Born & Bred is your source for music emanating from the hills of West Virginia. We are excited to showcase the enormous and diverse talent that has been bred here. Check out these new releases from Emma Ruth Shirey.

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In the southern city of Lewisburg, West Virginia, where the landscape is as beautiful and honest as the music it inspires, Emma Ruth Shirey is allowing space for the feelers. Her latest single, “tenderhearted,” is a reclamation of the parts of ourselves we’re often told to hide.

Shirey’s previous efforts have dealt with the topic of love and relationships, but with “tenderhearted,” she turns the lens inward to examine the friction between a sensitive soul and a world that prioritizes a thick skin. For Shirey, the track represents a pivotal shift from viewing her sensitivity as a liability to seeing it as her greatest strength.

“Tenderhearted is a song I wrote about what it means to feel things deeply in a world that will try to make you numb. Feeling things deeply is a gift.

I tried to cut that part out of me for a long time because I thought it made me weak,” Shirey shares. “The reality is that I may feel pain and sadness for myself and others deeply, but I also feel joy and happiness deeply as well—and that is what brings meaning to life in all of its complexities.”

The track’s ethereal sound didn’t happen by accident; it was a product of deep collaboration and long hours in the studio.

“I brought this song to Jacob (Brooks) and Ben (Cadle) and they truly brought it to life,” Emma says. “I came in with my banjo, even though I wrote it on the guitar, and we spent hours in Lewisburg, WV intentionally building the song with the guitar and vocal elements, and adding the bass while also keeping a simplistic and minimal approach. I am proud of this little piece of my heart that is now for the world to hear and hope you all enjoy it!”

The result is a hauntingly beautiful reminder that while numbness might offer temporary protection, it’s the willingness to stay open that truly makes us alive. Listen to “tenderhearted” HERE and follow Emma Ruth Shirey on Facebook and Instagram