So, I ran across a new album to discuss. I recently enjoyed it thanks to Apple Music. Apple music is my go-to music streaming service and, I highly recommend it. Their catalog is very impressive. Anyway, I was listening to an Outlaw Country station, and I heard a song called “Send the Sun” by Nikki Lane. It is from the album titled Highway Queen. The song impressed me so, I checked out the album. Let’s talk about it.
I heard this on an Outlaw Country station so, it has this sound to it. According to the bio featured on Apple Music, Nikki has a 60’s country sound mixed with “…orchestral arrangements and the occasional pop/rock hook” (2022). The sound comes together very well especially paired with the well written songs sang with a deep southern twang. To hear this lady, you would think she was from Texas. Here’s the kicker though – she’s, according to Apple Music, a high school dropout from Greenville, SC (2022)! That’s 45 minutes from my house and a place I visit sometimes. She’s also only one year younger than me. It’s cool to see someone my age following their passion and being successful in it. It’s also cool to see that education isn’t necessarily something we need to be successful in our passions. Don’t get me wrong, I think education matters. I just think that it isn’t a requirement to be successful – especially in the creative fields. You either have it or you don’t, I think.
I obviously added the Send the Sun song to my playlist. I also recommend listening to “Jack Pot” and “Companion.” I added these two songs as well. I started listening to more of her work but, I haven’t completed any other albums yet. From what I’ve heard though, the other albums sound different than this one. I’m interested to see what the whole catalog looks like. Maybe I’ll see this lady on the road one day and really get a feel for her sound. I love to see folks keeping Outlaw Country alive. This is a dying genre and that is so unfortunate for music.
Reference List
Apple Music. (2022). Nikki Lane Biography. https://music.apple.com/us/artist/nikki-lane/446885355