Working cowgirl and songstress Jenna Paulette has been hard at work on new music since signing with independent record label Leo33 at the beginning of this year. Approaching her new project happily married and with a baby on the way, Paulette is fully embracing all aspects of her life that have shaped her, including heartbreaks and newfound love, in her upcoming sophomore album HORSEBACK, arriving Sept. 6, 2024. Pre-save HERE.
“This record is a cumulation of perspectives I have from the moments and people that made me: rural, cowboy, America, my biggest heartaches leading to my healing, the men and women I’m so proud to come from and represent,” Paulette shared exclusively with Cowboys & Indians.
“From the ‘ear break’ on the record ‘Prairie Primrose,’ which I literally wrote most of from the saddle, to one of my favorites to perform live, ‘Run the Damn Ball,’ to ‘The Prophet (Grandaddy’s Song),’ it’s all a picture of the perspectives and personalities I’ve been influenced by throughout my life. A body of work I can stand behind,” she adds.
With “Darlin’” and “Hang Your Hat” already available, Paulette is offering fans a further taste of what to expect from the album with “Wild Is Her Favorite Color,” out today. Written by ACM and CMA Award-winning songwriters Lori McKenna, Liz Rose and Hillary Lindsey, “Wild Is Her Favorite Color” celebrates the freedom that comes with leaving your heart on your sleeve and living authentically.
“Being wild has always gotten a bad rap, but I’ve always felt wild,” Paulette reflected from the saddle on Instagram. “Not Fireball shots at 3 A.M. wild, but honeysuckle growing up an old fence post. Horse wide open in a pasture. Sunset on fire, wind in my hair kind of wild. The kind of wild that God smiles about because he’s the one that made the wild… Not people’s opinions, not my own opinions about myself, not the constraints of society, undomesticated but feminine. Ruled by her maker and not the things the world says will make her. Free to be whatever it is that truly makes me come alive. So yes, I’m wild. And I’m hoping that when I’m done with it, it won’t have such a bad rap.”
Listen to “Wild Is Her Favorite Color” Below.
Paulette released The Girl I Was (Red Dirt Deluxe) in March, marking the one-year anniversary of The Girl I Was, which swiftly earned critical acclaim from outlets including People Magazine and Grammy.com. Written during a time in her life when she was navigating the end of a toxic relationship, The Girl I Was chronicled Paulette’s journey in overcoming heartbreak and self discovery.
Paulette is currently on the road with Aaron Watson as part of The Armadillo Dance Hall Tour. For more information on new music and upcoming shows, visit jennapaulette.com or follow @JennaPaulette on all social platforms.
About Jenna Paulette:
A CMT Next Women of Country honoree and an Apple Music’s Country Riser, singer-songwriter Jenna Paulette — a cowgirl who came of age amid the gritty realities of ranch life — is part of Nashville’s growing wave of female artists who are rewriting the rules and charting their own paths. Paulette settled in Nashville in 2015, where she struck up a mentorship with Ashley Gorley – a veteran songwriter with 60+ No. 1 tunes under his belt – which ultimately led to her publishing deal with Sea Gayle Music in June 2021. Since collaborating with songwriters Will Bundy, Rhett Akins and Jessie Jo Dillion, as well as opening for Mason Ramsey, Parmalee, John Michael Montgomery, Clay Walker and most recently Aaron Watson, Paulette has landed brand partnerships with Justin Boots, Boot Barn, Ely Cattleman and Ranch Water.
The deluxe version of her debut album, The Girl I Was (Red Dirt Deluxe), is available now, showcasing Paulette’s finely calibrated blend of toughness and sensitivity in tracks like “Country In The Girl” and “Pretty Ugly.” Wearing her heart on her sleeve, Grammy.com remarked The Girl I Was as “transformative,” noting it “fuses the sounds of Twain and Miranda Lambert, tackling mental health with the somber ‘You Ain't No Cowboy’ and waxing philosophical on ‘Country In The Girl.’” As Paulette continues to tease her sophomore project, she most recently released “Darlin’” and “Hang Your Hat.” She continued to spotlight her authentic western lifestyle last year, performing the national anthem at the National Finals Rodeo, making her Grand Ole Opry Debut and performing in multiple festivals including CMA Fest. Paulette recently signed with independent label Leo33. For more information, visit www.jennapaulette.com.
