Sunny Sweeney Blends Sass & Soul On ‘Rhinestone Requiem’ Due In August
Sunny Sweeney. Photo: Nash Nouveau
Lone Star indie artist Sunny Sweeney is set to release her latest album, Rhinestone Requiem, on Aug.t 1. The debut single from the project, “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees,” is out today.
An unapologetic return to her roots, the record is an exploration of resilience, heartbreak, and honky-tonk healing, crafted with Sweeney’s signature blend of raw honesty and wry wit. Co-produced by Sweeney with her longtime guitarist Harley Husbands, Rhinestone Requiem showcases a more vulnerable and defiant voice from Sweeney than ever before.
Drawing on her East Texas upbringing and years of cutting her teeth in the Nashville and Austin music scenes, the album meshes traditional country twang with hard-earned truths. Songs like “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees” and “Waiting for a Reason to Stay” reflect emotional growth, while “I Drink Well with Others” and “As Long as There’s a Honky Tonk” deliver playful defiance and honky-tonk swagger.
“I was moving out of my house in Austin, cause the rent got too high, and it was a sudden decision, but I called my mom and said, ‘hey, can I just store some of my stuff at y’all’s house for a little bit while I figure out what I wanna do?’ My mom is the best, so she said yes, and I moved all my stuff in and basically went on the road,” explains Sweeney of the inspiration behind “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees.”
“I was a gypsy for a couple years, but finally ended up buying a house and moving all my stuff into my new house—except my safe. It’s like 2 cubic square feet. Very small. She kept saying, come get your stuff, it’s in our way. So after I jokingly told her to put a lamp on it and make it a table, I said, ‘all that’s in there anyway is grandma’s diamonds and my divorce decrees.’ My country songwriter brain kicked on, and I was like wait…what? I have to write that.”
In addition to her music, Sweeney is the host of SiriusXM’s Sunny Side Up (Willie’s Roadhouse) and Sunny Side of Life (Outlaw Country).
Rhinestone Requiem Track List:
1. “Find It Where I Can” (Douglas Van Arsdale/Micheal Clark)
2. “Diamonds and Divorce Decrees” (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Galen Griffin)
3. “Traveling On” (Sunny Sweeney/Brennen Leigh)
4. “As Long as There’s a Honky Tonk” (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Galen Griffin)
5. “Houston Belongs To Me” (Sunny Sweeney/Brennen Leigh)
6. “Last Hard Bible” (Kasey Chambers)
7. “Waiting for a Reason to Stay” (Sunny Sweeney/Brennen Leigh)
8. “Is Tonight the Night (I Make You a Memory)” (Sunny Sweeney/Erin Enderlin/Ben Chapman)
9. “I Drink Well with Others” (Sunny Sweeney/Erin Enderlin/Gary Nicholson)
10. “Half Lit in ¾ Time” (Sunny Sweeney/Buddy Owens/Monty Holmes)
