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“Firstborn,” the long-awaited debut album from award-winning songwriter, Nicolle Galyon, will be released July 22 on her own label, Songs & Daughters.
A striking personal statement twenty years in the making, firstborn is Galyon’s life story in song form. From her humble beginnings that lead her towards a life of overachieving, to grappling with knowing only half of her family tree, to the constant juggle between motherhood and career and everything in between. The project, which will also include a complete visual component, is a musical memoir and fully realized artistic declaration from one of Nashville’s most successful and beloved songwriters.
Produced by King Henry and Jimmy Robbins, the eleven-track album features songwriting collaborations with Robbins, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Sasha Sloan, Kelsea Ballerini, Hillary Lindsey, Emily Weisband, Rodney Clawson and more.
In her own words, Galyon shares, “Everything and everyone is born of something born before them. At the height of my career, I started to take inventory on my life’s work, and in doing so I realized I was spending most of my creativity invested in the narrative of those that came after me. My children. Songs. The record label. The next generation of artists. My marriage. Friendships. All for the future. But as Shakespeare said, ‘the past is prologue’ and my life was a part of the prologue to all of these stories. If it all ended tomorrow, would my children understand why I was the way I was? If it all ended tomorrow, would the songs I helped others write suffice as the playlist of my lifetime? How could I justify my calling as a storyteller without ever having told my own? So, on my twentieth year in Nashville, on my 38th birthday, this is my first try at a first record, in first person…because before I could truly live this one beautiful life, I had to be…firstborn.”
Additionally, of the song “winner.,” (listen above) which was written with McAnally and Osborne, Galyon shares, “I guess everything that’s born must be given a name. Mine is ironic. A surprise pregnancy dropped my mom right out of junior college and landed her at her grandmother’s house two states away to figure out what to do next. I guess when that’s the opening scene of your story… you tend to overcompensate. Especially when you’re born in a town called Winner (South Dakota).”
Born in Winner, SD, raised in Sterling, KS and now based in Nashville, TN, Galyon has written nine #1 singles including Miranda Lambert’s ACM Award-winning “Automatic” and Dan + Shay’s multi-platinum, ACM Award-winning “Tequila.” She’s also received a Grammy and CMA Awards nomination, earned a Triple Play Award and was honored by BMI as their 2019 Songwriter of the Year. In addition to her work as a songwriter and artist, Galyon founded the female-focused label and publishing house, Songs & Daughters, in partnership with Big Loud in 2019, which includes artists Hailey Whitters, Tiera Kennedy, Madison Kozak, Lauren Watkins and more. Galyon was named 2020 Kansan of the Year for her continued service and commitment to her home state, which includes partnering with SongFarm and Save The Music to install a recording studio in Sterling High School and others throughout the country.
