The Realest Love Song: Eleyet McConnell Open Up About ‘Bed of Roses,’ Music, and Marriage

In a world where love songs often feel airbrushed and fictional, Eleyet McConnell’s “Bed of Roses” stands out like a weathered journal cracked open at its most vulnerable page. The husband-wife duo of Angie and Chris McConnell don’t just co-write music—they live it. Their new single is a raw confession born from personal struggles, emotional honesty, and the quiet endurance of love that’s weathered storms. In this deeply candid conversation, the couple shares the emotional roots of “Bed of Roses,” reflects on their creative synergy, and reveals how their music continues to mirror the complexities of their relationship—flaws, fears, laughter, and all.

Angie, Chris—this song, “Bed of Roses,” feels incredibly personal.Was there a particular moment in your relationship or life together that inspired it?

Angie: There was a point in time when I was feeling a certain kind of way.  My insecurities were getting the best of me and this song came from that.  I was in my own head a bit too much and started telling myself stories.  That happens to the best of us.  Chris and I had our share of challenges, all early on in our relationship, and I was just in a weird space.  That being said, I poured my heart out in these lyrics, and I think my feelings are not unique to me.  These are real and many people experience them; many folks are just too afraid to say it out loud. 

Chris:  Anyone who ever tells you they have never felt the insecurity of a relationship isn’t being honest with themselves.  We have all been there.  I remember the timing of this song and it doesn’t take much for me to feel where Angie is at emotionally.  Some of our best songs are from under pressure, heartache and care. I’ve said this before about this song,,,,,,, Angie structured the notation in such away it was hard to follow at first. Considering where she was at the time I now understand the ebb and flow.

You’ve both been through your own journeys, and now you share the stage and the spotlight. What have you learned about love—and about each other—through making music together?

Angie: Chris has been at this a very long time.  He’s played in touring bands, fronted a band that won a regional star search, and has been writing music for decades.  My writing journey didn’t begin until I met Chris.  For me, I’ve always been the lead singer, whether in a cover band with him or as in our original project.  The very nature of that role puts me in the spotlight much of the time and I often worry that he doesn’t get enough credit.  I’m not a person who enjoys being the center of attention so sometimes it’s uncomfortable if you can believe it.  

Writing together has served a huge role in our relationship.  It’s allowed us to talk about difficult things in a non-threatening way and fostered a level of transparency that I think we would have struggled to develop without our music.  

Chris: I often think about this and how it keeps our relationship alive.  Whether it’s writing, rehearsing, driving around on our morning coffee runs or playing live on stage.  I find that this connection with not just a musician I respect and admire but my wife I get to live a life with and experience each day like it’s new.  We compromise and complement each other.  As for the spotlight,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,  Well she’s much prettier than me..lol

Angie, your voice carries so much emotion. When you sing lines like“I’m too tired to keep beggin’,” are you channeling past pain, present truth, or both?

Angie: The line was totally relevant to the present at the time I wrote the lyrics.  It was my truth. The whole song was a deep truth that I found a way to express in song.  The great thing about music is that it’s timeless.  There is relevance to lines in songs no matter what a person’s situation is at the time.  I feel like “Bed of Roses” is one of those tunes that can fit many scenarios for many people.  

Chris, your guitar work on this track feels like its own conversation with the lyrics. How do you approach playing alongside such emotionally charged storytelling?

Chris: As the Bass player for this song, it’s so easy to fall into a rhythm of style with Angie.  We are so interlocked that we will randomly hit the same moments and dynamics  together as well as wrong notes that were unrehearsed.  When your one heartbeat, one breath, one motion you’re in the zone and that’s something you just don’t find often.

You’ve been compared to legends like Fleetwood Mac and The Doobie Brothers. Do those comparisons feel flattering, or do they come with pressure to live up to something?

Angie: Flattering doesn’t quite cut it for me.  Those folks are icons in my book and they are people I can only hope to come close to in this space as far as writing lyrics and melodies.  Stevie Nicks is one of the best poets to ever live.  If I can tell a story about difficult things like she can, then I’m scoring big! Huge compliments to be put in a bucket with folks like that. 

Chris: We never set out to sound like anyone.  We just play what we feel, and styles can change from day to day.  Angie’s ability to stitch words together and tell a story with the delivery of her voice in my book puts her in that bucket.  The one thing we have always said is that if we lose all the music tomorrow, we will be fine because we are what we are and we are us.  We love our life, our family, our dogs, our cats and our chickens. 

This isn’t a song about fairy tale love. It’s about fatigue, honesty,and endurance. Do you think audiences are hungry for that kind of realness right now?

Angie: I do.  Relationships aren’t fairy tales and life is hard.  Get a helmet.  That is the truth!  Writing lyrics that are raw and real is what I enjoy doing.  On one level, it’s therapeutic for me but I also think it’s something people are hungry for right now. 

Chris:  I believe people are hungry for it.  We all have our moments and if you can hear a song that says it like it is and the emotion to express the mood.   Yeah, people are hungry. I think everyone gets to that point at some time.

You’ve been recognized by the ISSA and the Josie Music Awards—how do those honors affect how you view yourselves as artists? Does validation ever shift your creative direction?

Angie: Well, I’m still pinching myself.  Still wrapping my head around it.  What an honor.  I’m humbled, I’m elated, I feel vindicated because so many people told us we were crazy and that we’d never do anything real at our age.  I feel established.  The folks that were negative look at us differently now.  I wouldn’t say our creative direction hasn’t changed, but we do feel more power behind the drive that got us here in the first place. 

Chris:  Our creative direction is always shifting.  That’s what keeps it real and exciting.  I feel we have come of age after years of band life.  There comes a time when the gigs and bars and cover tunes no longer become fulfillment in this business.  At some point when you’re in this long enough you need to take the next step.  Fortunately for us that step has taken us to places we only dreamed of going.  We have established ourselves to the point that we just need to keep putting out music.  I’ve said it before.  It’s a machine and we are one part of the creative process.

 If I may be personal—what do you hope your music says about your marriage, not just as performers, but as two people choosing each other every day?

Angie: This might be the most favorite question posed to me ever.  I think our music hits a special place in people.  That spot that makes you feel safe admitting flaws, hard times, and the emotional roller coaster a relationship marriage and family can feel like.  Successful marriages take work.  It’s simply a fact.  No one is perfect and compromise is essential.  You have to learn your partner on a very deep level, understand why they feel the way they do and accept everything that makes them who they are if you want a real, long-term relationship of substance.  

If you listen to the lyrics of our songs, you will quickly realize that we talk about all of it. Good, bad, ugly, happiness, sadness, anger – it’s all out there in the open.  I hope that we can serve as an example to people that true happiness is possible, even when you find yourselves in challenging moments.  Even in the most difficult times, I couldn’t imagine this life with anyone else.  That’s true to this day. 

Chris: I hope people can see that through our words and songs that it doesn’t always go smooth but when you are in a partnership you take the hits with glory.  Everyday is new for us.  We wake each day not knowing where it will take us.  Not knowing how we will feel.  Not knowing that it could be the last.  Life is fragile.  I know whatever the case is that each day brings, my wife is there for me and with me.  We understand our role and where our strengths and weaknesses lay.  We could be in a crowded room and all we see is each other.  It’s a beautiful thing to have your partner be your best friend.  We laugh all the time and hassle each other the same.  I feel very lucky to have met Angie and to have the same feeling and understanding musically.  We can pump out music all day long.  It all depends on the day as to the style.  I believe a strong relationship requires a strong commonality.