Sidewalk Records recording artist Ruthie Collinsâ dreamy blend of heartfelt lyrics and aching vocals hits a new peak with ‘Hypocrite,’ a power ballad about hurt, honesty, and the ripple effects of a rough breakup.
The song had a World debut on the Bob Harris show on BBC Radio 2, Thursday, 7 Oct. The music video makes its debut with CMT, 8 Oct, and ‘Hypocrite’ is available HERE today.
‘Hypocrite’ showcases Collins at her best: occupying the uncharted territory between genres, swirling together the southern sounds of pedal steel and Telecaster guitar with the pop/rock punch of a meteoric chorus. She calls the track âa song about that thing we all do: pretend weâre totally ok when the sky is actually falling down all around us.â
âA relationship I really didnât want to end was clearly slipping away from me, and even though I was trying to pretend I was ok with it all, I was a complete wreck on the inside,â Collins says, remembering the night she co-wrote ‘Hypocrite’ in a 1973 Airstream trailer with fellow road warrior Natalie Stovall (Runaway June), who also lends backup vocals. âI hope âHypocriteâ lets people know that even though weâre all trying our best to keep it together, thereâs so much freedom in owning your emotions â in moving through them instead of blocking them â and that there is true healing and love on the other side.â
The songâs music video finds Collins haunting the birthday party of her former flame. Like the song itself, itâs a cinematic and dynamic clip that makes no attempt to hide the hurt of its creator. Collins has always rooted her songwriting in honesty, and ‘Hypocrite’ â which arrives one year after her 2020 album, ‘Cold Comfort’ â highlights that commitment to truth.Â
âI think we can live in a world right now where we can just be who we are,â she says. âFeel your feelings. Speak your truth. I donât feel the need to fit my music into a category, because life doesnât fit into a category.â