One of the welcome trends that 2023 has brought is an influx of murder-country songs; songs largely capturing a partner doing their beau or belle wrong and paying the ultimate price for it. And while we’ve enjoyed those songs, it’s certainly a welcome sight when an artist flips that trend on its head a bit.
Enter Stefanie Joyce.
After going viral on TikTok just over two weeks prior to release day, Joyce offered that twist in the form of her new single, “Resurrection Day.” While we won’t give up the lyrical twist (you’ll have to listen for yourself), Joyce also offered a sonic twist as well, leaning more heavily into a bluegrass sound that’s tailor made for both the story she paints and the way she delivers it, turning in an effort that’s sure to make plenty of year-end “best of” lists.
We caught up with Joyce to talk all about “Resurrection Day,” as well as expanding her sound, new music and more!
Pro Country: About a year has passed since the release of your debut EP, Marlboro Reds & Motel Rooms. As the release day for your new single, “Resurrection Day,” was approaching, how much were you looking forward to sharing new music again and beginning this next musical chapter?
Stefanie Joyce: Time passes very quickly [laughs]. I wrote “Resurrection Day” before the EP came out. It takes a long time to get things recorded and mixed. After the EP came out, I spent a lot of time working on my live show. Part of the transition I’m making from being a Music Row songwriter to having my own music that exists in a scene outside of super mainstream, commercial country is knowing the importance of having a killer band and live show. That was a big learning curve. I spent six to ten months in a hole working solely on that aspect of things. I’m excited to get back to releasing and promoting new music. I think what gets lost in the live show space is lyricism, because it isn’t really served for loud bars with bad sound systems [laughs]. It’s also cool because sculpting the show has changed the way I’m approaching writing, and it’s making me naturally lean more towards up-tempo songs. We ended up recording “Resurrection Day” after we played it out a lot, and it was through those shows that we found the pocket it sits in, and we were able to turn it into a more bluegrassy song than it was originally written. I’m excited to be writing songs not just as a songwriter, but as a performer. It’s so fun to use all the textures of the fiddle and steel!.
PC: The last time we talked, you mentioned that you planned to lean more heavily into bluegrass and folk sounds with future releases, which is captured on “Resurrection Day.” How much did you enjoy capturing that sound?
SJ: I love it! Old time music was definitely my gateway into country music, and now that I’m focusing a lot more on the alternative country scene, I’m learning so much about honky tonk and western swing. It’s fun to unapologetically write things that gear more towards those influences. All I want to do is make something that sounds great. I want it to draw on those influences, but at the same time, I want it to have the lyrical nuance and craftsmanship of more contemporary, radio country.
PC: You posted an acoustic performance of “Resurrection Day” just over two weeks prior to release day, which has since quickly amassed over 500,000 views on the platform. What was it like to see that video get legs and continue to gain momentum?
SJ: It’s really cool! It’s so fickle that you try not to take it too personally, because there’s great music that doesn’t hit the algorithm. It’s a more personal song, and it does something lyrically that’s a little more complex. I’m glad that people get it. Sometimes my concern is that I’ll write in a way that’s a little too literary, because at the end of the day, country music should speak to everyone.
PC: Can you take us in your head and talk about how “Resurrection Day” came together?
SJ: I wrote it by myself! I pretty much had it done over a year ago. I got the verse and melody, and I thought it was a cool title. There’s so many murder ballads, and I wanted to have a first line that grabbed people in. I wanted to twist the “I killed someone” kind of line and use it as a metaphor. It’s becoming so redundant to just talk about dead people, so I wanted to find a way to do it where I used the device of a murder ballad in a way that felt a little more unique and fresh.
PC: You’ve mentioned several times on social media that “Resurrection Day” is the most personal thing you’ve ever put on the internet. What is it about yourself that makes you comfortable with being that open and vulnerable and sharing that out into the world?
SJ: It’s comfortable because it’s still somewhat metaphorical [laughs]. I spend so much time writing made up things, and that’s super fun, but sometimes you run out of texture because you can only imagine so much. I don’t know if it’s as much of a courage thing as much as it is having nothing else to write about [laughs].
PC: The last time we talked, you mentioned that you were in the early stages of planning new music. What information, if any, can you give about where you are in that process?
SJ: I have two more singles that will be coming out throughout the summer, so I’m super excited for that! I co-produced it with Tim Miller, who also plays drums for me. I’m leaning into that roots sound. The third one I’m going to release is hardcore honky tonk. It’s going to be fun and different!
PC: Along with new music, what are your plans for the rest of 2023?
SJ: I’m hoping to maybe play some shows in Texas in the fall, but that’s not locked down yet. I’m going to be writing a bunch! I feel like a have a record ready, but I’m waiting to find a team to make it with.
*”Resurrection Day” is featured on The Best of Pro Country playlist!*
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