The set, which he wrote during the first few months of the pandemic, finds Langhorne grappling with a number of demons: his battles with anxiety and depression, maintaining sobriety, dealing with the effects of the East Nashville tornado in March, which nearly wiped out his home, and, like many others, simply overcoming 2020.
“[The album] came out as I was starting to find some quiet in the noise and some peace within the chaos,” he tells Billboard. “I began to find that my world actually expands when I make it smaller and attempt to simplify a bit. It’s a maddening world indeed but there’s beauty in the madness for those who seek it.”
Langhorne Slim debuts at No. 10 on the Emerging Artists chart (dated Feb. 13) thanks to Strawberry Mansion, which arrives at No. 9 on the Americana/Folk Albums chart, No. 6 on Heatseekers Albums, No. 14 on Vinyl Albums and No. 24 on the Top Album Sales chart with 4,000 equivalent album units earned in its opening week, according to MRC Data.
The LP isn’t Langhorne’s first Billboard chart entry, though. He first appeared on Billboard in 2009 with his fourth album Be Set Free, which reached No. 40 on Heatseekers Albums. After that, his album The Way We Move reached No. 8 on Americana/Folk Albums in 2012; The Spirit Moves hit No. 8 on Americana/Folk Albums in 2015; and Lost At Last, Vol. 1 reached No. 22 in 2017. His single “Strangers” also climbed to No. 30 on Adult Alternative Airplay in 2015.
Learn more about Langhorne Slim below.
Hometown: Nashville, TN
Age: 40
Recommended Langhorne Slim Track: “Mighty Soul”
“Mighty Soul is a song about the connected consciousness of love that we’re all born with but lose sight of when we become distracted and beaten down with fear, trickery, greed, conformity, division, and on and on. It’s a song about loving ourselves enough to love each other more.”
Outside of the music: “Stillness, listening to the spirits, loving my neighbor, honesty, gratitude, acceptance, forgiveness and being the freak I wish to see in the world.”
What’s next: “Takin’ it one day at time and then becoming a folk mogul.”
Past Emerging Artists Spotlights: Bicep | Joshua Bassett | Asiahn | Morray | Benee | Breland | (Sandy) Alex G | Charly Bliss | Tank and the Bangas | J.S. Ondara | Mabel | Kiana Lede
