The world first became acquainted with Kimberly Perry in 2010 when she – alongside her brothers Reid and Neil as The Band Perry – released the country gothic story song “If I Die Young.”
Today, the sister Perry is changing her tune. She has revisited the narrative, releasing “If I Die Young Pt. 2” as the lead single of her solo career.
“I felt like the story wasn’t finished,” she shared in a statement. “There needed to be a sequel that talked about where my head is these days now that I’ve experienced so much life – I’m having a baby, I’m married, I’ve moved to Nashville; I’ve seen all of these dreams come true since writing the original version.”
I’ve had time to bloom / Plantin’ them roses instead and / I’m changing my tune since I said, she sings in the new version before belting out the original tune’s memorable chorus, If I die young, bury me in satin / Lay me down on a bed of roses / Sink me in the river at dawn / Send me away with the words of a love song. The song echoes a decade’s worth of fresh wisdom while calling back to the song that marked her breakout in country music.
“If I Die Young Pt. 2” is the perfect glimpse into where Perry has been, how far she’s come, and what’s next. A forthcoming EP is set to showcase more of her solo work. Titled BLOOM, the 5-song collection will be available on June 9.
"BLOOM is a record I’ve been dreaming of making since I was a kid,” Perry said. “It’s been a really rewarding experience to think in a highly feminine way. It’s really pulled together all of the threads of what I’ve always been drawn to musically and lyrically.”