Since the release of her acclaimed 2024 album ‘Roadrunner!,’ Kaitlin Butts has rapidly evolved from cult favourite into one of the most distinctive voices in modern country music, blending theatrical storytelling, razor-sharp humour and traditional country influences into something entirely her own. In our previous conversation ahead of her UK and European tour, Butts reflected on a whirlwind couple of years that saw viral success with ‘You Ain’t Gotta Die (To Be Dead To Me),’ major touring opportunities alongside artists like Lainey Wilson and breakout appearances at festivals including Highways Festival, all while building a fiercely loyal international fanbase.
Now, as she launches the next chapter of her career with new single ‘Never Really Mine,’ Butts is leaning even further into the bold, witty and emotionally direct songwriting that has become her trademark. Speaking to us exclusively, she opened up about the song’s shock-value opening lyrics, the real-life observations that inspired it, and why this particular track felt like the perfect introduction to her next album era.
You’ve got a new song out today, ‘Never Really Mine.' I’ve already had it on repeat. Those opening lines genuinely made me spit my coffee out. Was that exactly the reaction you were going for?
Yeah, absolutely! That’s exactly what I wanted. I love that it caught you off guard like that because that’s kind of the whole point of the song. When I first played it for my mom, she was like, “Kaitlin, are you sure you want to say that?” and I just looked at her and said, “Mom, how else do you say that?”
For me, it’s about being really direct and really specific. When I say that line, you know exactly what I’m talking about: there’s no confusion, no dancing around it. And there’s nothing wrong with saying it that way. I want people to instantly have a picture in their head. I want it to feel a little shocking, a little bold.
That’s always been part of my personality, honestly, I love that kind of shock value. I think the more I lean into who I actually am and put that out there, the more people connect with it. Whether it’s funny, a little edgy, or just striking, it makes people stop and listen. And once you’ve got their attention, then they’re really hearing what you’re trying to say.
Has that situation in the song ever actually happened to you? Being with someone whose attention is wandering?
Honestly, no, not really. I’ve actually been pretty lucky in that sense. Most of the guys I’ve been with have had pretty strong “horse blinders” on, if that makes sense. (laughing) I can’t really think of a time in my own relationships where that’s been an issue.
But I’ve definitely seen it happen around me. I’ve watched friends go through it: being with someone who’s constantly looking around, noticing other women, or just not fully present. And, I mean, we all notice things. I notice things too, it’s human. But there’s a line, right? There’s a difference between just being aware of the world around you and making your partner feel like they’re not enough.
I think when that behaviour becomes consistent, that’s when it starts to matter. And sometimes people ignore it, or brush it off, or try to convince themselves it’s not a big deal. But the heart of this song is really that internal conversation: the self-talk where you remind yourself, “You don’t deserve that.”
It’s about recognising your worth and not settling for something that makes you feel second best.
Why did you choose ‘Never Really Mine' to lead into this next chapter of your career, especially when you must have a lot of songs to choose from?
I just really love this song, it’s that simple. It’s probably the one I’ve been playing live the most, and it’s had such a strong reaction every time. It was also one of the first songs I wrote after my last album, so in a way it feels like the natural starting point for this next phase.
I think I’ve kind of been following the order that I wrote these songs in, just because they feel familiar and lived-in already. When you’ve been playing something live for a while, you start to understand how people react to it, how it feels in a room, and that really helps guide what should come out first.
And honestly, fans have been asking for it nonstop. I’ve had people messaging me about this song constantly: there’s one girl who has literally been DM’ing me every single day asking when it’s coming out. So at a certain point, you’re like, “Okay, I’ve gotta get this out there.”
It just felt like the right time and the right song to kick things off.
Check out Kaitlin Butts' new song ‘Never Really Mine' in all the usual places.
