Lauren Watkins Follows Oprey Debut with “Marlboro Man” Release
Big Loud songstress Lauren Watkins leans into western nostalgia with the release of “Marlboro Man”, a slow-burning track that captures the longing for an old-school cowboy – part myth, part memory – painting a romantic portrait of a love that never stays but always leaves a mark.
Written by Watkins, Natalie Hemby and Jeremy Spillman and produced by ACM and CMA winning producer Will Bundy (“you look like you love me”), “Marlboro Man” offers the timeless country storytelling that listeners have come to expect from Watkins, delivered with a modern edge. A cinematic nod to the rugged westerns and unattainable romance, the track evokes a bygone archetype that still lingers today.
“I’d had the idea for ‘Marlboro Man’ in my back pocket for a while,” shares Watkins. “I’m a pretty nostalgic person by nature – I’m always reminiscing, missing how things used to be. I brought the idea to Natalie and Jeremy because I knew they’d go there with me. I’ve always been drawn to this image of the ‘Marlboro Man’ — not necessarily for the cigarettes, but for what he stood for. He was rugged, masculine, quiet and kind of untouchable. There’s something romantic about it, and I wanted to write a song that felt like that.”
The new music comes amidst a big summer for the rising artist, with “Marlboro Man” joining the no-nonsense anthem “I’ll Get Through It” and April’s “Lose My Cool” – her first since her 17-track critically acclaimed debut album The Heartbroken Record. Now happily married, Watkins is moving on from heartbreak and on to greener pastures in her new chapter, with Country Now tapping “Lose My Cool” as “the perfect introduction to Watkins’ next project as it perfectly encapsulates what she is feeling right now,” while Holler praised it “as bright and breezy as a fresh spring morning.”
Last month, Watkins fulfilled a lifelong dream by stepping into the coveted Grand Ole Opry circle for the first time. She’ll continue to build momentum on the road, touring with Riley Green this summer before joining Lainey Wilson and Kameron Marlowe in the fall.
