Editor’s Note: Erin Duvall is a stellar singer-songwriter from Texas who seamlessly weaves between country, pop, and soul with a voice that commands immediate attention. Today, SWT is proud to premiere and share her latest single, “Back To Me.” You can listen to it below:
According to her press release, “where her previous music documented survival, her new single ‘Back to Me’ captures what comes after — stability, perspective, and earned identity. It’s a driving country-rock anthem about recognizing yourself again after life reroutes everything, built around the line: ‘I’m stronger, wilder, braver than I used to be.'”
It’s a powerful sentiment we feel is needed more than ever in these times.
The song was co-written with hit songwriter Brian White (Rascal Flatts, Jason Aldean, Gary Allan) and Grammy-winner Pete Sallis (Maddie & Tae, Ronnie Dunn). It’s among the first songs Duvall wrote and recorded after taking a hiatus from music to focus on raising her four children.
According to the press release, “Erin now writes from clarity instead of urgency, and that perspective defines this release. The song follows her 2024 album One By One, which chronicled rebuilding life after hardship. ‘Back to Me’ is the moment you realize you’ve made it through.”
Beyond music, Erin founded the Twice the Love Foundation, supporting single parents rebuilding after crisis, partnering with organizations including Genesis Women’s Shelter.
Below, Duvall pens an exclusive Artist Essay about how motherhood and her years away from music helped her grow as a songwriter and find her identity.
I’ve learned that songwriting changes as you change. When I was younger, I wrote to be heard. I wrote to prove something. I wrote because the emotion inside me had nowhere else to go. There’s a beautiful urgency in that season of life; it’s raw and necessary. But over time, my writing has shifted. These days, I write from clarity instead of chaos. And that difference has reshaped everything.
I grew up in Dallas, TX, on a steady diet of country greats: Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, George Strait, Garth Brooks, storytellers who could break your heart in three verses and a chorus. Dolly, especially, taught me that simplicity can carry profound depth. At the same time, gospel music shaped my sense of conviction. There’s a spirit in gospel that demands honesty; you don’t just sing it, you feel it. I also fell in love with ‘70s soul, blues, rock ’n’ roll, and even great musical theater productions like Rent. That blend of grit and storytelling became the backbone of my sound. Country at its core, but with soul and edge woven through it.
Two years ago, I released an album written in the aftermath of my divorce. That record was honest and necessary. It lived in the middle of rebuilding, documenting the ache, the resolve, and the slow, deliberate steps forward. At the same time, I was raising four young children. I still am. I have almost nine-year-old twins and 12- and 13-year-old boys. I am very much in the thick of motherhood: the schedules, the practices, the homework, the growing pains. But they’re not tiny anymore. There’s more independence now, more rhythm. And that has given me the space to breathe creatively again.
For a long time, life required my full presence in a way that left little room for anything else. And I wouldn’t change any of that. Motherhood reshaped my ambition and redefined success for me. But what I didn’t realize then was that stepping back from music for a season was also shaping me into a better artist. Living fully gives you something real to write about.
When I returned with “Back to Me,” it didn’t feel like reinvention. It felt like alignment. I wasn’t writing from heartbreak or survival anymore. I was writing from steadiness. Recording at Saxman Studios in Nashville with incredibly talented musicians reminded me why I fell in love with making records in the first place. There’s something sacred about watching a song lift off the page and take on breath and heartbeat. Working in the studio with Brian White and Jason Sever on vocals, I wasn’t trying to push emotion; I was letting it exist. That’s a different kind of power.
I think the most interesting part of an artist’s craft isn’t just the sound, it’s the evolution. The way your voice changes as your life changes. The way you stop chasing validation and start chasing truth. For me, this chapter is about rootedness. About understanding that independence can feel like freedom instead of loneliness. About realizing you can be fully present for your children and still pursue the calling that’s always lived inside you. Which in turn has made me an even better Mom.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the long way around often makes the better song. The detours give it texture. The waiting gives it weight. And when you finally step back up to the microphone, you’re not just singing notes, you’re singing an experience.
That’s the craft. That’s the gift. And that’s why I keep coming back to it.
Erin Duvall
Contributor
Texas-born singer-songwriter Erin Duvall seamlessly embodies the roles of musician, mother, and entrepreneur, each adding to the colorful tapestry of her life and career. Raised on the foundation of country, blues, gospel, and rock ‘n’ roll, Erin’s soulful approach to music has drawn comparisons to icons like Janis Joplin, Natalie Maines, and Susan Tedeschi. Known for her raspy, powerhouse vocals, she stands out in today’s country music scene, blending roadhouse bluesy tones with an edge that’s both sultry and compelling. In every role she undertakes—from performer to mother to entrepreneur, Erin Duvall exemplifies the modern mompreneur. Her journey is a testament to resilience, encouraging women to build meaningful lives and careers on their own terms. To learn more about Erin Duvall’s remarkable career, please visit ErinDuvallOfficial.com, AuntyE.com, and TwiceTheLoveFoundation.org.
