{"id":93260,"date":"2025-11-05T15:13:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T15:13:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/?p=93260"},"modified":"2025-11-06T09:48:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T09:48:15","slug":"janet-devlin-releases-deluxe-album-not-my-first-emotional-rodeo-still-in-the-saddle-still-breaking-hearts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2025\/11\/janet-devlin-releases-deluxe-album-not-my-first-emotional-rodeo-still-in-the-saddle-still-breaking-hearts\/","title":{"rendered":"Janet Devlin Releases Deluxe Album, ‘Not My First Emotional Rodeo’: Still in the Saddle, Still Breaking Hearts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

There are some artists who reinvent themselves every album, and then there\u2019s Janet Devlin, who somehow reinvents the genre around her. With ‘Not My First Emotional Rodeo<\/a>‘, the Irish songstress returns to the dusty trail she carved last year with ‘Emotional Rodeo’<\/a>, and this time, she\u2019s brought extra swagger, a few more tears, and a truckload of attitude.<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When the original record dropped back in November 2024, it was a revelation: a chart-topping, country-tinged confessional that saw Devlin swap ethereal folk for Nashville grit, and make it sound as natural as breathing. Now, with this deluxe edition, she proves that lightning does<\/em> strike twice\u2026especially when you record 24 songs in three days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new material slots so neatly into the world of ‘Emotional Rodeo’ that it\u2019s hard to imagine the album without it. ‘Candy<\/a>‘ leads the charge, a whip-smart, toe-tapping number that\u2019s pure country-pop joy with a sly wink. It\u2019s got the kind of confident sparkle that could light up a festival stage or a Sunday drive alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then there\u2019s ‘If He Wanted To He Would<\/a>‘, a slow-burner that glows with quiet defiance. It\u2019s one of those tracks that sneaks up on you, equal parts heartache and empowerment, delivered with Devlin\u2019s signature blend of vulnerability and steel. Elsewhere, ‘Plastic Pistol<\/a>‘ takes a darker turn instrumentally, but plays with Janets cheeky innuendos, while ‘Psycho Ex<\/a>‘ brings the kind of mischievous storytelling that country music was built for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But perhaps the emotional centrepiece of this deluxe edition is her rendition of ‘The Gambler<\/a>‘. Forget everything you know about Kenny Rogers\u2019 classic, Devlin strips it back to bare bones and heartstrings. Recorded live at George Ezra\u2019s Hotel Qu\u00e9bec Studio, her version transforms the song from a honky-tonk tale into a tender fireside confession. Her voice, delicate but unwavering, draws out every ounce of wisdom and weariness from the lyrics. When the male harmony enters midway through, it\u2019s goose-bump territory. It\u2019s no wonder she saved it for a \u201cspecial occasion\u201d, this performance feels like one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where many deluxe albums feel like a cash-in or an afterthought, ‘Not My First Emotional Rodeo’ feels like a celebration, the closing of a creative chapter that was too rich, too raw, too Janet to fit on one record. These songs aren\u2019t B-sides but essential puzzle pieces that complete the picture. In true Devlin fashion, she\u2019s done it all without losing her quirk, humour, or humility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If ‘Emotional Rodeo’ was Janet\u2019s grand entrance onto the country stage, this deluxe edition is her victory lap, confident, creative, and gloriously unfiltered.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are some artists who reinvent themselves every album, and then there\u2019s Janet Devlin, who somehow reinvents the genre around her. With ‘Not My First Emotional Rodeo’, the Irish songstress returns to the dusty trail she carved last year with ‘Emotional Rodeo’, and this time, she\u2019s brought extra swagger, a few more tears, and a truckload of attitude.<\/p>\n

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'Not My First Emotional Rodeo', arriving September 26th, adds eight brand-new tracks that reveal sides of Janet we\u2019ve never heard before. 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Musically cinematic and lyrically razor-sharp, the song showcases her signature blend of traditional country with a playful modern twist, only heightening anticipation for the album\u2019s release.","rel":"","context":"In "Concerts"","block_context":{"text":"Concerts","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/concerts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Janet-Devlin-Candy.jpg?fit=609%2C897&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Janet-Devlin-Candy.jpg?fit=609%2C897&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Janet-Devlin-Candy.jpg?fit=609%2C897&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":88765,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2024\/11\/janet-devlin-releases-breakthrough-country-rock-album-emotional-rodeo-in-career-milestone\/","url_meta":{"origin":93260,"position":2},"title":"Janet Devlin Releases Breakthrough Country-Rock Album ‘Emotional Rodeo’ In Career Milestone","author":"Polly Havelock","date":"15\/11\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Janet Devlin has carved out a pathway as an unlikely country star, transitioning from her Irish folk roots to the sweeping soundscapes of Nashville. After breakthrough single 'Emotional Rodeo', a triumphant anthem on re-owning mental health struggles, hit No.4 on the UK iTunes Country Chart, she has since gone on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Album Reviews"","block_context":{"text":"Album Reviews","link":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/category\/music\/reviews\/album-reviews\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Janet-Devlin-Emotional-Rodeo.webp?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Janet-Devlin-Emotional-Rodeo.webp?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Janet-Devlin-Emotional-Rodeo.webp?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Janet-Devlin-Emotional-Rodeo.webp?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":86775,"url":"https:\/\/essentiallypop.com\/epop\/2024\/05\/emotional-rodeo-janet-devlin-is-on-fire-with-ravishing-country-rock-single\/","url_meta":{"origin":93260,"position":3},"title":"\u2018Emotional Rodeo\u2019: Janet Devlin Is On Fire With Ravishing Country-Rock Single","author":"Polly Havelock","date":"22\/05\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"There\u2019s a new country-rock girl on the block, none other than the electrifying songstress Janet Devlin. 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