Between her current run of arena tour dates and her recent number one at country radio, Priscilla Block is quickly becoming one of the most recognizable people in country music.
Priscilla Block is a modern country queen in every sense of the word. A North Carolina native known for her honest lyricism and powerful performances, Block follows a long line of women in country music whose most extraordinary claim to fame is being utterly original. Nobody is writing like her, and in some cases, they’re not even touching the same topics. In a world of regurgitated ideas boiled down to the simplest version possible for mass consumption, Block is bucking trends with a singular perspective on life that is as engaging as it is hopeful.
Taking the stage in Grand Rapids at the first stop on her first-ever arena tour, Block arrived ready to party and prepare a packed house for the evening’s headliner, Old Dominion. The crowd was decidedly split on the awareness of Block at first glance. Still, with a packed setlist featuring viral hits after radio mainstays, it did not take long for everyone to realize what they were witnessing. Block is not merely an up-and-comer hoping for a shot at fame but a ten-year veteran of Nashville with infectious songs to spare.
Block repeatedly referenced her journey throughout her set and her gratitude for her fans’ ongoing support. The crowd’s roar grew with each mention, perhaps because each song only reinforced how deserving Block was to be in her current position. You know her songs even if you don’t know their titles and even the sad ones still have enough rhythm to keep your hips and boots moving. A woman for all seasons, if you will.
Do you have a broken heart, or are you on the cusp of breaking one? There are songs for that. Do you need the soundtrack to bad decisions and late nights with your closest friends? PB has you covered. Do you need to feel good about yourself in a world that constantly promotes the idea you or your body isn’t in line with some make-believe standard? Priscilla Block sees you, understands you, and has several songs ready to make you more powerful and less alone.
The beauty of Block’s catalog and live performances lies in the balance of material. For every party song, such as the insanely catchy recent single “Fake Names,” there is a heartfelt reflection on identity, romance, and existence. Her ability to smoothly transition from a song like her number one radio single “You, Me, and Whiskey” to the arena-ready anthem “Off The Deep End” without losing or confusing an audience is what elevates Block, an already talented performer, to an elite level where her heroes also reside.
One could argue, ‘Hank wouldn’t have done it this way,’ and they would be right. But then again, Hank never lived these experiences or reached these people. What Priscilla Block is doing right now, both through song and performance, is broadening the appeal of country music while simultaneously showing reverence and respect for its roots that is clearly communicated in the music. She’s as country as farmland, and her fans are growing in leaps and bounds with each single. She may be supporting Old Dominion right now, but her time as an arena headliner can’t be far off, and I, for one, am looking forward to her country music reign.
This essay first appear in Country Minute. Click here to subscribe for free!
