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Lily Rose: ‘Stronger Than I Am’ – EP Review

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Lily Rose’s debut EP, Stronger Than I Am is out now, October 1st on all streaming platforms. Check out our full review and listen to the brand new music below.

There’s something special about Lily Rose. Her voice shines with hints of 90’s country, while her music is a perfect combination of that, mixed with hints of pop, soul and R&B.

With an eclectic pop-country sound, Rose embraces being one of country music’s few openly gay artists, singing about the woman who broke her heart and the one she hopes to find love with. There’s no hiding herself here, and that makes the project all the more personal. Throughout the seven songs, Rose deals with a breakup, explores the possibility of new love, and celebrates the virtues of her hometown. 

Following the viral success of her song “Villain” on TikTok, Rose signed a joint deal with Big Loud Records, Back Blocks Music, and Republic Records to release her debut project, Stronger Than I Am, out today, October 1. The singer-songwriter co-wrote four of the seven tracks, which also include songs written by fellow genre-bending artists like Sam Hunt, Ernest, and Breland.

The viral hit, “Villain,” opens the album, having Rose sound like a country-leaning Adele on the breakup song. Over the groovy mid-tempo track, Rose sings of the two sides of a story that tend to accompany the end of every relationship. She’s okay with negative light for the sake of her ex, singing “You can be the hero // I can take the fall / If that’s how your story goes // Say it’s all my fault // Whatever helps you sleep at night // Yeah you can make me the bad guy // Make ‘em all believe it // If that’s how you’re feelin’ // I can be the villain.” Meanwhile, things take a turn near the end of the song, Rose admitting,“What they don’t know is I tried to make us work it out // but I couldn’t save us // I couldn’t save us.”

The album’s first few tracks all center around the theme of the various stages of grief that go with heartbreak. The clever title track is a highlight from the project and finds Rose dealing with her broken heart by occasionally finding strength and solace in a bottle of “something that’s stronger than I am.” While she admits that “sometimes I can handle my own,” it’s not all roses for Rose. “Tonight, I don’t feel like I can // That’s why I’m sitting here on something // That’s stronger than I am.”

Meanwhile, the previously-released “I Don’t Smoke,” has a vulnerable Rose admitting that it’s impossible for her to ignore her ex. “That’s like saying I don’t smoke when I drink,” she admits on the stunning track, a clear standout on the album.

On “Remind Me Of You”, Rose is trying to move on and it’s proving difficult. “Girl, you were all that I wanted // And that’s why falling in love with her // Is so hard to do,” she admits. “She don’t remind me of you // She’s checking every box on the list // But there’s one that she missed // I think I know what it is // She don’t remind me of you.”

Meanwhile, “Know My Way Around” shows a more hopeful singer, revealing the things she knows all too well and the one she wants to know more of. “Cause ever since you walked in // Only thing that I’ve been thinking ‘bout is my next move,”she sings to the girl who caught her eye. “I just wanna know my way around you.”

The seven track project ends with “Whole Lotta Hometowns,” arguably the most country song here as she celebrates the town she grew up in. “There’s a whole lotta hometowns,” she proclaims on the anthemic tune. “But only one of them’s mine.” With driving guitars that surround Rose’s lush vocals, “Whole Lotta Hometowns” is the perfect closer to the album, showing a different side to the profoundly talented singer-songwriter.

On Stronger Than I Am, Lily Rose has released an honest body of work that explores the various facets of a breakup in a way that’s remarkably real, raw, and relatable. 

Stronger Than I Am Tracklist

  1. “Villain” (Lily Rose, Mackenzie Carpenter, Kyle Clark)
  2. “Stronger Than I Am” (Griffen Palmer, Geoff Warburton)
  3. “I Don’t Smoke” (Daniel Gerard Breland, Lalo Guzman, Michael Tyler)
  4. “Remind Me of You” (Corey Crowder, Sam Hunt, Ernest Keith Smith, Ryan Vojtesak)
  5. “Know My Way Around” (Lily Rose, Julian Bunetta, Savana Santos)
  6. “Breakin’ In” (Lily Rose, John Byron, Ben Johnson, Blake Pendergrass)
  7. “Whole Lotta Hometowns” (Lily Rose, Andy Albert, Kyle Clark)
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Lily Rose’s debut EP ‘Stronger Than I Am’ is out now on all streaming platforms.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Lily Rose releases.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Stronger Than I Am is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes 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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5 Things to Expect from Lily Rose’s EP ‘Stronger Than I Am’

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We chatted with country singer-songwriter Lily Rose about her new EP, Stronger Than I Am, out this Friday, October 1st. Here are five things to expect from the project.

