Priscilla Block (2025)

One Liner: Country pop that veers between sad, confessional tunes and funny, self-deprecating tunes

Wikipedia Genre: Country, Country pop, southern rock

Home: Nashville (but originally Raleigh, NC)

Saturday.

Thoughts: Another one who was last here in 2023.  Didn't see her back then though, so still time to check it out!

Block grew up in North Carolina, but then moved to Nashville once she graduated from high school.  She had wanted to do that from an early age, playing at talent shows and small shows around home.  When she got to Nashville, she struggled at first, working odd jobs, and considering giving up.  But, per Wikipedia, "One day, she had a chance encounter with Taylor Swift while walking down a Nashville road. Swift pulled the car over and invited her inside. "That was truly the day that I decided that I really needed to give music a fair shot and do this thing," she commented."  WTF?!  Like, if TayTay just saw me walking down the road she might pull over, invite me into her car, and chat about my music career?  I need more details...

Here is what an interview says: "I was a year into Nashville, I was working at this yogurt shop from 9 to 5 and I had class from 6 to 9, and it was the day that I was literally having a conversation with my sister that I was going to leave town. That day, Taylor Swift was driving by and I was wearing a Taylor Swift t-shirt. She literally pulled her car over to the side of the road and hopped into her passenger seat, opened up her car door and waved me down. That was truly the day that I decided that I really needed to give music a fair shot and do this thing. From then on, I quit my job and I quit school and I was like, “I’m going to figure out a way to pay my bills. I’ll do whatever.” So, I worked every odd job in Nashville. I started co-writing with people, started learning the town and I would go and sit for hours and watch shows and just see how Nashville worked. I started writing with my friends and slowly but surely started building my group of people out here."  Pretty cool!

Her first hit ended up being a viral TikTok track - "Just About Over You."  After that one hit, she got to really record the song, and it was successful on the iTunes charts, leading to a record deal.  That one is still her top track, with 65.2 million streams.

Honestly, that is a very good song.  The idea of still looking for your ex's car when you are out driving, but also the cinematic bit of her almost making it out of love and then seeing him to throw her life back in to disarray.  I wouldn't normally aim for the pop country stuff in my tastes, but I will readily admit that this is a good tune.  "I Bet You Wanna Know" and "Wish You Were The Whiskey" are similar tunes, semi-sad songs sung to a lover.  "My Bar" is sort of like that too, but it is more of a tough song telling him that she doesn't care anymore.  That is her second-most streamed tune.

For whatever reason, in 2023, she released three different EPs and then another in 2024, instead of just putting out an album.  I'll never understand what that makes sense.  And also, her hits from the first album were included on those EPs?  Don't get it.  But the 2024 EP has a track that has gotten some traction re-arranging the phrase "Good on You."  15.4 million streams.

Sounds like there is some autotune type effects on that voice there, which is annoying.  That one is not as good to me as the earlier hit, but I still get the sentiment.

But she also has some party tunes and funny songs.  She's also got "PMS" and "Thick Thighs" for levity and fun.  I'll give you that second one here - "Thick Thighs," with 8.5 million streams.

A little Lizzo-esque body positivity action.  Sort of reminds me of some of the clever lyrics that Kacey Musgraves has done in her catalog.  And also, "I never eat the produce that I buy" rings very extremely true.  That would be a fun song to sing along to.  I'm genuinely shocked, but I've enjoyed listening to her.  I know that I have been crapping on some of the other pop country stuff on this poster, but this is much more enjoyable.