PREMIERE: Rachel McIntyre Smith Takes Her Time on “Grow Up Slow”

With her lyrically driven songs, Rachel McIntyre Smith’s comfort twang music reminds listeners of the classics while also adding a relevant and fresh perspective. The Boot writes that she is “part [Kacey] Musgraves, part Phoebe Bridgers, all sincere storytelling and heartstring pulling.” On her new song “Grow Up Slow,” McIntyre Smith reminds us to take things in stride, because good things will come in their own time.

Raised in the small East Tennessee town of Oliver Springs, Rachel began piano training at 9 years old. She won the Tennessee State Piano Competition twice and earned the Paderewski Medal for Guild for 10 years of superior ratings in a row. This strong background of music theory allowed Rachel to excel in other areas of music. She taught herself ukulele and guitar and also served as clarinet section leader in her school band. Although she always dreamed of being a singer, her bashfulness kept her from singing in public until she was a junior in high school. She made her debut singing “Please Mister Postman” in the high school theater arts production of “Ducktails & Bobby Socks.”

Rachel began working with producer Dran Michael in the fall of 2020. Since the beginning of their partnership, Rachel has released multiple singles and her debut EP, Glory Daze which was featured on BBC Radio, Grady Smith’s Youtube Channel,  Holler Magazine, and Spotify’s Fresh Finds Country Best of 2022. The second single from her debut EP, “The Woulds,” rose into the top 100 of US Americana radio. Glory Daze explored the uncertainty, nostalgia, and regret that comes along with becoming an adult and letting go of your childhood.

She is set to release her sophomore EP, Honeysuckle Friend, in the summer of 2024. Rachel refers to this project as her sunset record, meaning that it’s a scenic close to her quarter-life crisis (sung about in her debut) and a hopeful look forward to her next chapter. The music features banjo, mandolin, steel guitar, and carefully crafted lyrics written solely by Rachel.

“This song is about enjoying where you’re at instead of hurrying to do what you think is expected of you,” explains McIntyre Smith. “Milestones will come when they come. A lot of things are out of our control, so we just have to focus on what we can do each day to get closer to our goals. I hope that it helps listeners embrace their journey and not focus on societal expectations.”

Honeysuckle Friend will be released on August 23rd. You can pre-save “Grow Up Slow” here.

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