After taking some time off to get married to songwriter Kyle Jacobs, Kellie Pickler returns with “Tough,” the first single from her upcoming third album for 19/BNA Records.  With attitude dripping from literally every pore of the song, Kellie Pickler seems to really have grown into her own in the time between cutesy sophomore self-titled album and “Tough.”

“Tough” finds Kellie Pickler shedding the awe-shucks, bubbly girl for a more Dolly-like “take me as I am” anthem about being a rough around the edges girl who’s not going to ever be comfortable being a 50’s era subordinate housewife to the man in her life.  The production, from the banjos to the sawin’ fiddles to the just-right harmony vocals scream hit to my ears.  The song never gets too loud, too rocky or anything of the sort. In fact, this one feels a lot like the attitude-filled tunes on the “Shakin’” part of Laura Bell Bundy’s Achin & Shakin’ album. 

It is true that some people are going to dismiss “Tough” as not a good song for Kellie or not ‘the song to send her over the top,’ but I’ve never instantly felt this attracted to a Kellie Pickler single before now. Let me tell you why.  Gone are the squawking “Best Days of Your Live” vocals and in their place is a bluesy, soulful delivery that honestly is the kind of song I couldn’t have pictured coming from a Kellie Pickler album just a year ago. 

Welcome to the Big Show, Kellie Pickler, because you’ve arrived; and “Tough” is about to make you a true superstar.

Click Here To listen to "Tough"