The vintage country influences decorating throughout Mabilene’s songcraft mixed with brooding openheartedness and celestial folk is that of wonderment. Add in achingly graceful vocals that recall Linda Ronstadt and Rosanne Cash and there is a welcoming blender of country western seductiveness that puts the vocals first over kitsch.
A soulful siren born and raised in Houston, Texas, Mabilene weaves lush tales of love, heartache, and self-discovery in her Jordan Lehning-produced debut The Other Side. Born out of the ashes of her former folk band The Battlefield, the album reflects the many facets of Nashville – equally rooted in modern orchestral Americana and retro country-pop. Effortlessly beautiful vocals, recalling Linda Ronstadt at one turn, Margo Price at the next, take center stage in the 10-song collection, set to exquisite strings and boosted by an expert rhythm section.
Surrounded by country and top 40 pop music as a child, Mabilene’s parents’ record collection introduced her to the legends she now cites as influences: Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton, and Emmylou Harris. Their songs, along with her father’s love for Springsteen’s Born in the USA and The Beatles’ Rubber Soul, inform the writing and production on The Other Side, as chamber arrangements meet pop sensibilities for a stunningly rich tapestry of sound that exudes a depth and maturity rarely present in a debut album.
Glide is premiering the mellifluous “Carolina” that hones that sweet spot of time and place often associated with songs of similar titles yet retains an underlying soul and rock backbone. Check out the song below and read on further below about Mabilene’s creative inspirations.
The entire process of making this new record was one of self-discovery and resilience. And it’s been wild how some of the songs are resonating after the past 18 months. Turns out, there were times I was writing for my future self – and, I hope for you, the listener, as well.
I’ve been asked about my plans for touring and the future a lot lately, and it’s tough to answer given the amount of collective uncertainty we’re all navigating. Touring is a big question mark, and it may be for quite awhile. The release timeline for the album has finally been set after a tough delay. I’m bringing myself to it fully day by day, and I promise, when the time is right to play shows, it will happen.
For now, I’m embracing a new flow. I’m going to play with friends as much as possible while remaining open to and preparing for upcoming opportunities. It’s time to build something new and authentic that is going to sustain us creatively and financially. For Mabilene, the near future is all about new collaborations and finding more ways to invest in my community.
’Im also working to rebuild my business The Love Shack which had to shut its doors not long after opening due to the ongoing pandemic. I‘ve taught feminine movement and meditation for over a decade, and my students 100% inspired the writing of “Carolina”. The “step outside of your shadows. Strap those high heels on” is a direct call to the beauty I’ve been able to witness as women show up for themselves and each other in class. It’s a call to take up space in a culture (and industry) that fights to keep women in their place – and to lean on each other when it’s challenging af.
