Maggie Antone - Rhinestoned - CD DIGISLEEVE

Maggie Antone's voice has always won people over. Singing along to the radio from her carseat, it first won her parents over—enough so that they supported her through voice lessons, musical theater, and national anthem gigs around her hometown of Richmond. Later, with her recording of Tyler Childers's "Lady May," Antone's voice would win the Internet over, too, gaining so much praise that she would go on to release an entire collection of covers, Interpretations, the following year. But lately, the fans at Antone’s packed-out gigs are singing every word to her songs: After all, even if her voice is what draws you in, it's the vulnerability of her songwriting that will keep you coming back. Antone’s forthcoming Rhinestoned offers ten songs worth of compelling evidence that this Virginia native just might be country’s next big thing. Out August 23rd, 2024 on her own label Love Big via Thirty Tigers, the album only builds on the runaway success of her debut original single “Suburban Outlaw”—a song Holler praised for "lyrics that land like zippy teen movie one-liners." Raucous, witty, and irresistible, album opener "Johnny Moonshine" shows off Antone’s flare for storytelling one croon-worthy double entendre at a time. On the timeless "Mess with Texas," Antone leans into her honky-tonk sensibilities, playfully recounting the exes she collected across various locales before landing on the real thing in the Lone Star State. And standout track "High Standards" contrasts evocative harmonies with biting wordplay, delivering a blunt tell-off to a presumptuous stoner on a late night gone hazy. The clever lyrics and catchy melodies make fitting vessels for Antone's larger-than-life charisma and natural stage presence—qualities she'll show off on the road this summer during gigs with Kat Hasty, the Red Clay Strays and 49 Winchester as well as on stages at Bonnaroo, Bourbon & Beyond, and Foxfire. But for all the hard-partying lyrics and self-deprecating jokes, Antone's biggest strength on Rhinestoned may be her willingness to show weakness. "I don't write love songs," she sings on "Everyone But You," "'cause I don't wanna sing 'em when the love is gone." The slow tempo of "I Don't Wanna Hear About It," a heartbreaker that mourns a breakup even while wishing the person well, lays bare Antone’s emotional vocals. And Antone is perhaps her most raw on the closing track, "Meant to Meet," a song about the vices and shortcomings that can wreck a relationship—even one that feels fated. "With situationships and such nowadays, it feels like no one is looking for the real thing anymore," she says. "This album, and that song specifically, is for the people who didn't get the ‘I'm sorry’ text. I want it to be closure for people who need it." In some ways, opening up like this comes naturally to Antone; she's been writing songs since she was 16. But she's quick to credit her collaborators in the studio and the writing room for the way they've embraced and emboldened her. While several songs were solo writing endeavors ("Suburban Outlaw," "One Too Many," “Me & Jose Cuervo”), Antone leaned into cowrites: Trent Dabbs (Ingrid Michaelson, Kacey Musgraves), Aaron Raitiere (Lady Gaga, Ashley McBryde), Jillian Jacqueline (Keith Urban, Little Big Town), and others all contributed. Working with longtime writing role model Natalie Hemby (the Highwomen, Miranda Lambert) on “Johnny Moonshine” was a particular high point: "Natalie is my hero," Antone says. "She's the first songwriter that I ever truly loved." And frequent writing partner Carrie K. (Noah Kahan, Jessie Murph, Suki Waterhouse) helped bring Rhinestoned to life alongside Antone as her co-producer. "Working with Carrie,” Antone says, “I felt like all my thoughts were seen.” What emerged is a work that offers Antone's raspy drawl space to shine and her big heart room to heal. "Sometimes you don't have that full love story where you meet someone, you fall in love, you date for a long time, you break up, and then you're upset; sometimes we just have these short-lived little things," she says. "This album is about a million of those teeny tiny little things, all wrapped up into one story. No matter how big or small it is, when you’ve gone through something and you hurt, it matters."