Wat maakt deze c&w lady nu weer zo speciaal volgens meneer Van de Mergel? Wel, op muzikaal vlak hoor ik inderdaad niets speciaal: er is de goede stem, goede songwriting, leuke liedjes. Watkins viel me echter op door haar reeks 'From the ....' waarin ze haar nummers telkens in een andere setting brengt (een kamp, een bibliotheek, een hut, ...). Het is eens iets anders om je nummers in beeld te brengen. Verder kan ik moeiteloos naar Watkins luisteren, ondanks de typische c&w clichés.
Introducing: The Heartbreak (EP) verschijnt op 17 november via Big Loud Records / Sons & Daughters
Luister ook naar: Fine County Line
Lees
Previewing six-song set Introducing: The Heartbreak, due in full Nov. 17, Watkins sets “The Table,” showing off a new depth of songwriting capability and a continuation of the “thoughtful, insightful study of the human character” (Entertainment Focus) she captures with every track. On “Fine County Line,” Watkins leans into her Southern rock roots for a flirty, upbeat two-step about walking the line before a first kiss – too close for comfort, too tempting to pass up.
“I'm so proud of these songs and I can't wait for people to get to know me better through them,” Watkins says. “I think 'The Table' shows a maturity in my writing that I haven't really gotten to share yet, and 'Fine County Line' is the lighthearted, carefree girl that's in there too. Two parts of me on the table today; a lot more on the way.”
On tour now with Austin Snell with dates supporting Conner Smith on the horizon, Watkins' live show is garnering raves nationwide, with Top Shelf Music praising “her commanding stage presence and heartfelt lyrics (that) left an indelible mark” after a performance earlier this year. Her three-night hometown residency – the Heartbreak Supper Club – kicked off earlier this week at Nashville's Springwater Supper Club to noteworthy reviews. Holler applauds: “While it should be a surprise that an artist still so early in her career has already landed some iteration of a residency, Watkins has spent 2023 making her bones and showing that she's got what it takes.”
About
Drenched in authenticity and rife with barstool charm with an addictive, Tennessee limestone gravel in her voice, Nashville born-and-bred songbird Lauren Watkins writes, breathes, and lives country music. The 24-year-old original grew up on the outskirts of Guitar Town, mesmerized by a jukebox rotation of country music, from outlaws like Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow to chart-toppers Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, and Chris Stapleton. Moving back after four years at Ole Miss, Watkins' unyielding, turn on a dime lyricism quickly caught the attention of GRAMMY-nominated multi-hyphenate Nicolle Galyon, who signed her to publishing and recording contracts with Songs & Daughters / Big Loud Records almost instantly. Honing in on a sound that's both reverent of the genre's roots and in lockstep with where it's headed next, she's introducing her take on country music now with a double shot debut: seven-song set Introducing: Lauren Watkins, released in April, and forthcoming six-song sequence, Introducing: The Heartbreak, out Nov. 17. Watkins spent the summer touring notable fairs and festivals throughout North America alongside opening gigs with Jameson Rodgers, Morgan Wallen, Lily Rose, and more. This fall, she opens nationwide tours for Conner Smith and Austin Snell.
