Lauren Watkins

After an acclaimed album debut and a year-plus on the road with stars like Morgan Wallen, Riley Green and Lainey Wilson – plus Billboard accolades and a monumental first appearance on the Grand Ole Opry – Big Loud Records / Songs & Daughters artist Lauren Watkins has emerged as a proudly defiant projection of pure country-music moxy. A Nashville native inspired by crowd-pleasing outlaws like Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Lee Ann Womack and Miranda Lambert, Watkins' 17-track 2024 debut, The Heartbroken Record, introduced a mainstream maverick with a thirst for lyrical truth – and an old-school country rebel whose modern instincts never succumb to trends. Coming to know the fast lane by heart, the modern-classic singer-songwriter has racked up millions of streams and rocked full-on stadiums, while learning from legendary songwriters like Nicolle Galyon, Luke Laird and The Warren Brothers. Yet In A Perfect World finds Watkins in a fresh phase, with her dreamy vocal awake to new charms and challenges. Featuring an earthy mix of sunset country and hazy heartland grit, she's no longer expecting to get her heart broken, and not pushing the idea of home away. Produced by husband and CMA/ACM Award winner Will Bundy, with additional co-production from hitmaker Joey Moi on select tracks, Watkins builds on her of-the-moment and always-organic sound; 10 co-written songs capturing the passion and promise of a new outlook. Steel guitars and ethereal atmosphere create a sense of wide-open space, while bold twang and rootsy rhythms keep the Tennessee songbird's vocal grounded. With In A Perfect World, Watkins captured a season of growth and self-discovery, setting the stage for new music led by “Heartbreakaholic,” out now. She will also bring that sound to stages across the country while touring with Dylan Scott and Luke Bryan throughout 2026.