Hear Lauren Alaina Invoke Britney, Shania in New Song ‘Ladies in the ’90s’
“Road Less Traveled” singer praises the inspiring singers of her youth in latest single
By Jon Freeman | Rolling Stone | October 5, 2018
Lauren Alaina invokes the biggest stars of the decade in which she was born in her latest single, “Ladies in the ’90s.” The song is the Georgia native’s first new music since releasing 2017’s Road Less Traveled, which included the Number One title track.
“I was born in ’94, daddy drove a beat-up Ford,” sings Alaina in the opening line, situating herself in the middle of a decade of female superstars. The single-note guitar riff at the top calls to mind Shania Twain, whose “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” is referenced in the chorus, even though the thundering drums and caffeinated rhythm are wholly contemporary. Along the way, Alaina pays tribute to the women and songs that influenced her, like Deana Carter’s “Strawberry Wine,” Britney Spears’ “…Baby One More Time,” TLC’s “No Scrubs,” Faith Hill’s “Breathe” and Dixie Chicks’ “Cowboy Take Me Away,” among others.
“Ladies in the ’90s,” which Alaina wrote with Jesse Frasure and Amy Wadge, is not unlike Old Dominion’s 2016 hit “Song for Another Time” in terms of its list-style approach to classic song titles, but seems to be hinting at something deeper. Alaina fondly recalls the way hearing so many women on the radio inspired her to sing when she was young, and how she wishes she “could relive it.” It’s not a huge leap from that thought to the present, when many women (including Alaina) are struggling to get their songs played on country radio — though that’s not explicitly referenced in the song.
Alaina scored her first Number One song with “Road Less Traveled,” and then a second as the guest on Kane Brown’s “What Ifs.” After wrapping up her supporting duties on Jason Aldean’s High Noon Neon Tour, Alaina is set to join Cole Swindell and Dustin Lynch this fall for the Reason to Drink… Another Tour.