Nashville musician invites deep self-exploration through new album: "Wherefore Art Thou"

Nashville musician Quinn O’Donnell is set to release her third studio album on Friday, August 4th. The nine track album titled Wherefore Art Thou is a blend of both previously released singles and fresh new tracks. As her biggest project since 2020, O’Donnell’s upcoming album release is sparking anticipation with fans and friends alike.

Wherefore Art Thou takes the listener on a journey through monumental love and dynamic self-realization. The album begins with the lighthearted “Birthday Cake Lighter”, which feels both nostalgic and new. As the album continues, one almost feels as if they are transported into a world of progressively bigger questions. “Sweet Little Giant” gives a fresh take on the typical “pick-me” boy trope and leaves listeners to determine whether the concluding sentence is sarcasm or sadness saying “I’ll hurt you someday so just go”. In fact, a phenomenal feature of this album is its quality of including both greatly detailed and personal moments while also allowing an abundance of room for unique interpretation. O’donnell exposes the realities of love and life through different stereotypes of people. This idea is most evident in the fourth track “Coffee Girl”, a rhythmic song about the girl who always gets away. One gets a palpable sense of this girl we are introduced to and we can envision her drinking espresso martinis and never staying too long in one place. Her coffee boy equivalent is just as aloof as he is self-absorbed. O’Donnell reminds us that “all the coffee people in this world” are perpetually looking for love and attention everywhere except right in front of them.

The self-realization doesn’t stop with the analysis of various love tropes however. Wherefore Art Thou exhibits deep personal experience through tracks such as “Darl”. A keen reader may realize that this song is titled after William Faulkner’s protagonist in his Novel As I Lay Dying. O’donnell shared her resonance with this character during her battle with depression stating “When everyone around you says there’s something wrong with you, you begin to believe it”.

There are several tracks on the album that showcase different monumental loves, such as “About Last Summer”, “Nicotine”, and “Train of thought”. Most notably both “When We Die” and “I’ll Come Too” show us what it is like to love someone past reciprocation. Listeners are left wanting to know more with lines such as “Darling, time is the way to a person’s heart and I better go cause’ I think I see the sun”. This artful description of a soul connection to someone who isn’t there anymore is a feeling many listeners will relate to in their own romantically devastating way.

The final track “I’ll Come Too” is perhaps the most tragic and alluring depiction of vulnerability on the album. This track displays the feeling many have had within a doomed relationship, thinking if you could run away together and create a world where just the two exist, it would fix all the problems. Convincing oneself that a betrayal wasn't that bad and waiting for them to show up at the door is revealed with lines such as “I'll wait for you to change your mind”. Although each track on Wherefore Art Thou invites deep self-exploration, “I’ll Come Too” is an undeniable gem that will undoubtedly make its way into the hearts, and playlists of many listeners. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and check out her website in anticipation of the album release.

About the artist: Quinn O'Donnell is known across Nashville for her raw, emotional performances. Her unique blend of alternative rock with atmospheric songwriting gives her a timeless, yet unique sound. Taking inspiration from artists like Death Cab for Cutie and Radiohead, O'Donnell takes root in the early 2000’s and late 90’s. Through her touring and local DIY shows, Quinn and her band full of friends (The Lonely Hearts) have made their mark in venues across the Nashville area and beyond.