NASHVILLE SPECIAL 2024: ANNE WILSON DOESN'T FOLLOW THE CROWD

Anne Wilson’s a rebel. Straddling a line between country and Christian music since before she even thought about labels, of course she named her Cindy Mabe-quarterbacked UMG Nashville debut REBEL. But the rebel the fiery-voiced Kentuckian is singing about is, well, Jesus. In today’s country of backing that thing up and throwing down cold ones, what could be more insurrectionary than a churning witness who is both exhortative à la early Lone Justice and ferociously acoustic like Tyler Childers? But like The Chicks, she understands how to drop a hook and reel listeners in.

Hard to believe the girl who at 15 lost her brother, in a tragic accident, started singing to honor him and had over a million views overnight for her uploaded DIY track “My Jesus” is still only 21 years old. Signed to Sparrow/EMI at 17, Wilson’s evolved and grown quickly. Poised beyond her years with a scorching stage presence, she evokes the sweetness and tempestuousness of Maria McKee with more mainstream—instead of dust bowl—fashion sense.

You merge some interesting things.

Growing up in Kentucky, I have bluegrass roots. I remember going to line dancing with live musicians playing fiddle and mandolin, soaking that up. I also grew up on Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash—“9 to 5” and something about that fun aspect, but then “God’s Gonna Cut You Down,” the sound of those chains hitting the ground made me want something so raw.

Confused radio, right?

People would tell me you need your own sound to stand out. And that was part of it for me. It frustrated Christian radio because they were saying the music had too many country elements. Country radio said certain songs were too much about faith.

But this is who I am, this is what I stand for and believe. And I want to make music I believe in.

Jesus is pretty insurrectionary.

I’m only five feet tall, so I’m “Little Anne” who’s “so sweet.” But yes, if you think about what we’re saying, I’m so rebellious in what I’m singing about, nobody else will go there. Who else is singing about faith? Most people go with the flow, following the crowd and going with what’s easy or the trend. They want what everybody else is doing. That’s not me.

Does that make you nervous?

Staying firm with my faith, loving country music and sharing that with people who may not even know they need it? No. I’m willing to be bold at a time when the truth is watered down. If nobody else is going to do it, I’m going to be the one who does.

What makes you so bold?

I was raised in a family where my mom taught me my voice matters, that I can have whatever dream if I’ll believe in it with faith and work. She allowed me to ask questions, figure things out, speak freely, which allowed me to find my confidence.

And from grief, this charismatic country has grown.

Part of my initial calling was to reach people after losing my brother. Helping people navigate loss and grief, because when I lost my brother who was 23, there was so little music to help you through those things. I wanted to give that to the world.

It’s so much more.

I’ve grown up a lot from 17 to 21, writing fresh from losing my brother to growing in my faith and music. For a lot of people, this is music in a way nobody’s ever heard it, so they’ll experience faith for the first time.

It kind of reminds me of Amy Grant going to pop. It expands my reach and lets me be heard by new people, and it’s fun writing songs that people who listen to Christian music as their true north can enjoy too.

Who doesn’t love a good rebel?

Every song title is directly connected to the title REBEL. That was very important. We had a white board, all these ideas that grew out of the idea of “rebel” and “rebelliousness.”

“Rain on the Rearview” leans into moving toward positive. You did the music video on your family’s farm.

It’s a very special and sacred thing in the South. It’s 700 acres of rolling hills, lots of trees and trails. And of course my brother’s buried there. It was purchased in 1920 and has been in our family over 100 years. My granddad who’s 84 and still alive; he’s still the owner. It was his grandparents who were the original owners. So you see why that was important for the video.

You’ve written with a lot of big mainstream country writers.

Matthew West, my manager and co-writer, had a publishing deal to write country songs. He lined up Nicolle Galyon, Casey Beathard, Emily Weisband, Jaren Johnston, Trannie Anderson.

And Lainey Wilson.

She started following me after “My Jesus,” before she’d had her first big hits. We joke we’re the long, lost Wilson sisters, because we were raised very similar. Our families are very similar, similar values. We wrote a song called “Praying Woman.” She expressed that she loved that she got to talk about her faith. I loved that.

Jordan Davis, too, and Chris Tomlin, they came in and made this special. I poured my heart and soul into this record. I look at times when I was lost or broken, think about how songs made me really feel something. Hope and joy, too. I hope this record can do that for others.