Why Carrie Underwood Co-produced Some of Her Own Music
Carrie Underwood is credited as a performer, co-writer, and even co-producer on her 2022 album Denim & Rhinestones. However, she didn’t always have a role in writing and producing originals. Here’s what she said about making this collection sound like herself.
Does Carrie Underwood write her own music?
Underwood currently writes most of her own songs. However, these releases are typically created with a co-writer. “Hate My Heart” was co-written by Hillary Lindsey, Michael Hardy, David Garcia, and Underwood.
One of her most popular songs, “Jesus Take the Wheel,” was written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Gordie Sampson. One of her earliest hits, “Before He Cheats,” was written by Kara DioGuardi, Chris Tompkins, and Josh Kear.
As Underwood created more of a space for herself in the music industry, the artist had more freedom to write and produce originals. That’s especially true of 2022’s Denim & Rhinestones.
Carrie Underwood produced a record ‘that sounds like her’
Underwood co-produces her own music, including her 2018 album Cry Pretty. When she released Denim & Rhinestones in 2022, the artist had a role in co-producing that collection, as well.
“I worked with David Garcia on the Cry Pretty album and through that, and through working on My Savior with him, I feel like that really solidified our relationship in music,” Underwood said during an interview with Rolling Stone.
She elaborated on her hands-on process, which helped the music feel more personal.
“It all comes down to what are we feeling? It’s more free-flow,” she added. “We didn’t try to fight any influences or try to say, ‘Who is Carrie Underwood? And let’s make a record that sounds like her.’ We just created.”
Carrie Underwood’s ‘Denim & Rhinestones’ debuted in 2022
Complete with singles “She Don’t Know,” “Crazy Angels,” “Denim & Rhinestones,” and “Ghost Story,” Underwood released her full-length album Denim & Rhinestones in 2022.
“When you think of Denim & Rhinestones, you think of the staples in your closet, the things that are reliable, the things that are comfortable, that you always feel good in them,” Underwood said in a statement. “Then you think of rhinestones and it’s all the things that sparkle on top, and I feel like that kind of just sums up me.”
“It sums up this album,” she noted. “It’s a little vintage. It’s a little shiny, and it just makes you feel good. So, I felt like that was the perfect title for this album.”
The collection featured the title track, as well as “Velvet Heartbreak,” “Poor Everybody Else,” “Hate My Heart,” and other originals. “Ghost Story” became of the album’s most popular songs, earning over 25 million Spotify plays.
In October 2022, the artist embarked on her “Denim & Rhinestones” tour, which continues through March 2023. Now, music by Underwood is available on most major streaming platforms.
