When I went to see one of my artists' Opry debuts in May, another group was also having their Opry debut: DEK of Hearts. The trio, who met while attending Trevecca Nazarene University, consists of Dylan John, Emily Clapp, and Kollin Bailey. They captivated the audience with their three-part harmonies and received a standing ovation.

I literally hunted them down after that so I could learn their story.

DEK of Hearts is an unlikely trio. Their name comes from the initials of their first name. But their musical background is quite different. Dylan John prefers pop music, while Kollin Bailey leans toward country and bluegrass. Emily Clapp has the power vocals of a seasoned gospel singer.

At Trevecca, Dylan studied commercial music and voice; Emily studied worship and church music; and Kollin pursued a degree in Music Business. All three were required to give a senior recital to graduate.

When it was time for Kollin's recital, he decided to do a country concert and brought in his longtime pal, Opry member Rhonda Vincent. He stated, "I need a couple of background singers. Would you guys like to sing with me?" At the time, Emily and Kollin were on a PR worship team, while Dylan was traveling with Emily's husband, so they were a natural choice.

At Kollin's recital, they sang a couple of songs together, but the one song that really stood out was their cover of Lady A's "What if I Never Get Over You."

Emily recalled, "A couple of people came up to us after that concert, and they were like, 'Hey, there's something there. I think you guys should pursue it as a group.' We thought they were crazy at first, and we didn't really see it."

But a few months later, Rhonda Vincent asked them to open for her. Kollin stated, "You guys should sing BGVs (background vocals), and we should kind of do a trio thing out of it and see if it sticks this time." It did stick, and the trio started doing four-hour bar gigs three times a week in Nashville.

One thing that sets DEK of Hearts apart is their unique and uncanny harmony. They are not even from the same part of the country and have different vocal styles. But they all grew up singing in church, and that fast-tracked their ability to harmonize.

Kollin explained, "Singing in church was a great foundation, but doing those four-hour bar gigs helped us get our chops. We learned how each other phrases things, and now it comes more naturally to us."

If you think you recognize DEK of Hearts from somewhere, they were on Season 28 of The Voice in 2025, where they made the finale. The trio earned a rare 4-chair turn (the fastest that I’ve witnessed) that famously put Reba McEntire on the floor. Later crowned the official Mic Drop Winner during the Knockout Round, they advanced to the Top 3 finalists of the season, culminating in a Grand Finale appearance in the Rose Parade before more than 40 million television viewers worldwide. But their now-famous harmonies were really on display in The Voice Playoffs, where they sang “Helplessly Hoping,” a song that is eerily biographical of them.

Their journey has resonated widely, amassing more than 26 million views across social media and earning national features in People Magazine, American Songwriter, Entertainment NOW, and NBC’s Today Show.

Still with all their newfound fame, Kollin still didn’t have what he most wished for: an invite to sing at the Opry. He was a tour guide during college, but regardless of how many times he showed/talked about it, he never stepped into the circle.

He shared, “I would give those tours, and then people would take pictures at the very end of the tour on the stage in the circle. I would never stand there; it was always a very sacred space because so many legends had played there, and it was my biggest dream. My grandparents went to [The Opry] for their honeymoon. So, it meant a lot to my family and me.”

Kollin would pray, “Lord, your goodness and worthiness aren't conditional of me being in that circle, but you say, You give us the desires of our heart and my desire is to be in that circle."

Not long after The Voice, Opry Member, Carly Pearce heard DEK of Hearts perform a cover of one of her songs. Since her band leader is a Trevecca alumnus, he introduced them. She became a huge fan and invited them to open for several of her shows. In April, it was Carly Pearce who ultimately gave DEK of Hearts and Kollin the invitation to play the Grand Ole Opry.

Performing their songs “Dear Ole Whiskey” and newest single “Crazy Lady,” the group received a standing ovation from the audience before being called back onstage later in the night to perform “Boondocks” with Carly Pearce. They were on fire singing Little Big Town’s smash hit.

DEK of Hearts continues to build momentum as they sing across the United States and Canada. They have played The Listening Room and The Bluebird Café and will sing at the Opry again on July 7th, when The Voice judge Niall Horan makes his Opry debut.

Covering hundreds of rising artists, I often see super talented singer/songwriters inexplicably get overlooked. But in the case of DEK of Hearts, God did grant them the desires of their hearts, and people are paying attention. Make it a priority to see them live. Check out their extensive touring schedule here.

You can follow DEK of Hearts on their website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and all streaming platforms.

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Bethany Bowman is a freelance entertainment writer. You can follow her blog, Instagram, and TikTok.