Singer/Songwriter Coco O’Connor is bringing inspiration into the lives of music fans all over through her songs, message, and example. Hailing from a humble life in Alabama, the artist is quickly turning into a star. While her journey has not been comfortable, things are coming full circle for her.
Coco’s musical journey started back in 2015 when she independently launched her first album. The indie compilation quickly turned into a hit and collected a significant following. O’Connor took it to the next level by releasing “This Ol’ War” in 2018, a seven-track EP, which became a critically-acclaimed sophomore entry. One of the album’s entries, “The Devil, A Wounded Man, And Me,” went on to win an award in the 2019 International Acoustic Music Awards (IAMA) during their 15th annual ceremony.
Proceeding after gaining recognition, Coco returned to the studio with a determination to bring her music up another next level. She started working on new songs that would return the artist to her musical beginnings. “It has a lot to do with going back to my roots where I grew up,” says Coco.
An Alabama native, Coco shares how much love she has for her origins.
“When I was 10 years old, I started writing songs.” continues Coco. “See, I loved Dolly Parton, and my momma told me, ‘well, you need to learn to write songs like Dolly.’ So, thus began my journey into songwriting, and I haven’t stopped chasing songs ever since.”
In early 2019, Coco was able to sign with a major record deal. She went straight to recording at Blackbird Studios and Dog Den Studios in Nashville. Guiding the singer/songwriter star through the process was powerhouse producer Bill McDermott, who had worked with artists like George Strait, Tim McGraw, and Emmylou Harris. Steve Marcantonio, who did sound work with Dolly Parton, Roseanne Cash, and Vince Gill, and John Lennon engineered Coco’s record. World-renowned Will McFarlane ( Bonnie Raitt) and The Shoals Sisters (Etta James , Allman Brothers) brought the Muscle Shoals sound to O’Connor’s album.
The result is a diverse album entitled “When I Was Your World,” which was released back on March 13, 2020. The album collection strings together ten beautiful tracks that instantly captured the hearts and minds of music fans throughout the nation and the world. The centerpiece of the album is her song of the same name. Coco wrote “When I Was Your World” sometime between 2015 and 2016. The artist was holding on to the song for the right time. The album of the same name felt to her like the best time to introduce it to the world. O’Connor’s daughter, a rock for the artist through the roughest of times, served as her inspiration to the track.
“I was just blown away that I was ‘the world’ to this little, new person in my life,” shares Coco. “So during a songwriting session with Rick Beresford and Deanna Walker, I blurted out the title, they loved it, and we were off to the races.” The team felt there was something special and soulful about the composition. Coco shares how she and the group felt a surge of emotions as they wrote the last lines of the song. “When I Was Your World” deals with all aspects of any relationship. It speaks on the freshness at the start, the eventual end, and all the ups and downs in between.
The album was released at the peak of the Coronavirus crisis but has still seen a tremendous amount of success. In March, the album sold thousands of copies and continues to see momentum. It received high praise as Coco had received hundreds of messages on Facebook and other channels about how much people love what the album “When I Was Your World” has to offer.
To follow Coco O’Connor’s music and life, check out her website and Instagram.
