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Nashville-based country/Americana firebrand Kaitlin Butts has unveiled her hilarious music video for her viral hit, “You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),” a song that has exploded across TikTok and streaming platforms. The breakout anthem has already racked up more than 123 million TikTok views, 8 million global streams, and inspired thousands of fan-made videos, and we’re pretty sure there’s a video award in her future with this one.
The track comes from her critically acclaimed 2024 album Roadrunner!, which has drawn rave reviews for its cinematic scope and bold storytelling. Written and conceived by Butts, the new video—directed by Chris Beyrooty—brings that vision vividly to life. With a nod to the golden age of Westerns, Butts flips the script and takes the reins as a justice-dealing heroine, delivering a performance that is equal parts striking, theatrical, and darkly funny.
“Making this music video was something I’ve wanted to do since I put out this album,” says Butts. “I had the treatment written back in January 2024 while working on videos for Wild Juanita’s, Hunt You Down, and Other Girls. When ‘You Ain’t Gotta Die’ started blowing up, I knew it was finally time. We pulled in director Chris Beyrooty to help bring it all to life, and I couldn’t be more thrilled with how it turned out. I drew inspiration from some of my favorite films—Holes, Django Unchained, and Chicago. Expect a little dancing, a little lipstick, and a whole lot of justice.”
The video release caps off a massive year for Butts, who has quickly earned a reputation as one of Nashville’s most inventive and fearless songwriters. With Roadrunner!, she leaned into her lifelong love of musical theater, crafting a modern-day reimagining of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!—a bold creative swing that has been hailed as both entertaining and thought-provoking.
Fans can catch Butts on the road throughout 2025, with an ambitious touring schedule that includes opening slots on Lainey Wilson’s worldwide Whirlwind Tour, dates with Molly Tuttle on The Highway Knows Tour, Ella Langley’s Still Hungover Tour, and a reunion with Flatland Cavalry on their Flatland Forever(more) Tour. She’ll also be hitting major fairs and festivals, including a must-see set at AmericanaFest in Nashville this September.
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