When I heard Bella Lam's song, "Take It Out On My Guitar," I knew I wanted to feature her. When I found out she was an Asian American from Chattanooga, Tennessee, I was even more intrigued.
Bella Lam was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Jackson, Tennessee, on the outskirts of Memphis. Lam's paternal grandfather immigrated from China. Her father was raised in New York, but soon after he met Lam's mother, they relocated to Tennessee.
Lam's father is a doctor, but also has a music degree. "My grandfather wanted all his descendants to be well-rounded, so we all learned an instrument," she reported.
All of her cousins play music, and Lam's father taught her to play the guitar after she learned to play the piano as a child. Because she was a fidgety kid, her parents also put her in drum lessons, and she played drums and guitar throughout high school.
For her 15th birthday, Lam's parents set up a Skype call with singer-songwriter Will Jay. She recalled, "That morning, I was so excited, I was jumping off the wall. Then, when I sat down to talk to him, I was so quiet. I couldn't think of a word to say."
Eventually, they began talking, and she learned more about songwriting and how to play with words in new ways. Initially, she didn't think she would ever be able to write her own songs, but Jay said, "You sing, you have stuff to say. You just take a pen to paper, pick up your guitar, and do it."
But because Lam was born with hand tremors and a speech impediment, she never thought that she would become a pop or country music artist. However, she stated, "God was on my side, and I learned how to do it."
In 2021, Lam wrote and recorded "Move On" and "Try Harder," alongside her father.
Songwriting has since become an all-consuming passion, opening a new creative avenue for the gifted vocalist. “I always felt like I had so many different emotions, especially after everything that I’ve been through, and I really didn’t have an outlet to channel those feelings,” shared Lam, who frequently collaborates with some of Music City’s top talents.
In 2025, she released "Tears In My Tequila," which leans way more country than her previous two tracks. The song is about a girls' night out in Nashville, where heartbreak is on the back burner as she can no longer taste the tears in her tequila.
This weekend, Lam released her latest single, "Take It Out On My Guitar." She turns heartache into fuel, pouring every ounce of hurt and fire into a song that hits just as hard as the heartbreak. With nods to country heavyweights – Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Miranda Lambert, and The Chicks – she proves that sometimes the best revenge isn’t a dramatic scene—it’s a melody he can’t escape.
With the words, Ain't gonna sit and lick my wounds/ I got a list of things to do/ No, I ain't one to cry over a man, "Take It Out On My Guitar" is the perfect anthem for Galentine's Day.
In honor of the song, Lam has set up a breakup hotline for unsent messages — messy breakup stories, sad ones, or anything you just want to get off your chest. If there's anything you want to say, you can call 833-582-5348 and leave it as a voicemail. It's a good way to vent without texting your ex. "I've gotten some pretty juicy calls," she admitted.
Recently, Lam sang an unreleased song, "Dear Future Me," at Bluebird Café. And while the lyrics are specific to her, it's something many people can relate to.
She explained, "The song about being 23 and not knowing where your life is going and kind of struggling. I had girls my age come up to me and say, ‘I really feel this right now,’ and older women have come up to me and said, ‘I went through what you’re talking about, and I feel that song.’ That feedback felt really nice, especially at such an iconic venue as the Bluebird. It makes my heart happy.”
At just 23 years old, Lam has already proven to be a tested road warrior. Inspired by strong female performers such as Swift, Lambert, Tanya Tucker, and Megan Moroney, Lam is quickly establishing her own lane and taking her fans along for the ride. In addition to serving up her country originals, Lam likes to surprise the crowd with covers they wouldn’t expect, like the Journey classic “Any Way You Want It.”
“People are surprised to see a country girl singing Journey, but I love it. It’s such an in-your-face song,” she says. “And I love going out in the audience, meeting people, and mingling a little bit.”
While Lam is based out of Chattanooga and regularly plays local bars, she has gigs scheduled nearly every weekend through November. She will be performing throughout the Southeast, including events in Georgia and Virginia.
Follow Bella Lam's website, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and all streaming services for more information.
- - -
Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and TikTok.