Coles Whalen is Next Big Thing
Ten years ago, Coles Whalen sold everything she owned to buy a camper and tour the country. Since then she’s written countless songs, collaborated with other artists, and settled on a musical style all her own.
Her first taste of music was at the age of seven, singing in a children’s choir in Colorado and, thankfully, it didn’t stop there. Whalen would eventually develop a lifelong love of music- adding piano, guitar, mandolin, and accordion to her list of talents.
In February 2012 she released her fifth album, entitled “I Wrote This For You,” on her own record label, Wrecking Ball, LLC. Inspired by some special people in her life, Whalen found a musical outlet to write an album that is both intimate and entertaining, and there is eloquence in her honesty. Her smooth vocals lift you up and let you down easy with lyrics like, “Stay with me baby a little longer, and if I don’t kill you, I sure will make you stronger,” in Cactus.
This album also marks a first for Whalen. Accustomed to writing solo, she had never co-written every track on an album. The resulting sound is a harmonious blend of pop, jazz, blues, and country that only a true artist could pull off. Her song, You’ll Be There, was co-written with rapper Akon, whom she met while performing for his HitLab Showcase in Montreal, Canada. Whalen’s collaboration with Akon is, yet another, pleasant twist on the typical pop-country album.
She’s been called, “the next big thing,” and rightly so. In hearing the first track of the album, gone is the humdrum country music sound that the Nashville machine has become accustomed to, and returned is your ability to get lost in a song. In Wrecking Ball Whalen sings, “You turn me like a steering wheel/ You close me like a business deal/ You break down all my walls like a wrecking ball.” This song full of similes and comparisons, much like the rest of the album, is like opening a gift- thirteen times.
It’s difficult to put into words the excitement one feels when witnessing a moment of greatness unfolding, and Whalen’s fans can certainly attest to this. Gone are the days when she opens for performers such as Joan Jett, or Pat Benatar. She’s certainly made a name for herself, but even that comes with its own set of problems, like whom will she get to open for her shows? Maybe Akon will return the favor.
Coles Whalen’s album release tour will be making a stop in Nashville, TN. Come out and hear her perform live at the Listening Room Café on March 17, 2012 at 6:30 PM.
Article by Lori Wescott
Short URL: http://murfreesboronewspress.com/?p=54658
Posted by loriwescott
on Mar 13 2012. Filed under Murfreesboro Music Scene, Nashville News, Tennessee News.
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