We all pretend to certain degree.
Whether it’s projecting the perfect family on Instagram, or implying our career is right where we want it to be, there’s always some pressure to fake it just a little bit. But for her third album, High & Low, singer-songwriter Caitlyn Smith took a novel approach. Rather than present only the good in her life—a habit that she says she’s had for a long time—she decided to embrace all the messy spots, too, no matter how rough or unsightly. It was an effort to grow as not just an artist, but a person. And it makes for a powerful country album.
“It’s been a pretty transformative record,” she says. “Being able to say something out loud puts me on the path of starting to heal it. You can’t heal it unless you can look at it and be real about it.”
Set for its full release on April 14, High & Low finds Smith being real in a way she’s never been able to before. She takes greater control of her music and opens up in new and emotionally raw ways, aiming for empowerment where there was only anxiety before. And while many reach their emotional enlightenment during a rock- bottom moment, the project actually follows a few high points in the singer’s life. After years of under-the-radar acclaim, Smith has lately received some much-deserved mainstream attention. She earned a New Artist of the Year nomination at the Academy of Country Music Awards in 2022. And with a respected reputation for deep-feeling country songwriting—plus a force-of-nature vocal—the Minnesota native has collected cuts from Dolly Parton, John Legend, Miley Cyrus, and more.
Still, making her own artistic mark sometimes felt like a struggle, and finding radio success had always proved elusive. But with High & Low she let all that go. For the first time, Smith put herself in charge of the entire project’s vision and execution, serving as songwriter, artist, producer, and often musician. The first half (High) arrived last year, and with six more thoughtful songs arriving this month, she calls the completed project a “massive growth scenario.”
“It not only sharpened my ears and my chops as a musician, it really was massive growth personally as well,” she explains. “I feel like it led me into this space where I really had to come toe to toe with being uncomfortable.”
Uncomfortable on multiple levels. Smith had always wanted to produce, but was afraid to take the plunge, she says, deferring instead to well- meaning others in hopes of commercial appeal. Here she took some risks and went against the mainstream grain instead, ultimately ending up extremely proud of the result. That try-something-new discomfort extended to her writing, as well. It wasn’t intentional at first, but she says getting truly honest helped improve her music and her life.
“I’ve been vulnerable on records before, in a way I’ve hidden behind the songs,” she says. “It just kind of set me on this trajectory of not pretending everything’s perfect. Like, if I can talk about it in my songs, why can’t I talk about it in real life, too?”
Tracks like “Writing Songs & Raising Babies” are a great example, with Smith offering a window into the “all out shit show” that raising two kids while pursuing a career can sometimes become. Delivered with a bluesy warble and a mother’s tender, but exasperated, love, she ultimately proclaims it’s a beautiful life. The soaring “High,” presented as with an intoxicating blast of Gospel pop, captures a romantic longing you can’t quit—even when it’s bad for your health. (The track was previously recorded by Miley Cyrus for her 2020 album, Plastic Hearts.) “Mississippi,” which features harmony vocals from Garth Brooks, is an emotional admission that staying strong in a breakup isn’t always as easy as upbeat country songs may imply.
“Dreamin’s Free” floats by with a breezy sway, reminding listeners that when everything feels wrong (and you’re still not rich), the best things in life are there for the taking. And with the powerful single “Lately,” Smith owns up to the fact that moving on is rarely as graceful. And while the singer was nervous to step into the role of producer, ultimately, she was glad to have taken the risk.
“I think my curiosity got the best of me and I just wanted to know what it would sound like if I sat in the driver’s seat,” Smith says. “And it turned out that I really, really loved it.”
The project ends with “The Great Pretender,” a track that ties all of Smith’s experiences together. The tune was so personal that Smith couldn’t wait on collaborators to finish writing it, and then took that solo spirit into the studio, engineering, producing, and recording the whole thing herself. It was the last song recorded for High & Low, and now marks a turning point in her journey. She just hopes it might help others get started on their own.
“It’s really just a culmination of the season I’m in,” she says. “I’m being honest with myself, leaving space for those lows, and knowing in my heart that it’s okay to be a mess. It’s okay to not be perfect. Hopefully, in me saying that out loud, other people can take a deep breath and feel seen in that, too.”