K. Michelle’s New Country Album: Everything We Know So Far
The country music genre has a new addition to its continually evolving roster: K. Michelle, affectionately known as Puddin.
In July, the Memphis native announced she signed a record deal with BBR Music Group and BMG Nashville.
“I have been ready. I am grateful for this moment,” said K. Michelle. “Rebels and Real Outlawz, it’s time! I am excited and want to thank my BMG Team. I am happy to finally sing the music I grew up on. I am a country girl at heart and can’t wait to share my country music with you.”
Releasing her first country album is an understatement. K. Michelle is more than ready.
When she was signed to Atlantic Records and released her pathbreaking debut album, Rebellious Soul, she believed that putting out a country album would be part of her career path. However, she soon realized that it was never going to happen, at least not at that record label.
“I was able to do my albums, but when it came down to the country album, it always had to be pushed off,” she told Rated R&B in 2020 while promoting All Monsters Are Human. “So, me being kind of naive as an artist, I was always told the next album is the time.”
One of the albums she specifically refers to is 2017’s Kimberly: The People I Used to Know, her final album on Atlantic. In the same Rated R&B interview, she shared that it was meant to be her debut in the country music genre.
“I did a whole country album. The last album was supposed to be that. They would not let me turn it in after they spent money on me recording it. They were just saving face,” said K. Michelle.
Fast-forward to 2023, opportunities for K. Michelle to be a part of the country music world increased. She first joined BMI’s Rooftop on the Row series to introduce her country sound.
Shortly after that, she collaborated with Justin Champagne on “Country Love Song” and made her debut at the CMA Fest as his special guest, where she also had her own set.
In late October, K. Michelle was featured on A Tribute to The Judds, a compilation album honoring The Judds, a country music duo she admired.
She joined Jelly Roll and Fisk Jubilee Singers to remake “Love Can Build A Bridge.” Later, she performed the song at the 57th annual Country Music Awards with her collaborators and received a standing ovation.
Now that K. Michelle has signed her new record deal, everything is falling into place as she works on releasing her first-ever country album. As she prepares to release it, Rated R&B has compiled everything we know about this highly anticipated project.
What is the title of K. Michelle’s country album?
K. Michelle has not confirmed the title of her country debut album. However, she has hinted at a potential title, The Makings of an Outlaw, in her social media posts. She is also shooting a documentary series while recording the new album, using the same title as the teased title.
What is the release date for her country album?
The release date for the upcoming album has not been confirmed at this time. K. Michelle told Rated R&B that she is not in a hurry to release the album, even though she has been working on it for some time.
“I’m not going to let anything rush me. I feel like everything has a time [and] a place,” she exclusively told Rated R&B earlier this year, prior to her recent signing.
“I do have some interest from a lot of major labels right now. I own publishing if I want to do that. The focus is on how this is properly going to be presented because the music is there, and they love it. That’s my focus right now. I’m not rushing it out.”
Has K. Michelle previously explored the country music genre?
Ever since her debut album, Rebellious Soul, K. Michelle has consistently included country-tinged recordings in her albums. “Sometimes,” derived from her Atlantic Records debut, showcased her true country roots.
“That was a moment of living in her truth, being able to create music that was not necessarily deemed R&B or acceptable in R&B,” said Bianca “Blush” Atterberry, a frequent collaborator of K. Michelle and the co-writer of “Sometimes.”
Atterberry exclusively shared this with Rated R&B about the making of the track for the Rebellious Soul’s 10th anniversary. “She didn’t want to be pigeonholed into one genre like she only does this.”
In her albums following Rebellious Soul, K. Michelle incorporated country-inspired music in songs like “Time” from More Issues Than Vogue (2016), “Run Don’t Walk” from Kimberly: The People I Used to Know (2017), and the opening track “Just Like Jay” from All Monsters Are Human (2020).
“I had to sneak those songs in there on other albums,” K. Michelle said to Rated R&B, emphasizing her commitment to infusing her albums with her country roots.
In September 2023, K. Michelle featured “Tennessee,” which she co-wrote with the song’s producers, Claude Kelly and Chucky Harmony of Louis York, as the country heartbeat of her final R&B album, I’m the Problem.
“Tennessee” was included to introduce herself in the country music space as Puddin, even though she had previously teamed up with Justin Champagne for “Country Love Song” a few months earlier.
Who did K. Michelle collaborate with on the album?
Since 2019, K. Michelle has turned Nashville into a creative hub to record her country album and has been warmly welcomed into studio sessions with some of the genre’s staples. The earliest individuals to step behind the board were Billy Ray Cyrus and Eric Paslay.
In 2020, K. Michelle announced that country music royalty Dolly Parton had written a song for her upcoming album. “Dreams do come true. Im losing my mind right now,” she wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “I received a record that @dollyparton wrote for me! My lord i’m floored and honored.”
Dreams do come true. Im losing my mind right now! I received a record that @dollyparton wrote for me! My lord i’m floored and honored. Can’t wait for you guys to hear it!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/2Rel9nPiON
— K. Michelle (@kmichelle) September 25, 2020
In 2023, K. Michelle confirmed to People that she was in the studio collaborating with Morgan Wallen and ERNEST. She spoke highly of ERNEST. “He’s one of my greatest friends in the music industry. He wrote with me on a majority of my country album that’s coming out.”
Has K. Michelle released any singles for her upcoming country album?
K. Michelle has not released any music from her new album yet, and there is no information about the release date or title of a single.
She has teased songs from the album, such as “Where The Night Goes,” “Jesus and Whiskey,” and “Jack Daniels,” the latter of which she performed in June at her second year at the CMA Fest.
Will K. Michelle be going on tour?
The Memphis native plans to tour to connect with new and familiar audiences as she expands into the country genre. “I look forward to hitting stages everywhere to introduce the music I grew up on,” K. Michelle wrote in an Instagram post to celebrate her signing.
It has not been determined whether she will tour before or after the album’s release.
In late June, K. Michelle was scheduled to perform her first-ever headlining concert as a country artist in Atlanta at the Eastern. However, the show was postponed with a promise of something “even more special” in August.
It’s worth noting that K. Michelle has performed at CMA Fest for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024.
The story will be updated as more information is revealed about K. Michelle’s new country album.