Her CD was released today on Big Machine Records, and it features 15 tracks, most of which were co-penned and co-produced by Bundy. “I wrote probably at least 50 songs for the record and I listened to tons of songs as well, and I narrowed them down to the ones that felt most authentic to me, and to the theme of the record,” she said.
After she co-wrote the title track with Kristian Bush from the Grammy-winning country duo Sugarland, she realized that “Another Piece Of Me” was the ideal title for her latest project. “Each song felt like a different piece of me,” she explained. “I love Kristian Bush. It was the first song that we had written together, actually. We drove around in my car, and he inspired me to dig deep into what I was writing about.”
Her bold and breezy song “I Am What I Am” garnered a favorable review from celebrity blogger and columnist Perez Hilton. “This song is about being okay with who you are, and expressing yourself openly and unapologetically. Also, we are all who we are. We are interesting, unique expressions of God, and we are all different, and if we were all the same, it would be boring. I appreciate people who are different, and the song is about being okay with that,” she said.
On earning the rave review from Perez Hilton, she said, “I love him. That felt amazing. He has been very supportive of my music over the years. Most of the time, he posts my videos when I am dancing in hot pants, and it was nice for him to give me props for putting out a song with a positive message.”
The song’s music video was filmed in Switzerland and it was directed by Becky Fluke. Most impressive about the video is that Bundy dances in the same fields as her heroine, Julie Andrews, did in The Sound of Music.
A Kentucky native, Bundy gained national recognition with her roles on such television shows as Hart of Dixie and Anger Management, as well as her leading role on Broadway in Legally Blonde, for which she garnered a Tony nomination for “Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical” for her portrayal of Elle Woods.
Each day, Bundy is motivated by “love, creativity and expression.” “I love being creative and I absolutely love being able to artistically comment on life,” she said. “It can be writing music, drawing, or coming up with a concept for a sketch.”
On June 10, Bundy will make an appearance at the CMT Music Awards; moreover, she will perform at Belk Park Stage during the CMA Music Festival in Nashville on June 12, where she will premiere songs from her new album, as well as the fan-favorite “Two Step.” “The CMT Music Awards are a lot of fun. It is a laid-back awards show and it is really fun. It is edgy with a lot of great performances. The fans are involved in picking the winners, which is great,” she said.
Bundy listed country artists Dierks Bentley, David Nail, Blake Shelton and Vince Gill as her dream male duet choices.
For aspiring musicians and entertains, she underscored the importance of “practice” and “being fearless.” “It is all about taking chances and being inventive. It is all about creating a sound that has not been created before. If I am only writing on the surface, I am actually not connecting with people the way I would want to,” she said.
Bundy is drawn to country music because its lyrical content and its stories both matter. “In country music, the story is so important and relevant, as opposed to other musical genres. I also love banjos, fiddles, mandolins, the harmonies and the cleverness of a country song. I love the production style of country music,” she said.
She concluded our interview by furnishing her definition of the word success. “It means having done a really good job at something: that you were fully committed to something, and you did it well. I don’t define success with a monetary value. I define it as feeling fulfilled and being authentic and connecting with others,” she said.
To check out her Another Piece of Me album on iTunes, click here.
For more information on country songstress Laura Bell Bundy and her new album, check out her official website.
