Ingrid Andress releases Footprints
When Ingrid Andress first wrote her new song “Footprints” (LISTEN HERE), she had no intention of sharing it with the world. A stripped-back piano ballad penned for her younger siblings, its release Monday follows a valiant National Anthem performance being hailed as “iconic” by fans and critics alike. The bittersweet but hopeful track drifts between self-aware confession and lovingly detailed storytelling as Andress offers up words of reassurance for making it through tough times.
“This song means so much to me that I didn’t think I’d ever put it out, and now it resonates with me even more than when I wrote it,” says the Colorado-bred, Nashville-based singer/songwriter. “I was the first sibling to venture out on my own and pursue my dreams, and I think it’s my role as an older sister to encourage them to do the same. I want them to learn from my mistakes, and to know that you can mess up and still keep moving forward. It doesn’t feel great to fail, but it can end up making you stronger.”
Her first new music since her highly acclaimed 2022 sophomore LP Good Person, “Footprints” arrives after a whirlwind year for Andress, including a National Anthem performance that led to a stint in rehab. The experience profoundly altered her perspective on her career.
“This song means so much to me that I didn’t think I’d ever put it out, and now it resonates with me even more than when I wrote it,” says the Colorado-bred, Nashville-based singer/songwriter. “I was the first sibling to venture out on my own and pursue my dreams, and I think it’s my role as an older sister to encourage them to do the same. I want them to learn from my mistakes, and to know that you can mess up and still keep moving forward. It doesn’t feel great to fail, but it can end up making you stronger.”
Her first new music since her highly acclaimed 2022 sophomore LP Good Person, “Footprints” arrives after a whirlwind year for Andress, including a National Anthem performance that led to a stint in rehab. The experience profoundly altered her perspective on her career.
As she stepped back from the spotlight, Andress found herself called to a new level of boldness in her songwriting. “It felt like the Band-Aid had been ripped off and I’d lost the fear of making my lyrics very specific to my experience,” she says. “Instead of trying to write songs that everyone can hear themselves in, I wanted to get back to being radically honest and really let my voice come through. It’s so much more fulfilling, and I don’t feel like I’m hiding anymore.”
Her return to public attention is fueled by this newfound confidence, emboldening her to recently take a second try at performing The Star Spangled Banner live. Variety applauded Andress for “singing it again, and getting it right this time” and TODAY praised her “beautiful rendition.” “She handles both the lowest and the highest notes in the notoriously difficult song with aplomb, and the audience is with her every step of the way, bursting into cheers as she soars into the highest parts of the anthem,” raved Taste of Country as well.
A longtime co-writer whose credits include hits like Charli XCX’s “Boys,” Andress made her widely celebrated debut with 2020’s Lady Like—a critically praised powerhouse that set the record for the highest-streaming debut album from a female country artist and earned three Grammy nominations, including Best Country Album and Best Country Song (for the double-platinum No. 1 radio hit “More Hearts Than Mine”).
“Footprints” is the first glimpse of what’s to come from the beloved singer/songwriter, who reunited with her longtime collaborator Sam Ellis to produce the track adorned with warm Dobro tones and heavy-hearted strings. As she gets set to release her most introspective output yet, Andress aims to inspire others toward a state of unhurried self-reflection. “I hope my new music helps people slow down a bit and provides some time and space to remember where you started, who you are, and who you want to be moving forward.
Her return to public attention is fueled by this newfound confidence, emboldening her to recently take a second try at performing The Star Spangled Banner live. Variety applauded Andress for “singing it again, and getting it right this time” and TODAY praised her “beautiful rendition.” “She handles both the lowest and the highest notes in the notoriously difficult song with aplomb, and the audience is with her every step of the way, bursting into cheers as she soars into the highest parts of the anthem,” raved Taste of Country as well.
A longtime co-writer whose credits include hits like Charli XCX’s “Boys,” Andress made her widely celebrated debut with 2020’s Lady Like—a critically praised powerhouse that set the record for the highest-streaming debut album from a female country artist and earned three Grammy nominations, including Best Country Album and Best Country Song (for the double-platinum No. 1 radio hit “More Hearts Than Mine”).
“Footprints” is the first glimpse of what’s to come from the beloved singer/songwriter, who reunited with her longtime collaborator Sam Ellis to produce the track adorned with warm Dobro tones and heavy-hearted strings. As she gets set to release her most introspective output yet, Andress aims to inspire others toward a state of unhurried self-reflection. “I hope my new music helps people slow down a bit and provides some time and space to remember where you started, who you are, and who you want to be moving forward.
