A somewhat hidden treasure in the Country Music world, Irish born Janet Devlin is an artist who should be on everyone’s radar. Bursting onto the scene in X Factor UK 2011, Devlin’s distinctive vocals and ability to write meaningful lyrics has captivated audiences for years. Janet Devlin has made her mark on the UK country music scene this year with notable appearances at C2C Festival, The Long Road and headlining The British Country Music festival in Blackpool in August.

Having recently released the deluxe version of her country based album Not My First Emotional Rodeo, Devlin has treated fans with 8 new songs which includes a stunning version of Kenny Roger’s The Gambler.

An album full of honest, relatable lyrics, Janet’s stories will make listeners feel comforted and understood as well as making them laugh with her witty lyrics and joyful with her bops.

With this deluxe having a generous 22 tracks, Devlin will keep you highly entertained for over an hour of unskippable tracks. The first track Cigarette Sweets is instantly captivating, reeling you in from the first note. The track flows beautifully into upbeat, fun lovin’ song Daddy which is a witty song about role reversals of being a sugar daddy.

The track listing has been well thought out with a few bops to get you up and dancing, especially in the song Country Singer which has all the ingredients for the perfect traditional, honky tonk, line dancing country tune. The more ballad focused songs are breathtakingly beautiful with really emotional and raw lyrics that give us an insight to who Devlin is as a songwriter and a person. Best In You is a fast favourite and is the kind of song you could imagine being a secret acoustic track at Taylor Swift’s Era’s Tour as her lyrics are just as deep, clever and storytelling. It’s hard not to feel so much when you listen to this song. Another favourite, as I am a sucker for a ballad, is Burden. This song is so gorgeous with a story that will undoubtedly relate to many. The song dives into the feeling of pushing people away as you feel like you’re the burden with all your personal issues and the toll that felling of being a burden takes. The ballads continue in the song Whiskey on My Breath where Janet bravely talks of her struggles of alcohol addiction. The song perfect in its simplicity makes you hear every word.

There are so many traditional sounding tracks to love such as Ghosted which has a strong Irish feel to it as well. With country music being in the roots of the Irish, this song really showcases the beauty in their distinctive sound. Funeral For My Best Friend is a cleverly written track about losing a close partner but not in death but how mourning that relationship can feel like it is. Devlin’s vocals are particularly strong in this song showing a really raw emotion proving that those feelings were still very strong during the recording.

The Problem is Me, a short yet meaningful song closes the original version of the album before it was released as a deluxe — a beautiful ending that leaves us feeling deeply moved.

Just as we were on the floor crying, Devlin lifts us up with the first new track on the deluxe Candy. Candy has a very pop-country sound that feels like it belongs on a coming of abe American hit movie soundtrack. A wonderfully catchy song, this will undoubtedly be a hit in live shows as well as homes.

Houston was released as a single and was placed on Radio 2’s playlist. The cleverly written song, is a fun and upbeat, toe tappin’ delight. Plastic Pistol takes the album in more darker, outlaw-inspired western direction which feels very cinematic. The slow-paced verses are beautifully hypnotic.

Psycho Ex is of course, as one would imagine, unapologetically relatable. Who hasn’t been a psycho ex is some way? It’s witty and validating. A song to scream at the top of your lungs.

Hooked is another beautiful mid tempo styled ballad with a stand out acoustic guitar riff. It speaks of needing rehabilitation from the relationship.

The next two songs were recorded live, one at George Ezra’s Hotel Quebec studio and one at Blackbird Studio in Nashville. The first being a cover of Kenny Roger’s The Gambler which was recorded at George Ezra’s Hotel Quebec is a song that Janet has been a fan of for many years but until now, hadn’t found the right time to honour it. The version is striking and suits her vocal stylings. The last live track and in fact the last track off the album is a cover of I’ll Fly Away by Alison Krauss which features in one of Janet’s favourite movies O Brother Where Art Thou? which was recorded at BlackBird Studio in Nashville. The song was a last minute addition to the album. Janet shares with us that they had 20 minutes left of recording and quickly added this song

With its rich use of traditional instruments, the album’s intricate details make each song irresistibly engaging and truly stand out. There is no filler. Expertly produced and seamlessly blended with sensational melodies, heartfelt lyrics, and Janet’s distinctive tone, this album easily stands as one of our favourites of 2025.

You can listen to the album here

Janet will also be playing a headline show in London on October 16th at Colours Hoxton with Maya Lane as support. Tickets and info here