“High on a Heartbreak” is available now
Iowa-born, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Hailey Whitters returns with Corn Queen, her new album out June 6th via Pigasus Records/Big Loud Records/Songs & Daughters, featuring collaborations with Charles Wesley Godwin, Molly Tuttle and The Wilder Blue. To accompany the announcement, she has released the neon-tinged “High On A Heartbreak,” which finds Whitters dreamily intoxicated on the melancholia of a breakup, and its visually striking official video filmed at East Nashville’s famed pink palace – the House of Adora. The song follows Monday’s release of “High On The Hog,” a rollicking mission statement for the 16-song album that serves as a reminder that all that glitters ain’t gold.
“I wrote this song with David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey and Jessie Jo Dillon. I wanted to write the antithesis of a heartbreak song, one about a heartbreak feeling good vs. feeling bad – almost like a guilty pleasure. This song feels like something you’d put on to get ready for a fun night on the town after a breakup. It feels like owning the heartbreak rather than feeling sorry for yourself,” Whitters shares.
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.”
Already from the LP, she’s released “Prodigal Daughter” featuring Molly Tuttle and “Casseroles.”
“Casseroles” marked Whitters’ first song release since her critically-acclaimed 2023 EP I’m In Love. That same year, Whitters was nominated for New Artist of the Year at the CMA Awards and took home the ACM Award for New Female Artist of the Year, performing her platinum certified hit “Everything She Ain’t” during the show. The song marked her debut on the Billboard Hot 100 and her first top 20 hit at country radio.
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 to 20 in Whitefish, Montana.
1. High On The Hog (Hailey Whitters)
2. Prodigal Daughter (feat. Molly Tuttle) (Hailey Whitters, Paul Sikes, Bryan Simpson)
3. Shotgun Wedding Baby (Hailey Whitters, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Caroline Watkins)
4. Helluva Heart (Hailey Whitters, Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes)
5. High On A Heartbreak (Hailey Whitters, Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)
6. It’ll Do (Hailey Whitters, Chris LaCorte, Hillary Lindsey, Jon Nite)
7. Hearsay (Hailey Whitters, Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes)
8. Anything Like Me (Hailey Whitters, Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes)
9. I Don’t Want You (feat. Charles Wesley Godwin) (Hailey Whitters, Jon Nite, Gordie Sampson)
10. The Nail (Hailey Whitters, Bryan Simpson, Ryan Tyndell)
11. Casseroles (Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, James Slater)
12. Wagon (Trannie Anderson, Ben Hayslip, Seth Mosley)
13. Wholesome (Hailey Whitters, Luke Dick)
14. White Limousine (Hailey Whitters, Jessie Jo Dillon, Jesse Frasure)
15. Corn Queen (Hailey Whitters, Bobby Pinson)
16. DanceMor (feat. The Wilder Blue) (Hailey Whitters, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)
