Fridays are for new music and this week is heavy on debuts. Kassi Ashton dropped her debut single for country radio “Dates In Pickup Trucks” while newcomer Karley Scott Collins shared her major-label debut, “Heavenly.” Cole Swindell revealed plans for his fourth studio album “Stereotype” and a new love ballad “I’m Gonna Let Her” along with it.
Cole Swindell, “I’m Gonna Let Her”: Written by Dustin Lynch, Justin Ebach and Josh Thompson, “I’m Going to Let Her” is an adoring declaration of love that swells throughout the ballad. The song begins with the types of questions people ask at the start of relationships, including: “Is she gonna take the running right out of these boots? Is she gonna tell her mom about someone new?” By the end of the song, Swindell sings: “If she wants to think I’m thinkin’ ’bout forever, I’m gonna let her.”
“I’m Gonna Let Her” is a vulnerable wish for the future that will make Swindell’s audience swoon. The song is from his just-announced fourth studio album, “Stereotype,” available April 8. The album is also home to his newest multi-week No. 1 single, “Single Saturday Night,” and his current Top 20 duet with Lainey Wilson “Never Say Never.”
-Cindy Watts
Kassi Ashton, “Dates In Pickup Trucks”: Ashton has been a critically acclaimed Nashville fixture for years, but “Dates In Pickup Trucks” is her first radio single. Written by Ashton, David Garcia, and Luke Laird, the easygoing song blends Ashton’s pronounced R&B influence with steel guitar for a song about simpler times when dates in pickup trucks were the peak of entertainment.
“’Dates In Pickup Trucks’ is meant to be sang along to, with the wheels rolling you forward and the speakers taking you back,” Ashton said in a statement.
While “Dates In Pickup Trucks” is her first radio single, her popular streaming releases include “California, Missouri,” “Hopeless,” and “Violins,” which were released by UMG Nashville in conjunction with Interscope Records.
-Cindy Watts
Erin Kinsey, “Hate This Hometown” – Kinsey’s nostalgic ballad proves that the budding songstress wears her heart on her sleeve and writes from within. With robust instrumentals backing her infectious vocals, the Records Artists brings listeners on a joy ride by simply reflecting on monumental moments she faced throughout her Texas upbringing. Alongside co-writers Kathleen Higgins and Dave Cohen, the confident songsmith turned the personal letter-like anthem into a relatable love-centric single perfect for Valentine’s Day. Her mesmerizing modern country sound is destined to draw music enthusiasts in and encourage them to reflect on the hometown that turned them into the person they are today.
– Tiffany Goldstein
Karley Scott Collins, “Heavenly” – Collin’s poetic single “Heavenly” serves as her major-label debut and proves that she will become a country mainstay. The lyric-driven melody inspired by a string of heartbreaks showcases her gritty vocals and electrifying guitar riffs. While pushing the boundaries of traditional country, the newcomer incorporates gospel elements that turn the track into an uplifting anthem.
“You make my demons want a halo| make the devil in me wish he was an angel | Yeah, you bring out the best in me | Yeah, you make me feel heavenly | Thank God he gave me you ‘cause| You turn my sad songs into halleluiahs | Yeah, you bring out the best in me | Yeah, you make me feel heavenly,” Collins sings.
-Tiffany Goldstein
Listen to the full Roundup Playlist: