Lauren Watkins is thankful for heartbreak.
The singer has released her self-penned, debut album, The Heartbroken Record, now available on all digital streaming platforms. The Songs & Daughters/Big Loud Records collection is dripping with quick-wit lyricism, conventional country makings, and stunning collaborations with familiar talent.
The Heartbroken Record houses new subject matter and barstool allurement exclusive to the Nashville native as she’s pulled songs from her previously released double shot eras – Introducing: Lauren Watkins and Introducing: The Heartbreak. Familiar faces, and some new ones, are seen throughout this project including Caroline Watkins, Nicolle Galyon, Lauren Hungate, Carter Faith and more.
“Some of these songs are from past EPs that I put out and there were a couple songs that I felt like I wasn’t ready to leave in the previous chapter,” Watkins told Celeb Secrets Country writer Brianna Vacca during CMA Fest 2024 earlier this month.
“Sometimes you can get in a rut writing with the same people, but the way I see it, it’s more comfortable and it’s easier to bounce ideas off of each other. You’re always gonna be honest with people that you’re close to. So I personally love writing with people I’m familiar with. I do like to switch it up, like I got to write with some new writers for this album. I got to write with Luke Laird and we’ve written a couple songs on this record and he’s definitely the one I’m most excited about.”
The songbird also confesses that there are few things that she’s learned about herself over the course of her music career.
“The music world is so unpredictable. Maybe what I had in my head is the song that was gonna soar and do the best may not be the one that people received. I end up re-falling in love with whatever that song was. I also learned to not overthink things. I get super in my head and want to overthink decisions, and I learned that the more music I put out, the less that you should think. Just put out what you love and it’ll find its crowd,” she said.
A song on the album that has surprised the singer after putting it out? “Shirley Temple” of course.
“From the start, I’ve always loved that song. This is another lesson I’ve learned. I loved that song from the start, but there was a part of me that thought that it’s slow. It’s ballady and it’s kind of a weird topic. I didn’t know how it was going to be received, but it ended up being the first one that reached people. So that was a lesson to trust myself and trust what I knew was to be true for sure. I think people like ballads more than we’re led to believe,” she added.
This summer, the singer/songwriter is opening up Morgan Wallen‘s One Night At A Time Tour and is set to go overseas with him in the fall. She’s also stopping by Southern Tier Music Festival, Country Concert, Pierz Freedom Pier Fest, Rock The Clock Street Festival with ERNEST, Boots & Heart Festival and more.
You can connect with Lauren by giving her a follow on Instagram at @lauren.watkins and on TikTok at @laur.watkins. Be sure to stream The Heartbroken Record below, and let us know what you think of it by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sending us a DM at @celebsecretscountry on Instagram.
For more coverage from CMA Fest 2024, click here. For more Country news, visit CelebSecretsCountry.com.
