said.
Before forming the band, music was constantly present in the family’s life. Shelby participated in theater, Sam took up the guitar and Ben picked up the drums.
“We were playing different instruments in different rooms, different songs and different genres,” Shelby Dufton said.
Their mom witnessed this, which sparked an idea: performing a song together in the same room.
They have taken the band beyond that room, recently releasing “CHUG-A-LUGGA” and signing with Grammy-nominated record producer Christy Dinapoli.
“The song’s kind of our foot in the door, our introduction. Now we’re ready for people to know us,” Shelby Dufton said.
The song came to life when Ben Dufton attempted to sing an Aerosmith song but slightly missed the riff. Sam Dufton, the band’s producer, thought it sounded cool. They decided to play off this unintentional sound, experimenting with different ideas, eventually leading to “CHUG-A-LUGGA.” The family now has fun with the phrase, using it when they’re out and about.
Audawind has even created a line dance to the song and is sharing it across social media. They believe line dancing fosters community and allows people to easily come together and dance.
“We wanted to create something that people could catch on to quickly, and this one’s really fun to do,” Shelby Dufton said.
Audawind hopes the song inspires people, especially students, to let loose and have fun, despite the stress that comes with life.
“We are so often overthinking,” Shelby Dufton said. “I mean, life is serious, but it’s important to laugh at yourself and have a group of people you can just go out with and say, ‘Let’s not focus on the stressful things.’”
Life can be stressful, but it’s the fun moments that stick with us the most. Audawind’s “CHUG-A-LUGGA” is a reminder to let go and enjoy those times, especially after a long, tiring week. If you’re seeking a track that does just that, you can now stream “CHUG-A-LUGGA” on Spotify and Apple Music.
