Kylie Frey Finds Her True Grit on Half a Mind: A Modern Cowgirl’s Love Letter to Classic Country
- All Country News
- Oct 23
- 3 min read
There’s a certain magic that happens when a country artist stops trying to fit in and instead leans all the way into who they are. For Louisiana-born cowgirl Kylie Frey, that moment arrives in full technicolor on her new six-song EP, Half a Mind, a project that feels both like a homecoming and a declaration.
Before she was a Texas chart-topping artist, Frey was a rodeo queen, the kind who understood what it meant to balance grit with grace. On Half a Mind, she brings that same duality to her music, bridging the dust and diamonds of traditional country with the sharp storytelling of today’s Americana women. The result is a collection that’s unapologetically twangy, emotionally layered, and irresistibly replayable.
A Voice Built for Country, A Heart Built for Storytelling
The EP opens with “He Never Learned How,” a song that might just stop you in your tracks. Written by Rivers Rutherford and Houston Robert, it’s the story of a rodeo man who can face down bulls but not heartbreak, a theme that feels tailor-made for Frey’s smoky, steel-kissed voice. “He never learned how / To let go,” she sings, and suddenly, the dust of the arena settles into something deeply human. It’s no surprise Frey calls this one her favorite—her performance is pure heartache wrapped in velvet.
From there, she saddles up with “My John Wayne,” a bold and timeless salute to the kind of cowboy every country fan secretly believes still exists somewhere between Amarillo and forever. Co-written by Chris Stapleton, Ashley Monroe, and Jessi Alexander, it’s as classic as a good Stetson, equal parts swagger and sincerity. It’s also Frey’s 11th No. 1 on Texas Regional Radio, a testament to her growing reign as one of the Lone Star State’s most reliable hitmakers.
And just when you think you’ve got her pegged, she flips the script on “Half a Mind to Go Crazy.” It’s a whiskey-soaked closer that finds Frey leaning into her rebellious streak—half temptation, half triumph. “I got half a mind to go crazy / And all night long to get there,” she declares, sounding every bit like the modern outlaw she’s becoming.
The Rodeo Queen Reclaims Her Crown
Half a Mind isn’t just another EP, it’s a statement of identity. It’s Kylie Frey fully embracing her country roots while blazing her own trail. Every song feels like a chapter in a story that began long before the bright lights—a story of resilience, heartbreak, joy, and the kind of strength that only comes from holding the reins yourself.
In a genre crowded with voices chasing trends, Frey stands out by doing the opposite.
She leans back into the saddle, plants her boots, and sings the kind of songs that could have played on your grandma’s radio but still sound fresh in your Friday playlist.
Kylie Frey doesn’t just belong in country music, she’s shaping where it’s headed next. And Half a Mind is proof she’s riding there at full speed.
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