Sometimes, all you need is your besties by your side, a pair of glimmering cowboy boots, and riding a mechanical bull to boost your confidence. That’s precisely what Janet Devlin does in Emotional Rodeo (out via OKGood Records), her first song after a three-year hiatus working on new music. Despite the singer comes from a small town in Northern Island, for the occasion she’s living her best life as an American cowgirl in this music video directed by Liam Sullivan. Giddy up, boys and girls; Janet Devlin is finally back!
Growing up, the Northern Irish songstress used to listen mainly to country and rock. And even though throughout her decade-spanning career she’s delved into other genres, Emotional Rodeo feels exactly like the place where she has to be now. Recorded in the prestigious Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Devlin’s latest song is a dream come true and a pinch-me moment for her. “There were two main types of music I listened to as a youngster; country and rock. When those two worlds collide, I’m as giddy as a schoolgirl. Recording in Nashville was everything I thought it would be! Following on from the first single of my last album, I was set on creating a song that was an utter wall of sound for my next release.”
Speaking openly about what it’s like to have a borderline personality disorder and a bipolar disorder, Emotional Rodeo is as untamed as the way she feels. “This track represents what I’m like in relationships… a bit of a handful! The BPD makes me love hard, but the downside is a huge fear of abandonment – it’s a rollercoaster,” Devlin says. “However, I’m a firm believer in laughing at your pain - in some ways, I think it takes control away from it. Stops it owning you. So by writing an upbeat ditty about what it’s like to live with BPD takes its power away. Everyone always mentions their ‘crazy ex’ so this track is for the crazies as sometimes they can’t help it!,” she laughs.
