‘It’s All Just Navigating Life’

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when many artists were weathering career blows left and right, Priscilla Block experienced the kind of breakthrough many artists crave. Her heartbreak ballad “Just About Over You” went viral after she posted it on TikTok. Soon, the North Carolina native signed with UMG Nashville (now MCA). The song went on to reach the top 15 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, and she followed it with the top 5 hit “You, Me & Whiskey,” her collaboration with Justin Moore. In 2022, she released her full-length debut, Welcome to the Block Party, marking her arrival as one of country’s most charismatic, entertaining new voices. She also became a champion for body positivity and acceptance on songs such as “Thick Thighs” and “PMS.”

But with her sophomore major label album Things You Didn’t See, out Friday (Oct. 10), Block lets fans in on the three-year journey of self-discovery beyond the stage lights, the effervescent, unfiltered personality, and the bold fashions.

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“I feel like this record kind of wraps up my twenties in a whole,” says Block, who turned 30 in August. “It’s all the emotions that you kind of go through in your twenties where you feel like you have life figured out, then you realize you have nothing figured out and you’re falling in love. Your heart’s broken, then you’re finding love again. It’s all just navigating life.”

Working with producers including Jesse Frasure, David Garcia and Dave Cohen, Block shaped Things You Didn’t See into a reflection of both her artistic and personal growth, after Block’s conversations with trusted industry colleagues caused her to upend plans for the album’s title, content and release schedule.

“Initially, it was going to be released last year, and called Vanilla Ain’t Me,” Block says. “But I had a moment that really shifted this record. I felt like there were parts of me that the industry wasn’t understanding. I started calling people — business management, songwriters, label people, my band — that I really respected in the industry. I opened myself up to criticism and was like, ‘What do you think might be missing? What do you think I should really show on this record?’ And I kept hearing, ‘The branding is really strong. We want people to know you the way we know you.’ It inspired me to go write my story.”

Since her debut, Block has evolved from an ambitious newcomer into an artist who has twice been nominated for ACM new female artist of the year and opened shows for Shania Twain and Cole Swindell. But where humor and invincible confidence have become her hallmarks, the songs on the new album, such as “Couldn’t Care Less,” which she calls one of “the most vulnerable, raw songs I’ve ever written,” show some of the vulnerable cracks in the armor.

“There’s no denying that it’s a tough industry and you got to have thick skin,” she says. “I’ve always been known to be this confident, positive, bold personality girl. Writing ‘Couldn’t Care Less’ was kind of my diary. People might think that I couldn’t care less, but I really couldn’t care more. This is all I’ve ever wanted. I felt like I was in this vibe of the girl that likes to have fun, party songs and good vibes all the time. So it was important for me to just get back to the roots of just writing my life.”

She touches on old heartbreaks in “Phones and Radios,” but lets fans into her present romantic state, with tributes to her boyfriend on songs such as “He’s My Man” and “Elijah.”

“I wanted to challenge myself on this record to just go outside my box or go outside of my comfort zone, whether it’s sonically or creatively,” she says. “I wanted to do something that my fans haven’t seen from me.”

That boldness extends to her reimagining of Simon & Garfunkel’s 1970 classic “Cecilia,” which Block transforms into the bold anthem (“You’re Breaking My Heart (Cecilia)”). “My mom grew up listening to that and it was her jam,” Block says. “It feels like a modern-day ‘Jolene,’ and it’s very sassy because it’s like, ‘You dare try to come up on my man and I’m going to come for you.’ I love the feel of it.”

Block’s signature sass still shines, especially on “Goodwill to Gucci,” inspired by a real-life airport encounter. “I was at the airport getting a drink before a flight and I just got my new merch hat that said ‘Sass n’ A–’ on it—which happens to be one of my best-selling merch items,” she says. “These older ladies were so disturbed that I would wear something like that and they were talking just loud enough so we could hear them. So, this song is just like, ‘Whatever you are wearing, rock it.’ I hope it inspires others to be bold with their style.”

That drive to have fans see deeper into her story and every facet of Block as a human and artist striving to be her best on every front is evident even the smeared oil painting of Block that graces the cover of Things You Didn’t See.

“The symbolism is that ‘You might see the hoops, the big hair, but I’m smearing it all.’ I want you to focus on me and my story.” Beyond the studio, the past two years have marked a major personal evolution. After nonstop touring left her drained, Block committed to prioritizing her physical and mental health.

“I was in New Zealand about two years ago, sitting on the beach and I remember feeling exhausted. I’m touring, I’m not sleeping, everything that comes along with this, you just get wore out,” she says. “I realized I had just kind of stopped taking care of myself. I feel like with this career, you pour out so much to everyone who works for you, and for your fans and for everything. I just thought, ‘I’m going to take this next year to work on me—literally mind, body and soul. I had literally never run a mile in my life. I wanted to prove to myself that I can do really hard shit.’”

What began as a challenge has become a lifestyle. Block started running daily, completed a 5K over Christmas, and successfully finished the demanding and popular 75 Hard program. She credits motivational figures like Sydney Adams and Mel Robbins for inspiration.

“I’m mentally and physically stronger than I’ve ever been,” she says. “Looking back, I wouldn’t say this past year has been my biggest career year, but it’s been my biggest me year. My whole life, I’ve struggled with my weight and not feeling super confident. I wrote ‘Thick Thighs’ and there was power in that, but that also doesn’t mean I don’t want to continue being the strongest I can.”

Ever competitive with herself, Block is already setting new goals.

“Next up, I want to run a 10K. Maybe I would do a half-marathon? We’ll see,” she says.

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