  1. Lily Rose’s journey to release this new EP has been quite the whirlwind.

“To put in to perspective, 365 days ago I did not have TikTok,” shares the singer-songwriter, adding “It’s insane what’s happened in the last 9.5 months, let alone, the last 11 months.”

 

  1. The seven songs were carefully chosen, so that Rose could fill a setlist to be able to perform for fans.

“It’s really special that all these songs I’ve been playing live and if you’ve been to a show, people have heard these already. So what I’m excited about is to see the growth of the songs and see people sing them back.”

 

  1. Rose’s hit “Villain” started the trajectory of songs and themes of relatability in her story-telling EP.

“All of them have a really cool way of saying ‘I’m heartbroken’ or ‘I need to get over you’ or ‘I haven’t gotten over you,’ just so many ways in country music that this topic is done over and over again, and we found titles and hooks or we wrote titles and hooks in ways that have never been done before in country music.”

 

  1. Although Rose loves every song on the project, the title track “Stronger Than I Am” is a standout to her.

“I feel like the “Villain” chapter of the last ten months is turning into the “Stronger Than I Am” chapter. There’s a reason that, that song is the title track. That song stands above the others. I think it’s really one of the best written country songs that I’ve heard in a long time.”

 

  1. Finally, Rose shared with us how proud she is to finally release this type of music to the world, laced with all of her vast influences across genres.

“This is the music I’ve been trying to make over the last eight years.”

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Lily Rose’s new EP, ‘Stronger Than I Am’ comes out this Friday, October 1st.

Check back this Friday for our full EP review of Lily Rose’s record Stronger Than I Am.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Lily Rose releases.

Lily Rose Drops Brand New Song “I Don’t Smoke”

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Lily Rose’s new song “I Don’t Smoke” is out now, September 3rd, on all streaming platforms.  Take a look below as we dig into the track.

Since she bursted on to the country music scene, we just cannot get enough of up and coming artist Lily Rose. Her debut single “Villain” blew us away. Moreover, every release since then including “Overnight Sensation” and “Remind Me of You” have continued to up the ante. Today, Rose releases another brand new song titled “I Don’t Smoke.”

The new track, written by Lalo Guzman, Michael Tyler and Daniel Breland, marks the singer’s fifth release. A mid-tempo jam, Rose pours her heart into the new tune. On the track, Rose deals with heartbreak by going out and getting drunk, mentioning that it is hard to act like she is unphased. This is an all to relatable sentiment for most of us.

Lily Rose's new song "I Don't Smoke" is out now, September 3rd

Lily Rose’s new song “I Don’t Smoke” is out now, September 3rd

“So I got a little faded // ‘Cause I know how much you hate it // But still low key // Tryna act like you don’t love me // That’s like saying I don’t smoke when I drink // Every Friday night, baby, I won’t lie // That’s like saying I don’t know anything // When my momma asks ’bout where you’ve been at”

“I Don’t Smoke” also features clever wordplay and a hooky melody, which captivates the listener almost instantly. So far in her blossoming career, Rose has managed to produce only hits! She continues to stay true to herself and her sound with each song. We cannot wait to see her career continue to take off!

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Lily Rose releases.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“I Don’t Smoke” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes 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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Lily Rose Premieres New Song “Know My Way Around”

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Lily Rose’s new song, “Know My Way Around” is available now, July 23rd, on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new song.

Artist to watch, Lily Rose has blown us away with each of her releases this year. The songstress first went viral on social media with her song “Villain.” She quickly followed the track with the touching song “Overnight Sensation” and the vulnerable, “Remind Me of You.” Today, the singer premieres another song to add to her impressive catalog of music called “Know My Way Around.”

Unlike her previous releases, Rose leans into the more fun-loving side of her personality. “Know My Way Around,” written by Avenue Beat’s Savana Santos and hit-songwriter Julian Bunetta, is all about the new girl that catches your eye. The song feels alluring and romantic while keeping up with the pop-country feel of the melody. We love the hopeful nature of the song, as it perfectly captures lust, love, and a summer fling.

