The new country album “Halfhearted” by Jessica Meuse has only been out two weeks, but it hit Top 11 on iTunes Country Albums and has already amassed over one million song streams on Spotify, Apple Music, and other music services.
“I don’t think there are words in any language that could express how excited I am about Halfhearted finally being released,” said Jessica. “It’s been a long and winding road, with ups and downs galore, but every trial and challenge has been worth it. After American Idol, I knew I wanted to release something that could be the very best representation of myself as a vocalist and songwriter, but the stars just didn’t align for a while. However, once I started working with Warrior Records and L.A. Entertainment, the stars were in perfect alignment and everything I had been leading up to and waiting for snapped perfectly into place.”
Jessica’s first single, “Thank God It Didn’t Work,” is currently being promoted at country radio. “The song is easily relatable to folks everywhere who have been faced with challenges in their life and then looked back later grateful that they didn’t work out,” related Meuse. “Initially, I auditioned for The Voice, but not one of the judges turned around. I was crushed. But, had I known that less than a year later I’d make Top 4 on American Idol, I wouldn’t have worried so much about it.”
“Thank God It Didn’t Work” (an Apple Music Country Hot Track) has been added to numerous high-profile playlists, with Taste of Country also including it in their feature, 17 Songs From Women In Country That Demand Your Attention.
Meuse’s songwriting on her 15-song “Halfhearted” album represents the life, loves, and breakups that she has endured. It demonstrates the heartfelt dedication that has always driven her to succeed both personally and professionally. Thematically, the songs encapsulate the duality of everything, from the macrocosmic concept of good versus evil to the darkness and light that resides within everyone.
“To record Halfhearted, I headed into Capitol Studios in Los Angeles, which in itself was a dream come true. The sessions were long and it was hard work, but anything less than that wouldn’t have made Halfhearted into the amazing album that it is,” said Jessica. “It’s so much more than just a collection of songs about my life. The title track, “Halfhearted,” is basically a shortened version of everything that has made me who I am today. It’s one of my favorites because the hook has an unmistakable Twenty One Pilots vibe and I rap a bit in it too. I forced myself out of my comfort zone and grew as an artist as I wrote this album and it’s reflected in songs like ‘Ruin’ and ‘Beyond the Sea.’ A lot of my compositions were born from relationships — my time spent as a girlfriend — even though they obviously failed miserably. ‘California Dream,’ ‘Brown-Eyed Devil,’ ‘High,’ and ‘Love Her Better’ are some of my favorites, written during my time in relationships post- American Idol till now.”
“Halfhearted marks the next chapter in my story,” continues Meuse. “From a kid in high school who had pizza thrown at her in the lunch room who later endured an abusive relationship and a struggle with a crutch named Xanax, to the adversity life has a tendency to throw at somebody who just might be a little…different…Halfhearted embodies my full 180 recovery. It symbolizes healing and the ability to scoop yourself up off the floor — to find the strength within yourself that you may not have realized you had all along. I’m beyond proud of this album. I hope its message of strength and introspection helps people the way creating it helped me.”
