When HunterGirl, real name Hunter Wolkonowski, finished as runner-up on American Idol in 2022, it seemed like she had all the momentum in the world. Fans loved her. Her talent had been shown to the world. Luke Bryan dubbed her the new-age Miranda Lambert. And, a long, successful career appeared to be on the horizon.
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Unfortunately, HunterGirl didn't see things that way. Instead, fear was the first emotion that took hold.
"I woke up at the beginning of the year just scared," HunterGirl told PEOPLE. "Who do I want to be? Where am I going next? What's next?" She pauses. "Those are scary questions."
As a way of coping with that fear, the American Idol standout looked for a way to reconnect with her roots. Fortunately for HunterGirl, and for all of us, that search led her to create "Somewhere Wild," which is her latest song.
"It makes me feel like I'm somewhere I've never been before," she continued. "Writing 'Somewhere Wild' felt like a timestamp in my journey. I'm just finding myself step by step."
Now, after reconnecting with herself, it would appear that HunterGirl is looking forward with a sense of optimism.
"Now I find myself running through the woods of life, I guess," she said. "I remember being so fearless as a kid. And now? Lord, I try to control everything. I finally realized I needed to get back to what I had and just let things be as they are. I had to free fall into life a little bit more."
HunterGirl Has Experimented With Her Sound in Recent Years
At one point or another, every artist experiments with their sound. Not always to change lanes, but to find new ways to grow and new audiences to capture along their journey. That's exactly what HunterGirl did in 2024 with the release of her song "Bad Boy."
"I feel like "Bad Boy" let me show a different side of my personality," she told Sweety High in 2024. "I separate songs into two categories in my head, "Blue Jean" and "Leather Jacket" songs. "Blue Jean" songs are the ones I write in my bedroom, thinking about life and opening my diary to the world. "Leather Jacket" songs are the ones where I want to feel tougher than I am and just have fun. Writing this song was one of my favorite days in the studio because I felt free."
"Bad Boy" is a totally different experience from HunterGirl's latest release. However, it's always fun to see new sides of young artists, especially when they've recently burst onto the scene.
So, while the American Idol star may still be reconnecting with herself, it's safe to assume she's going to be taking us on multiple twists and turns in the coming years.
