PREMIERE: Jennie Arnau Returns on "Back to Carolina"
PREMIERE: Jennie Arnau returns from a 15-year hiatus older, smarter, and stronger on "Back to Carolina"
Jennie Arnau is a storyteller who's seen enough life to tell plenty of them. Arnau's 2010 album Chasing Giants garnered acclaim – and that was her last release after Arnau found herself caring for her mother. She’s been through the wringer—losing her mother, reflecting on life’s twists and turns—and now she’s ready to share the soundtrack of that journey. Her upcoming album A Rising Tide is a collection of songs about resilience, reflection, and the quiet strength that comes from just rolling with the punches. And let’s be honest, she’s earned it. Rainbow Rodeo is honored to premiere "Back to Carolina," the first single off the album.
"I’ve lived in New York City for years and years, ever since college, and I love it here, but when my mother started to decline, I was trying to figure it all out," Arnau explains. "South Carolina has always been my hometown; it’s in my bones and woven into who I am, and my mother is the fabric of my life, literally my lifeblood, so I was struggling to decide what to do. Do I stay here? Do I move home? How do I balance this?"
Arnau faced down a painful dilemma.
"I know a lot of people have been in that position and felt the same way, and that conflicted feeling - the need to take care of my mom, but also the need to keep my life in New York for my love and my future - inspired 'Back to Carolina.'"
The song's soaring chorus expresses these complicated feelings: love, obligation, ambiguity, and regret.
"When you find yourself so far from someone you love and they are dying, you want to be with them- you want to watch over them even though you know that watching over them can’t and won’t help them. I didn’t want to leave my world up here, but I just worried constantly about her. I ended up flying back-and-forth a lot but staying up here with the help of a really strong support group- especially my wife (my girlfriend at the time). I still miss my mother so much, and my heart still feels shattered."
Produced by Phil Palazzollo (Neko Case, The New Pornographers), A Rising Tide is a sonic ride through life's messy beauty. Featuring an all-star lineup—Pete Levin (The Highwomen, Jason Isbell) on piano, Alan Lerner (Zen Tricksters) on drums, Binky Griptite (Dap-Kings, Amy Winehouse) on guitar, Jacob Jolliff (Yonder Mountain String Band) on mandolin, Mike Savino (Tall Tall Trees) on banjo, and Brett Bass (yes, Bass) holding down the low end—it’s Americana with a twist. Think southern charm meets New York grit, with a healthy dose of heart.
"Back to Carolina" will be available on streaming services tomorrow, 8/8. You can pre-save it here.
