Thoughts and Prayers by Brittney Spencer feat. Brock Human – Song of the Day

If the name Brittney Spencer sounds familiar, you may have heard Maren Morris famously give her a shout out during her CMA Awards acceptance speech last year, or as being branded one of CMT’s ‘Next Women of Country’ class of 2021, alongside another one of our favourites Priscilla Block.

Thoughts and Prayers is one of four tracks off her 2020 EP, Compassion – which delivers a thought-provoking insight on everything from race to romance and adult peer pressure to gun violence – and it’s our Song of the Day.

Spencer is one of many pioneering black female country artists – alongside Mickey Guyton, Linda Martell, Rissi Palmer, and Rhiannon Giddens, for example.

She told Billboard, “The experience of any artist trying to break into the music industry is an uphill climb. Being Black, a woman, and not a size 2 has certainly presented additional obstacles on my musical journey here in Nashville … artists like me keep showing up with whatever amount of hope we've got that day, choosing to find a ray of sun in what sometimes looks like a sky full of grey. I recognise my journey is not just about my personal success -- there's a much bigger purpose.”

She gained attention via social media, after her cover of The Highwomen’s Crowded Table was praised and retweeted by Morris and Amanda Shires. She also received an invitation to join The Highwomen (formed in 2016 by Morris, Shines, Brandi Carlile and Natalie Hemby) onstage when touring opens post-pandemic.

Spencer has been enamoured with country music ever since she discovered The Chicks as a 15-year-old. She moved from Baltimore to Nashville in 2013 to pursue her dream of writing and performing country music. She’s since toured and performed as a background singer for such artists as Carrie Underwood, United Pursuit and Carl Thomas, to name a few.

Keep up to date with everything Brittney Spencer and follow her on Facebook here.

For more Song Of The Days from CountryTown, check out here.

Image: via CMT News