After a disappointing week for women in country music, what fans need is some new, young fresh blood, someone who has a bit of spark, personality and who can restore some faith in the future of the genre. Enter Willow Avalon with her new album Southern Belle, Raisin’ Hell.
Breaking through to the mainstream via TikTok might seem like an alien concept to most music fans my age but in this modern world it’s become almost necessary to have a social media following before you even get a record deal.
Unlike the male equivalents who have broken through from social media like Zach Bryan, Willow Avalon has not stuck with the stripped back acoustic formula of singing direct to the audience (I still hope there’s a young woman out there who is brave enough to follow that formula), instead she has a fully formed country band on this album who back her all the way and really bring her vision to life. The album is produced by guitarist JR Atkins and Tofer Brown (who has worked with Little Big Town).
Opening with the spoken word ‘’Runs in the Family’ followed by the sassy ‘Something We Regret’ sets the musical tone for the album with their fusion of country, pop and personality.
Admitting your faults is what the great women in country music have always done in the past, so it’s nice to see Willow really embrace the fun of creating her persona through this album. ‘Homewrecker’ is a catchy ditty about not realising you’re the other woman, with no sense of victimhood either, just honest regret.
‘Yodelayheewho’ features another up and coming star Maggie Antone and together they sound like they’re just one girl short of being the new Pistol Annies. Hilarious, cutting, brilliant.
The simplicity of ‘Baby Blue’ is what makes it such a great little song, about how sometimes you are the problem, even if you don’t want to be. Another softer song in the similar vein is ‘Tequila & Whiskey’ and both these tunes have a little of the Taylor Swift confessional element to them, while still using classic country references.
There’s versatility to the music here as title track ‘Southern Belle, Raisin’ Hell’ shows she can actually rock out in a Miranda Lambert style when she wants to. Kacey Musgraves’s wry humour is also clear on songs like ‘Gettin Rich, Goin Broke’ which also has some interesting things to say about the problems of poverty and the paradox of success.
While there’s a lot of modern music influences on this record, she honours the greatest on ‘Hey There, Dolly’ and it’s just a fantastic song – funny, feisty and so fresh. Really if this song doesn’t hook you into Willow then you need to get a sense of humour transplant.
What may stop her from crossing over into the country music mainstream is that thing which sets her apart – that irreverence, her youth and pop leaning vocal style. In the end that is maybe a good thing for her career – after all the women in the mainstream just now seem kind of dead behind the eyes, forced to sing dull duets or go on tour with the worst kind of average men.
Willow Avalon is out there raising hell all by herself, with already a near sell out UK tour as well showing she’s got global appeal. She’s blazing her own trail and sounds like she’s having the time of her life. A strong start from a potential future star.
Highway Queens 
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