ZACH TOP SURPRISED WATKINS ONSTAGE WITH OPRY DEBUT INVITATION
NEXT RELEASE “I’LL GET THROUGH IT” DUE MAY 30
NASHVILLE, TENN. – Lauren Watkins received the surprise of a lifetime on Friday night (5/16), while on tour with Zach Top. On his Cold Beer and Country Music Tour stop in Indianapolis, Ind., the Big Loud Records songbird was invited back to stage by Top to perform a cover of Barbara Mandrell’s “I Was Country When Country Wasn’t Cool” during his headlining set. After the performance, Top asked Watkins if she’d like to make her Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday, June 20, 2025, a milestone Watkins has been dreaming of her whole life growing up in Nashville, Tenn. Watch Watkins’ reaction here.
“Playing the Grand Ole Opry has been at the top of my bucket list for as long as I can remember,” shares Watkins. “Growing up in Nashville, I first went as a kid. To this day, I still have the same feeling of respect and awe as when I first sat in the crowd and listened to the music. It’s one of those things I don’t know if I’ll ever feel ‘worthy’ of doing, but I am so proud to have the invite and I can’t wait to step into that circle.”
On Saturday, Watkins took the main stage at former tourmate Morgan Wallen’s inaugural Sand In My Boots Festival, where she performed “I’ll Get Through It,” and announces today that the song will drop May 30. Written by Watkins with Brett Warren and Brad Warren and produced and written by ACM and CMA winning producer Will Bundy (“you look like you love me”), “I’ll Get Through It” doubles down on grit in the no-nonsense anthem, combining razor-sharp lyrics and raw, effortless vocals to confront heartbreak head on. She shrugs it off like she’s been here before – because she has. “I’ll Get Through It” sees Watkins take another unapologetic step forward.
Pre-Save/Pre-Add: “I’ll Get Through It”
In April, Watkins released the first track release of “Lose My Cool,” the first single since her debut album The Heartbroken Record, hailed as “the perfect introduction to Watkins’ next project” (Country Now). Following the success of The Heartbroken Record, a 17-track debut that earned praise from Stereogum as one of the best 10 country albums of 2024 with standout tracks “Gatlinburg,” “Anybody But You” and “Settling Things,” Watkins is moving on from heartbreak and on to greener pastures.
The Nashville-bred artist continues to earn her stripes on the road as she joins Riley Green this summer, making a special stop in her hometown of Nashville at Franklin’s First Bank Amphitheater, followed by Lainey Wilson dates in the fall.
ABOUT LAUREN WATKINS
Drenched in authenticity and rife with barstool charm with an addictive, Tennessee limestone gravel in her voice, Nashville-born and bred songbird Lauren Watkins writes, breathes and lives country music. The 25-year-old originally grew up on the outskirts of Guitar Town, mesmerized by a jukebox rotation of country music, from outlaws like Willie Nelson and Sheryl Crow to chart-toppers Eric Church, Miranda Lambert and Chris Stapleton. Moving back after four years at Ole Miss, Watkins’ unyielding, turn-on-a-dime lyricism quickly caught the attention of GRAMMY-nominated multi-hyphenate Nicolle Galyon, who signed her to publishing and recording contracts with Songs & Daughters / Big Loud Records almost instantly. Honing in on a sound that’s both reverent of the genre’s roots and in lockstep with where it’s headed next, she introduced her take on country music with 17-track, full-length debut The Heartbroken Record, in 2024, the full-circle companion to previous EP releases Introducing: Lauren Watkins and Introducing: The Heartbreak. The Boston Globe praises the record as “inhabiting the same neighborhood as, say, Kacey Musgraves (a few albums ago) or Ashley Monroe,” while Billboard calls out the “effortlessly smoky quality to Watkins’ voice, with a style of direct-yet-poetic songwriting reminiscent of Kacey Musgraves or Miranda Lambert.” Country Central smirks, “being ‘messy’ has never been so cool.” Watkins hit the road hard in 2024, touring fairs, festivals and even opening stadiums for Morgan Wallen internationally on his One Night At A Time Tour. This year she’s keeping the momentum rolling, sharing stages with Riley Green, Zach Top and Lainey Wilson while gearing up for a 2025 full of new music, starting with “Lose My Cool,” out now, and “I’ll Get Through It” out May 30.
CONNECT WITH LAUREN WATKINS
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Media Contacts
Olivia Hanceri + Lexi Leatherwood | OH Creative
olivia@theohcreative.com, lexi
Corey Brewer + Rachel Heatherly | Big Loud
corey@bigloud.com, rachel@bigloud.com
