Since she was a young girl, April N. Smith has known that she wanted to pursue a career in music. But as the years passed and life happened, her priorities shifted. Instead of chasing her musical dreams full-time, she instead focused on being a great mom to her daughters, knowing that when the time was right, music would be there for her.
Fast forward 20 years, and it was.
Smith returned with her long-awaited debut single, “Enough,” which was soon followed by an album of the same name. Spawning a top ten single and an award nomination in Texas, Smith’s return proved her a force to be reckoned with.
With the release of her new single, “Broke My Rose Colored Glasses,” Smith has her sights set on pushing boundaries and keeping listeners on their toes. Still obvious is her connection to classic country music, but the single sees Smith returning with new graphics, a new producer and a new studio, and most importantly, more new music on the way.
We chatted with Smith all about “Broke My Rose Colored Glasses,” as well as her early start in music, making her return, new music and more!
Pro Country: You began singing and performing on stage very early in your life. What was it about music and performing on stage that connected with you so early in your life?
April N. Smith: I come from a musical family. Most everyone in my family has some ability to sing or play an instrument. It was always a part of my childhood growing up. When I had the opportunity to get on stage with a full band, I’ll never forget the energy I felt when those instruments were playing behind me. It was a feeling I didn’t ever want to lose.
PC: How old were you when you played with a band for the first time?
April N. Smith: I was 10 years-old. There was a local Opry not far from me, and my grandparents took me over to audition. After that, I started doing a lot of different Oprys. I was blessed to cut my teeth with a lot of seasoned bands that weren’t judgmental at all and were very patient with me.
PC: Who were some of the artists you remember listening to in that time that made you fall in love with country music?
April N. Smith: I grew up listening to Patsy Cline, The Judds and Barbara Mandrell. They were staples at my grandmother’s house. When I started trying to craft my sound and who I wanted to use as a guide, early Trisha Yearwood albums, Martina McBride and Patty Loveless were people I focused on. I focused on what they were doing with their voice and how they put songs together. There was a great group of ladies in the 90s that blazed a trail for us.
PC: Though you had a deep passion for music, you took a two decade break from music to raise your three daughters. Can you talk about making that decision? Did it feel like a career in music wasn’t in the cards?
April N. Smith: It was bittersweet, but I knew I had to do it to be able to be a mama to my girls. And I think I made the right choice. There’s no way that you can pursue a full-time music career and be present for everything. I was fortunate that I got to be at most of the ballgames and band concerts. Those moments only come so many times in your life, and I knew that music was always going to be there. If it was in the cards, eventually, it would happen. While music was something I missed, it wasn’t the most important thing at that time.
PC: After 20 years, you returned with your debut single, “Enough,” and an album of the same name. After taking that long of a break from music, how special was it to release music for the first time? What emotions came with those releases?
April N. Smith: That song and album will always have a special place in my heart. I poured out all of the things that I was holding on to for two decades. I don’t write anything that hasn’t come from a personal perspective. There’s only one song on the album that I didn’t write. The rest are all originals, most of which I wrote myself. Getting the songs from paper to something people could have in their hands was empowering. I started seeing that a career in music was really a possibility. And I still love that album. I still listen to it a lot and have a lot of people that ask me about it. I’m glad people are still enjoying it!
PC: Enough earned you a nomination at the Texas Regional Radio Report Awards and a top 10 single on Texas radio. What did it mean to you to see the success that Enough brought you, and how important is that recognition from your peers?
April N. Smith: I don’t have to tell my age to know that if I took a two-decade break, I’m not in the bracket where a lot of success and recognition come. To be my age, be an unknown and to get a nomination like that was very special. We got to go to the awards show, and that was my first experience with something like that. It showed that we’re such a big family. It sounds cliché, but when you go to awards shows, you spend more time hugging necks and catching up with people than anything else. To get the recognition from people you consider family is very special.
PC: Why did you feel that your new single, “Broke My Rose Colored Glasses,” was the right song to kick off your releases in 2025?
April N. Smith: It was at the point of my life that I was at. I wrote that song back in July. I was stuck for a while, and we finally got it finished. We had changed studios and producers, so this was going to be the first release with the new studio and producers. We were starting fresh, so I thought it was the perfect starting point.
PC: You shared on social media that “Broke My Rose Colored Glasses” has had a strong start at radio since its release. How encouraging has the response to the single been over the last month and a half that it’s been released?
April N. Smith: It’s been very encouraging! There’s been a lot of gains. For the most part, it’s jumping about five spots a week since it was released. My radio promoter is Powerhouse Promotions, which is run by artists, for artists. They’ve done a great job of having success with it. I still do a lot of promotion myself, because I still work a full-time job. As a school teacher, it’s hard for me to go on radio tours to promote. Even though I haven’t been able to do that, I’m very encouraged by the success so far.
PC: Your bio mentions three more singles set for release this year. What information, if any, can you give about what will follow “Broke My Rose Colored Glasses”? What can listeners expect to hear?
April N. Smith: The next release will be very out of the box. People have said that if you look at the artwork for “Broke My Rose Colored Glasses” compared to my other covers, you can see that there’s a shift. We’ve tried to do things that are more eye-catching. That’s the theme of this next song; it doesn’t sound like anything else I’ve done. I wanted to push the envelope and be a little edgy.
We also have a couple ballads. I haven’t released a ballad to radio since “HonkyTonk Angels.” It’s always been mid-tempo. I’m excited to see what a true ballad does when it goes out to radio.
These songs all tell a story. They have to be released in a certain order to tell that story. I hope when people listen, they’ll hear a progression of the sound, first and foremost, but they’ll also hear the progression of the story.
PC: Along with more music releasing throughout the year, what do you have planned for the rest of 2025?
April N. Smith: We are currently on booking the calendar. I’m pretty excited to open for Stoney LaRue on July 5th. That’s the highlight so far. There will be a lot of writing too. I’ve found an incredible co-writer that I’m working with, and we’ve been working pretty frequently together. I’m looking forward to digging in, thinking outside the box and being creative.
PC: Is there anything you’d like to add?
April N. Smith: I want to thank everyone who has been listening to the music. Without their support, I don’t have a job. I appreciate them!
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