Courtney Hadwin Prepares Little Miss Jagged Debut

At just 20 years old, Courtney Hadwin is stepping confidently into her next chapter. Following her early fame on America’s Got Talent, where she wowed audiences with her powerful, soulful voice, Hadwin has spent the past few years finding her true artistic voice. Now, she’s gearing up for the release of her debut album, Little Miss Jagged, due September 12. This album is a bold reflection of her musical journey, which blends elements of soul, rock, funk, and punk into a sound uniquely her own. With the release of her latest single, “Die and Stay Pretty,” Hadwin marks a shift in her music, one that embraces raw emotion and vulnerability, telling a personal story about watching a close friend spiral under the weight of substance abuse. Collaborating with Grammy-winning producer Kevin Bowe, Hadwin’s genre-fluid style continues to evolve. Already, she’s captivated audiences with her voice, sold-out shows in London, and an upcoming tour in the UK and Portugal. As her musical journey unfolds, Little Miss Jagged is shaping up to be the soundtrack to a young artist’s transformation, unafraid to embrace the jagged edges of life and music.

Your new single Die and Stay Pretty tells a vivid story of someone immersed in the rock and roll lifestyle, and was inspired by you observing a friend letting substances take over their life. What motivated you to write this song, and how did you capture those themes and emotions in the music and the lyrics?

Writing’s always been hard for me. At a young age, I struggled with it, but I’ve kind of eased into it the more I’ve done it. In the last couple of years, I saw someone very, very close to me choose alcohol and drugs over me, personally. It had a big effect on me and how I approached life.
I remember sitting on a call with Kevin and telling him what I was going through, and he said, “Well, let’s write a song about it.” So that’s what we did. We sat and wrote a song. Letting it out through the music was the only way I could really speak about it—I’m not very good at expressing my emotions in other ways.

Die and Stay Pretty was created with, like you said, Grammy-winning producer Kevin Bowe. How did collaborating with him shape the song’s production and sound? Specifically, you’ve mentioned using a “euphoria sonic” style on this track—how did that creative process unfold in the studio?

Die and Stay Pretty was actually written over Zoom with Kevin—we hadn’t even met in person yet. We’ve got this weird relationship: I met him when I was 15 through friends of friends. Over the years, we got closer. I went through a lot with labels and industry people that didn’t work out, and then I decided I wanted to go independent. Kevin said, “Let’s do it together.” We both wanted the same thing—to release music I personally love.

So, I went independent, and we wrote the full album together. We wrote Die and Stay Pretty just before I flew over to America to work on the album.

Speaking of your album, your upcoming debut Little Miss Jagged spans a wide range of genres—for example, it includes the funk of DNA, the neo-soul of You Only Love Me When I Lie, and the pop-punk bounce of Spellbound. How did you approach blending such diverse styles on one album, and what do they represent in terms of your musical identity?

Since going independent, I’ve been able to release the music I want. I didn’t want to follow the label formula where every song sounds the same—I hate that.
I don’t fit into just one genre. I’ve done musical theatre, pop, rock, soul, funk… It’s taken a mix of genres to get me where I am now. Each one is like a piece of what I do.
So yeah, I didn’t want to just show one side of myself, because I’m not just one thing.

You chose the title Little Miss Jagged to reflect a raw, edgy persona rather than a polished pop princess. Why did this title feel like the right fit for your debut, and how do you think it captures the overall message of the record?

I was going through a lot of song titles and writing them down, and Little Miss Jagged was the one that just made sense straight away. I immediately saw the design for it, the cover, everything. The word “jagged” means raw around the edges, and that’s exactly what I am. I’ve always said I’m like Marmite—you either hate me or you love me. It’s something I’ve grown up with. And “Little Miss”—I’ve got a bit of attitude when you get to know me. So it all just kind of fit.

You describe the songs on Little Miss Jagged as very personal coming-of-age stories reflecting both the toughest and the highest moments of your life. Can you share more about the lyrical themes you explore on the album, and highlight a track that’s especially meaningful to you and why?

