Country trio Runaway June has released a special version of their latest single, ‘New Kind of Emotion (Lily’s Song),' through QHMG / Quartz Hill Records. The early demo offers fans a stripped-down, intimate glimpse into the song’s origins—before it became one of the Top 5 Most Added Songs at U.S. Country Radio upon its official impact date.
Named after founding member Jennifer Wayne’s three-year-old daughter, Lily, the demo captures a deeply personal side of the band’s feel-good anthem about falling in love.
“This was a demo recording, so no one was really ever meant to hear it,” Wayne shared. “But it’s special to me because this was the first version that my daughter, Lily, fell in love with. When she first heard it, she stopped in her tracks and started swaying and dancing to it. She looked like the happiest little girl in the world. That image plays in my mind every time we perform the song.”
Produced by hit songwriter Paul Sikes, known for Lainey Wilson’s ‘Hang Tight Honey,' the demo features a raw and emotional delivery that complements its heartfelt lyrics. Sikes co-wrote the track alongside Wayne and fellow Runaway June members Natalie Stovall and Stevie Woodward.
The official radio single version was later produced by two-time Grammy winner Kristian Bush, who brought a polished, mid-tempo energy to the song while preserving Runaway June’s signature three-part harmonies. The result is a bright and moving celebration of new love in all its forms.
“We were talking about that feeling you get when you experience any kind of new love,” said Stovall. “And it doesn’t just have to be romantic love. Of course, a lot of us were thinking about our romantic partners, but Jen was also thinking about her daughter, and I was probably thinking about my dog. I know Stevie was thinking about her cat.”
Reflecting on the writing session, Woodward added, “There’s a lot of days, as a songwriter, you go into a room and it’s like you’re banging your head against the wall. But the day we wrote ‘New Kind of Emotion,’ we were all inspired. The stars aligned perfectly for it to happen.”
Both the demo and the official version of ‘New Kind of Emotion' are now available on streaming platforms.
