Grammy winning artist LeAnn Rimes is making major career moves with a trifecta of exciting projects. It's not like we needed an excuse to stay in and get cozy this holiday season, but the "Blue" singer is making it that much easier with a new show, candle line, and album on the way!
Country Living caught up with LeAnn about her latest accomplishments from co-hosting a new craft competition series called Meet Your Makers Showdown, the inspiration behind her candle line La Fréquence, celebrating the 25th anniversary of her hit record Blue (yes, we can't believe it's been that long either), and what fans can expect from her upcoming album God's Work.
Behind the scenes of Meet Your Makers Showdown.
If quarantine taught us anything, it's that we've all got a creative side. LeAnn is teaming up with award-winning actress and fellow recording artist Chrissy Metz as well as best-selling author and designer Mark Montano to help judge stunning handmade creations on Meet Your Makers Showdown. The competition series is currently streaming on discovery+ and bringing together some of the country's top artisans to do what they do best: create.
The makers are put to the test to spotlight their creativity and skills as they dabble in the art of fluid painting, stained glass, polymer clay, paper art, candle making, and artisanal soap.
As inspiration judge, LeAnn helps contestants find what makes them "tick" as an artist. In LeAnn's case, when it comes to music it's all about expressing the truth through lyrics and raw emotion. "Ever since I was a little child, I've been able to express everything through music and it's such a gift to be able to do that," LeAnn tells us. "With these last three records, including the newest record, I grow and grow with each record and I'm not afraid of the truth. That's what makes me tick. The more I allow myself to get into that true freedom of expression through that format, the more it excites me."
After hearing about the show, the Masked Singer winner couldn't pass up the chance to be a part of Meet Your Makers Showdown as she sees it as an opportunity to celebrate art and artists. "Sometimes we get caught up and having to do the to-do list of everyday life that we forget that there's this curiosity and playfulness and this creativity that needs to be fed," she says. "I wanted to be a part of something that made people curious and excited again where when they watch the show they say, 'I want to try that!'"
After a year of quarantine and picking up crafts we never thought we'd try, we couldn't agree more.
From the judging panel to her own candle crafting studio.
It's time to add artisan to LeAnn's resume right next to award-winning singer, style icon, and Tik Tok novice. LeAnn has taken on her own passion project and it's giving us every excuse to skip waiting in line at big name candle stores. La Fréquence is LeAnn's candle line, where she's very hands on throughout the process. We're talking blending scents, designing the brand's aesthetic, and even hand pouring the wax herself.
LeAnn admitted that having her own candle line brought a new meaning to the word "handmade" through her experience. Even in the saturated market of candles, she wants to remind people that it's important to remember that we're all individualized and unique.
La Fréquence was inspired by her love for setting a mood through light and scent. "Scent and music are very similar because they take me back to a place and time. They transport me somewhere."
She even invited her co-stars Chrissy and Mark to join in on the wax-pouring fun. When we asked if the show inspired her to try any other different art mediums she said, "We're going to get together to try the [paint] pouring technique because Chrissy and I haven't done it and Mark is going to teach us." The singer joked, "We really are the living, breathing version of the show."
In a recent behind-the-scenes video of LeAnn's candle making process, the singer shared a very personal touch she puts in all of her candles that truly make them one of a kind.
Over the last decade, LeAnn has embarked on a personal spiritual health journey where she noticed that certain frequencies would affect her mood. That's when the singer had her "AHA" moment — why not infuse her candles with positive frequencies so people can have a more positive experience when they burn a La Fréquence scent? "Wax actually holds memory so the intention behind the chant and frequency played over them goes into the wax as it's drying. So when you light it, that's what you're experiencing. You have this whole experience and space to create ceremony with yourself."
Blue turns 25 and a brand new album is on the way!
Since a 14-year-old LeAnn blew us away with her performance of Blue, the country singer's career has blossomed and evolved. Almost 25 years later and LeAnn is ready to release her next studio album, God's Work, in early 2022.
After beginning the album in 2019 and taking a step back from it, she says, "COVID happened and that's when I realized that life needed to happen before I could finish this record." When creating her latest album, she knows the importance that the word "God" holds for so many people no matter how they interpret it. "That's what this record is about—to be more accepting and get to doing what we're all put here to do which is to create a more loving world for one another."
Fans can expect themes from religion to women's experiences and she hopes fans can find forms of inspiration etched between each lyric.
LeAnn basically grew up in the spotlight, and we were curious to know what advice she'd give her younger self. "Put down the hair spray. The pleather pants will go out of style soon!" she joked.
The singer went on to say, "It would be to listen to your own instinct. As children, we're so in tune with our own instinct without shame, guilt, and all the things that cloud it. With so many opinions coming my way, I started to question everything and not in a good way. So, these last several years of my life have been returning back to my instinct, trusting myself and getting in tune with that piece of me that I turned down to a really low volume. I would tell [14-year-old LeAnn] that that's the most important thing in the world—to trust yourself."
Needless to say, we've been mesmerized by LeAnn's career—from a young girl that blew us away with her vocal skills to continuously building her brand—and we can't wait to see what the future has in store.
Chaise Sanders is an Associate Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers anything from lifestyle and beauty to entertainment and style. Wanna upgrade your skincare game? She's got you covered with the best facial cleansing brushes. Or maybe you're in need of a new true crime show to binge? Got that covered too! Prior to joining the Cosmo team, Chaise was an editor at Country Living (also part of the Hearst fam) where she interviewed celebs like Dolly Parton, LeAnn Rimes and even Martha Stewart. Now, as one of the Big Apple's newest residents, there's a good chance that you can catch her checking out an Insta-worthy cafe or spending way to much $$$ in vintage stores.
