Jennifer Nettles Plots New Solo Album ‘Playing With Fire’

Though her flair for the theatrical has taken her to Broadway and television (not to mention covering Queen songs), Jennifer Nettles will return to musical home base with the release of her second solo album, Playing With Fire. The Grammy-winning artist’s new collection — her first with Big Machine Records — will be available May 13th.

“I am so proud of this record,” Nettles said in a release. “I can’t wait to share it with my fans and hear their reactions. It is a ton of sass and emotion and fun.” 

Playing With Fire was produced by Dann Huff (Keith Urban) and includes the Sugarland singer’s songwriting collaborations with Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally, Jessie Jo Dillon and Lori McKenna. The album’s first single “Unlove You” was co-written with Clark and got its television debut right before Thanksgiving on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Earlier in November, Nettles introduced the song to the audience at CMT’s Next Women of Country event by praising country music because it “celebrates brokenness and it takes realness in life and shines a light through it.” 

Nettles has shown her considerable performing range in recent years, enjoying a well-received stint as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago earlier in 2015 as well as maintaining her hosting duties for the annual CMA Country Christmas special. In December, she starred as Dolly Parton’s mother Avie Lee Parton in the television movie Coat of Many Colors, which gave NBC bragging rights for the most-watched film on the big four networks in four years.

Currently Nettles is headlining the CMT Next Women of Country tour, featuring Clark, Lindsay Ell and Tara Thompson.