Track-by-Track: Courtney Hadwin Hashes Out Her Debut Album ‘Little Miss Jagged’

Although it may seem like she’s just arrived, Courtney Hadwin has travelled a long road to get to where she’s at now. The singer-songwriter released her debut album, Little Miss Jagged, earlier this month, showcasing her standout songwriting and genre-bending sound. At age 13, Hadwin auditioned for America’s Got Talent, and that audition caught the attention of millions. It went viral, and soon, music industry people were vigorously pursuing her. But their idea for her and her career was much different than what Hadwin had in mind for herself. Industry types sought to mould her into more of a conventional pop act. This was not exactly the path that Hadwin wanted to pursue, so she resisted these pursuits.

Instead, Hadwin decided to keep writing music that reflected her own passions and experiences. That’s reflected in the diversity of sound you’ll find on Little Miss Jagged. More than just a pop record, the songs combine soul, rock, funk, punk, and R&B. Her voice really carries the load on a deeply personal record that she describes as a collection of coming-of-age songs. Hadwin co-wrote every song on the album in tandem with her producer, Kevin Bowe. These songs represent who she is as a person and the experiences that have gotten her here.

Courtney Hadwin joins us today for an exclusive Track-by-Track rundown of Little Miss Jagged, sharing the stories behind the songs.

1. “Intro”

Courtney Hadwin: “I really wanted to have ‘Jagged’ on my album, it made sense even if it is just a lil snippet! The whole album is jagged, so having it as an introduction just made sense.”

2. “Dirty”

“I’m so proud of writing and creating ‘Dirty.’ It’s so me! As soon as I wrote it, I was like, ‘This is the type of song I’d fall in love with if I heard it for the first time!’”

3. “Spellbound”

“‘Spellbound’ wasn’t even supposed to make the album; it was written as a second album track, and as soon as I heard the demo, I knew it belonged in Little Miss Jagged!

4. “Timeless”

“‘Timeless’ was inspired by Teddy Swims’ ‘Lose Control,’ and it changed melodies and lyrics sooooo many times, but now it’s my favourite song to sing live!”

5. “Never say Never”

“I was so mad and angry when I wrote this song. It was definitely a song that needed to be written, and it was a big relief when I finally did.”

6. “Different kinda pretty”

“This song has a big message. I respect people so much for just being themselves. I have always been the odd one out and tried for so long to be the same and fit in when I was younger, but I’ve grown to love myself, and I feel everyone should be the inner weirdo in themselves and embrace it as much as they can.”

7. “You only love me when I lie”

“I feel like all my inspirations in music came into this song, and I really needed to write the lyrics. So when it was written, it was like, wow, I did that, I was proud!”

Courtney Hadwin ‘Little Miss Jagged’ album artwork

8. “Electric”

“‘Electric’ was written about my 18-year-old self. I partied way too much, and I feel every young adult, as soon as they hit the club/bar age, all get that feeling of independence, ‘we got this,’ dancing with your friends until 4 am, and thinking we’re cool as hell. It’s a great feeling.”

9. “DNA”

“‘DNA’ was written about the overwhelming and obsessive feeling of having a crush. I look back now and I think, damn, what was I thinking, but you don’t think about that when you’re all head and heart with someone.”

10. “Sixteen”

“This song was never supposed to be written, and I was told not to release it, but deep inside, I knew it had to be released! And now it’s on the album. It is completely normal to grow up and mature, and for me, as I have been in the spotlight since I was 11, sometimes that makes people think they can have a say or judgment on that.”

11. “All the love (money can buy)”

“‘All the love’ was written the same week I recorded the album, and I knew it had to be a single. It’s just such a fuck you feel good song!”

12. “Wild things”

“‘Wild things’ came out of nowhere. I just got out of a weird, sticky relationship, which I really thought was going somewhere, and I was far too much in my feelings. I hate being soppy and emotional, but it created something that people can relate to, and I love that.”

13. “Die and stay pretty”

“I was watching someone let substances take over their life, and I couldn’t say anything to them as they had pushed me away and chose that way of life over me. It was really affecting my state of mind, and I never told anyone about it. I got really close with my producer, and I started to open up about how I felt, and it turned into a song. I was terrified to release it, and the person it’s about, still to this day, does not know it’s about them.”

14. “Steady rock steady”

“I’m very picky when it comes to people romantically that I talk to. I love someone who has goals in life and ambition. I love the Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin sound that this song gives out, and it’s a great fun song to sing live.”