The song appears on Whitters’ upcoming Corn Queen
Rising country star Hailey Whitters releases “I Don’t Want You” featuring Charles Wesley Godwin. The track is the latest latest to be released from her forthcoming album Corn Queen. A tender duet about the push and pull of a relationship, the song finds the singer/songwriters acknowledging that sometimes what we want might not be what we need, complimented by the contrast of Whitters’ saccharine vocals and Godwin’s down-to-earth delivery. Due out June 6th via Pigasus Records/Big Loud Records/Songs & Daughters, the 16-song collection also features contributions from Molly Tuttle and The Wilder Blue.
This week, Whitters announced an in-store performance at Grimey’s at 4 pm on album release day. Fans can pre-order the vinyl LP and CD at Grimeys online or inside the record store for a signing wristband.
“I wrote ‘I Don’t Want You’ with Jon Nite & Gordie Sampson,” Whitters explains. “It was our first-time ever writing together and one of the few times I’ve ever sat down to write without a hook or concept in mind first. We just started spitting it out line by line and following the feeling. What resonates with me most about this song is that it’s an honest and raw account of a far from perfect relationship. I think we all to some extent or another bring our ‘shit’ into our relationships and I like that this couple wants to work through it rather than just hang it up. I met Charles Wesley Godwin when we were both on tour last year with Luke Combs and have been completely awestruck by his artistry ever since. He’s a true artist and I was dying to collaborate on something with him. I’m so thankful he said yes to this one because he took it to a place it would have otherwise never reached.”
“Hailey and I’s paths have crossed a few times, both as labelmates and as part of Luke Combs’ tour last year, so I was thrilled when she asked me to join her on ‘I Don’t Want You.’ Country music has a long history of duets and it was fun to join in on that tradition and help this song come to life,” Godwin adds.
The track follows last month’s release of “High On The Hog” and “High On A Heartbreak.” Earlier this year, Whitters released “Prodigal Daughter” featuring Molly Tuttle and “Casseroles.”
Recorded once again in Nashville with longtime collaborator (and now-husband) Jake Gear, the collection is a rousing reflection on Whitters’ midwestern roots and the joys and struggles of small-town living. The writing is whip smart, full of clever wordplay and evocative storytelling, and the performances are utterly intoxicating, walking the line between classic and contemporary country with a healthy dose of bluegrass energy. Whitters has long been recognized as a master craftswoman, but Corn Queen solidifies her status as a genuine star, one with the wisdom—and the guts—to trust her instincts as she blazes her own singular trail through the industry.
“Fans started calling me the ‘Corn Queen’ because I’m from Iowa,” Whitters explains. “At first, it seemed kind of silly, but the more I thought about it, the more I loved the duality of it. Corn is this simple, humble crop, and ‘queen’ implies royalty passed down through blood. I come from a long line of blue-collar farmers and construction workers. I’ve been out here for over a decade brushing my teeth in truck stop bathrooms, sleeping on hotel floors, driving myself from gig to gig. It’s not glamorous, but I’m proud of it. I like the idea of a queen with a little grit and elbow grease.”
This year, Whitters will perform at the inaugural Sand in My Boots festival on May 16th in Gulf Shores, Alabama and at Under the Big Sky Music Festival from July 18-20 in Whitefish, Montana.
