Made from the Dirt

Last updated
Made from the Dirt
KassiAshtonMadeFromTheDirt.jpeg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 20, 2024 (2024-09-20)
Genre Country
Length36:15
Label
Producer
Singles from Made from the Dirt
  1. "Drive You Out of My Mind"
    Released: March 13, 2023
  2. "Called Crazy"
    Released: May 6, 2024

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". A deluxe re-issue of the album, titled Made from the Dirt: The Blooms, was released on April 25, 2025. [2]

Contents

Background

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. [3] 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, [4] and the album was released seven years after initially signing her record deal. [3]

Content

Ashton wrote or co-wrote all 10 tracks on Made from the Dirt, [5] and co-produced the album with Luke Laird, with additional production on select tracks from Oscar Charles and Todd Clark. [6] On April 25, 2025, the album was re-issued as Made from the Dirt: The Blooms, expanding the album to 15 tracks. [2]

Described as equal parts "grunge and glamour", Ashton came up with the album title while watching a live feed of a couture fashion show [3] 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. [6] 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". [7] In creating the album, Ashton cited musical influence from the likes of Stevie Nicks, Eric Church, and Chris Stapleton, among others, [8] 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. [3]

Singles

"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. [9] 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. [10] Ashton was chosen as Audacy, Inc.'s 'Launch' Artist, lending additional platform support to "Called Crazy". [11] It debuted at number 53 on Billboard Country Airplay ahead of its release as a single, [12] and pulled in adds from 43 stations by its impact date. [10] It became her first song to enter the top 40 of the chart in its seventh chart week, [13] and reached a peak of number 32 in August 2024. [14]

"Son of a Gun", "The Straw", and "I Don't Wanna Dance" were also released as promotional singles leading up to the album release. [15] [16] "Son of a Gun" is described as her origin story, with Ashton drawing inspiration from the way her parents met. [8]

On February 28, 2025, "Sounds Like Something I'd Say" was released as a promotional single alongside the announcement of the album's deluxe edition. The track is a duet with Parker McCollum. [2]

Track listing

Made from the Dirt track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Made from the Dirt"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:31
2."Called Crazy"
  • Ashton
  • Jared Keim
  • Emily Weisband
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:19
3."Son of a Gun"
  • Ashton
  • Jason Nix
  • Driver Williams
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:23
4."I Don't Wanna Dance"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Emily Landis
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:17
5."The Straw"
  • Ashton
  • Laird
4:04
6."Angels Smoke Cigarettes"
  • Ashton
  • Barry Dean
  • Laird
  • McKenna
  • Ashton
  • Laird
4:01
7."The Stars Know"
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:19
8."Drive You Out of My Mind"
  • Ashton
  • Todd Clark
  • Travis Wood
  • Ashton
  • Clark
  • Laird
3:32
9."'Til the Lights Go Out"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:42
10."Juanita"Ashton
  • Ashton
  • Laird
4:03
Total length:36:15
Made from the Dirt: The Blooms [2]
No.TitleWriter(s)ProducerLength
1."Made from the Dirt"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:31
2."Ride or Die Radio"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:50
3."Called Crazy"
  • Ashton
  • Keim
  • Weisband
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:19
4."Son of a Gun"
  • Ashton
  • Nix
  • Williams
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:23
5."I Don't Wanna Dance"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Landis
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:17
6."The Straw"
  • Ashton
  • Laird
  • McKenna
  • Ashton
  • Laird
4:04
7."Sounds Like Something I'd Say" (with Parker McCollum)
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:20
8."Angels Smoke Cigarettes"
  • Ashton
  • Dean
  • Laird
  • McKenna
  • Ashton
  • Laird
4:01
9."All Over You"
  • Ashton
  • Keim
  • Anna Vaus
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:17
10."The Stars Know"
  • Ashton
  • Akins
  • Laird
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:19
11."When I'm Gone"
  • Ashton
  • Jeff Hyde
  • Ryan Tyndell
  • Ashton
  • Laird
3:02
12."Bar Fight"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:06
13."Drive You Out of My Mind"
  • Ashton
  • Clark
  • Wood
  • Ashton
  • Clark
  • Laird
3:32
14."'Til the Lights Go Out"
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Hemby
  • Ashton
  • Charles
  • Laird
3:42
15."Juanita"Ashton
  • Ashton
  • Laird
4:03
Total length:52:53

References

  1. "Kassi Ashton Official Website" . Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Kassi Ashton and Parker McCollum Team Up for New Song "Sounds Like Something I'd Say"". UMG Nashville. February 28, 2025. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Ilana Kaplan (October 12, 2024). "Kassi Ashton Says Her Long-Awaited Debut Album Has One Message: 'You're a Bad Bitch'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  4. Tricia Despres (February 25, 2022). "Kassi Ashton on Why Love Is 'Worth It' — and How Her Grandma Inspired Her Song 'Dates in Pickup Trucks'". People Magazine. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  5. Lorie Hollabaugh (July 12, 2024). "Kassi Ashton Slates Debut Album 'Made From The Dirt' For September". Music Row. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Kassi Ashton Releases Debut Album – Made From The Dirt – Out Now". UMG Nashville. September 20, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  7. Monica Rivera (September 20, 2024). "Kassi Ashton's debut album, 'Made From The Dirt,' is here". Audacy . Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  8. 1 2 Alex Ross (September 20, 2024). "Kassi Ashton Says First Country Album Isn't an 'Era I'm Going Through': 'Don't Want the Debut to Be a Trend' (Exclusive)". People . Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  9. "Country Aircheck Weekly March 13, 2023, Issue 849". Country Aircheck. March 13, 2023. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  10. 1 2 "Country Aircheck Weekly May 6, 2024, Issue 908" (PDF). Country Aircheck. May 6, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  11. Monica Rivera (May 6, 2024). "Meet Audacy 'Launch' artist, Kassi Ashton". Audacy. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  12. "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard . March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  13. "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard . May 10, 2024. Retrieved May 11, 2024.
  14. "Billboard Country Update" (PDF). Billboard . August 2, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  15. "Kassi Ashton Releases New Track "The Straw" – Featured on Her Debut Album MADE FROM THE DIRT, Out Sept. 20". UMG Nashville. August 9, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.
  16. "Kassi Ashton Releases New Song "I Don't Wanna Dance" Out Now". UMG Nashville. May 31, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2024.