Runaway June Find Empowerment in Being Alone With ‘Buy My Own Drinks’
The lead character in Runaway June's latest single "Buy My Own Drinks" defines self-sufficiency. After enduring a breakup, the heroine decides to hit the town on her own accord, and the feeling of melancholy that often comes after a breakup is replaced with self-assurance. She can pay her own tab, tear up the dance floor solo and walk herself to the front door at the end of the night.
As a team of strong-willed women, the trio—composed of Naomi Cooke, Jennifer Wayne and Hannah Mulholland—identify with this feeling of liberation. "We're all very independent, strong women, even individually," Cooke shares with Taste of Country. "Before our paths led us to each other, we had overcome a lot of adversity in our own lives and obstacles that you have to get over for us to come together.
"So that type of a thing really was appealing. We easily sing about things like that, and we love spreading that message to empower people."
The title of the song was proposed by co-writer Josh Kear, who was unsure of which direction to take it in, and the 2017 Taste of Country RISERS act capitalized on the opportunity to create a concept that surrounds an independent woman.
There's a true sense of determination in the proclamation "I can be my own boyfriend," and the idea of self-love is embedded in the lyrics, a message they hope resonates with fans who identify with that theme in other songs in their catalog.
"We don't always feel super strong and super powerful every day, but our music makes us feel better when we sing it," Cooke reflects. "Singing it out to people or hearing someone say 'That made me feel really good, and I reminded myself to love myself first,' that's really the message of the song.
"There's a shift sometimes that happens after a breakup where it's like 'I can make myself happy, I need to make myself happy.' I feel like everybody feels that energy."
"Buy My Own Drinks" is the lead single off Runaway June's self-titled EP that drops on Sept. 7. They're poised for a career breakthrough when they venture out with Carrie Underwood on the Cry Pretty Tour 360 for the majority of 2019.
Listen to Runaway June's Interview With ToC Nights,