“I know my way around my hometown // I know every backroad and red light // Where to get a fake ID and who to call for some weed and where the cops like to sit and hide // Know my way around the barstool // I’ve had a sip of every bottle up on that shelf // and how to have a night full of shots and a few on the rocks and still walk home by myself”

With already nearly 2 million views on TikTok alone, it is clear that “Know My Way Around” is quickly going to become a fan favorite. Fans can catch the single and her others live when Rose opens up for Chris Lane’s ‘Fill Them Boots’ tour this fall. 

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Lily Rose’s new song, “Know My Way Around,” is out now, July 23rd.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Lily Rose announcements and releases.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Know My Way Around” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Viral TikTok Stars in Country Music That We Love Right Now

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Here are six country music viral TikTok stars that we are loving right now. Let us know how your list matches up to ours.

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Viral TikTok Stars in Country Music That We Love Right Now

TikTok is full of talented budding artists with millions of followers. Overflowing with tons of incredible country songs that have gone viral way before they were even officially released, but it’s even more exciting to see all the country artists who have become stars because of their platforms. Check out a few of our favorites below. Let us know how your list matches up with ours.

Lily Rose

Recording artist Lily Rose, quite literally rose to fame thanks to TikTok. Her song “Villain” is one of our favorite songs on radio right now, and she is an absolute force. Rose caught the attention of Big Loud Records / Back Blocks Music and Republic Records who signed her to a joint-venture record deal in Jan. 2021. With over four million likes and over 600K followers on the platform alone, Rose is absolutely the real deal!

Noah Schnacky

Although Noah Schnacky was known before TikTok, the platform has exponentially increased his fanbase. The talented singer-songwriter has 6.7 million followers on TikTok alone. One of his recent singles, “She Broke My Heart” blew up on the platform and continues to make waves for Schnacky.

CB30

One of our favorite brother duo’s CB30 have 2.4 million fans on TikTok. They continuously post both comedic pranks on the platform, as well as, killer covers and original songs. Most recently, Christian and Brody covered “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo, which fans went crazy for. This led the duo to release their own official cover of the track to all streaming platforms. They also just released their original new song, “Healthy.”

Priscilla Block

Priscilla Block earned her record deal because of a viral TikTok hit! Her song “Just About Over You” is still trending on the platform and she is about to make her Grand Ole Opry debut this month. It is safe to say that Block is killing it. To learn more about her, check out our interview with the artist here.

Andrew Jannakos

With just under 800k followers on TIkTok, Andrew Jannakos became a bonafide sensation after his wife posted a video of him singing his song “Gone Too Soon” on the platform. Now, the singer is a signed artist, and his second single “Wine Country” was released just a few weeks ago. We are loving his talent, and cannot wait to see him blossom.

Kierra Lewis

Rounding out our list is Kierra Lewis. The incredible comedian is a superstar in the making. She went viral on TikTok with a comedic rant about Sam Hunt, and her newfound fame is proving to be one that we can all enjoy together in country music. She may not be a singer, but she’s too talented to leave off our list!

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming announcements and releases, including news about these viral TikTok stars.

Chris Lane Announces 2021 ‘Fill Them Boots’ Tour

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Chris Lane has revealed The Fill Them Boots 2021 Tour with dates kicking off this Fall. Check out the full list of dates below.

Joining Chris Lane on tour will be Tyler Rich, Ernest, and Lily Rose.

Tickets go on sale starting June 25th at 10am local time at Ticketmaster.com.

Join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Chris Lane releases.

