Today, the Iowa-born, Nashville-based country star and ACM New Female Artist of the Year Hailey Whitters released a new song “Tie’r Down” from her forthcoming EP I’m In Love out on July 28 via Pigasus / Songs & Daughters / Big Loud. The new song follows the release of the EP’s title track “I’m In Love” that was named one of the best songs of the week last week by Billboard and Stereogum.
About the song, Whitters explains, “It’s no secret I grew up a kid on ‘90s country radio, and so when I went in one day to write with Rodney Clawson and Chris LaCorte, I was reminiscing about Trisha Yearwood’s song ‘XXX’s & OOO’s.’ I was thinking a lot about the way that song made me feel – strong and like I could do anything I set my mind to despite whatever barriers anyone or anything might put in my way. I wanted to write a song that made young girls growing up in today’s world feel that same feeling.”
“This song is written in the third person, but there’s a lot of me influencing the character in this song. There’s dirt under my nails most of the time, and I’m much more ponytail in a ball cap than designer clothes. One of my favorite lines is ‘she’s got a baby doll face but she’s steel toe strong’ because it says I may look delicate but don’t underestimate my strength. That line always gives me guts whenever I need to go out there and show the world what I’m made of.”
The new EP, produced by Jake Gear and Hailey Whitters, follows her rapid ascent after winning New Female Artist of the Year at the 58th Academy of Country Music Awards in May, where she performed her RIAA gold certified hit single “Everything She Ain’t.” Last week, Billboard named Whitters their July 2023 all-genre Chartbreaker, calling out the success and rise of breakout single “Everything She Ain’t” that has spent 63 weeks on their Country Airplay chart and marked her first appearance on the Hot 100 chart in May.
Last year, Whitters released her critically-acclaimed album Raised, garnering raves from The New Yorker, People, New York Magazine, and NPR’s Weekend Edition, as well as earning the number one spot on Rolling Stone’s Best Country and Americana Albums list, Grady Smith’s Best Albums of the Year list and Holler’s Best Albums of the Year list.
Following her headlining Raised tour, supporting Shania Twain on her Queen of Me Tour, and tour dates with Dierks Bentley earlier this year, Whitters is in the midst of a festival-packed summer with performances at Country Thunder, Country Jam, TidalWave Music Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, Pilgrimage Music Festival and more. This September, she will hit the road with Eric Church followed by a run of dates supporting Luke Bryan.
I’m In Love EP Tracklist
1. Tie’r Down (Hailey Whitters, Rodney Clawson, Chris LaCorte)
2. Countryside Chick (Hailey Whitters, Matt Roy, Brett Tyler)
3. I’m In Love (Cameron Bedell, Nicolle Galyon, Lee Thomas Miller)
4. Mellencamp (Nicolle Galyon, Mark Holman, Jordan Minton)
5. Bad Love (Hailey Whitters, Hillary Lindsey, Jimmy Robbins)
6. Everything She Ain’t (Hailey Whitters, Bryan Simpson, Ryan Tyndell)
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