MARTINA McBRIDE

A country powerhouse finds a new attitude south of Nashville  

“I don’t claim to be Kris Kristofferson,” says Martina McBride. “I’m still learning to express myself.” After two decades of performing hits written mostly by others, the country superstar co-penned six tracks for Eleven (eight on the 15-track “deluxe edition”). The Kansas native makes other changes, too: The new album finds her embracing styles like soul, traditional pop and reggae; recording for a new label; working with a new co-producer (Byron Gallimore); and cutting her songs in a studio outside her home base of Nashville (Atlanta’s Southern Tracks). “I’m always looking to do things a bit different,” says McBride, 45. “That’s the challenge when you’ve been doing this as long as I have.”

 

What led to this writing burst?

I finally took the time, made myself focus on it and, honestly, stopped making excuses. Normally I’d say “I don’t have time,” or “That’s not my thing.” But all three of my daughters were now in school, so I decided I owed it to myself to see what would happen if I devoted time to it. I got together with people whose writing I liked and started crafting songs. Part of it is getting over the fact that you may or may not be any good at it. It can be intimidating working with some of the best writers in Nashville. Once you get past that and start throwing out ideas, you realize, “I do have something to say! I can do this.”

 

How did you decide what to record?

I usually spend a lot of time looking for material. I’ll find three or four songs and cut those while I look for more, so the record happens in stages. This time, for the first time, I had all the songs except one when I went into the studio. I didn’t want a slick, overproduced record. We cut it with very few overdubs. We put horns on a couple of songs, which I’ve never done before. I wanted to experiment with different layers. I was determined to find a new sound.

 

What were the biggest challenges?

Several of the songs went through metamorphoses. It took time to get the right arrangements and feel. One of the greatest things was making this record in Atlanta. I love Nashville, but it was important for me to get out of my daily routine. I took all the musicians there, so they were out of their daily routine, too. There was no structure, no rules and nobody had to worry about picking up a gallon of milk on the way home or making sure the kids had clean clothes for school. We had no responsibilities other than making music.

 

How did Atlanta affect the sound? 

There are some songs that we wouldn’t have done otherwise. “Always Be This Way” would have never come to fruition if we had recorded it in Nashville, because we probably would’ve given up on it. We had the luxury of time to say, “That’s not quite right. Let’s try a different tempo, a different key.” This environment was super-creative, and that made a huge difference.

 

How do you see your career now?

I’m having more fun than I ever had. I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked, which is an interesting place to find yourself 20 years in. I feel more confident. I don’t get stressed by every little thing like I used to. I have new management and a new label, and they’re very excited about my music and my career, which is contagious. It’s a really good time right now.

–Juli Thanki

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