NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) 鈥 Singer Elle King has never fit neatly into any one box. Her early years were split between Ohio, New York City and Los Angeles and her rock music was always banjo-based, with elements of bluegrass, rockabilly and country pulling at the seams.
Now raising her young son in Nashville, King is releasing her third album 鈥 a country album through a country music label 鈥 that is fully connecting all the colorful threads of her life. It releases Friday.
鈥淣ow as a resident and living here, Nashville and country music unfolds more and more layers for me,鈥 said King during an interview backstage at the Ryman Auditorium.
She named the new record, 鈥淐ome Get Your Wife,鈥 after a snide comment a man made about her to her fianc茅, but instead of getting angry, she got inspired.
The heavily tattooed singer-songwriter with the bluesy voice has spent years trying to figure out where she fits in musically after breaking out with but motherhood has given her perspective and some peace of mind. She鈥檚 had No. 1 hits on four different Billboard formats, including pop, alternative and country, but right now she鈥檚 just happy putting all her eggs in this country basket.
Her duet with country star Dierks Bentley, 鈥淒ifferent For Girls鈥 in 2016, began her journey into country music, eventually winning her a Now she鈥檚 a regular on the country awards shows, gone out on tour with Chris Stapleton and Miranda Lambert and her single, 鈥淒runk (And I Don鈥檛 Wanna Go Home)鈥 with Lambert was nominated for a Grammy last year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like everything was thrown into a melting pot to make this country album that is all encompassing of all of the things that I love, which is soulful blues, southern rock and roll, funny country music,鈥 said King.
She wrote eight of the dozen songs on the record, which starts with King's ode to her home state, 鈥淥hio,鈥 and touches on her faith and motherhood alongside comical songs. 鈥淭ry Jesus鈥 is King鈥檚 humorous take on coming back to her religious roots and it gave her a great excuse to add a gospel choir on the track.
鈥淚 did grow up with a very strong faith,鈥 said King. 鈥淚 also had a wild rollercoaster of life. When I became a mother, I started thinking, 鈥楬ow do I teach him right and wrong?鈥欌
King鈥檚 son Lucky was born in 2021 That experience inspired the emotional song 鈥淟ucky鈥 as she reflects on gratitude. She called it her most vulnerable song on the record.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really strange because so many people go through it, and it鈥檚 not something that is talked about comfortably,鈥 she said of her pregnancy losses.
Producer and songwriter Ross Copperman, who co-produced the album with King, said the singer's son was in the studio during the recording of 鈥淟ucky,鈥 and his baby giggles close out the song.
鈥淭hey were holding him outside of the vocal booth while she was singing it,鈥 Copperman recalled. 鈥淪he was looking into his eyes that whole vocal. It was the most beautiful moment I鈥檝e ever seen in the studio.鈥
King says becoming a mother was transformative for her.
鈥淭he change that he has brought in me, and the fuel and the fire that he lit in me to become the person that I never thought I could be, or the happiness and the joy that I have in my life I never knew could even be attainable, all came and started with him,鈥 said King.
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