Check out the dates below for the full list of shows…

TOUR DATES: 
Oct 28 – Memphis, TN –  Soundstage at Graceland*
Oct 29 – Huntsville, AL – Mars Music Hall*
Oct 30 – Birmingham, AL – The Avondale*
Nov 04 – Louisville, KY – Palace Theatre*
Nov 05 – Cincinnati, OH – The Andrew J Brady ICON Music Center*
Nov 06 – Indianapolis, IN – Egyptian Room*
Nov 19 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center*
Nov 20 – Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom*
Nov 21 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater*
Jan 13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues^
Jan 14 – Huntington, NY – The Paramount^
Jan 15 – Wallingford, CT – The Dome^
Jan 20 – Minneapolis, MN – The Fillmore^
Jan 27 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium^
Jan 28 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Complex^
Jan 29 – Boise, ID – Revolution Concert House^
Feb 02 – Los Angeles, CA – The Wiltern^
Feb 03 –San Diego, CA – SOMA^
Feb 04 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues^
Feb 10 – San Francisco, CA – The Masonic^
Feb 12 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theatre^
Feb 17 – Seattle, WA – The Neptune^
Feb 18 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom^
Feb 19 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Centre^+
Feb 25 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz^
Feb 26 – Myrtle Beach, SC – House of Blues^
March 04 – Washington DC – The Fillmore^
March 06 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore^
March 10 – New York, NY – Hammerstein Ballroom^
March 11 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues^
March 12 – Pittsburgh, PA – Roxian Theatre^

* with Tyler Rich
^ with ERNEST
All dates feature Lily Rose

+ Abbotsford, BC public on-sale 6/24 at 10am local time

Artist to Watch, Lily Rose Releases New Song “Remind Me Of You”

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Lily Rose’s new song, “Remind Me Of You” is out now, May 21st, on all streaming platforms. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new track.

Newcomer, Lily Rose is already a bonafide superstar according to TikTok users, and pretty much anybody who takes a second to give her music a listen. The singer went viral with snippets of her song “Villain” time and time again, hitting over 1 million views in only thirteen hours. Following the recent release of her song “Overnight Sensation,” Rose debuted her latest track “Remind Me Of You,” out today.

Continuing to allow fans access to the more vulnerable parts of her, Rose shares a story of love and love loss on “Remind Me Of You.” As the singer grapples with the all too familiar feeling of wanting to get over someone, but not being able to shake your feelings for them, she delivers a song that feels catchy and relatable, yet deeply personal.

“She don’t remind me of you // You think that that was a good thing // It’s sad, but it’s true // Should be cool, but it just ain’t // Girl you were all that I wanted and that’s why falling in love with her is so hard to do // She don’t remind me of you”

Rose shared in a recent press release that “Remind Me Of You” is her favorite song that she released so far, and we can see why. The melody is instantly stuck in your head after just one listen, and you can definitely feel what Rose is agonizing over on the track.

It is only a matter of time that more and more fans catch on to Rose’s one-of-a-kind talent. Her soulful vocals and vulnerable lyrics are exactly what country music needs. We are already big fans of the singer, and cannot wait to see how the mainstream fanbases react to her music!

Lily Rose's new song, "Remind Me Of You" is available now, May 21st, on all streaming platforms

Lily Rose’s new song, “Remind Me Of You” is available now, May 21st, on all streaming platforms

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming Lily Rose announcements and releases.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Remind Me Of You” is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Rising Star Lily Rose Releases Touching New Song “Overnight Sensation”

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Rising breakout star, Lily Rose just released a touching new song “Overnight Sensation”, available now, April 30th, everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a look below as we dig a little deeper into the new music.

Newcomer, Lily Rose is already a bonafide superstar according to TikTok users and many, many fans around the world! The singer went viral with snippets of her song “Villain” time and time again, hitting over 1 million views in only thirteen hours. Today the singer-songwriter is releasing her next song to the world, rightly titled, “Overnight Sensation.”

Written in 2019 with Rose’s close friends Matt Morrisey, Morgan Brock, and Lauren Hungate, the singer and her friends never dreamed that her career would blow up like this. “I honestly don’t know if there’s a more personal song in my arsenal than “Overnight Sensation,” she shared in a recent press release, “Who knew that when we wrote the song in 2019 it would be the ultimate foreshadowing of me signing a record deal because of a viral moment.”

Rose portrays the message of how hard singers work to make it in the industry. Behind that title of a ‘new artist’ or an ‘overnight sensation,’ artists tend to have worked for over a decade just to get this to this point. If the song was not special enough, the accompanying music video shares special clips of Rose and her family, as she worked hard to get to where she is now as an artist. Much deserved!

“Works my fingers to the bone // Hurt like hell going through it then // Looking back I’d do it all again // No one knows quite how things go,” adding later, “I’m an overnight sensation // thirteen years in the making”

It is only a matter of time that more and more fans catch on to Rose’s one-of-a-kind talent. Her soulful vocals and vulnerable lyrics are exactly what country music needs. We are already big fans of the singer, and cannot wait to see how the mainstream fanbases react to her incredible music!

