American Idol finalist HunterGirl unexpectedly made history with her first country single, “Ain’t About You.” When the song was first delivered to country radio stations in October, the burgeoning singer/songwriter became the first female artist to select a solely self-penned track as their debut single in more than 30 years.
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The impact of earning such an accomplishment so early in her career is still deeply felt by the talented Tennessee native.
“Whenever I hear that statistic, I tear up,” HunterGirl told American Songwriter on the 2023 ASCAP Awards red carpet. “Because I’m being [mentioned] in the same sentence as artists I’ve looked up to for a song that I never thought anybody would hear.”
She wrote the inspiring and emotional track just two weeks before her life-changing audition to compete on American Idol. Now, a year and a half after coming in second to fellow contestant Noah Thompson, HunterGirl is sharing thanks for those who encouraged her to start a new chapter with “Ain’t About You.”
“I’m so glad there were people around me that believed in me and this song because when you write a song by yourself, it’s scary,” she said. “It’s putting your whole heart out there with nothing to hide behind. But luckily, I had people behind me saying, ‘let’s go a hundred percent,’ and I’m so happy the song is out in the world and gets to touch people.”
[RELATED: HunterGirl: “I Want to Make Music That Means Something”]
Between performances, recording and promotion, HunterGirl’s schedule has gotten increasingly busy over the past year. Still, she always finds time when creative inspiration strikes.
“I don’t think I can turn songwriting off no matter how much I try,” she explained. “Some days I hear something and think, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s a song,’ and start writing it down. My voice memos are atrocious, I have like 5,000 or 6,000 recordings.”
“I just love writing songs,” HunterGirl added. “I feel like it’s the way that I get everything out of my head, and I honestly think it brings everybody together. That’s why songwriters are the superheroes of Nashville.”
Photo by Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for BBR/BMG
