Acclaimed singer, songwriter and musician Katie Pruitt will release her highly anticipated new album, Mantras, April 5 via Rounder Records (pre-order/pre-save here). Ahead of the album, new song, “White Lies, White Jesus and You,” is debuting today (listen/share HERE). In conjunction with the release, the song’s official music video, directed by Alexa King Stone and Stephen Kinigopoulos, will premiere today at 1:00pm ET/10:00am PT on YouTube.
Of the track, Pruitt reflects, “I wrote ‘White Lies, White Jesus & You’ about shedding any remaining shame associated with the church. It’s an intentional protest song rejecting the narrative that the Bible’s purpose is to gate-keep or oppress. I hope it serves as a reminder to anyone who has ever been hurt by religion, that spirituality is yours to define for yourself and no institution can take that away from you.”
Produced by Jake Finch and Collin Pastore (both known for their work with boygenius and Lucy Dacus) and recorded at Nashville’s The Shed, Mantras is Pruitt’s most personal work to date and first new album in five years, following her acclaimed 2019 debut, Expectations. Across these eleven tracks, including previously released song, “Blood Related,” Pruitt takes her introspective songwriting to new heights, as she explores complex relationships with family, religion and her own mind.
Reflecting on the project, Pruitt shares, “Mantras is a full circle journey from self-sabotage to self-compassion. Writing this record forced me to stop seeking external validation from the rest of the world and turn my focus inward. After hitting a low point that caused me to seek extensive therapy, I realized I had a problem with negative self-talk. So I started writing down phrases of encouragement and repeating mantras in the mirror. Through this practice I learned how to be a kinder friend to myself and ultimately a kinder friend to others. When life gets heavy and the future feel overwhelmingly out of our control, we can learn to turn inwards and build a home inside of ourselves.”
Known for her powerful live performances, Pruitt will embark on an extensive headline tour this spring including stops at Atlanta’s Terminal West, Dallas’ Kessler Theater, Austin’s Parish, Denver’s Bluebird Theater, Seattle’s Neumos, Boston’s Brighton Music Hall, New York’s Bowery Ballroom, Philadelphia’s World Café Live and Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl among many others. See below for complete tour itinerary.
Tickets for the new dates will be available for pre-sale starting next Wednesday, January 17 at 10:00am local time with general on-sale following next Friday, January 19 at 10:00am local time. Full details can be found at www.katiepruitt.com/tour.
In addition to Pruitt, Finch and Pastore, Mantras also features musicians Maggie Chaffee (strings), Dave Cohen (keys), Anthony Da Costa (guitar), Kris Donegan (guitar), Laura Epling (strings), Camille Faulkner (strings), Will Honaker (guitar, keys), Taylor Ivey (bass), Kevin McGowan (drums) and Johnny Williamson (guitar).
The new music adds to a series of breakout years for Pruitt following Expectations, of which NPR Morning Editionpraised, “such clarity of expression and disarming intimacy—Expectations is aesthetically warmhearted even in its tensest moments of confrontation.” Additionally, Rolling Stonedeclared, “A soaring vocalist and agile guitarist, Pruitt is a dynamic new presence,” while Pitchfork proclaimed, “With stately ballads and choruses to shatter glass, the Nashville singer-songwriter’s debut builds into a record that feels deeply thoughtful and unified.”
Originally from the Atlanta suburbs and now based in Nashville, Pruitt has garnered widespread attention since her debut. She has been highlighted as a Rolling Stone “Artist You Need To Know,” one of NPR Music’s “Slingshot: 20 Artists To Watch” and has performed as part of CBS Mornings’ “Saturday Sessions” series and NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk (Home Concert)” series. In addition to numerous sold-out headline shows, Pruitt has also toured with artists such as Brandi Carlile, Indigo Girls, Shakey Graves, My Morning Jacket, American Aquarium, Lucero, City and Colour and more.
MANTRAS TRACK LIST
1. All My Friends
2. White Lies, White Jesus and You
3. Self Sabotage
4. Leading Actress
5. Jealous of the Boys
6. Blood Related
7. Naive Again
8. The Waitress
9. Worst Case Scenario
10. Phases of the Moon
11. Standstill
KATIE PRUITT CONFIRMED TOUR DATES
BOLD on-sale next Friday, January 19 at 10:00am local time
March 28—Asheville, NC—Salvage Station
March 29—Atlanta, GA—Terminal West
March 30—Birmingham, AL—Saturn
April 1—Kansas City, MO—RecordBar
April 3—Houston, TX—The Heights Theater
April 4—Dallas, TX—The Kessler Theater
April 7—Austin, TX—Parish
April 10—Colorado Springs, CO—The Black Sheep
April 11—Denver, CO—Bluebird Theater
April 12—Fort Collins, CO—Washington’s Foco
April 13—Boulder, CO—Fox Theatre
April 16—Salt Lake City, UT—Urban Lounge
April 17—Boise, ID—Shrine Ballroom
April 19—Vancouver, BC—Hollywood Theatre
April 20—Kelowna, BC—Revelry Food + Music Hub
April 22—Victoria, BC—Capital Ballroom
April 24—Seattle, WA—Neumos
April 26—San Francisco, CA—Bimbo’s 365 Club
April 28—Indio, CA—Stagecoach
May 7—Boston, MA—Brighton Music Hall
May 10—New York, NY—Bowery Ballroom
May 11—Philadelphia, PA—World Café Live
May 12—Washington, D.C.—The Atlantis
May 14—Toronto, ON—The Great Hall
May 16—Ann Arbor, MI—The Ark
May 17—Chicago, IL—Thalia Hall
May 18—Milwaukee, WI—Vivarium
May 19—St. Paul, MN—Amsterdam Bar & Hall
May 23—Nashville, TN—Brooklyn Bowl
June 1—Lexington, KY—Railbird Festival
