Growing up in Washington, Amy Blaschke soaked up the influences of the thriving, alt-rock scene that her native Seattle had to offer. By the time she was 16, eager to add her voice to the mix, she took up the guitar and began landing shows in local venues. Listening to the alternative artists of the day like Liz Phair, Elliott Smith and Mary Lou Lord, as well as the great songstresses of past decades like Joni Mitchell, she was inspired to craft a unique songwriting perspective, and in 1999, she released her debut album, Red Letter. In the decade and a half since, her soulful vocals and delicate, intelligent songwriting have made her a force to be reckoned with.

For her latest album, Breaking The Blues, the follow-up to her 2015 album OPALINE, Blaschke recruited producer Brian Whelan (Dwight Yoakam) and engineer Mark Rains (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Waylon Jennings) as well as a team of local musicians to help build her most ambitious effort to date. It was not always smooth sailing, as the singer/songwriter struggled with personal challenges, including an ongoing battle with Lyme disease, but music helped her heal and carry on. “I had to step away from a lot of things and be much less active,” she said, “but at the same time my creativity felt really vibrant. Music was like a sanctuary, and it ended up being the fastest I’ve ever written a new body of work.”

Today, Elmore is premiering the music video for the album-opening lead single, “Under My Skin,” a soulfully charged track brimming with raw human emotion. The song, which was recently featured on ABC’s Nashville, showcases Blaschke’s graceful sense of melody and mesmerizing vocals. The video captures a live performance and is shot simply, the camera panning between Blaschke at the microphone with her acoustic guitar and her backing drummer and piano player. She commits to an expressive, sensual honesty on the track, exhaling the lyrics, while the subtle intensity of the track is bolstered by the addition of male harmony and the flit of keys.

You can pre-order Breaking The Blues, out on July 1, on iTunes. If you’re in Los Angeles, don’t miss her album release show on Sunday June 26th at the Grand Ole Echo at the Echo from 3-8pm. Watch the music video for “Under My Skin” below.