Kaitlin Butts has spent the last few years touring with Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley. Now, she's crediting the country music superstars with helping her learn how to put herself first.
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Kaitlin Butts Says She Never Wants to Let Anyone Down
As PEOPLE reports, Butts released her fourth album, Hello, Honky Tonk, last week. The 33-year-old told the outlet that on the song "What More Could You Want," she wanted to share "how this job feels" with listeners.
"The hardship but also the fuel that you get from performing. I love it, but there's so much that it takes from you and you always wonder if you're doing enough," she says. "It always feels like there's not enough hours in the day, but I feel like so many people can relate to it too. There's just this constant need for output and content and putting yourself out there — everybody's working so hard."
As she worked on the album and is preparing for a headlining tour, Butts realized she is an "introverted extrovert." While she loves connecting with fans, she also needs time to recharge.
Butts explained, "I feel like I will not go out if I'm not feeling good because people, if they meet me, they expect me to be who they've seen on the internet. I never wanna let anyone down. I feel like sometimes I'll see the look on their face, like, 'I thought she might be different.'"
She then added, "Sometimes you just wanna go out to the bar and be that guy that's sitting alone at the bar and just watch. I forget that I've been anonymous for a very long time up until recently."
Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley Helped the Singer Find Balance
Butts says Langley and Wilson helped her learn to put herself first.
"Lainey sent me cortisol blockers on Amazon, and Ella's just like, 'If you're not feeling good, say no.' Like, you gotta prioritize yourself because at the end of the day, people are looking at you," she says. "Both of them have been good examples of being the hard worker that does a lot but really does fight for themselves at the end of the day, too."
Butts also wants her new album to give people a chance to get out of their heads for a few minutes.
"This album is a love letter to honky-tonks and the nightlife and the people who support my job and country music," she says. "I just really want people to be able to check out of their world and have fun and dance. I'm very proud of it."
