Spencer Crandall Embraces His "Western" Roots and Journey Through Life On New Album

Country music fans, can we ask you a question...? Do you know the Muffin Man? (Just kidding, we actually want to know what you think makes a great musical album.) Some might say strong writing, production, and vocals; others emphasize the sonic and thematic similarity of its tracks. But to rising artist Spencer Crandall, it's all about the musical journey. He shared with us, "A great album should answer three questions: where do you come from, where are you now, and where are you going?" With his most recent project, Western, he covers all three areas in immense detail.

Western addresses his great-grandparents move west from places like West Virginia and Kentucky, taking a huge risk without devising a plan B. The western culture runs deep in Crandall's family, comprising a huge part of his identity today. The idea of a "beautiful sunrise" or moment of success after a period of struggle especially inspires him. Western captures the full journey of chasing a dream in both good and poor health, provoking a wide range of intense emotions in the listener. His western perspective contrasts with the stereotypical southern point of view, which most country artists utilize, rendering Crandall a unique breath of fresh air in his genre.

One notable feature of the album includes its Justin Bieber and Shania Twain cover songs. The rising star adds his unique perspective and musical style to both tunes, as they complete the storyline of Western in impactful ways. Additionally, they bring a diverse audience to Crandall's work. "It's a great way to bring people who have no idea who I am, to give them familiarity and kind of like a lifeline to come into the album, and find themselves listening through Western, even though they just found a cover online," he told us. For example, his rendition of "You're Still The One" accumulated five million views, which translated into an influx of new Spotify and TikTok followers. This served as many listeners' official introduction not just to Crandall, but to country music at large.

As for Western's eighteen original songs, Crandall contributed his penning to all of them, hoping to create tracks that "sound and feel like bravery and courage." He captures his grit and go-getter mindset that fuels his professional and everyday life. "I need a song that sounds like if a mustang is running in the closing scenes of a movie about chasing your dreams," explained Crandall. "How do we do that and not make it cheesy?" By relying on the aspects of storytelling and personal development, Crandall had an easier time creating an authentically country record that captured the elements he wanted it to. This allowed him to embrace the creative process behind the album as well.

Currently on the road in support of Western, the rising artist emphasizes the majestic nature of his songs when he plays them live. He finds that large stadiums best carry and hold the energy of his music. He thoroughly enjoys engaging with his fans, feeling grateful as they scream his tunes back to him as if they have been radio hits since forever. Make sure to catch him on tour for the live show of your dreams, even if you're not really a country music fan - he might turn you into one!

The burgeoning Spencer Crandall brings a unique voice and dynamic approach to country music, especially evidenced by the transformative Western. When an artist feels as moved by an album as fans do, that's one way you can tell it's a phenomenal project. We highly recommend checking out Western - it's sure to captivate you and leave you obsessed.