Caitlyn Smith is a powerhouse singer-songwriter moving the needle in Nashville with her musical risk-taking and undeniable wow factor. Despite her long-running list of prestigious accolades, Smith struggles with imposter syndrome and tends to wear a hypothetical mask to hide her true identity – until now.
The Monument Records artist is set to release six additional songs to her critically acclaimed project High to make her full-length record High & Low. Throughout the well-rounded collection, Smith uncovers who she is as an artist and empowering women.
“I think in the music industry, we’re all guilty of continually moving the ‘ghost goalposts.’ I know that I am,” said Smith about setting standards. “I’ve got my list of goals, and I am frequently chasing after them. This record High & Low has been an incredible learning experience in itself. Choosing to put myself out there and self-produce this record was an incredible lesson of showing up for myself, believing in myself, but also pushing through and doing something even though it’s scary.”
Within each track, Smith fearlessly places her heart on the line and touches upon various subject lines such as divorce, motherhood, loss, the harsh reality of social media, and more. Listeners will quickly recognize her storytelling soul, as her razor-sharp lyrics tend to cut deep and display her vulnerability. Smith said she had to step outside her “comfort zone” to build the courage to share this refreshing new side. Taking risks has always been beneficial and her secret recipe for success.
“I learned that in that process of putting myself in an uncomfortable place in a new place, in a scary place, that anytime I look back on my life and I’ve done that and it always resulted in growth,” she confidently said. “It always results in you gaining your ground and gaining wisdom and beautiful things. So I think the big lesson is you should never be afraid to take a chance on yourself. Never be afraid to do something a little outside your comfort zone – I think really fun things can happen.”
Not only did she push her own boundaries in the songwriting room with her eye-opening ballad “The Great Pretender” and “Alaska,” which is destined to tug at heartstrings – but she made a statement as a producer. Sonically she played with traditional country instrumentals like the steel guitar and stripped back each melody to curate a live-sounding album. Her pure voice intertwined with the pristine production will make country music fans feel like they are in the same room as Smith.
“I played everything. I produced everything. Engineered everything,” revealed the multi-talented star. “So, going from the girl who was afraid to do her. Afraid to produce her own record, it’s a pretty cool stepping stone. I feel like I really put my heart and soul into this album, and I’m really proud of it.”
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Since getting her feet wet with producing, Smith has been exploring that area of her artistry and sharing her expertise with notable names in the industry – blazing a path for other females wanting to pursue producing in country music.
“It’s been an unexpected blessing from this process. I’ve been having artists reach out to me about producing stuff for them. I just did a track with Shy Carter that’s coming out in May; I just produced a song with him,” she revealed. “It’s something [producing] that I’ve found that I really enjoy and it’s a space that I definitely see myself stepping more into.”
It’s been over a decade since Smith broke into the male-dominated genre, where there was little to no female representation. While providing valuable advice to aspiring music-makers, she pointed out the significant shift the country scene is experiencing today.
“I moved to town 13 years ago, when there weren’t many female artists and producers,” she acknowledged. “If one young woman can see and look at the credits of this record and say, ‘Man…I want to try that.’ I feel like my job is done. So to encourage the next generation of women creators to step into their own and own their music in that way is really my hope and dream. I hope that women creators, in general, feel that they can sit in the producer chair and have more of a voice.”
She is set to inspire fans on her nationwide 2023 The Great Pretender Solo Tour with direct support from newcomer Alex Hall. In partnership with DTour, the trailblazer will hit 15 independent venues to celebrate the inspiration behind each track. Concert-goers can expect a one-women show, as she is slated to take the spotlight with just her acoustic guitar.
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“It’s my favorite way to listen to music when it’s just the songwriter, one instrument, one voice, and the story behind the song. That’s heaven to me,” she told CS correspondent Tiffany Goldstein. “Last year, I did my headlining tour with a full band, and we had an absolute blast putting on this big show. But I really wanted to give my fans kind of this vulnerable experience because this record is so personal to me.”
The listening room-like set will bring fans on a “journey” throughout her last three records. Smith will take her favorite tracks from each collection and let ticket-holders in on the Highs & Lows of her personal experience in Tennessee thus far. The must-see performance support for small businesses will wrap on June 1 in Denver, CO, at the Fox Theatre. Tickets are available for purchase, here.
Will you be streaming Smith’s new album? Let us know by dropping a reaction below or by sending us a tweet at @celebsecrets.
LISTEN TO “HIGH & LOW” HERE:
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