2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Sophie McLaughlin)
Janet Devlin's new album Emotional Rodeo comes out on November 15 It has been 13 years since a 16-year-old Janet Devlin blew everyone away when she competed in one of the biggest singing competitions in the world. Since then, the Co Tyrone singer has followed her dreams that started on the X Factor which has seen her release three albums and perform across the world. Her newest album Emotional Rodeo is set to be released on November 15 and is a testament to her devotion to country music and its prominent role in her musical upbringing in Northern Ireland .
Read more: Justin Timberlake announced as the first headliner for Belsonic 2025 Read more: Snow Patrol announce huge outdoor summer show in Belfast Ahead of its anticipated release, Janet chatted to Belfast Live about the new record, how the thriving country music scene here influenced her music and reminisced on her experience on one of the UK's biggest Saturday night shows in TV history. Janet said: "It's called Emotional Rodeo and that's pretty much what it is. "I do have the ballads that people know me for - the emotive big feeling but I think with this one, what makes it different from my previous albums is there's a lot of up-tempo songs.
" On how the album got its name, Janet explained: "Ideas just kind of come to you when you're out and about living life. "Someone asked me how things had been recently and I was like 'Oh dude, it's been an emotional rodeo' and then I was like I'm going to have to write that down and save it. "During the album, I got out of like a three and a half year relationship so there's like a few songs about that, which is new because I haven't written about my love life since my first album which I wrote about my first ever partner.
"It's been interesting to write about those kinds of things whenever you're a grown-up and you actually have a bit more life experience - I'm known for making bad decisions in my love life and I think that definitely shines through in those songs." Co Tyrone singer Janet Devlin Earlier this year, Janet released a song also titled Emotional Rodeo where she revealed her battles with Borderline Personality Disorder and Bipolar Disorder and its impact on her relationships. "It's a bit of a warning and it's probably the best way to describe me, but also describe the album because there's a lot of high highs and there's a lot of low lows," she added.
The album was recorded at Blackbird Studio in Nashville, which she felt was the perfect place to capture the heartfelt essence of country rock with an authentic edge, blending sharp, witty lyrics with themes of fearless self-empowerment. She said that something that was important to her when making this new album was she wanted to have fun while working with amazing musicians who she looked up to. "I've been doing this so long and everything always gets so heavy and so stressful and I just wanted to have a bit of craic," Janet said.
"Going out there, the whole process has been obviously stressful but throughout, the theme has been fun and like having those musicians who are so chill and so up for the craic as well, I had the best time. "That was really important for me and I'm glad it came through because you can hear it and a lot of the up-tempo tracks that everybody was having just a laugh and I'm glad it translated." Growing up in Gortin in Co Tyrone, country music was embedded in Janet's childhood and life and she said that those local county influences can definitely be felt in her new music.
She continued: "I grew up listening to the late and greats. There's loads and loads of influences that like just I grew up with and you can pretty much name everybody that was on the Late Late with." Janet recently appeared on the RTÉ chat show hosted by Patrick Kielty for its country special with huge names in the game such as Daniel O'Donnell, Philomena Begley and Lisa McHugh.
"I was in my element because I was literally getting to just bump into everybody I grew up listening to." janet Devlin The X Factor Press Launch - London 2011 Copyright: TALKBACK THAMES Looking back on her time on X Factor when she was still only a teenager, while she said it came with its difficulties at the time, especially being so young, she looks fondly back on her time on the show and thanks it for helping her catapult into the industry. She continued: "I only went on because my mum was like 'Send them one of your YouTube videos' and then I only wanted to go on to find out whether or not I could sing because I always thought my family were lying to me.
"That was the only reason but it just kind of just kept going and just snowballed - I know a lot of people would expect me to talk negatively about it but honestly to be a part of cultural history in a way is quite cool. Now it's a bit more nostalgic because it was so long ago. "My family, everyone I know's family all sat down to watch it.
.. and to kind of be a part of that is pretty sick and for me, it got me into the industry young which would be very, very hard to do at the time if I tried doing it at home.
"Was it perfect? No. But I'm lucky that my experience, though hard and definitely challenging, was still worth it." On why people should give the new album a listen when it is released next week, Janet said she would love the country fans at home here in Northern Ireland to get behind it as there is something for all tastes in Emotional Rodeo.
"It would be awesome to get support from home - I'd love to move back home at some point and do gigs and all that kind of stuff. "If you're a fan of country in general because, as I am, I'm a fan of loads of different types from like honky Tonk to rock to striped down Americana vibes - that is all on this album. "I put loads of varying different types of country because I could so if they're a big fan of just country in general, there'll be a good number of songs for them to enjoy.
" Emotional Rodeo by Janet Devlin is set to be released to buy and stream on November 15 For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What's On newsletter Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Follow BelfastLive Facebook Twitter Comment More On X Factor Co Tyrone.
