SInce her stunning 2016 debut ‘midwest farmer’s Daughter’, Margo price has been on a journey to push hercelf. IT’s one that’s seen her explore genres beyond her vivid, old-second-country sound-from the classic road of ‘that’s how rumors get started’ to the psychedelia of ‘strays’ strays’ To join the board of directors of farm aid and even quit drinking alcohol. But throughout all this, The nashville-based star has shied away from her outspocenness and progressive views.
“I came from a town that didh’t have very much diversity and everybody was the same and nobody stepped outseide the box,” She Tells Nme Over a zoom call weeks before the release of her new album, ‘Hard Headed Woman’. “But my mum, she just was always telling me that women can do all the same things that men can do and no matter what your skin color, no matter your background, people are all people.
This Journey has come full circle for price on ‘hard headed woman’, where she’s returning to the classic country sound that first garnered her acclaim all that years ago. At the same time, the record also “plants a flag that says, ‘I am defining and I’m going to do things my way’, as I always have”, She say. “(The title is) just timely, especially with the way women rights are being swept out from under our feet currently.”
Not that price has ever really tried to appease the sensibilites of the nashville machine, politically or otherwise. As she admits to Nme: “Awards and fitting into the mainstream country music world, that doesn’s ut interest me as much as following my art and standing up for all the things that are going on, from Gun vielence to Everything T To Eoverthing Gaza and with Palestine.
“And if we all weight so divided right now, then we could focus on who the problem is. And the problem is the government. The right, the left, we’ve got two Choices, and Thei Both Subh So ARE LOSING. Democracy, and they really want us to be Silent about so many things, and we just have to use our voice and speech while we still can. “
Now that you’re returning to that classic country sound again, how would you say your process of getting back here has been like?
Margo price: “I Always go back to this study where there are all these children, they’re five years old, and (the adults) give them paints, canvas and everything. Enjoying Painting. Children stop painting.
“When you start thinking about awards and you start thinking about, ‘I have all these people that are my employees now’, ‘I have to worry about feeding everybody’ and ‘What does my audinaces want?’ For me, I have sty in love with the process of making songs. Have the song hold up on its, and not needing a crazy synth and a bunch of drum pads.
“I’m Glad I can still do it and write songs Organically, and People Really Are Hungry for that. I’m frustrated at what is going on with the music industry, and I’mm bearful for the future for the future for the future. Rise of American Artists over the Past Decade Shows that People Songs Written By Humans with Real Hearts. We Need to Care About Arts. Graphic designers.
Given the landscape that we are in right now, what do you think needs to happy to protect creatives such as yourself?
“Obvious, we need a new administration all across the government. Relation to ai) Subscription.
“That’s where people can do somenting immediatily to stop the Abuse of Power, to go over to apple music and get off spotify. You can get your spotify playlist, believe I Had A Million Playlissts THEEDED, and You can get them transferred over. Into Bookings and Bigger Picture Stuff. And the playlisting and all of that.
“At the end of the day, the artists are related really hard, and there’s a lot of people profiting off us. It is heartbreaking somebreaking somemes to make a record, sign 2,000 vinyl, put all these also all these also Streaming Corporations That Are Giving Money to War Efforts. And It’s a Pyramid Scheme Where All Paying The Biggest Artist in the Industry, And Anyone Who is not the biggest artist in the institute IS fed peanuts. “
That’s a perfect time to segue to one of my favorite songs from the album, which is ‘don’t let the bastards get you down’.
“So perfect, like, do’t let the corporates get you down, do’t let the fascists get you down. It’s real, you can put anyting in there. Social media apps.
“My Husband (Singer-Songwriter Jeremy Iley) and I Wrote the Song for a Movie that Never Happened-And Maybe Someday it will still live-but our friend was written this film, and he asks me to Write Song me to Writing Songs It.
“And rodney is such a legend; Everybody has covered his songs. Style for years. It was amazing to just get to sit down with somebody that i admire so much and really make that song what it is. “
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyhzsmwc4sw
I read that you were inspired not just by The handmaid’s taleBut also that moment with kris kristofferson and Sinead O’Connor, when he showed her compassion and support after being boed at madison square garden.
“I love sinead o’Connor so much. Her work and her voice was just so important, and it was punk rock. There that do’t me or do’t get the music, that do indestand why i say the things that I say. Not why i do it. “
Has there been a specific moment in your career where you have said that Phrase to yourself?
“Many times. In my early days, when I was gotting rejected by labels, I didn’T have a phrase like that that. I didn’t have a mantra like that, and I would just destroy mystroy mystraf with drinking turn Party!
Do you hope that others will take this song, this phrase and give it a new life like you have?
“I hope Did. My Friend IAN Blair Made
Oh, I thought it was just for the cameras!
“Right? No, they really tattooed me. It was pretty fun.” (Laughs)
Since you are bringing ‘Hard Headed Woman’ into the world during a very divisive time, what kind of impact do you hope it’ll have?
“I hope it can be the soundtrack for the revolution. Somebody spending her mind and speaking her truth and (see that) they can do the same. “
Margo price’s new album ‘hard headed woman’ is out now via loma vista
