LISTEN: Nicolle Galyon’s “Self care”

Nicolle Galyon’s new song, “self care.,” is debuted today (watch above). The music video was directed by Claire Schaper. Of the song, which was written with Sasha Slone and Caroline Baker, Galyon reflects, “This song is about buying in to who you already are instead of buying into a culture that says you have to continually become something better. And to me, I’d rather be someone to look TO than to look AT anyway.”

“self care.” is the third song unveiled from Galyon’s long-awaited debut album, firstborn, which will be released July 22on her own label, Songs & Daughters. Ahead of the release, Galyon has shared two additional album tracks: “boy crazy.” and “winner.”

A striking personal statement twenty years in the making, firstborn is Galyon’s life story in song form. From her humble beginnings that lead her towards a life of overachieving, to grappling with knowing only half of her family tree, to the constant juggle between motherhood and career and everything in between. The project, which will also include a complete visual component, is a musical memoir and fully realized artistic declaration from one of Nashville’s most successful and beloved songwriters. Watch the album’s prologue HERE.

Produced by King Henry and Jimmy Robbins, the eleven-track album features songwriting collaborations with Robbins, Sloan, Kelsea Ballerini, Hillary Lindsey, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne, Emily Weisband, Rodney Clawson and more.

In her own words, Galyon shares, “Everything and everyone is born of something born before them. At the height of my career, I started to take inventory on my life’s work, and in doing so I realized I was spending most of my creativity invested in the narrative of those that came after me. My children. Songs. The record label. The next generation of artists. My marriage. Friendships. All for the future. But as Shakespeare said, ‘the past is prologue’ and my life was a part of the prologue to all of these stories. If it all ended tomorrow, would my children understand why I was the way I was? If it all ended tomorrow, would the songs I helped others write suffice as the playlist of my lifetime? How could I justify my calling as a storyteller without ever having told my own? So, on my twentieth year in Nashville, on my 38th birthday, this is my first try at a first record, in first person…because before I could truly live this one beautiful life, I had to be…firstborn.”