In 2022, a 22-year-old from Georgia won The Voice under the wing of Blake Shelton. That 22-year-old was Bryce Leatherwood. With both the ideal name and the ideal sound, Bryce Leatherwood was a perfect match for Blake Shelton and, consequently, destined for a career in country music. Well, that notion has finally become a reality, as Leatherwood released his self-titled debut album on Friday, May 16.
Videos by American Songwriter
Leatherwood’s 15-track debut album is a culmination of blues, bluegrass, rock, and pop. Though at its most finite point, it is a true 21st-century country music album with flares that pay homage to the past. Inspired by George Jones and George Strait, Leatherwood steps forward while looking back at the past with tracks such as “Shenandoah,” “What If She Does,” “Hung Up on You,” and on his cover of Strait’s single, “The Fireman.”
In his album, Leatherwood seemingly aimed for something fun, introspective, and introductory. Concerning the implementation of all these ideas, Leatherwood divulged, “I still need to introduce myself, but at the same time, I want to put out the best songs possible. I want people to go like, once they’re done listening, holy sh—, that’s a country record.”
What ‘The Voice’ Accomplished for Bryce Leatherwood
When it comes to forming a music career, winning a major singing competition surely helps. In addition to the prize money and connections, winning The Voice boosted Leatherwood’s confidence to a healthy level. “I think what it taught me the most is just, you know, I can do it on any stage,” and “No matter how big, I can do it. And it was definitely a confidence boost,” stated Leatherwood.
“I mean, the reality is, with a show like that, you’re just in front of 7 million people a night, it’s pretty wild. So you build up pretty thick skin doing that,” he added. Thick skin and a confidence boost are an advantageous pair for a career in the music business, and Leatherwood has certainly utilized them to his benefit
Behind the Album…
As stated previously, Bryce Leatherwood’s new album aims to accomplish a great deal of many things. Like most debut albums, Leatherwood also hopes to further introduce himself to the world more than he already has. Though as he wisely stated, “How do you put, in 42 minutes, your whole life?”
Per Leatherwood’s comments, that feat is nearly impossible. However, what isn’t impossible to Leatherwood is the sound he hopes to articulate to the masses. Which to him is “Somewhere in the midst of classic country” and “The heart and soul of the blues.”
Of course, creating an album is no easy task, and Leatherwood attested to that fact, as he told American Songwriter, “The simplest songs are always the hardest, you know?” However, at the same time, “some of the best songs fall out of the sky.” Which is seemingly what happened on the tracks Leatherwood wrote, as he said, “All the songs that I wrote took, like, less than an hour and a half. It felt natural, and it felt like me, and you didn’t have to try to, you know, work around it.”
When it comes to his debut album, he left his fans and listeners with one final sentiment. That sentiment—”Real country music’s back, all right. It is back. Better than ever.”
Bryce Leatherwood’s debut album is out now on streaming platforms everywhere. Also, if you want to check out some of his singles and tour dates, visit his website.
Credit: Cait McNaney
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