The project’s debut single is available on all streaming platforms
Acclaimed country artist and host of SiriusXM’ host Sunny Sweeney is set to release her highly anticipated new album, Rhinestone Requiem, on August 1st independently via her Aunt Daddy Records. A bold, unapologetic return to her roots, the record is a sparkling yet soul-baring exploration of resilience, heartbreak, and honky-tonk healing. Leading the way is the album’s debut single, “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees,” also available digitally.
Crafted with Sweeney’s signature blend of raw honesty and wry wit, Rhinestone Requiem – co-produced by Sweeney with her longtime guitarist Harley Husbands – showcases a more vulnerable and defiant voice than ever before. Drawing on her East Texas upbringing and years of cutting her teeth in the Nashville and Austin music scenes, the album marries traditional country twang with hard-earned truths and a few rhinestones for good measure.
The lead single, anthemic “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees,” sets the tone with its tongue-in-cheek lyricism and ironically upbeat instrumentation, given it details the life of a lady stuck between the beginning and end of a marriage.
“I was moving out of my house in Austin, cause the rent got too high, and it was a sudden decision, but I called my mom and said, ‘hey, can I just store some of my stuff at y’all’s house for a little bit while I figure out what I wanna do?’ My mom is the best, so she said yes, and I moved all my stuff in and basically went on the road,” explains Sweeney of the inspiration behind the song. “I was a gypsy for a couple years, but finally ended up buying a house and moving all my stuff into my new house – except my safe. It’s like 2 cubic square feet. Very small. She kept saying, come get your stuff, it’s in our way. So after I jokingly told her to put a lamp on it and make it a table, I said, ‘all that’s in there anyway is grandma’s diamonds and my divorce decrees.’ My country songwriter brain kicked on, and I was like wait…what? I have to write that.”
Rhinestone Requiem, recorded at Cherry Ridge Studio in Texas, is a declaration of self-assurance and artistic freedom. Whether channeling heartbreak, joy, or resilience, Sweeney’s songs connect deeply with both women and men, offering comfort, camaraderie, and catharsis. For Sweeney, the goal remains simple yet powerful: to make music that feels like a trusted friend talking directly to the listener.
1. Find It Where I Can
2. Diamonds and Divorce Decrees
3. Traveling On
4. As Long as There’s a Honky Tonk
5. Houston Belongs To Me
6. Last Hard Bible
7. Waiting for a Reason to Stay
8. Is Tonight the Night (I Make You a Memory)
9. I Drink Well with Others
10. Half Lit in ¾ Time
