HunterGirl’s ‘Red Bird’ Is Her Inspirational Debut Single [Listen]
American Idol contestant HunterGirl released her official debut single, "Red Bird," on Friday (May 13) — prior to Sunday's Top 5 competition, during which she was voted into the Top 3 finalists.
The song, co-written with Austin Goodloe and Matt McKinney, finds the Tennessee resident looking for signs from the "other side."
"Red Bird" begins slow, as HunterGirl sings about the belief that seeing a cardinal means someone from Heaven is visiting earth. Throughout the song, HunterGirl sings of running out of faith, and she asks for a red bird to be sent to her for encouragement.
"I could use a red bird right now / One from the other side of the clouds / Feeling lost and empty / Let me know that you’re still with me," she sings in the chorus.
The song continues to build as the budding country star sings the heartfelt lyrics. In the last chorus, the song moves up a key, which serves to emphasize the raw emotion of the track. In conjunction with the song release, HunterGirl shared a behind-the-scenes "visualizer" video that shows family photos along with clips of her singing the song.
In a post celebrating the song's release, HunterGirl revealed that she cried while writing the ultra-personal tune.
"When I was a little girl my family always told me, 'When you see a red bird, it is a sign from Heaven that a family member is looking after you,'" HunterGirl says of the tune. "Cardinals have been a big sign in my life and really important to my family. Red Bird is a song that I wrote from my heart with Matt and Austin. I cried in the writing room with this song. I want people to know that we are never alone and the ones we love are always watching over us. Sometimes you just need a red bird."
HunterGirl recorded the song with producer Jimmy Robbins. The other Top 5 contenders — Noah Thompson, Nicolina Bozzo, Leah Marlene and Fritz Hager — also recorded their debut singles with notable producers, which they performed on Sunday's American Idol.
Sunday's episode also marked the return of former winner and country superstar Carrie Underwood, who was be on hand to mentor the singers at Resorts World in Las Vegas, the home of her Reflection residency. The new American Idol will be crowned during the show's 3-hour finale on Sunday, May 22, at 8PM ET on ABC. Nicolina Bozzo and Fritz Hager were voted off on Sunday night.
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