Photo: Robert Ascroft
Miranda Lambert nodded to classic ‘70s and ‘80s vibes — an era that included Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, Glen Campbell and other legends — in a “magical” single that arrived on Friday (May 15).
Lambert released “Crisco,” a country-disco anthem she co-wrote with Aaron Raitiere, Jesse Frasure and Chill Fellacheck. “Crisco” follows Lambert’s ‘70s-inspired collaboration with Chris Stapleton. The Texas-born megastar “deep dives into a pair of distinctive retro dancefloor sounds,” states a press release issued Friday morning. The release spotlights Starland Vocal Band’s “Afternoon Delight,” Campbell’s “Southern Nights” and Rogers’ and Parton’s “Islands in the Stream,” plus Lambert’s nods to Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn in her lyrics.
“Baby, we’ve been cooking with Crisco/ Ain’t we mixin’ country and disco/ Stir it around, give it a spin/ And it’s a rhinestone world we’re livin’ in”
“We wanted something that feels familiar but also fresh, which is really hard to do,” Lambert said in a statement. “We leaned into all the things I grew up loving about country music – Glen Campbell, Kenny and Dolly; very ’70s and ’80s. It’s a fun mix of all these sides of country music that I’ve never fully explored before, even down to using strings in a bigger way. I almost can’t believe I’ve made this many records without really going there, but it was magical to hear how much strings can transform a song.”
Lambert, the most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, is set to take the stage at the show on Sunday (May 17), along with Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Dan + Shay, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum and many others. Lambert is also one of the most-nominated artists with eight nods this year. See the full list of nominees here. The show is hosted by country-pop icon Shania Twain.
“There’s nothing that makes me happy like music,” Lambert said in a statement. “Going to Vegas, nominated with old friends, new friends and on my own, as an artist, but also a producer and writer, that makes me feel like we’re just getting started. With ‘Crisco,’ it’s gonna be a great time seeing where it’s all gonna go.”
Lambert, 42, said she filmed the “Crisco” music video on her birthday in November. She shared photos on Instagram of the “Crisco”-themed cake she had to celebrate. Watch the video here: