
For a country artist with not much radio play, 18 year old Abi Ann is doing remarkably well. She hasn't been played on the radio to the extent of any of the other rising female country artists, not even as much as Mickey Guyton, whose beautiful debut disappointingly didn't even break the Top 30. But this high school student managed to snag a spot on tour with Kelly Clarkson, alongside pop act Eric Hutchinson and acapella group Pentatonix. Abi Ann represented women in country music at this pop show, and did an amazing job doing so.
Her most recent EP, 17, featuring this song and her last single "Future Ex Boyfriend," is a country pop affair, an EP full of sassy lyrics and powerful vocals. This song, written by Abi Ann and Walker Hayes, who has written songs for Rodney Atkins and Colt Ford, is the second single from that effort. The songwriters continue the popular word play on bro country songs in the lyrics with the "Country Girl (Shake It For Me)," "Hey Girl" and other references.
It's easy to mark this song off as another Maddie & Tae remake. Which in some sense it is. It is a song about the injustices and sexism against women in country music currently, which is what the duo's song spoke about. But if you ask me, there can never be enough of these type of songs. Having more than just "Girl in a Country Song" really emphasizes the point that women really are portrayed unfairly in country songs. This one is a slightly watered-down Radio Disney version, but in this case, it's okay, because Abi Ann is telling young women AND young girls that they don't have to everything guys ask them to do. The music video even shows a little girl doing following the song's instructions, by refusing to get in the toy truck with this little boy, so she isn't his 'truck candy.' Abi Ann masterfully figures out a way to refute what little girls learn at such a young age: that they are told that they can't play sports as well as boys, and they just aren't as good as boys. Abi Ann is telling them that they ARE just as good, and have control over their own lives.
Abi Ann is an artist to watch. She was already exposed to thousands of fans when on tour with Kelly Clarkson, and I wouldn't be surprised if all of those new fans begin to carry her songs up the chart. She's still young, but Abi Ann rocks.
Overall rating: 4 crowns
It's easy to mark this song off as another Maddie & Tae remake. Which in some sense it is. It is a song about the injustices and sexism against women in country music currently, which is what the duo's song spoke about. But if you ask me, there can never be enough of these type of songs. Having more than just "Girl in a Country Song" really emphasizes the point that women really are portrayed unfairly in country songs. This one is a slightly watered-down Radio Disney version, but in this case, it's okay, because Abi Ann is telling young women AND young girls that they don't have to everything guys ask them to do. The music video even shows a little girl doing following the song's instructions, by refusing to get in the toy truck with this little boy, so she isn't his 'truck candy.' Abi Ann masterfully figures out a way to refute what little girls learn at such a young age: that they are told that they can't play sports as well as boys, and they just aren't as good as boys. Abi Ann is telling them that they ARE just as good, and have control over their own lives.
Abi Ann is an artist to watch. She was already exposed to thousands of fans when on tour with Kelly Clarkson, and I wouldn't be surprised if all of those new fans begin to carry her songs up the chart. She's still young, but Abi Ann rocks.
Overall rating: 4 crowns