Lily Rose's "Overnight Sensation" is available now, April 30th

Lily Rose’s “Overnight Sensation” is available now, April 30th

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Lily Rose releases.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“Overnight Senseation” 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.

Our Favorite Viral Country Songs from TikTok

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TikTok is full of talented budding artists with millions of followers. Lately, we have noticed that many country songs have gone viral just before their release. Check out a few of our favorites below and let us know how your list matches up with ours.

“Villain”- Lily Rose

“You can be the hero, I can take the fall / If that’s how your story goes, say it’s all my fault / Whatever helps you sleep at night / Yeah, you can make me the bad guy”

Named one of our 2021 Artists to Watch, Lily Rose rose to stardom on TikTok, building a community of loyal fans almost instantly. Staying true to herself and her personal story, “Villain” is the perfect introduction to Rose’s budding talent. The new soulful tune is the perfect track for anyone that is feeling like the “bad guy” after a break-up.

To keep up with Lily Rose, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

“Jealous Of The Sky”- Ashley Cooke

“You can shine all the time like it’s just another day / Let the rain out when you feel like you wanna cry / Now you get to say hello while I gotta say goodbye / I’m jealous of the sky”

Ashley Cooke rose to fame on TikTok over quarantine, and there’s clearly no stopping her. She just released her new heartfelt song, “Sunday Morning Kinda Saturday Night,” but it was “Jealous Of The Sky” that captured our hearts first. Written in remembrance for her best friend that passed away from his battle with cancer, the touching tune is a song that really puts Cooke on the map for her vocals and her songwriting.

To keep up with Ashley Cooke, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

“Better Than You’re Used To”- Tyler Rich

“He don’t take you dancing, he don’t understand / What he’s got, but baby I do / You need someone to love, love, love you / Better than you’re used to”

Although already an established country artist, Tyler Rich utilized social media, especially TikTok to his benefit. After writing the demo of “Better Than You’re Used To,” he shared it with his followers, and his fans instantly took to it. With no real plans to release it, Rich quickly changed his mind and released the song at the perfect time just before Valentine’s Day. We hope it becomes a hit for the singer-songwriter!

To keep up with Tyler Rich, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

“Just About Over You”- Priscilla Block

“Guess I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time / You must’ve heard I was moving on / Then right out of the blue / A quarter past two, I’m all about you / When I was just about, just about over you”

Priscilla Block is undoubtedly one of our new favorite songstresses’ in county music. With a sassy attitude, killer songwriting, and honesty for days, how could you not fall in love with her?! Although she has many songs that have gone viral on TikTok, “Just About Over You” is a clear standout.

To keep up with Priscilla Block, follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

“She Broke My Heart”- Noah Schnacky

“Cause I wouldn’t have been riding solo / Friday night at the house of blues / And I wind’ the ben there to accidentally spill my drink on you / You wouldn’t have laughed at how I dance”

TikTok has a ton of artists that are both newcomers and established artists in the field. Noah Schnacky is a rising artist, who has gained a lot of success with his TikTok page. He continues to utilize it to share new releases and demos with his fans. Most recently, he has been sharing “She Broke My Heart,” and it is both a viral hit and an absolute smash!

To keep up with Noah Schnacky, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

How does our list of favorite viral TikTok country songs match up to yours? Let us know in the comments.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about upcoming country music releases in the coming weeks.

Woman of the Month: Rakiyah Marshall

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We’re bringing you stories from women who are chasing their dreams and building a life that they love with New York Country Swag’s, “Woman of the Month”.

Each month, we highlight a different female pursuing her passions. Introducing you to women who are taking risks, working relentlessly, and turning their dreams into reality. These are empowering women who serve as role models and should be celebrated.

Rakiyah Marshall

“I love music, I love songwriters, and I love that music makes the world go round”

 

Our first Woman of the Month for 2021 hails from the same hometown as our Managing Editor, Christina, on Long Island New York. Rakiyah Marshall now resides in Nashville but her inspiring story of finding her passion for music, moving to Nashville to pursue that passion, and taking a leap of faith to start her own business all started in New York.

