After sharing their new song “The Daughters” with the world on Sunday night (April 7) at the ACM Awards, Little Big Town took some time to reflect on the meaning of the song, and tell CMT.com what their hope is for the empowering ballad. The band’s Karen Fairchild wrote the song with Sean McConnell and Ashley Ray.
CMT.com: Is the song about the long list of things that are expected of women, or is it a bigger message about finding the God who is right for you?
Fairchild: This song is about the laundry list of expectations and long-standing traditions put on women. It’s about equality. It’s about hope for our children and what their view of the world will be. It’s not about a lack of believing in God or God’s love for girls.
Phillip Sweet: This is a human condition and we have to do better for each other.
There are a few daughters between the four members of the band, so is this something you hope they’ll connect with?
Kimberly Schlapman: It’s incredibly important to me that my daughters know and believe that whatever they dream up is possible. I want them to feel empowered, supported, confident and free to achieve whatever their passions might be. This song represents all of that.
But also, there is Karen and Jimi’s son. How are you teaching him about gender equality and how to treat women better than what he might see in the media?
Fairchild: My hope for Elijah is that throughout his life, he continues to see no race, no religion, no gender, no color the way he does right now. He asked me a few weeks ago why we haven’t had a woman president. And I said, “I just don’t know buddy…but I think it’s coming.”
With all the talk about bro-country continuing to dominate country radio, this song is at the opposite end of that spectrum. Does that ever cross your mind, or are you just maintaining the best-song-wins mindset?
Jimi Westbrook: We’ve always tried to let the best song win when it comes to what we cut and what we choose to share with the world. This song has always felt special to us, and it’s important for us to stand behind that, and the story it tells. Of course, we would love for country radio to play it and embrace it the same way we’ve seen our fans react to it.
Sweet: It’s been a beautiful showcase of love so far and we hope that message continues to spread.
