NYCS First Impression: Tenille Townes ‘The Lemonade Stand’

It has been a long journey, but we have finally arrived at The Lemonade Stand, emerging country artist Tenille Townes’ debut album. Produced by Jay Joyce, the Canadian musician continues to showcase her creative songwriting skills with five new songs compiled with previous tracks from her Road to the Lemonade Stand EP and Living Room Worktapes, including the emotional “Jersey on the Wall” and her Billboard-charting hit “Somebody’s Daughter.” The virtual video interview below, Townes talks to us about what fans can expect from the record.

“The Lemonade Stand is a collection of songs that mean so much to me and are the way I see the world in this season of my life right now,” Townes shared. “I want this music to be like a gathering place, where people can come and be filled up. I hope this record reminds people of who they are, that they are not alone, and reminds them of their dreams.”

“Jersey on the Wall” and “Somebody’s Daughter” touch on two themes that we have never heard on country radio before. “Jersey on the Wall,” tells the story of a high school student who passed away in a car accident, which compels the singer to question God on tragedy and other aspects of life. In “Somebody’s Daughter,” which peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot Country Charts, she sings about a homeless woman on the corner of the street. That woman is a person too, just like herself, which makes Townes wonder how that woman got there and why she’s the one driving by in her car and not the one holding the cardboard sign.

 As for the rest of the album, love is a major theme and it is expressed in various ways. It could be as simple as “The Way You Look Tonight” featuring Keelan Donovan, where the two just describe how looking at the other person makes them feel. In “Lighthouse,” Townes explains that the two people in any given relationship need to be there for each other to guide them through hardships. In one of the previously released tracks, “White Horse,” she explains how your love story doesn’t have to be one out of a fairy tale; love comes in all different forms.

“Maybe not the way I was dreaming of / But you rode in and won my love / And now I’m finally on the right course / Who needs a white horse?”

As those songs describe love in relationships, there are songs about trying to find love as well, which is represented in “Find You,” “Where You Are,” and “Holding Out for the One.” In both “Find You” and “Where You Are,” Townes describes how relentless she would be and all the things she would do to find love. “Holding Out for the One” is a fun, upbeat song where she turns down every guy trying to pick her up at the bar because she knows none of them are “the one” and she is saving her heart for that person.

“I’m not the girl with her high heels in her hand / In last night’s little black party dress / Yeah, maybe I’m a little bit different I guess / But I ain’t giving my heart to just anyone / No, I’m holding out for the one”

“I Kept the Roses” is a vintage sounding ballad and the lone break-up song on the record. In this song, Townes sings about physical things from her former relationship that she has gotten rid of or given up, like the pictures, his t-shirts, the bar they went to, and even the friends they hung out with, to erase certain memories they once shared. However, the one thing she kept was the roses he bought her to show that there was good that came from it. Relationships, good or bad, shape the person you are today and she doesn’t want to forget what love feels like.

Townes touches on faith in ballads, “The Most Beautiful Things” and “When I Meet My Maker.” The latter is a Townes solo write and is not your typical song in terms of structure; it’s more of a poem. In it, she talks about the day she arrives in heaven and what her first conversation with God will be like. To hear more about “When I Meet My Maker”, check out our exclusive interview below. In “The Most Beautiful Things,” she lists things in life such as sunsets, shooting stars, and diamonds that are visually stunning. However, she states the things in life that are the most beautiful are the ones we cannot see, like love and faith.

“So why do we close our eyes / When we pray, cry, kiss, dream / Maybe the most beautiful things in this life are felt and never seen”

One of our favorite songs on the record, “Come As You Are” goes in its own category. Conveniently placed in the middle of the record, “Come As You Are” serves as the feel-good, party track to break up all the different emotions Townes makes us feel throughout The Lemonade Stand. This song is a reminder that it’s okay to let your worries go once in a while, let loose and just be yourself.

“Life is a party on a rooftop / So just go ahead and let your heart stop / All you gotta do is bring what you got / ‘Cause this elevator only goes up”

“This record is the dream that I had when I was a seven-year-old kid singing along in the backseat of the car,” Townes admitted. “She would really be freaking out right now.”

And the “freak-out” is well deserved. This album is a true reflection of Townes and her craft. Listeners can easily tell she poured her heart into this record by how genuine each and every lyric is. We understand how difficult it can be to honestly express yourself as a female in a male-dominated genre. We hope that young and talented musicians like herself motivate others to tell their stories and follow the same path. If Townes is the source of inspiration for aspiring female country artists, then the industry is in very good hands.

 

The Lemonade Stand Track List:

1. Holding Out for the One (Tenille Townes/Marc Beeson/Daniel Tashian)
2. Where You Are (Tenille Townes/Daniel Tashian/Keelan Donovan)
3. Jersey on the Wall (I’m Just Asking) (Tenille Townes/Tina Parol/Gordie Sampson)
4. Lighthouse (Tenille Townes/Dan Agee)
5. White Horse (Tenille Townes/Jeremy Spillman/Daniel Tashian)
6. I Kept the Roses (Tenille Townes/Dustin Christensen/Chris Gelbuda)
7. When I Meet My Maker (Tenille Townes)
8. Come as You Are (Tenille Townes/Marc Beeson/Daniel Tashian)
9. The Way You Look Tonight (Tenille Townes/Daniel Tashian/Keelan Donovan)
10. Find You (Tenille Townes/Sacha Skarbek/Daniel Tashian)
11. Somebody’s Daughter (Tenille Townes/Luke Laird/Barry Dean)
12. The Most Beautiful Things (Tenille Townes/Gordie Sampson/Josh Kear)

 

NYCS Picks:

1. Jersey on the Wall
2. Somebody’s Daughter
3. Holding Out for the One
4. Come As You Are

Keep up with Tenille Townes by following her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Lemonade Stand is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

 

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