Allie Colleen may be the daughter of country music legend Garth Brooks, but when it comes to her own music career, she's carving a path uniquely her own.

Nothing can hold the up-and-coming singer down — not even a global pandemic. In 2020, Colleen's star continued to rise: Her single, "Ain't the Only Hell (My Momma Raised)" came out last June and landed on multiple music charts. The past year has been one of growth and refinement for Colleen, and she told Taste of Country all about what she's learned about herself in a period which she was forced to be introspective.

Ultimately, she found a new level of self-confidence.

"There were a lot of days where I couldn’t hear anything but me, and all of us are our worst critics," she notes, "But there is also something really special about having to force yourself to live with yourself and figure it out."

"There was a lot of other people affirming me for a long time," Colleen continues. "I think 2020 taught me to do that for myself a little bit, which was rewarding."

Keeping the momentum going, she released a new single, "Playin' House," on April 2. The song is the lead single off her upcoming 11-track debut album, Stones, which will hit in full on April 9.

"This was one of those song titles and ideas I have had in my song idea book forever," she explains in a press release. "Every co-write, the writers would pass on the idea, but everything fell right into place when Billy (Dawson) and Jason (Matthews) loved the idea. From there, the story came out on its own."

It's inspired by a real-life relationship between two people Allie Colleen says she knows.

With the album in plain view, she's growing more excited, and she's especially giddy over the idea of a physical copy of the art she's poured herself into. "I've dreamt about this amazing, tangible album that you could hold," she says, with the biggest smile taking over her face.

BILLIE-SHAYE STYLE PHOTOGRAPHY
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Fans can expect the Stones album to be authentically her — the Allie Colleen who pushed through 2020 to find herself, musically. The songs are "such a cool progression of me," she says, adding that they'll reveal another layer of who she is as an artist and a person.

Like "Work in Progress" — "Such a sweet song," she notes. "That song has been so interesting, setting people up for later music from me. Because I've been told how sweet I am countless times and it’s always news to me. So, I'm interested to see how the rest of this music is taken, because the rest of the music is sassy and fun."

Sassy and fun songs are included, sure, but expect somber tracks, too. "It definitely has those really sad Keith Whitley-esque ballads that I’ve been sippin' on since I was a kid," she notes.

Stones is "somewhere between honey and Ashley McBryde, which I’m very excited about," she says. McBryde is her musical idol and even inspired one of the tracks on the project.

"Every day I wake up and just affirm to myself that I will turn into Ashley McBryde one day. I’ll just wake up and look like her," Colleen jokes.

Now back on the road after the coronavirus pandemic forced live shows to pause, Colleen tells Taste of Country that performing in front of a live audience is something she will never again take for granted.

"I'll never not appreciate the one person in the crowd. That will never happen again," she says. "I could sing to one person the rest of my life now … just to not sing to an iPhone ever again.”

“Playin’ House” is available on all streaming platforms and physical copies of Stones can be purchased online at Allie Colleen's official website. Stones will be released on all digital music platforms on Nov. 19t

Allie Colleen's Stones Tracklist:

1. "Stones (I Don't Give A ...)" - Sara Brice / De’Leah Shane / Tony McVaney / Allie Colleen
2. "Playin’ House" - Billy Dawson / Jason Matthews / Allie Colleen
3. "Don’t Give Your Heart to a Cowboy" - Eric Dodd / Allie Colleen
4. "Vagabond Angels" - Steven McMorran / Allie Colleen
5. "Wildflower" - Billy Dawson / De’leah Shane / Sara Brice / Allie Colleen
6. "Only Oklahoma" – Matt McKinney / Allie Colleen
7. "Blame It on the Weather" - Allie Colleen
8. "Good as It Gets" - Carly Rogers / Kelli Johnson / Allie Colleen
9. "Well Enough Alone" - Kimberly Atwood / Allie Colleen
10. "Make Me a Man" - Eric Dodd / Allie Colleen
11. "Pink Lemonade" - Nora Collins / Nick Donley / Matt McVaney

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