American Idol’s Laci Kaye Booth returns after Big Machine Label Group dropped her last year, with a new record deal and song “Cigarettes”
American Idol alum Laci Kaye Booth has released a new single, “Cigarettes,” as she announces a new record deal with Geffen Records and WME. Additionally, she is now managed by Red Light Management.
The song’s official music video, filmed in Booth’s hometown of Livingston, TX, accompanies the new release.
“This song tells the story of where I’ve been, who I was, and how I’ve become who I’ve become,” Laci states in a press statement. “It’s a true-life story, not a highlight reel, with ‘Cigarettes’ having multiple meanings throughout the song.”
“The same champagne they gave me, I popped it when they dropped me”
“I wrote this song at one of the lowest points of my career and life, with my dear friend and producer, Ben West. It has sorrow, shame, grit, and hope written all within it and I hope the message that’s received from this is to learn from the hard sh–, learn to let it go, and let it make you better.”
After competing on American Idol, the country chanteuse signed a deal with 19 Records and Big Machine Label Group. But after only one eponymous 8 song EP released in 2021, the label dropped her.
The song lyrics go: “I was all of 23 didn’t know what I didn’t know, They swore I’d be the next big thing but the room was full of smoke, Had to watch my dream fall through, gave myself a day or two, and the same champagne they gave me, I popped it when they dropped me,”
“Women in the industry…we don’t always get to have creative control”
A few months after Big Machine dropped her in 2022, Laci took to to social media to share her feelings.
“First label in town that I signed with,” Laci lamented, “First label, I met three years ago when I came to Nashville.” She didn’t want to bash anybody because “there’s still a lot of people over there at that label that I love, so I won’t say anything bad. I won’t speak ill of nobody.”
However, Laci decried the lack of creative control she had, and believes that the reason was gender specific. She took a month off of “everything” and “recorded so many songs and it just opened up my whole mind, body, spirit, my eyes,” she shared. “I finally saw who I was supposed to be as an artist. The vision that I’ve had since I was a little girl was finally here. And it makes me emotional to talk about.”
“But I feel like women in the industry for some reason, we don’t always get to have creative control like we should as artists,” she said without really pointing fingers. “So I just wanted to say that.”
Laci signed with 19 Recordings/BMLG in 2020
Host Ryan Seacrest announced that Laci signed with 19 Recordings/BMLG records on the American Idol finale in 2020.
Born and raised in Texas, the singer/songwriter moved to Nashville following her time on season 17 of the competition reality show in 2019. Placing in the top 5, she wowed viewers with her stunning vocals, covering artists from Brett Young to Miranda Lambert.
Laci didn’t release her debut until August 2021. The EP set her raspy vocals to soft, dreamy melodies in songs such as “Shuffle” and “Used to be You.” However, singles from the album didn’t gain traction on country radio. She did tours and promotion, but BLMG did not follow up the EP with new music.
