Lauren Watkins is set to release her debut full-length album, The Heartbroken Record, on June 21 via Big Loud Records/Songs & Daughters.
On Friday (May 24), she premiered the track “Settling Things,” which captures the essence of small-town life. The accompanying video was filmed at Patsy Cline’s “Dream Home.”
A Nashville native, Watkins co-wrote all 17 songs on the album, featuring collaborations with Sheryl Crow and Ashley Monroe.
The album also includes previously released tracks with Jake Worthington and Carter Faith.
“I didn’t want to just put an album out—I wanted it to be purposeful,” Watkins reflects. “It represents the past several years of my life, filled with heartbreak and intense emotions, but in a deeply relatable way that I needed to express.”
Watkins shares that she spent years avoiding this project but eventually realized, “What’s the point of living through something if I don’t share it? If I don’t use the gifts I’ve been given to share what I’ve learned?” She hopes that listeners will feel seen through her music.
“That’s all any of us ever really need.”
Working with Diamond-certified producer Joey Moi, Watkins aimed to create a unique sonic blend, combining her smooth, hazy twang and delicate yet daring undertone with a rich 2000s thump.
Each track explores the messy magic of love and loss through unexpected twists in perspective.
“It’s exactly the space in country music that I thought was missing and wanted to fill,” Watkins continues. “It’s sweet and warm, but also gritty and tough at the same time, and that’s my favorite thing. I love it.”
Lauren featured on CCUK just before travelling across the pond for C2C where she performed with Karley Scott Collins and Conner Smith as part of 'Introduicng Nashville'.
The Heartbroken Record Track Listing:
1. “Leavers Leave” (Lauren Watkins, Lance Miller, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
2. “Mama, I Made It” (Lauren Watkins, Rocky Block, Lauren Hungate)
3. “Heartbroken Record” (Lauren Watkins, Will Bundy, Caroline Watkins)
4. “Sad Songs And You” (Lauren Watkins, Lauren Hungate)
5. “Set My Heart On Fire” (feat. Sheryl Crow) (Lauren Watkins, Emily Landis, Summer Overstreet, Lydia Vaughan)
6. “Stuck In My Ways” (Lauren Watkins, Will Bundy, David Garcia, Emily Landis)
7. “Gatlinburg” (Lauren Watkins, Jessie Jo Dillon, Carter Faith, Lauren Hungate, Ashley Monroe, Caroline Watkins)
8. “Anybody But You” (Lauren Watkins, Rodney Clawson, Mark Holman, Ernest Keith Smith)
9. “Settling Things” (Lauren Watkins, Lauren Hungate, Luke Laird)
10. “One Trick Pony” (Lauren Watkins, Will Bundy, Lydia Vaughan, Caroline Watkins)
11. “Fly On The Wall” (feat. Jake Worthington) (Lauren Watkins, Andy Sheridan, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
12. “Shirley Temple” (Lauren Watkins, Nicolle Galyon, Meg McRee)
13. “Pretend You’re Coming Home (feat. Ashley Monroe)” (Lauren Watkins, Ashley Monroe, Mark Trussell)
14. “Jealous Of Jane” (Lauren Watkins, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Caroline Watkins)
15. “Cowboys On Music Row (feat. Carter Faith)” (Lauren Watkins, Jessie Jo Dillon, Carter Faith, Lauren Hungate, Ashley Monroe, Caroline Watkins)
16. “Burn The Bridge” (Lauren Watkins, Will Bundy, Emily Landis, Mark Trussell)
17. “Too Much To Dream” (Lauren Watkins, Forrest Finn, Nicolle Galyon)
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