By Megan Routledge. Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato.
Tenille Townes, award winning and revered singer-songwriter, announced the release of a new single, “As You Are.” A major sonic shift for Townes, it was recorded in Seattle with studio legend Ryan Hadlock who’s worked with everyone from Afghan Whigs to Brandi Carlile. The single and stunning video is out now.
“As You Are ” begins with just a bright acoustic guitar, chords ring out, but only to accompany her singular and lone vocal, which rasps and arrests with every note. The song builds slowly, first adding haunting strings and then following the second chorus, then the drums kick in and it explodes into an unexpected indie rock heartbreaker, pushing Townes sound beyond anything you’ve heard before.
“Ryan Hadlock has space in his productions, where you can hear the air in the room and the emotion inside it, in a way that brings forward a more vulnerable and indie rock feeling,” stated Townes on working with Hadlock, adding, “I was compelled as a fan of his work, and was looking for that edge in the songs we worked on together. I appreciated Ryan's open approach to letting the production support my expression, and what we made is raw and built around how I play this song just picking up my guitar and I loved meeting the community of musicians around Seattle who record a little unconventionally, digging into parts with a lot of exploration.”
Her poignant lyrics reflect on learning to put down the mask, and share her true feelings with others. “I wrote this song about how I feel when it comes to letting people in,” stated Townes, adding, “I tend to keep my guard up high because it’s scary to let somebody in and risk sharing my real self, but this song is what I want to hear when I am feeling that way. When I’m afraid or struggling emotionally, I am the most guarded. At that moment, I need to hear that I can show up exactly as I am.”
An astute observer of the human condition, Townes’ discography is rife with stories that reverberate with heavy truths. Following the release of a duet with world-superstar Bryan Adams, the revered songwriter, and CCMA Entertainer of the Year, released a five-song project called the Train Track Worktapes in 2023. Townes conceptualized, wrote, and recorded the EP on a 15-day, 3,000-mile, train trip where she played 65 shows at stops in communities across Canada. Townes is also no stranger to the road, opening for legendary artists such as Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert, Shania Twain and George Strait and has also toured extensively outside of the US – last year she performed for fans in Australia, Ireland, Germany, and had a sold-out run of headlining shows in the UK. Her international touring efforts earned her a nomination for the CMA International Artist Achievement Award.
Townes is also a 17-time Canadian Country Music Association Award winner (CCMA), a two-time JUNO Awards Country Album of the Year Winner, and a two-time ACM Award-winner. She is also the first female artist in Mediabase Canada history to achieve two No. 1 singles (Music Canada Gold-certified “Jersey on The Wall (I’m Just Asking),” Music Canada Platinum-certified and RIAA Gold-certified “Somebody’s Daughter”).
A Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Townes has also been featured by NPR, Variety, Refinery29, Billboard, Rolling Stone, NBC’s “TODAY,” BBC and more. Additionally, she has raised over $2.5 million for Big Hearts For Big Kids, a non-profit she started when she was 15 years old to benefit a youth shelter in her hometown, which has grown to support US-based organizations including the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee, S.A.F.E. Animal Haven, and the Manna House.
Townes will be heading out on her As You Are Tour tour through the spring and will perform at Stagecoach festival on Saturday April 27 and Mooncrush festival on April 21 alongside artists including Noah Kahan and The Head and The Heart.
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