Despite the common misconceptions surrounding the genre, country can be freaking amazing when done correctly. When you’re avoiding the cliche guitar riff that opens every single song, the overly twang vocals, and lyrics depicting driving down a country road, the genre can connect with the people through human experiences unlike any other.
One artist whom I’ve seen strike a chord with the younger generation is Texas born, Brooklyn based musician Harriette. Fuelled by personal experience and completely natural in their disposition, she creates music that speaks to countless adolescent minds transitioning into adulthood through authentic diaristic lyrics. Her delivery is that of a close friend, creating a conversational moment between the audience and her that’s almost therapeutic. She’s a new generation’s country idol, and with the drop of her debut EP i heart the internet it looks like she’s one step closer to that landmark.
Her southern warmth meets pop guile throughout the project. With tracks like Fucking Married and Lying is Cute, she adds a raw angst to her sound with the grit in her voice adding a much needed visceral punch. The production is amped up too, adding emphatic guitars that pierce through the rustic sound and a harsh edge to the lyrics, feeling the animosity of her frustration. To counter it there’s some more lighthearted numbers, mainly in the title track, Johnny Got It Right and Goodbye Texas, all having solemn stories but a lighthearted production that’s perfect for summer drives. Only for the emotion to come crashing down again in the soft spoken bc i love you and Sunday, break out the tissues for these.
Whether you’re a country lover or country hater, Harriette has got something for everyone and will certainly find her way into many people’s heavy rotation.