February 2025

Northern Irish singer-songwriter Janet Devlin is making a vibrant return with her new single, ‘Back To My Senses,’ out on 25th February via OKGood Records. Fresh from back to back success at BBC Radio 2 (recent singles ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Best Life’ landed coveted month-long positions on the BBC Radio 2 B List Playlist) her track ‘Back To My Senses’ serves as both a moment of honest self-reflection and a plea directed at her former lover, following the painful misstep of a breakup. Featured on her critically acclaimed album, ‘Emotional Rodeo,’ this new single highlights her country-rock evolution and ability to transform personal struggles into uplifting, resonant music. ‘Back To My Senses’ reflects the profound impact of Devlin’s mental health on her love life, leading her to mistakenly end a partnership. Opening up on the meaning behind the song, Devlin shared, “On paper this looks like one of the cringiest things I’ve ever done! I had a mental health crisis which led to me breaking up with the person I was with – the manic episode lasted for about three days. When my feelings came flooding back to me and I realised what I’d done – I wrote this song and sent it to them along with a groveling text message. And guess what – it worked!! With ‘Back To My Senses,’ Devlin unveils the first song from her recording journey at the legendary Blackbird Studios in Nashville, where the album’s roots were planted. “The track means a lot to me as it was the first song I ever recorded in Nashville, so in a way it was the catalyst for me taking the leap and recording the whole album there. It was also played a load on the last UK tour so I made sure that I had my guitarist lay down his backing vocals and get my mandolin player on there as well – it would have felt empty without them! Sonically, it’s a bit dad rock – but I wanted it to be. I know it may not be the coolest thing nor have I ever been cool – so I embrace it, as it’s one of my favourite genres!” ‘Emotional Rodeo’ has had a major impact since its release, galvanising Devlin’s place in the country-rock scene. The album reached #1 on iTunes Country Charts, #4 on the UK Official Country Artists Albums Chart, #5 on the UK Official Indie Breakers Chart, and #21 on the UK Official Independent Albums Chart. With singles reaching #31 in the Big Top 40, #15 in the UK iTunes Charts, #4 in the iTunes Country Charts, national radio play on Capital & Heart, Absolute Country, New To 2 with Scott Mills, placements on the BBC Core playlist and over 110 regional radio playlists. Singles ‘Red Flag’ and ‘Best Life’ landed coveted month-long positions on the BBC Radio 2 B List Playlist, the latter peaking at 38 in the UK Radio Monitor Airplay Top 100. The album also saw press coverage in the likes of Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Mail, The Sun, OK!, Record Collector, The Irish Post, The Irish News, Wonderland, CelebMix, ATC, VIP Magazine, and Record of the Day. Other notable recognitions include a special appearance on The Late Late Show Country Music Special (the world’s longest running live chat show), an interview with Ray D’Arcy on RTE1 and Red Flag video shown on Sunday Brunch. Following the album’s whirlwind success, Devlin is set to embark on several live dates this year, showcasing her exceptional country-rock material. After supporting country star Corey Kent in February, she kicks off on March 8th by performing at the iconic C2C (Country to Country) festivals in Berlin, Belfast and London, as well as headlining the Roadhouse Weekender in East Sussex in July and performing at The Long Road Festival in Leicestershire, which takes place from 22nd to 24th August. About Janet Devlin Born and raised in Gortin, County Tyrone, Devlin’s musical journey took off after she secured fifth place on The X Factor in 2011. Earning widespread acclaim, her debut album, ‘Running With Scissors’, reached #1 on the Indie Breakers Chart and entered the Top 50 of the Official UK Charts. Enchanting fans worldwide, her cover of The Cure’s ‘Friday I’m In Love’ has garnered nearly 20 million plays on Spotify alone. Devlin’s second album, ‘Confessional’, was a brave, ambitious project released alongside her autobiography, ‘My Confessional’. The release culminated in a headline UK tour in 2022, and the album hit the Billboard Top 100 in America. In 2023, amidst the whirlwind of touring alongside Russell Crowe and his band across Australia and Europe, Devlin travelled to the prestigious Blackbird Studio in Nashville to begin ‘Emotional Rodeo’. In addition to her musical endeavours, Devlin was the subject of a powerful documentary aired on BBC One entitled “Janet Devlin: Young, Female and Addicted”. During the programme she confronts her addiction to alcohol and meets other young women affected by problematic drinking.​ It became one of the platform’s top streamed documentaries. Devlin is a passionate ambassador for the equine therapy charity SLTH (Strength and Learning Through Horses). UK AND IRELAND LIVE DATES: 8-9 March – C2C Berlin, UBEREats Music Hall 15 March – C2C Belfast, Limelight 2 16 March – C2C London, 02 Arena 5 July – Main stage, Roadhouse Weekender, East Sussex 22-23 August – The Long Road Festival To read more exclusive articles and latest news, see our last issue here. Never miss a story… Follow us on: Instagram: @Maverick.mag Twitter: @Maverick_mag Facebook: Maverick Magazine Media Contact Hannah Larvin, Editor, Maverick Magazine Tel: +44 (0) 1622 823 920 Email: editor@maverick-country.com