LeAnn Rimes Releases New Album ‘god’s work’ – Calling It A Journey Of Reclamation

Three years in the making, LeAnn Rimes says her new album is “more genre-bending than anything I’ve done before” and says part of it is due to the many different artists who join her. The 12-track record features Ziggy Marley, Mickey Guyton, Aloe Blacc, Ben Harper, Robert Randolph, Sheila E., and others.

Co-produced with longtime collaborator Darrell Brown, Rimes say they actually started the record in 2019, then continued working on it during the pandemic.

“In early 2019 we wrote “god’s work” and “Throw My Arms Around the Word,” she says, “and we recorded mid-year, then thought we’d take a moment to regroup since I was on tour and start writing again in 2020. We did that and then life happened, so we started creating a record with everyone on the couch in their sweats.

She says she’s excited about the “eclectic group” featured throughout the album.

“We were writing, and we started kind of casting as we would a film. And if you look at Ziggy, Ben, Ledisi, Mickey, and Sheila, I feel like we all have similar hearts and minds and are putting out similar messages into the world. So, it feels like a community of people and the album really speaks to that.”

For Rimes, who has been on a journey of healing and personal growth for the past decade, the songs touch on a variety of themes, as well as some of the emotions and concerns people went through during COVID.

“I wanted to touch on the collective experience we were having and some of the complexities of that,” she says. “I got to dig into grief, anger, rage, and hope, just a myriad of emotions we all go through in this human experience.”

But the album is full of hope and love, as well, and the need for people to come together.

“My hope for this record is that everyone connects with the music in their own unique way, discovering something new about themselves, and the complexities of life in the process.”

She describes god’s work as a reclamation of God for herself and says, “the lowercase ‘g’ represents the duality of this record and where humanity meets spirit.”

“I kind of ran from the word God for a long time,” she says. “I was raised Southern Baptist and my frustration was we’re brought up with these messages of love, acceptance, community, and forgiveness, but no one’s living them to the fullest. It really makes us question how we’re allowing creation to work through us for a better world.”

At a time when people are so divided, she hopes to encourage hope and healing, through her music.

“God can mean different things to different people. To me, it’s insert the world ‘love,’ the word ‘creation’. I saw somewhere where people were saying it’s called god’s work, so it’s a religious record. It’s whatever it is to you. Art is so subjective, and we project upon what we hear through our own experience. Whatever it moves in you, whatever you hear, that’s what it is.”

Her 19^th album comes as Rimes marks the 25^th anniversary of her expansive career. It all began when the little girl with the powerful voice released her debut album Blue in the late 90s. She went on to win her first GRAMMY at 14 and still holds the record for the youngest solo artist ever to win the coveted award. She’s an internationally known singer (as well as an actor and author) and her signature song “How Do I Live” ranks as Billboard’s Hot 100 all-time No. 1 hit by a female artist. (It’s No. 4 on Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 Songs.)

She marked her career anniversary by spending much of the spring and summer on tour, playing some of her greatest hits, along with songs from god’s work. She was excited them resonating so well with the audience.

“Even when people didn’t know the music they seemed to be connecting and jamming to it already. When we played ‘god’s work’ it’s like we turned the whole audience into a choir and by the end they were all singing ‘We are God’s work’ then applauding afterward. I think it’s empowering.”

Rimes remains very dedicated to empowering herself and others. She is three seasons into her mental health and wholeness podcast “Wholly Human” which features some of the many experts who have helped her on her personal path to wellness.

She’s come a long way.

“I like to say I’m thriving; you know? For long time I think I was just arriving, but I’m thriving. And I think we all go through that in life, right? Mine’s just been played out publicly. But I’m thriving and I’m mor curious than ever and I’m allowing that to lead my life. I can’t stay stagnant. And I think that’s why you see me pushing the envelope with so many of my creations.”

As she celebrates the release of the new album, she’s just announced her Christmas tour. She’ll be traveling to select cities to ring in the holidays.

“It’s just so fun to connect with people at that time of year because everybody’s heart is open. It’s such a celebratory time with people getting to spend time with their family and friends and I think we all appreciate that now more than ever.”

With all she has going on this year, Rimes also just marked her 40^th birthday (in August). Reflecting back on all she’s accomplished and looking ahead to the future, life is very good for LeAnn Rimes.

“Yeah, life is good. I mean we all have our days, but I have to say I’m pretty solid. Someone said they feel like I’m centered now. I do feel like I’m a lot more present in the moment than I’ve ever been.”