The Sit Down with Angel White
After a busy 2024, which included performances at London’s C2C Festival and the release of his debut EP, Ghost of the West Volume One, Texas native Angel White is kick starting 2025 with the release of his long-awaited new album, GHOST OF THE WEST: THE ALBUM, out March 7. A 5th generation Texas cowboy, beekeeper, and rancher on his family’s ranch outside of Fort Worth, TX, we sat down with Angel this week to find out more about the upcoming release
We're less than a month away from the album coming. Are the nerves starting to kick in or realisation kicking in?
After this last release, Running In Place, it was like, OK, it's actually coming out because I've been sitting on it for a while, maybe like three years as far as the trickle down goes, before the full thing being out. It feels good. It definitely this realisation of this completion of songs that has been some of the hardest music I've worked on and emotionally the most I've dumped into and it's about to be out for everybody.
As you say, it's trickled down because it was back in July 2022 that Villain was released. Does that feel like nearly three years ago now or not?
When I think about it, kind of. But it also kind of feels like it's been longer. Yeah, it's a time warp to me. When the entirety of it comes out on the 7th, I think it will throw it fully into perspective of like, OK, now the entire thing is here, because that's how I want it to be experienced. Timing and all these things all go into play, but it'll be nice when it's finally out.
Going back to 2022, was it always the plan for it to slowly be released or was it about getting music out for people to hear without a set end goal?
Initially, we had the project, and I was going to split it up in a volume one and volume two. But like you said, we dropped Villain, If You're Gonna Leave, Red Blanket and then Outlaw. Those were going to be the only releases, then we were going to try to drop it that September and then two years go by! I started recording more music because we were playing shows, and I was playing the songs live. I did enjoy being able to play the record and it is not out. There’re songs we get to test and see if they translate well live as much as it does or as much as we think it will on the record. I think in that regard; we had a lot of space to work with because a song is going to be new to anybody who hears it for the first time. I had to keep drilling that into my head because I'm also still writing more music. I have a second album already, which is really funny to even think about is because we're talking about an album that's about to come out and in my head's already on this next one!
Do you think the new tracks you're adding in complement the initial EP to turn it into one whole album?
I do. Yeah. The initial songs I feel like those were what's going on, but this second half is more like the real details of things, even with Save Some for Me. I think that's where it was like, OK, now we're about to turn on this other side of the faucet and kind of make you feel a little bit over here. So, there's a lot of dynamic. There's going to be a kind of dynamic switch, which I'm excited for.
We're less than a month away from the album coming. Are the nerves starting to kick in or realisation kicking in?
After this last release, Running In Place, it was like, OK, it's actually coming out because I've been sitting on it for a while, maybe like three years as far as the trickle down goes, before the full thing being out. It feels good. It definitely this realisation of this completion of songs that has been some of the hardest music I've worked on and emotionally the most I've dumped into and it's about to be out for everybody.
As you say, it's trickled down because it was back in July 2022 that Villain was released. Does that feel like nearly three years ago now or not?
When I think about it, kind of. But it also kind of feels like it's been longer. Yeah, it's a time warp to me. When the entirety of it comes out on the 7th, I think it will throw it fully into perspective of like, OK, now the entire thing is here, because that's how I want it to be experienced. Timing and all these things all go into play, but it'll be nice when it's finally out.
Going back to 2022, was it always the plan for it to slowly be released or was it about getting music out for people to hear without a set end goal?
Initially, we had the project, and I was going to split it up in a volume one and volume two. But like you said, we dropped Villain, If You're Gonna Leave, Red Blanket and then Outlaw. Those were going to be the only releases, then we were going to try to drop it that September and then two years go by! I started recording more music because we were playing shows, and I was playing the songs live. I did enjoy being able to play the record and it is not out. There’re songs we get to test and see if they translate well live as much as it does or as much as we think it will on the record. I think in that regard; we had a lot of space to work with because a song is going to be new to anybody who hears it for the first time. I had to keep drilling that into my head because I'm also still writing more music. I have a second album already, which is really funny to even think about is because we're talking about an album that's about to come out and in my head's already on this next one!
Do you think the new tracks you're adding in complement the initial EP to turn it into one whole album?
I do. Yeah. The initial songs I feel like those were what's going on, but this second half is more like the real details of things, even with Save Some for Me. I think that's where it was like, OK, now we're about to turn on this other side of the faucet and kind of make you feel a little bit over here. So, there's a lot of dynamic. There's going to be a kind of dynamic switch, which I'm excited for.
Has it been tricky to create the track listing when you’re extending an EP to an album?
The order really hasn't changed from the very beginning. Except one thing that did change was one of the tracks I wasn't going to put on this song called Someday, which I think is going to do really well. It's just a really feel good song. I had a demo for a while and I was like, all right, you know, I want to cut this for the record and ended up cutting it. I kept listening to the demo. I was like, but this is the version. Like this has everything that I wanted to have, and like I said, I wasn't going to put that track on there because I didn't like the studio version and I was like, you know what? Let me just put the demo version on the record and then call it a day! So that's what we're doing with that track. I just love how it's a living, breathing thing, you know? And if something has the essence captured, then there’s no reason to try to mess it up.
You've obviously had a huge 2024 and you were over here at C2C and then you finished the year with the tour with ZZ Ward. How did that year evolve for you with getting music out there and getting to play these tracks live?
