Delaney Ramsdell has spent the last year keeping the music she’s recorded in her pocket; planning and building her brand so that music will have the best life possible.
2023 was the time to open the floodgates.
With three acoustic singles released through the winter and spring, Ramsdell promises a summer and fall chock full of fully-produced music. She’s offered the first taste with her new single, “Travelin’ Light,” an ode to rambling ways, and also the first song released from her aptly titled forthcoming EP, Rambler.
We caught up with Ramsdell to talk all about “Travelin’ Light,” brand building, new music and more!
Pro Country: The last time we talked, you mentioned the nerves that came with releasing your single, “Wishful Thinkin’,” in January. What did the response out of the gate mean to you and how have your nerves shifted with your subsequent three single releases?
Delaney Ramsdell: I never thought “Wishful Thinkin’” would get released. It was the first project I had put out in five years. After getting my footing and leaning into the world of country music, I was really nervous. People are quick to judge, especially on social media. I had a lot of fear about that. When it finally came out, I was very surprised by all of the kindness, the response that it had and that people were resonating with the song. I was even surprised by some of the playlists it landed on. It really set the stage for me and gave me a good, authentic foundation to stand on.
I will say that when I released “Travelin’ Light,” I was just as nervous [laughs]. I’ve had these songs done for about a year. I’ve been playing them out, but I’ve been holding on to them. It was the first time anyone has heard anything from me that’s fully-produced in about five years. I’ve grown up a lot since I was 18. It’s been exciting though, and it’s been received very well. I’m looking forward to the next few releases and seeing how they land!
PC: The last time we talked, you mentioned a fully-produced EP called Rambler that was in the works. Why did you feel that your new single, “Travelin’ Light,” was the right song to release first from the project?
DR: It’s always been a foundational song for me. It’s a great way to open a show, so I’ve leaned on it a lot. It’s a good way to get people’s attention. I wrote it a long time ago; it was actually four years ago with Mia Mantia and Autumn Buysse. It was the first song where I felt like I came into my artistry. It felt like the right fit. It was also the song that people responded to the most. Even this week, I met up with a few friends and they started singing the melody. I thought it was a good way to kick off the batch.
PC: Can you take us in that room with Mia and Autumn four years ago and talk about how “Travelin’ Light” came together?
DR: We all met at Belmont. We were writing in Autumn’s apartment, and we were just sitting around and started talking about Americana music. At the time, I hadn’t really put a face to Americana music; I didn’t really know what that meant. I finally figured it out, and we decided to write something like that. My dad actually gave me the idea of “Travelin’ Light.” He has provided me with a lot of song titles and inspiration in the past. He’s not a songwriter, but he loves music. He sends me ideas almost every other day.
I had tried to write it once before with another set of writers, but they didn’t bite. I pitched it again to Autumn and Mia, and they thought it was great. We sat around, and I remember writing it really fast. We listed off the names of places I’d been, and it was pretty easy after that.
PC: “Travelin’ Light” was voted as one of the top 10 new releases on its first day by followers of Country Pickinz. What was it like to tangibly see the positive response the song received from listeners and fans out of the gate and to see your name and song amongst some of the biggest in the genre?
DR: I was really surprised! I never thought my music would ever even be playlisted with country music. I thought it would mainly be in the Americana lane. It’s been fun to see though! I’m in pretty good company there. It feels great to know that people are listening. My following isn’t huge and I don’t have massive numbers on streaming or anything, but I’m really grateful for every single person who’s ever taken a chance and listened to me. I really have a deep, grateful heart for that.
PC: You’ve mentioned the “Travelin’ Light” is four years old and a lot of your upcoming releases have been done for at least a year. Is it cathartic in a way to see these songs finally coming out and being released into the world?
DR: Oh yeah, I’m ready to get them off my phone and for them to live in the real world [laughs]. That’s what they were designed to do. They weren’t made to be held onto, they were meant to be out into the world. What I’ve said in this whole process is that I want to give these songs the best lives they can have. I want to make sure that I’m doing everything on the ground floor to make sure these songs are getting to the right audience. That’s why I held them for a year, and I think it’s time to throw caution to the wind and let them do their thing.
PC: What information, if any, can you give about the release rollout of Rambler?
DR: I’m hoping to put out the next song in the next month and a half or so. I’ll probably do three singles. I’m trying to decide if I’m going to do “Carry the Load,” which is a solo write that’s dark, swampy and really weird, or if I’m going to do “River Starts Running,” which I wrote with Autumn Buysse and SJ McDonald, and is a traveling song. I could also throw a wild card out there, you never know! I’m hoping to have the whole thing out into the world by mid-October or early November.
PC: Along with releasing Rambler, what do you have planned for the rest of 2023 and going into 2024?
DR: I’ve been doing a lot of writing in this season of my life. Even since we talked the last time we talked, I’ve increased my writing schedule by a lot. I’ve written more in the last three or four months than I’ve ever written in my life, which has been awesome. I want to continue to grind in the writing space, and I want to play out as much as I can. I’m playing the Dripping Springs Songwriters Festival in October, and I’ll be playing in town as well. There will be a few things here and there, but my priority is taking whatever comes down the writing pipeline.
I’ve also got a couple more songs that I’d love to see the light of day, so who knows, I could be back in the studio again!
PC: Is there anything you’d like to add?
DR: I did an exclusive premiere of “Travelin’ Light” on The Bluegrass Situation, and it was the most read article on there for two or three days, so that was really cool! There will be a music video coming out for the song as well. That’ll probably come out in a week or two. I’m super excited to have the chance to do all of this at all. I have a lot of gratitude for anyone who has given any support. I’m not jaded to the fact that regardless of the numbers, it’s a big deal that people are willing to listen, be present and share these songs. That’s very special to me!
*”Travelin’ Light” is featured on The Best of Pro Country playlist!*
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