Despite 2020 obviously not panning out entirely as she had hoped, it was none the less a pretty good one for Nashville based Hailey Whitters. In particular, it saw the release of her stunning second album ” The Dream” which was hailed by many as one of the top albums of the year, including landing at No.6 on Rolling Stone’s ” 30 Best Country and Americana Albums Of 2020″ and along with American Songwriter they also named her single ” Janice At The Hotel Bar” as one of the year’s best songs ( you can read more about the album and single in our article from almost exactly a year ago https://www.bellesandgals.com/2020/01/09/hailey-whitters-single-and-album-news/) .
And what better way for Iowan native Hailey to kick start 2021 than with her brand new single ” Fillin’ My Cup” ( feat Little Big Town ). Although this is their first collaboration on a recording they do have previous history together, the foursome having cut Hailey’s song ” Happy People” ( her own version appearing on ” The Dream” ) for their 2017 album ” The Breaker” . And of course 2020 treated the group pretty well two, having received two Grammy nominations including Best Country Album for ” Nightfall”.
This new single is an all-female write, seeing Hailey teaming up with Nicolle Galyon and Hillary Lindsey, and she also co-produced it with Jake Gear who produced her aforementioned album. ” I’d had the title ” Fillin’ My Cup” for a while, but then Nicolle had the brilliant idea to turn the lyric into a recipe ” Hailey explains, continuing ” It’s a concoction of all of those little things in life that have a way of making my glass feel half-full. It’s been a hopeful reminder throughout the year and just felt like the right note to start 2021 on”.
I think we all need to try to see our glasses as half full in these crazy times, and this song definitely helps focus on the good things around us. Such a rousing and uplifting release, insanely catch, and just listen to that fabulous that fiddle playing from Eamon McLoughlin which drives it along! The accompanying video, directed by Harper Smith, was shot just outside Nashville, and features not only Hailey and Little Big Town but also Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor as the fiddle player. It is as fun as the song itself, depicting Hailey as a runaway bride having second thoughts at the altar on her wedding day .
Talking about the fantastic reaction to her album of last year, Hailey has said that ” I’m humbled and proud to see it resonate the way is has. It’s been the best reminder to stay true to who I am as an artist and storyteller” , and if this new single is anything to go by that is exactly what she is doing. I’m sure I’m not the only one looking forwards to what lies ahead for this artist.
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Review written by Lesley Hastings (twitter.com/lesleyhastings)