There was a lot of being on the road after C2C and the EP just kind of slid into everything that was already happening, whereas I really don't feel like that's what's happening with the record. It seems like it's having its moment finally of being able to centre in on what this whole build-up has been for. ZZ was really fun. I'm just thinking back now, we hardly play any songs on the record! The reception has been really good, too. And I felt like that's why I loved London so much, because there was no waiting around for anything to be good. Like, everybody was just already a fan of whatever was happening and that also creates one of the most comfortable spaces for an artist or anybody sharing anything. You know, you don't want to... For instance, in New York, like, I feel like you have to try to battle these people to like whatever's happening and that wasn't the case in London. That's why I also love that place so much
The order really hasn't changed from the very beginning. Except one thing that did change was one of the tracks I wasn't going to put on this song called Someday, which I think is going to do really well. It's just a really feel good song. I had a demo for a while and I was like, all right, you know, I want to cut this for the record and ended up cutting it. I kept listening to the demo. I was like, but this is the version. Like this has everything that I wanted to have, and like I said, I wasn't going to put that track on there because I didn't like the studio version and I was like, you know what? Let me just put the demo version on the record and then call it a day! So that's what we're doing with that track. I just love how it's a living, breathing thing, you know? And if something has the essence captured, then there’s no reason to try to mess it up.
You've obviously had a huge 2024 and you were over here at C2C and then you finished the year with the tour with ZZ Ward. How did that year evolve for you with getting music out there and getting to play these tracks live?
There was a lot of being on the road after C2C and the EP just kind of slid into everything that was already happening, whereas I really don't feel like that's what's happening with the record. It seems like it's having its moment finally of being able to centre in on what this whole build-up has been for. ZZ was really fun. I'm just thinking back now, we hardly play any songs on the record! The reception has been really good, too. And I felt like that's why I loved London so much, because there was no waiting around for anything to be good. Like, everybody was just already a fan of whatever was happening and that also creates one of the most comfortable spaces for an artist or anybody sharing anything. You know, you don't want to... For instance, in New York, like, I feel like you have to try to battle these people to like whatever's happening and that wasn't the case in London. That's why I also love that place so much
Are we still on your radar over here heading into this cycle of new music?
Oh, yeah, definitely. Um, I mean, even when I was there, I was already looking for places. I was like, I could stay here for sure because I wanted to come back out for C2C, but there's also, other things we are working on. I still try to kind of wrap my head around that it is really happening for myself and everybody involved. I'm always still like that busking boy in my head, you know, like that's where it started and that's where the heart is.
You're about to kind of head out on the road for shows with Saint Motel and David Shaw.
Yeah, that's kind of all I've been waiting on in the last couple of weeks. I'm super stoked. Again, the road is, I think, where myself and the band thrive the most. Just being in front of people and making those connections, like directly, is my biggest goal. I think you get the full experience of it all because it's more than just the music. It's more than just a cowboy hat. It's more than just beautiful visuals. There's so much to it and I think you get it all when you see it live. That's my favourite part!
And you've timed it quite well for hometown shows in Texas and Dallas on the release weekend!
Yeah, absolutely. We're doing a little Texas route, the 7th, 8th and 9th, doing Houston, Austin, Dallas. It's perfect. The ability to have a show when the album drops is great.
It almost seems that it’s meant to be the way it worked out of those three dates and finishing the weekend in Dallas.
Yeah, and they're the biggest venues for us to play. A lot of checklists are being marked off.
Now to remember to not say this song is about to come out, as the album will be released!
Yeah, because then another thing that we see a lot of is, we'll play some songs and like you said, they'll come up and be like, where's this one? Like, I'm looking for it. I'm like, it's not out! If they like it in this first experience of hearing it live, then for the most part, that's going to be the core attachment, so they can go to listen to the track, but they'll also always want to come back to a show.
A live show, it always sounds different, doesn't it? It always adds that bit of extra edge to it.
For sure, I love a good show. It doesn't get better than a good show.
Thank you Angel, and the countdown is definitely now on to March the 7th.
Thanks, I'm excited for people to hear these new songs. I really am.
Follow Angel White:
Spotify | TikTok | X | Instagram | Apple Music | Youtube
Oh, yeah, definitely. Um, I mean, even when I was there, I was already looking for places. I was like, I could stay here for sure because I wanted to come back out for C2C, but there's also, other things we are working on. I still try to kind of wrap my head around that it is really happening for myself and everybody involved. I'm always still like that busking boy in my head, you know, like that's where it started and that's where the heart is.
You're about to kind of head out on the road for shows with Saint Motel and David Shaw.
Yeah, that's kind of all I've been waiting on in the last couple of weeks. I'm super stoked. Again, the road is, I think, where myself and the band thrive the most. Just being in front of people and making those connections, like directly, is my biggest goal. I think you get the full experience of it all because it's more than just the music. It's more than just a cowboy hat. It's more than just beautiful visuals. There's so much to it and I think you get it all when you see it live. That's my favourite part!
And you've timed it quite well for hometown shows in Texas and Dallas on the release weekend!
Yeah, absolutely. We're doing a little Texas route, the 7th, 8th and 9th, doing Houston, Austin, Dallas. It's perfect. The ability to have a show when the album drops is great.
It almost seems that it’s meant to be the way it worked out of those three dates and finishing the weekend in Dallas.
Yeah, and they're the biggest venues for us to play. A lot of checklists are being marked off.
Now to remember to not say this song is about to come out, as the album will be released!
Yeah, because then another thing that we see a lot of is, we'll play some songs and like you said, they'll come up and be like, where's this one? Like, I'm looking for it. I'm like, it's not out! If they like it in this first experience of hearing it live, then for the most part, that's going to be the core attachment, so they can go to listen to the track, but they'll also always want to come back to a show.
A live show, it always sounds different, doesn't it? It always adds that bit of extra edge to it.
For sure, I love a good show. It doesn't get better than a good show.
Thank you Angel, and the countdown is definitely now on to March the 7th.
Thanks, I'm excited for people to hear these new songs. I really am.
Follow Angel White:
Spotify | TikTok | X | Instagram | Apple Music | Youtube
