Miranda Lambert

Originally Miranda Leigh Shelton, country music artist Miranda Lambert was born November 10, 1983 in Lindale Texas. Raised by private investigators, she lived a fairly strict, very southern, redneck childhood. Though having signed with Columbia Records, RCA Records, and Epic Records, Miranda Lambert initially achieved fame during Nashville Star’s 2003 season. Prior to the season she was signed to Epic Records. With Epic Records Miranda Lambert recorded her debut single “Me and Charlie Talking”, won Music Row Awards’ Best New Artist in 2005, and produced four singles that made it on Billboard Hot Country Songs Top 40 hits charts. However, she was forced to transfer to Columbia Records Nashville when Epic’s Nashville division shut down. Since 2007 Miranda Lambert has won 22 awards of the 73 she has been nominated for, including Album of the Year, Top Female Vocalist of the Year, and Best Female Country Vocal Performance.

Miranda Lambert is seen as a sort of “gunpowder and leg girl”, a “pistol packing Annie getting ready to whoop butt”. (Miranda Lambert LIVE Fan Q&A). She is frequently seen modeling the bad girls, bad boys theme in both her songs and music videos. During a Billboard Q&A interview, prior to the release of her “Four the Record” album in 2011, she noted that, though at heart she is truly a country girl, her influences range from country to blues and jazz. During this same interview she verbalized her belief in “being who you are no matter what that is and people accepting you for what you are”. (Miranda Lambert LIVE Fan Q&A). Her albums cover a wide variety of subject matters that make Miranda Lambert attractive to her audiences. While she rocks the “badass” look in “Baggage Claim”, she can break your heart in “Over You”.  Her variety makes her relatable; she is every side of you.

In the video above Miranda Lambert perfectly encompasses the bad girls, bad boys theme. It shows her flexibility appearance wise.

 Compared to most popular country artists today, Miranda Lambert’s sound, for the most part, remains true to her country roots. She is often praised for her strong voice, natural talent, and ability to veer away from the sort of “Taylor Swift country” sound that seems to be getting bigger today. Washington Post’s Chris Richards states, “like a shard of glass hiding in a shag carpet, Miranda Lambert has a voice that’s small and dangerous.”(Richards). Richards continues to say, “her voice has never been big, but Lambert knows how to use its clarity and bite to inhabit every corner of a song… You might find a TSA agent more forgiving than Lambert, but you won’t find a country star more magnetic.” (Richards). However, many critics are quick to pin Miranda Lambert as cheesy, overdone, and criticize her frequent use of co-writers. One critic remarked, “though sonically Miranda may be one of the most “real” things on mainstream country radio, there is still a good amount of pop to her sound, and unlike a Jamey Johnson, or even a Taylor Swift, she does not write most of her own music, or produce her own albums. Having said that, Lambert has illustrated that she has somehow carved out at least a small amount of creative freedom in the stifling Music Row environment.” (Saving Country Music). Her music is claimed to be overproduced, her lyrics tacky, and that same bad girl persona that will wrap you in, will drive you away. Needless to say, Miranda Lambert is a you love her or you hate her type of artist.

One thing is undeniable however, you can’t say Miranda Lambert is not country. Everything down to her raging Texas accident screams country. Every song embodies at least one country theme, if not more. She addresses heartache, love, loss, drinking, parties, and more. She is a living representation of the statement “country is a state of mine, way of life.” (Buckley 200). As seen in the pictures bellow, every inch of Miranda Lambert is as bad, sweet, and country as the next. She is unquestionably authentic. “Miranda Lambert isn’t afraid to speak her mind and sing the songs she wants to sing. Armed with a big voice, a feisty personality and a pink guitar… she played the woman-out-for-revenge part to the hilt with such trademark hits as “Gunpowder and Lead” and “Kerosene.” Nobody in country music today can do it better. But while you’re watching her toss her hair with the best of ’em and whip out a threatening line or two with that strong voice, just don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s all she can do.” (Paddock).

Works Cited

Miranda Lambert LIVE Fan Q&A. YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Z976TXlMaw>.

Miranda Lambert - White Liar. YouTube. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoR2Oax82kY>.

Paddock, Bill. “Review: Miranda Lambert.” Arkansas Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.

Richards, Chris. “Album Review: Miranda Lambert, ‘Four The Record.’” The Washington Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012.

 Saving Country Music. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-miranda-lamberts-four-the-record>.

Lewis, George H., ed. All That Glitters: Country Music In America. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.