| Made from the Dirt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio album by | |
| Released | September 20, 2024 |
| Genre | Country |
| Length | 36:15 |
| Label | |
| Producer |
|
| Singles from Made from the Dirt | |
| |
Made from the Dirt is the debut studio album by American country music artist Kassi Ashton. It was released on September 20, 2024, through a joint partnership between MCA Nashville and Interscope Records. [1] It includes the singles "Drive You Out of My Mind" and "Called Crazy".
Ashton, who studied at Nashville's Belmont University, landed a publishing deal in 2016, and subsequently signed a recording contract in a joint partnership with Universal Music Group and Interscope Records the following year. [2] After a string of standalone single releases and delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, "Dates in Pickup Trucks" was ultimately released as Ashton's debut to country radio in 2022, though it was not included on the album, [3] and the album was released seven years after initially signing her record deal. [2]
Ashton wrote or co-wrote all 10 tracks on Made from the Dirt, [4] and co-produced the album with Luke Laird, with additional production on select tracks from Oscar Charles and Todd Clark. [5]
Described as equal parts "grunge and glamour", Ashton came up with the album title while watching a live feed of a couture fashion show [2] and it was inspired by the duality of her upbringing that found the singer "celebrat[ing] the unique incongruities that have shaped her thus far", and the cover artwork features her wearing an outfit that she made herself. [5] Ashton wrote the title track because "we are made all the better every time we get back up. We are more beautiful because of the scars, stories, and bulls***. I hope after listening down, you feel seen, you feel validated, and you feel like the baddest to ever do it". [6] In creating the album, Ashton cited musical influence from the likes of Stevie Nicks, Eric Church, and Chris Stapleton, among others, [7] and set out with no theme in mind, instead opting to just be vulnerable, collaborating with well-known songwriters such as Lori McKenna, Rhett Akins, and Luke Laird. [2]
"Drive You Out of My Mind" was released as the album's lead single in March 2023, pulling in first-week adds from 42 stations. [8] It reached a peak of number 42 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart in September 2023. "Called Crazy" was issued as the second single on May 6, 2024. [9] Ashton was chosen as Audacy, Inc.'s 'Launch' Artist, lending additional platform support to "Called Crazy". [10] It debuted at number 53 on Billboard Country Airplay ahead of its release as a single, [11] and pulled in adds from 43 stations by its impact date. [9] It became her first song to enter the top 40 of the chart in its seventh chart week, [12] and reached a peak of number 32 in August 2024. [13]
"Son of a Gun", "The Straw", and "I Don't Wanna Dance" were also released as promotional singles leading up to the album release. [14] [15] "Son of a Gun" is described as her origin story, with Ashton drawing inspiration from the way her parents met. [7]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Made from the Dirt" |
|
| 3:31 |
| 2. | "Called Crazy" |
|
| 3:19 |
| 3. | "Son of a Gun" |
|
| 3:23 |
| 4. | "I Don't Wanna Dance" |
|
| 3:17 |
| 5. | "The Straw" |
|
| 4:04 |
| 6. | "Angels Smoke Cigarettes" |
|
| 4:01 |
| 7. | "The Stars Know" |
|
| 3:19 |
| 8. | "Drive You Out of My Mind" |
|
| 3:32 |
| 9. | "'Til the Lights Go Out" |
|
| 3:42 |
| 10. | "Juanita" | Ashton |
| 4:03 |
| Total length: | 36:15 | |||
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