Less than a month after making her solo Grand Ole Opry debut, Colbie Caillat has revealed that her new album, Along the Way, will be released on September 22.
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Produced by Jamie Kenney, the 13-track album marks Caillat’s first solo country release and is a collection of songs entirely written, or co-written, by the singer, along with a handful of select co-writers, including Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Jason Reeves, Alysa Vanderheym, Jordan Shellhart, and Brett James.
On “Pretend,” co-written with Liz Rose and AJ Pruis—who also co-penned her most recent single “Worth It”—Caillat surfaces a common thread throughout Along the Way, of picking oneself up following the end of a relationship and ruminating on the good over bad times.
“I wrote ‘Pretend’ when I was reminiscing the good parts of my last relationship and wanting to pretend we were back together so I could re-live and feel those good times we shared again,” said Caillat in a statement. “Although the album is full of breakup songs, I felt it was important to share the optimism I still feel about the future and the respect I have for what I’ve experienced in the past.”
In the accompanying music video, directed by her longtime collaborator Patrick Tracy, Caillat is featured two-stepping along to the memories of past relationships and overcome by a sense of happiness for the experience.
On Saturday (May 20), Caillat made her solo debut at the Grand Ole Opry, performing “Worth It,” along with two of her biggest hits “Try” and “Bubbly.” Caillat previously performed at the Opry with her country band Gone West, comprised of Reeves, Nelly Joy, and Justin Young, which disbanded in 2020.
Caillat released her sixth album, The Malibu Sessions, in 2016. In March 2023, she also released a compilation album of some of her biggest hits and favorites, Will You Count Me In, which is named after the verse in “Bubbly,” and includes the tracks “Brighter Than the Sun,” “Lucky,” “Realize,” “Lucky,” and “Fallin’ For You,” among others.
Along the Way Track List
1. “Wide Open” (Colbie Caillat, Alysa Vanderheym, Jordan Shellhart)
2. “Pretend” (Colbie Caillat, AJ Pruis, Liz Rose)
3. “Worth It” (Colbie Caillat, AJ Pruis, Liz Rose)
4. “Sometimes You Need a Change” (Colbie Caillat, AJ Pruis, Liz Rose)
5. “For Someone” (Colbie Caillat, AJ Pruis, Liz Rose)
6. “Meant For Me” (Colbie Caillat, AJ Pruis, Liz Rose)
7. “Still Gonna Miss You” (Colbie Caillat, Jason Reeves)
8. “I’ll Be Here” (Colbie Caillat, Brett James, Jason Reeves, Kenny Edmonds)
9. “Buying Time” (Colbie Caillat, AJ Pruis, Liz Rose)
10. “Blue” (Colbie Caillat)
11. “Two Birds” (Colbie Caillat)
12. “Old and New” (Colbie Caillat)
Photo by Brenton Giesey / The Oriel Co.