Thinking back to her childhood, music was always playing in her home. Whether her mother was cleaning on a Sunday morning listening to gospel music, getting ready for a party and listening to reggae, or even listening to the country female powerhouses taking over the airwaves in the ’90s, the energy music brought to her household influenced her life. She attended Seton Hall in New Jersey for college and knew that she wanted to be involved in the entertainment world. She landed an internship at Republic Records at a crucial time for the label, when it was just beginning to expand and take off. She recalls watching major artists like Ariana Grande and Nelly walk through the office and seeing artists who weren’t huge yet, get their start with Republic. “I remember going back to my dorm and thinking to myself, ‘What world did I just walk in to and how do I stay in it’,” she recalls.

Marshall speaks so highly of her internship and what she learned there, explaining that after she graduated she asked if she can stay on, that she would help with whatever they needed at the time, and eventually that turned into a full-time job. She tells us that one summer a friend asked her to go to see Rascal Flatts at PNC Bank Arts Center in New Jersey and it was her very first time at a country concert. “I had never gone to a tailgate like that, so many people just in a parking lot out in a field, it felt like everyone was friends and family already, I never enjoyed a concert like I did that day.” She tells us after that show she really started digging into the newer country acts, learning to love the true storytelling aspect of the genre.

She made the move to Nashville and took a job working at BMG in publishing, helping to guide and work with songwriters like Lindsey Ell, Sean Stemaly, and Emily Landis. “The Music Row feeling, it’s one I don’t even know how to describe,” she tells us.  “It’s a street filled with labels, publishers, PROS, and they are all located on one street, it’s magical and something that just does not exist in New York or Los Angeles, where it’s very corporate-driven and all high rises.” She quickly started to cherish the songwriter and the powerful energy that they brought to music city.

Like most people who work in the music industry, the COVID-19 pandemic forced everyone to pivot their strategies, sit down and figure out how they could use the slowed-down moments to their benefit. Marshall, who has always taken her own route in life decided that it was time for her to bet on herself, her talents, and confidently take a leap of faith and start her own company. After spending time watching cat videos on TikTok, she laughs, she tells us that she quickly realized that this new app was filled with untapped, unsigned yet very talented artists. After coming across Ashley Cooke, she knew she wanted to work with her. “My boyfriend, Seth England said ‘Why don’t you do it yourself? If you really believe in her, and she believes in you, you can start it together.’ It was scary to quit my corporate job in the middle of a pandemic, I had a lot of anxiety but I thought, there is no better time, I had time to think and strategize.”

England who is the CEO and partner at Big Loud Records also suggested the perfect name for her new venture and Back Blocks Music was born. “The term Back Blocks is because my dad and my family members say it a lot, when we are in traffic or trying to get somewhere fast, my dad will always say, “Take the back blocks”, and it’s basically his version of the dirt road”. Seth said to me, ‘Why don’t you call your company Back Blocks music? I have always found that you are a person that does really well at your job, you do it right, but you do it in your own way, you realize you can break artists too, but just in a different fashion’.”

Marshall also came across Lily Rose, on TikTok and she was instantly captivated by her. “I’ve never heard a voice like this, I’ve never heard a song written that way, she doesn’t look like anybody else, I am so curious and so I met her and I knew she was special, I gave her some strategies for TikTok and couple of weeks later, Villain was posted,” she tells us. The song skyrocketed, going viral and landing her a joint venture record deal with Back Blocks Music, Big Loud Records, and Republic Records.

With an exciting future ahead of her and her new company, we close out our conversation discussing the advice she would give to young girls looking to find their path in the music industry. “Internships are key. It changed my life, but also, the time you put into what you want to learn in those positions will change the rest. It’s ok not to know what you want to do, but there is no way to find out if you don’t try or work hard at it,” she explained. “I was always willing to do everything and anything to move to that next level and I think it really shows everyone above you, that you are ready to work. So that when it comes time for you to start your own company or work for someone else, that you feel you can bet on yourself and do it correctly because you had those tools before.”

In closing, she says, “As a female, confidence is key. We can do whatever we want and how we want to do it and be great at it. There is nothing that can stop us, not a man, not a corporation, nothing we are powerful and we are amazing.”

 

To keep up with Rakiyah Marshall follow her on Instagram and be sure to follow Back Blocks Music as well.