A lot can change in a year — just ask Alison Nichols.
The country singer-songwriter has spent the past 365 days turning heartbreak, career highs and plenty of real-life chaos into the kind of songs that feel like a conversation with your funniest, most honest friend. Now, she’s bringing all of that into a brand-new chapter with a global publishing deal with BMG and her latest single, “All Heaven Broke Loose,” which dropped in August via BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville.
For fans who have followed Nichols from “Is It Just Me?” and “Box Wine Problems” to her personal take on her late cousin Joe Diffie’s “John Deere Green,” country music fans know that Alison’s strength is taking the real-life moments and turning them into something that feels unmistakably her. Now, with a new chapter unfolding both personally and professionally, she’s leaning into that storytelling more than ever.
That’s exactly where “All Heaven Broke Loose” comes in. Written alongside Natalie Stovall and Zach Manno, the bold country-pop anthem transforms heartbreak into hope, with Nichols looking back on a difficult season and realizing that losing something can sometimes make room for something better.
“When I wrote this song, I had just gone through a breakup that changed my entire world,” Nichols tells Celeb Secrets. “I was alone for the first time in years, and I had to start over.”
Photo Credit: Kevin Grace
That starting-over mentality carries straight into her latest career milestone. After years of writing songs simply because she loved it, Nichols can now officially call herself a published songwriter with BMG — a moment she says is still “mind-blowing.”
“This deal is an indicator to me that all those songs that never saw the light of day, and all the time I spent honing my craft by myself because nobody would write with me, paid off,” she shares.
But if you think Nichols is done turning her life into songwriting material, think again.
“I have SO much tea right now,” she teases.
From the dream collaborator she’s hoping to write with, to the personal experiences already inspiring her next batch of songs, Nichols is making it clear that “All Heaven Broke Loose” is only the beginning of this new era. She sits down with Celeb Secrets to talk about finding herself after heartbreak, finally getting paid to do what she’s loved since childhood, the representation she hopes to bring to country music, and what she’s manifesting for the road ahead.
Keep scrolling to read our full Q&A below and don’t forget to let us know if you’re loving “All Heaven Broke Loose” by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecretscountry.
Celeb Secrets Country: “All Heaven Broke Loose” has such a clever title, but underneath it is a really personal story about realizing that losing something can actually make room for something better. When you look back at the chapter that inspired this song, what are you most grateful for now that you probably wouldn’t have been grateful for at the time?
Alison Nichols: “When I wrote this song, I had just gone through a breakup that changed my entire world. I was alone for the first time in years, and I had to start over. Looking back, I’m so grateful for that chaotic time because I learned so much about myself and had the time to really pour into my songwriting. Even now, I have to remind myself of this song and to be grateful for the hard times because I usually come back stronger.”
CSC: There’s a lyric in the song that says, “I found me when I lost you,” which feels like the ultimate post-heartbreak mic drop. What did you learn about yourself while writing this song that you didn’t know before?
AN: “I think I thought I had become so codependent over the years that I forgot how to just be myself and be alone, but I didn’t. I tend to underestimate myself that way sometimes. I learned that I can be sad and go through all the worst emotions and still be okay at the end of it. I’ve been through much worse since, and I still know I’ll be okay.”
CSC: You’ve described “All Heaven Broke Loose” as a song about the last year of your life, and it sounds like there was A LOT happening between the record deal, heartbreak and figuring out what came next. If you could give the Alison from a year ago one piece of advice, what would you tell her?
AN: “I would tell her everything is going to work out, and you’re gonna keep winning. Don’t let any man dim your sparkle. It’s better to be sad and lonely ALONE than to be sad and lonely in a relationship.”
CSC: You’ve gone from “Box Wine Problems” to “Dressin’ Down” to “All Heaven Broke Loose,” and each song shows off a slightly different side of your personality. If your current era were a group chat, what would you say the songs are telling everyone about Alison right now?
AN: “I think every songwriter can attest to this, but the songs I write, and especially the ones I choose to release, are my diary. When I was a kid, I would write everything down in a little journal with a lock on it: my deepest, darkest secrets and all my feelings. Now, as an adult, I’m not ashamed to show the world some of the things most of us keep private because I know it may help someone who feels like they’re the only one going through it. I want those people to know they’re not alone. Music has always helped me that way.”
CSC: You’ve got a pretty unforgettable way of describing yourself as “half Korean, half redneck, and 100% American.” How has that mix of cultures, places and experiences shaped the way you tell stories through country music — and what do you hope fans take away from seeing someone with your background in this space?
AN: “My dad is from Houston, Texas, with roots in Texarkana, and my mom is from South Korea and grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Ever since I can remember, country music has been a huge part of my life. My childhood was like a Dolly Parton and Merle Haggard fever dream. Korean culture is also very invested in music, so I started learning piano around five years old and was introduced to all different kinds of music. Growing up around that mix of cultures exposed me to so many different sounds. None of the country artists I loved growing up looked anything like me, so I wanna be that role model for little girls who do.”
CSC: You’re now officially entering a brand-new chapter with your global publishing deal with BMG, on top of your record deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. What does signing that publishing deal mean to you as a songwriter, and what are you most excited to create now that this door has opened?
AN: “It is mind-blowing to me that I can now say I get paid to write songs, because I used to just do it for fun in my bedroom throughout my childhood and would get made fun of for being so open about the boys I liked in my lyrics (understandably so). This deal is an indicator to me that all those songs that never saw the light of day, and all the time I spent honing my craft by myself because nobody would write with me, paid off. It’s an honor to be recognized for it by a company like BMG. They have such a great team on both the publishing and label sides, so I’m really grateful to be part of the BMG family. I’m excited to make new music with new writers and producers and go on new creative adventures.”
CSC: If we gave you an entire day in the songwriting room with absolutely no rules, who would be your dream collaborators and what kind of song would you want to write together?
AN: “I have always wanted to write with HARDY. Even before he became an artist himself, I was fascinated by his songwriting for other artists. I’ve been following his journey for a very long time, and I love what he does as an artist too. I’d love to write and collab with him. I think a mix of our two styles would be really cool. I secretly love the metal sound. I’m more old-school, like Metallica, but yeah. That would be a dream come true.”
CSC: You’ve built a catalog around being honest, funny and unafraid to poke fun at real life. What’s something happening in your life right now that you know is going to become a song eventually?
AN: “I have SO much tea right now. I’ve been THROUGH IT this past year. I won’t get into detail because you’ll hear it in the songs eventually, but I have some very serious, borderline traumatic topics that I’ve been writing about lately… and somehow every song is still fun and funny. Just very honest! I have a dark sense of humor, and I think that’s my favorite way to cope. I love to laugh and make people laugh about the crazy stuff we all have to deal with in this crazy world.”
CSC: Looking at everything that’s happened over the past year, what are you manifesting for this next chapter of Alison Nichols, and what do you hope fans get to experience alongside you?
AN: “I want my fans who can’t make it to Nashville to experience my live performance! I wanna talk to them and sing them my new songs and make ’em feel less alone. As someone who loves concerts myself, that experience is so inspiring and healing for me. Live music can truly bring me back to life on my worst day, and I want to bring that feeling to people outside of Nashville. What I’m saying is… I’m manifesting a tour.”
CSC: Since we’re Celeb Secrets, what’s a secret about making “All Heaven Broke Loose” that we wouldn’t know just by listening to it?
AN: “What most people don’t know about this song is that it was recorded at Jay DeMarcus’ house in Nashville. Yes, that Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts!”
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