Photo By Mike Carroll
In a new interview with the Tennessean, the former child star spilled all of the details of how things are coming about with the project, which she says will be more of a traditional country release than her previous works.
While Rimes’ recent Sept. 2011 release ‘Lady & Gentlemen’ was a cover album consisting of notable country hits formerly sung by men, the 29-year-old songstress says it truly inspired her original work. “What I thought was just a conversation that we were going to make a record to fulfill a deal at the end of the day turned out to be a turning point in my life and my career and the way I view music again,” she recalls. “I was at a very vulnerable time in my life, and even though they weren’t my words, I could relate to all of them because all of these men wrote about what they were living and that doesn’t really happen anymore because everyone is trying to focus on making a hit record and it can be very stale. I totally believe the reason why I did this record now is to see where I want to go in the future.”
Her newfound tunnel vision is toward a different sound than she’s used to — a more traditional, stripped down, classic country. “I’m kind of making movies now, not just albums, which is really fun,” she says. “It’s a complete vision, and I know where I want to go. That’s the exciting part. It’s a complete rebirth.” Rimes feels that with another five or so new songs, she’ll be all set to release next year.
The album will be her last at her label Curb Records, which has been her musical home since she was 11-years-old. Curb has been in the headlines lately for their ongoing battle with Tim McGraw, who won a suit last week to be able to record new music at his leisure. Rimes, however, says that’s not the case with her, but “it’s just time to have a new stage.”
She adds that battling with her label is not her style, saying, “I don’t believe it’s productive to go around and badmouth anyone that I work with because at the end of the day, we all have to sit in front of each other and agree or disagree. I have great respect for everyone who works there. But the great thing is that no matter how the business is or how we agree or disagree on how things are promoted, I’m proud of the product that I made, and as long as I keep making good music, that’s the most important thing to me. And, I’m incredibly proud of this record.” Rimes hopes to have this album on shelves no later than Summer 2012.