In May, former Big Machine recording artist Lauren Jenkens made her independent debut with the release of “Ain’t That Hard.” Earlier this month, UK country music outlet “Destination Country” premiered an accompanying video which Jenkins directed, produced and edited herself during the quarantine. The Texas born, Carolina-bred singer-songwriter described the single to Rolling Stone as “an appropriate song for right now.”
“It’s not a sad song: it’s just a story about life. Getting dropped from the label was not something I was expecting, but now it’s just, ‘OK, well, let’s reset and start with a clean slate.’ Now I have the keys to do that,” Jenkins elaborated.
That being said, “Ain’t That Hard” is so much more than just a stepping stone in Jenkins’ career. The Bobby Bones’ Class of 2019 member is right to characterize the song as one with a relevant message about life. On the surface, the ballad comes across as a pensive response to an ex who’s too big for his britches. To write it off as a typical break-up song would be a mistake, however. After all, Jenkins and her co-writers William Schlappi and Phillip Lammonds dedicate much more time to describing universally relatable sights and sounds than they do to addressing the egotistical heartbreaker in question.
A touring artist since the age of 15, Jenkins knows just how much people across the globe have in common. Whether it’s the “smell of rain in the summer air” or the “teenagers stealing daddy’s beer,” she knows that essentially, it’s the “same everywhere as it is right here.” In such a divisive time, it seems that it’s more important than ever to recognize the unity that does exist among people worldwide. This single accomplishes this while simultaneously reminding us of the fragility of our emotions. While we may not be able to leave home to make these observations ourselves right now, at least we can listen to “Ain’t That Hard” to learn about the lessons Jenkins’ travels have taught her. To stream the song click here.
