LeAnn Rimes 'god's work' shows her successful personal evolution

LeAnn Rimes' nineteenth studio album in a storied, quarter-century-long career finds the gifted singer-songwriter in full tilt with a creative and emotional surge that finds her lyrical mastery of the English language in a fascinating space.

"This is the second album in a row where I said the word f***," she says, laughing in regards to "the wild," one of many collaborative works on "god's work," out Sept. 16.

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LeAnn Rimes:Release new album, 'god's work,' out September 16

Rimes notes that the "intentional" choice of singing the words "the persecution of the woman, the burning has gone on for too f***ing long" is a statement regarding her continuing desire to be a passionate advocate for women's rights, inclusivity, and social progression.

As well, it's a statement in regards to reaching a point where — after 25 years — she's finally exhausted her ability to "play small, be polite, and try to make sure people buy my music." These notions are traits associated with her career's roots in Nashville's mainstream country music industry. However, similar to artists like Tanya Tucker, Rimes entered the country music business before she could legally drink, drive a car, or vote for elected offices.

Rimes is now newly 40 and has sold 48 million albums worldwide. She's also married, divorced, remarried, and been challenged by anxiety, depression, psoriasis, and stress. She's also acted in films, donated millions of dollars to charities as a philanthropist, toured the world multiple times over, plus figured out exactly how family and friends aid and impact her existence.

To expect Rimes as a fully-formed, Los Angeles-residing adult to resemble the yodeling Jackson, Mississippi, native whose album "Blue" and single "How Do I Live" aided the late 90s in firmly bridging radio-ready pop and country into a sonic monolith is absurd.

For the better part of the last decade, Rimes has attempted to grow up, age gracefully, and remain personally and artistically vibrant in equal measure. Via "god's work," that's finally occurred.

The new material's most telling trait is how rhythmic her music has become. Her 2020 album "Chant: The Human & the Holy" focused on her melding of Eastern-style meditation and traditional Christianity to aid her in navigating mental health difficulties. Intrinsic to that process is the acceptance of percussive rhythm — be it the beat of a heart or a drum — to create measured calm.

"Rhythm has always been important to my life and career. And now, I'm at a place where, when thinking about the importance of all of us living and working more with god at play in our hearts and minds, I definitely wanted to reflect that in where my music was headed," Rimes tells The Tennessean.

"Also, though, I've been a fan of Sheila E since she was drumming for Prince. And she's so great at what she does," says Rimes about working with the 64-year-old percussion icon on "the wild." Also, she adds a deeper note regarding the track. "If you think about it, there's something gratifying about the idea that Sheila and I are separated by 20 years, and Mickey Guyton and I's success is separated by the same amount of time."

Famously, the Grammy-nominated "Black Like Me" vocalist recalled seeing Rimes sing the National Anthem at a Texas Rangers Major League Baseball game as the moment that inspired her most to pursue a career in country music. Now, whether it's on the red carpet or at an event like March 2022's "LeAnn Rimes and Friends" CMT Crossroads event, they are regularly in the same star-made orbit. Rimes, "grateful" for Guyton's continuing acclaim, counts the trio's work on the song as one of the album's personal highlights.

A diverse group of stellar creatives assists Rimes on the album, including Aloe Blacc, Ben Harper, Ledisi, Ziggy Marley, Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard, and vocalist Tata Vega. Rimes had a glorious vision of what she wanted to accomplish with the album and recalled cautiously asking Lessard to participate. Once he agreed, she was met with little resistance from the other participants. Effusively proud of the recording process behind "god's work," her nineteenth release appears to have brilliantly lit aflame a new trail to blaze.

Mantra-like statements like "something better's coming" and "there will be a better day" on Aloe Blacc's duet "i do" and "the only way we're gonna get there is if we hold each other's hand" on her pairing with Ziggy Marley for the reggae-meets-roots track "the only." As well, the tribal march-like rhythm of "throw my arms around the world," and her statements, via interview, of feeling encouraged by the ability to explore and confront feelings of "rage" and creative evolution denote this idea.

Two other factors also drive Rimes' renewed focus.

"Streaming has revived my entire catalog," she jokes, amazed at moments at concerts where fans sing deep cuts verbatim, alongside songs like the 2001 "Coyote Ugly" soundtrack hit "Can't Fight The Moonlight." The idea that the totality of her personal and psychological evolution — while being more revelatory of her entire emotional state — is being positively received is heartening.

Her decade-long creative and spiritual journey has also seen her diversify her interests into her iHeartRadio podcast "Wholly Human," plus appearances on the Netflix program "Country Comfort." Living a life inspired by a blend of who she was for so long as a pop-country icon, plus now as a spiritually-minded and intensely thoughtful multi-hyphenate creative force, has created a new space for what is essentially her third era of artistic growth.

In a recent conversation with American Songwriter, Rimes noted, "I'm a firm believer, as a creator, in not questioning what comes through, and creating what I feel comes through and what I'm drawn to. I'm also constantly observing life to inspire my art."

What does that art look like now?

As much as it feels like magic, it's as simple as a notion that she also has, for perpetuity, tattooed on her arm.

"I'm opening up people's lives and emotions to god's work."

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: LeAnn Rimes 'god's work' shows her successful personal evolution