Music On Mondays: Week Of 11/1/21

Brandi Carlile's SNL debut

Carlile returned to the stage to perform her swelling country-rock drama, “Right on Time,” the lead single from her stunning new album, In These Silent Days. This time, Carlile wore a glittering black-and-white suit, appearing alone on a darkened stage, playing the opening verse on piano. The crowd gasped as she turned to the camera and sang the end of the verse in chilling a cappella. Then, Carlile picked up her guitar and rejoined the rest of her band at the front of the stage, bringing the song about two embattled lovers to its soul-melting crescendo.

Kassi Ashton's new song "Heavyweight"

The lyrics, Whatever you got to say, I’d appreciate / Just the bare-bone cold hard truth / I’d rather be alone / to be honest, I’m a full grown woman / I can handle your hardest shot, give me what you’ve got/ I’ve seen way worse than you/ paint a picture of the strength and unwavering determination, two attributes Kassi wishes to share most with her fans.

Emily Scott Robinson's new album "American Siren"

Reflecting on the record, Robinson shares, “I think that the thread running through the album is those things that call to us, and how we can’t resist that call. It’s about the siren songs that come up through our lives. It is bigger and riskier and more expansive than my last collection. It feels like I wrote some songs that I’m going to grow into as I continue to perform them. They’re excavating some deeper stuff than I’ve touched on before, I think they will have a healing quality for people who listen.”

Amanda Cooksey's new concept project "Him"

“I’ve been working on this album for the last two years so there are so many emotions that I feel about it finally being out in the world! Although this project is about a breakup I went through, it’s much more than that to me. It’s an end to a chapter of my life and the start of a growth period of learning who I am and what I want. I hope that people can find themselves within this album, and I hope people know they are not alone no matter what they are going through," said Amanda Cooksey.

Wild Fire's new single "What If We Never Met"

Finding happiness again and realizing that the person who once broke you isn’t worth fighting for is one of the main themes in this song. Regarding continuing on in a bad relationship, Kayla and Kelli said, “The truth is, we are fooling ourselves. We should never waste precious time on someone who we have to constantly cater to.” Music is a language of emotion that can represent various feelings. “It’s ok to let go of relationships that do not add value to our lives. Just know that greater things are in store,” says Wild Fire.

Olivia Farabaugh's new video for "Body Will Break"

“For so long I wanted to write a song about this piece of my life that was so private, but I never seemed to know where to start. It was so close to my heart. Then it hit me, the song isn’t supposed to be about the struggle I have physically, but in the struggle to mentally accept this new reality and my new body. My mind and body were constantly at war,” expresses Olivia.