The Rustbelt-born and raised, Nashville-based singer-songwriter Kiely Connell is set to release her highly anticipated sophomore album, My Own Company. This gritty and generous offering is a powerful journey through mental health, personal losses, traumatic memories, and the path to recovery. Produced by the renowned Tucker Martine, the album showcases her razor-sharp writing and growly, smoky, powerhouse voice that evokes the spirit of country legends like Wynonna and Reba.
The emotional crux of My Own Company stems from the abrupt end of a years-long relationship, which set the artist on a transformative path of facing her demons and emerging stronger. The album unpacks past trauma, including the death of a high school friend, the challenges of the dating landscape, blistering takes on consent, and unrealistic beauty standards.
On the haunting track “Restless Bones,” she sings about her high school friend who committed suicide. The song recounts in excruciating detail the lingering memories of the school-wide announcement of her friend’s death and the heart-wrenching sight of her high school friends carrying the casket. This deeply personal song, tested on the road during a tour with Tommy Prine, resonated deeply with fans who thanked her for her brutal honesty.
Other standout tracks include:
- “Damn Hands”: A scathing country anthem about consent and the Nashville dating scene.
- “Beautiful”: A heartfelt reminder to three women at different stages in their lives that they are more than their physical appearance.
- “Anesthesia”: A poignant reflection on the first holiday season spent alone after her breakup, where she felt like a ‘department store mannequin’ watching life happen to everyone else.
Inspired by dark literary heroes like Neil Gaiman and Charles Baudelaire, and with a background in musical theater, she brings a flair for the dramatic to her music. Her vocal stylings and raw honesty are pure country, with a modern jagged edge thanks to producer Tucker Martine.
- My Own Company (July 19, 2024) – Connell’s sophomore album produced by Tucker Martine – is a “journey of mental health” about loss and recovery, and a feat of storytelling.
- She sings about the suicide of a high school friend, the abrupt end of a years-long relationship, and the gradual realization that her own company is enough.
- Toured with Tommy Prine, currently in residence at Eric Church’s Chief’s in Nashville.
- On a recent tour with Tommy Prine, fans approached her to share their own stories of suicide and thank her for her music. "It really does help me to get it out, especially with my history of struggling with depression since I was a teenager. I’ve always dealt with it by allowing myself to feel it fully and write about it."
- Comps: S.G. Goodman, Lily Hiatt, Lucinda Williams, John Prine, and Steve Earle - with powerhouse vocals reminiscent of Wynonna and Reba, and a razor-sharp edge akin to Fiona Apple.
- Produced by Tucker Martine: “It was a running joke of mine that I would always say, ‘I’m going to make my next album with Tucker Martine.’ I’ve been a fan of his since I heard Neko Case’s The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You.”
- She sent Martine some demos, unsure of his reaction, but he responded immediately and enthusiastically. Connell took her songs to Portland, Oregon, to track at Martine’s studio with a band that includes bassist Nate Query (the Decemberists), drummer Andrew Borger (Tom Waits, Norah Jones), and her long-time guitarist Drew Kohl. Together, they expanded Connell’s songs, gently taking them into new realms while emphasizing her powerful vocals.
