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Mar 27, 2024 By Mark Redfern Photography by Taylor Clark

Austin, TX duo Hovvdy (Charlie Martin and Will Taylor) are releasing a new album, Hovvdy, on April 26 via Arts & Crafts. Now they have shared another new song from it, “Make Ya Proud.” It’s the album’s final pre-release single. Listen below.

Martin had this to say about the new song in a press release: “This is one of a few songs on the record I wrote for my grandpa Pete, my father’s father. He passed away last summer and was in many ways the backbone of that side of my family. I wrote ‘Make Ya Proud’ during that time in Mississippi, between trips to the coast to visit him in the hospital. It’s really hard to describe; but the songs are a celebration of him and how he inspired me.”

Of the new album, Martin says: “It’s a full circle, because lots of my songs, in adulthood, deal with looking back and seeing your parents as just individuals struggling through life—and trying to have more empathy or understanding. And now Will is diving in from the opposite side as a new parent, grappling with all that.”

“On this album, we tried to really step back and look at: ‘How can we convey our songwriting in a new way?’” says Taylor. “It challenged the songs we brought, and it challenged me to be more vulnerable.”

“We’re trying to stretch out and create a tapestry of everything we can do,” adds Martin.

The band co-produced the album with Andrew Sarlo (Bon Iver, Big Thief) and Bennett Littlejohn (bassist, multi-instrumentalist).

The album includes three previously released singles: “Jean,” “Bubba,” and “Portrait.” When the album was announced they shared another new song from it, “Forever,” via a music video. “Forever” was one of our Songs of the Week. Then they shared “Meant” from the album.

In 2022 Hovvdy released a new EP, billboard for my feelings, via Grand Jury. The band’s last album, True Love, was one of our Top 100 Albums of 2021 and also produced by Sarlo.

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