I’d say You Only Love Me When I Lie is probably one of the most meaningful tracks for me. Sound-wise, I didn’t think I’d be able to release a track that was so raw, especially being in the industry and not being a stereotypical pop princess. So I’m proud of that. All of the songs are kind of from the age of 14 up until now—I turn 21 next week. They’re like little diary entries from over the years. We eventually said, “Okay, let’s do an album,” and they all came together. When people ask what the album’s about, all I can really say is it’s a big collection of diary entries from the last few years.

Your recent single You Only Love Me When I Lie has a brooding blues-soul sound that contrasts with the pop-punk vibe of some earlier tracks. How do you decide which musical style suits each song? Do you go into writing with a genre in mind, or let the song dictate its sound?

The song just kind of happens. I don’t go into writing sessions saying, “Okay, I’m gonna write this today.” Most of the time, the sessions aren’t even planned.
It might be a really bad day, or a really good day, or maybe I’ll just think of a cool title or concept and message Kevin and say, “Let’s write something.”
If it’s good, great. If it’s not, at least I got my emotions out.

You’re known for your powerful, husky voice, often compared to legends like Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner. You’ve mentioned classic performers like Blur, Little Richard, and James Brown as influences. How would you describe your sound today, and how do those old-school influences blend into your music?

I don’t think I can specifically say my sound is exactly like someone else’s, because every song is different. You might hear one and think, “This sounds like something so-and-so would do,” but overall, it’s just… me. Vocally, I’ve definitely been influenced by Aretha, Tina, Janis—I’ve pulled soul and blues from them. I love songs you can physically feel, that give you goosebumps. And movement-wise, I’ve always looked to Little Richard and James Brown. On stage, the music just kind of takes over my body. It’s always been that way; it comes naturally.

You first gained fame as a young teen on America’s Got Talent. Now at 20, you’ve been writing and performing for years. How do you feel your voice and songwriting have evolved since AGT, and what have you learned about expressing yourself as a songwriter?

I feel like I’ve completely changed since America’s Got Talent. I’m a totally different person. When I was 13, I’d go into writing sessions set up by the label I was with. The writers and producers kind of did it all and expected me to understand and express these deep emotions, but I was only 13. I hadn’t experienced anything yet.
So I’d say I didn’t truly start writing from my own experiences until I was about 15 or 16.

You recently headlined your first official London show at a sold-out Fiddler’s Elbow. What was it like finally performing your own material live in London, and what was the highlight of that night?

It was crazy. The amount of love and appreciation in the room was amazing. Seeing people come from all over the world for the show—it blew my mind.
I loved performing—did a lot of album content and new music, and people really loved it. My favourite part was probably meeting people at the end. I loved connecting with people I’ve been chatting with online and sharing thoughts about music.

With a festival date in Portugal and UK headline shows in London, Birmingham, and Manchester already booked, what are you most excited to showcase on tour this year? How are you preparing to bring Little Miss Jagged to life on stage?

I’m so excited to tour the album—I can’t wait! A lot of the songs are going to show a completely different side of me when performed live.
Like, a good upbeat track might look totally different on stage. So I’m looking forward to getting that full-band experience on the road.

Last question. Looking ahead, what are your goals and dreams for the next year and beyond as you launch Little Miss Jagged? You mentioned more music and some shows coming up. How do you see your career evolving—and are there new directions or projects you’re eager to explore? In short, what’s next for Courtney Hadwin?

Right now, we’re working on putting together a tour. There are a lot of exciting things we want to do. We’ve got new music coming, and I’m just most excited to hit the road and start performing the full album with the band, and meeting everyone.

Little Miss Jagged will be released on 12 September, marking the culmination of Hadwin’s transition into a fully independent artist. Fans in Europe will have the first chance to hear the new songs live, with headline dates lined up in London, Birmingham and Manchester this September. The album and its singles promise more of Hadwin’s confident, genre-spanning style – the same grit and soul that won over sold-out crowds on her first UK tour