Brennan Wedl – “Heartland”

In May, we named Brennan Wedl an Artist To Watch thanks to her twangy, shrewd ballads like “Fake Cowboy.” Now, the Nashville singer-songwriter is back with “Heartland.”

According to Wedl, “Heartland” is about “a long-winded divorce from the perspective of an adult child in Middle America,” she said. “This visceral narrative of a dysfunctional family is inspired by the barebones storytelling heard in ‘My Father’s House’ by Bruce Springsteen. The blunt and emotional delivery is relatable to just about anyone who grew up in a family unit.”

“The ‘Heartland’ video is a testament to the friend we can find in the inner child,” she added. “Nurturing this reminds us that play is essential in our personal growth no matter how old we are.”

Finger-picked acoustic guitar and wistful pedal steel add to the powerful gloominess of “Heartland,” whose lyrics paint vivid, moving scenes: “Brothers cried on the telephone/ The dog died and they sold out home/ Life changes fast/ Marriage never lasts in the Heartland,” she sings. Watch the Blaire Beamer-directed music video below.