ABC/Eric McCandlessJust in time for Mother’s Day on Sunday, Sugarland has released the new track, “Mother,” from their forthcoming Bigger album.
Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush pay tribute to their own moms in the song, but its theme is universal.
“One of the things about this song is it’s so personal to everyone who listens to it,” Jennifer says. “And we wanted to celebrate what we feel is so beautiful about mothers, what we had in our own mothers, and what we see that is beautiful about that relationship and that kind of unconditional, open-ended love.”
Kristian admits the song works on another level as well — one that was very intentional. It’s a reminder that in these divisive times, love may very well be the only answer.
“It’s really, really difficult to argue with a mother’s love,” he says, as Jennifer agrees. “You’ll find a lot of messaging in this record. We’ve put it just up underneath, so it’s not really yelling at you. It’s just talking.”
“It’s a very Sugarland thing that happens,” Kristian explains. “It’s very much when we get in a room and write. We’re completely aware of who might be listening, and how to reach their heart, instead of how to set ’em off.”
“I want to calm everybody down, and then hug ’em,” he goes on, “and then remind them their mother would be sorely disappointed in them if they started to hate.”
“Mmm-hmm,” Jennifer adds, sounding just like a disapproving mom.
Bigger, which comes out June 8, is Jennifer’s first album with Sugarland since her son Magnus was born in December of 2012.
You can get a glimpse of Jennifer and Kristian’s mothers and their children in the new lyric video for “Mother.”
