“Classy, sassy, and a little smart-assy,” Odessa, Texas native Alyssa Micaela’s superpower has always been leading with authenticity. But after years in Nashville’s music industry, her forthcoming album, The Hard Way (out 4/28), chronicles a true shift in the focus of her art, and her hopes for its outcome. “This album started because I finally got to a point where I quit seeking approval from the music industry, and I quit recording songs I felt would impress a label.” From that mindset comes an 11-song project that offers unabashedly honest, earnest storytelling, told from a soul truly at peace with the direction of her career… and life. Enlisting the help of those that know her best, including fellow songwriters Lauren McLamb, Tori Tullier, and Chris Rafetto, the Liz Rose Music signee co-penned tunes that speak to the progression of her more recent existence. From the upbeat, textured album opener and title track “The Hard Way,” to the piano driven, introspective closer “Jealous of the Birds,” the album chronicles an artist that’s found herself living the life she’s always dreamed of, and on her own terms. “Saying I’m proud of this album is an understatement. This album is an evolution of my life and love story. It’s me.”