Hailey Whitters Channels Small-Town Dreams and Big-Time Charm on New Album, ‘Corn Queen’

Hailey Whitters is embracing her midwestern roots with the release of her latest album, Corn Queen. 

The 16-song project reunites the Iowa native with her longtime collaborator, and now husband, Jake Gear, who returns as producer. Across the album, Whitters reflects on the ups and downs of small-town life, all while showcasing her signature country charm.

Special guests Molly Tuttle, Charles Wesley Godwin and The Wilder Blue join her on the project, adding to the excitement of the album. 

Along with the release of Corn Queen, Whitters brought the song “White Limousine” to life with a new music video. Directed by Beth Brinker, the video opens with a scene reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz before shifting into a vibrant daydream that brings to life the story of a small-town girl longing for the glitz and glamour of a far-off world.

“I’ve waited a long time to put out this record. I wrote and recorded this song for a duets record called Countrypolitan that unfortunately never will see the light of day, but this was always my favorite song on that record so it gives me triumph to be able to reclaim it on Corn Queen,” she explained of “White Limousine.” “This song defines the ‘Queen’ side of the album. The video captures that romanticized escapism that anyone who’s ever lived in a small town has probably experienced at some point or another. I know I definitely did! Props to my creative director Beth Brinker for bringing Palm Springs to the cornfield.”

Leading up to the Corn Queen release, Whitters shared tracks like “I Don’t Want You” (feat. Charles Wesley Godwin), “High On The Hog,” and “High On A Heartbreak” that instantly became fan favorites. 

The album title’s inspiration draws from a nickname that the singer/songwriter was given by her fans.

“Fans started calling me the ‘Corn Queen’ because I’m from Iowa,” Whitters recalled. “At first, it seemed kind of silly, but the more I thought about it, the more I loved the duality of it. Corn is this simple, humble crop, and ‘queen’ implies royalty passed down through blood. I come from a long line of blue-collar farmers and construction workers. I’ve been out here for over a decade brushing my teeth in truck stop bathrooms, sleeping on hotel floors, driving myself from gig to gig. It’s not glamorous, but I’m proud of it. I like the idea of a queen with a little grit and elbow grease.”

The creative album cover showcases Hailey Whitters’ carved out of butter. 

Corn Queen Tracklist:

1. High On The Hog (Hailey Whitters)

2. Prodigal Daughter (feat. Molly Tuttle) (Hailey Whitters, Paul Sikes, Bryan Simpson)

3. Shotgun Wedding Baby (Hailey Whitters, Brad Warren, Brett Warren, Caroline Watkins)

4. Helluva Heart (Hailey Whitters, Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes)

5. High On A Heartbreak (Hailey Whitters, Jessie Jo Dillon, David Garcia, Hillary Lindsey)

6. It’ll Do (Hailey Whitters, Chris LaCorte, Hillary Lindsey, Jon Nite)

7. Hearsay (Hailey Whitters, Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes)

8. Anything Like Me (Hailey Whitters, Trannie Anderson, Paul Sikes)

9. I Don’t Want You (feat. Charles Wesley Godwin) (Hailey Whitters, Jon Nite, Gordie Sampson)

10. The Nail (Hailey Whitters, Bryan Simpson, Ryan Tyndell)

11. Casseroles (Tom Douglas, Hillary Lindsey, James Slater)

12. Wagon (Trannie Anderson, Ben Hayslip, Seth Mosley)

13. Wholesome (Hailey Whitters, Luke Dick)

14. White Limousine (Hailey Whitters, Jessie Jo Dillon, Jesse Frasure)

15. Corn Queen (Hailey Whitters, Bobby Pinson)

16. DanceMor (feat. The Wilder Blue) (Hailey Whitters, Nicolle Galyon, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne)

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To celebrate the release, Whitters recently announced a headlining Corn Queen Tour, which will bring her live show to cities across the U.S. this fall. See a complete list of dates below.

Corn Queen Tour:

9/4 – Nashville, TN – The Nashville Palace

9/18 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown

9/19 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line

9/20 – West Des Moines, IA – Val Air Ballroom

9/25 – Kansas City, MO – Knuckleheads Saloon

9/26 – Saint Louis, MO – Old Rock House

9/27 – Lexington, KY – The Burl

10/2 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore Philadelphia – The Foundry

10/3 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club

10/9 – Warrendale, PA – Jergel’s Rhythm Grille

10/10 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Indy

10/11 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed Street