Season 5 American Idol alum and Season 16 Dancing With The Stars champion Kellie Pickler is prepping the release of her 4th studio album, her 1st to be released via indie label Black River Entertainment, and recently debuted a new tune set to be included on it, called “Ring For Sale.”
The sassy, bluesy midtempo about a woman reacting to divorce is written by Nashville hitmaker Jim Beavers and singer/hitmaker Chris Stapleton (who also cowrote Kellie’s “Stop Cheatin’ On Me,” and just released his incredibly soulful debut Mercury Nashville single “What Are You Listening To?” to country radio). Check out live video here:
Kellie also discussed her upcoming album with Rolling Stone magazine, promising more of the traditional-leaning “Kellie country” featured on her critically acclaimed 3rd album, 100 Proof. Less than stellar album sales and weak airplay for the album’s singles haven’t discouraged her one bit, as she says:
“I didn’t sell a lot of records with [100 Proof], but it’s my favorite album I’ve ever done because I went into the studio and said what I wanted to say and made a more traditional record. Had I gone in and made the same old sh**, then Rolling Stone and different music critics wouldn’t have picked it as one of the best albums of 2012. That showed me that I made the right call. It was tough, but I’m glad I stood up for myself.”
She also shared her philosophy on her music these days with the magazine:
“I’ve made records where I’m trying to make everybody else happy and say what other people want me to say. That was miserable. If you go in and you’re honest, people will either like you or not. You can’t please them all, so you might as well be happy with it yourself. It’s your face on the cover. You can’t change who you are to please other people.”
Kellie also spoke to Rolling Stone about shooting the incredibly sensual video for her current single, “Someone Somewhere Tonight” with her Dancing With The Stars partner Derek Hough, the extra inspiration she brought with her into the studio when recording the song (which at 7 weeks after release sits at #49 on the Mediabase country chart and at #51 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart), and the possibility of leveraging her star power, personality, and newly developed dancing abilities to entertainment venues other than music:
Music is my number one priority. But if it’s the right role, I would do it . . . Maybe the right Broadway role. I don’t see why you can’t do it all. Just look at Dolly. I like putting myself out there to try new things. But it would have to be worth the sacrifice of taking time off from music. People who know me get that. People who don’t will, if they ever meet me.
Rolling Stone also reports that the tracklisting for Kellie’s album is yet to be finalized. Still, here’s a list of songs Kellie is known to have cut for her upcoming album (in addition to “Someone Somewhere Tonight” and “Ring For Sale”):
“Ain’t No Cure For Crazy” (Kyle Jacobs/Joe Leathers/Billy Montana/John Ozier)
“I Forgive You” (songwriters on this one not yet confirmed, but Kellie told the Clarion Ledger that she has been waiting 5 years to record it)
“Little Bit Gypsy” (Kyle Jacobs/Tammi Lynn Kidd/Fred Wilhelm)
“Tough All Over” (Gary Nicholson/Leslie Satcher)
“Where Did Your Love Go” (Kalisa Ewing/Rivers Rutherford) DEMO
“Woman I Am” (Kyle Jacobs/Kellie Pickler) *likely the song Kellie is referring to in the Rolling Stone interview