Gatlin – Jesus Christ & Country Clubs (2025)
Playing on themes of self-doubt and personal discovery, singer-songwriter Gatlin critiques conservative culture while reflecting on the emotional stress of growing up queer in her defiant new single ‘Jesus Christ & Country Clubs’. The Florida-born artist considers the repressive and largely hypocritical attitudes characteristic of traditional Southern communities with concurrent edge and vulnerability, while she recalls the feelings of fear and doubt that crowded her early journey to self-acceptance. Both observant and emotionally resonant, the track grapples with contradictions between wealth and religion while relaying simultaneous feelings of freedom and inhibition. A melodic reckoning with identity, expectation, and the complex baggage of home, Gatlin marries ironic wit with honest reflection in a swirling queer anthem.
Carefully juxtaposed and tremendously evocative, the track’s title alone suggests a collision between piety and privilege. Gatlin leans into her keen societal assessment with striking lyrical clarity and unapologetic rebellion, her lush, emotive vocals carrying raw honesty and explicit harmony. As she unpacks the pressure to conform in a community bound by appearance and ritual, typically Southern and religious images lend to a familiar narrative of awakening and escape, which grounds her personal story in a larger cultural critique.
Co-written with longtime friend Liza Owen and produced with Jenn Decilveo, the track benefits from a close-knit creative dynamic that allows Gatlin’s voice and vision to shine. The production strikes a balance between rebellion and restraint, contemplative drawn-out verses building to a momentous, punching hook.
What makes ‘Jesus Christ & Country Clubs’ stand out is its refusal to settle for pure, unencumbered defiance. Instead, Gatlin explores the murky space between resentment and longing, her lyrics suggesting that self-doubt, sexuality, and courage can and often do coexist. Rather than reject her upbringing, Gatlin is able to examine it with painful and satirical clarity.
In a musical landscape where artists are increasingly confronting the expectations placed on them by faith and family, Gatlin’s voice seems a welcome addition. In its relatable vulnerability and relevant exposition, ‘Jesus Christ & Country Clubs’ stands as an anthem for queer struggle and overcoming.
Find out more about Gatlin on her official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
