Photo: Bobbi Rich

Classically trained harpist turned cosmic cowgirl, Mikaela Davis, has treated fans and listeners to “(Looking Through) Rose Colored Glasses,” the first single to arrive off her forthcoming full-length studio entry, Graceland Way, due on April 24, 2026, via Kill Rock Stars. New music arrived today and is available in two forms: as an official audio release and a psychedelic music video featuring vocal accompaniment from Madison Cunningham and appearances from comedian/writer Tim Heidecker as a rodeo clown. 

Today’s release marries the concept of “canyon country,” embracing Laurel Canyon’s roots in country-rock during the late 1960s and ‘70s, while simultaneously resurrecting Elvis’ Graceland and Paul Simon’s timeless rendering. The result is a powerful leap into the next stage of Davis’ solo tenure, one that trails the arrival of previous sets of songs like 2018’s Delivery and 2023’s And Southern Star. 

On the single, Davis sings, “Throwing pennies in an empty fountain/ Rainbows in the dark/ Pulling petals from a dying flower/ A sudden change of heart,” accompanied by the country cry of pedal steel guitar administered by Kurt G. Johnson and transformative harmonies elicited by Cunningham. “I love Madison. She’s one of my favorite songwriters,” Davis says. “I feel like I found my Emmylou.”  

Speaking to other factors that informed the initial trajectory of the collection, Davis says, “When this record all started to come together lyrically, we kept returning to the delicate balance of the sun and the moon, mountains and valleys, the rose and the thorn. She adds, “The struggle is so central to the human experience, a duality to balance itself.” 

While Cunningham assists in the layered takeaway, two voices engaged in the same push of faded emotions, it was Davis’ work with John Lee Shannon that cements a new phase in her practice. Graceland Way marks the debut of Davis and Shannon’s songwriting partnership, coalescing their natural skill sets: her abilities on harp, his knack for guitar, and their joint expressions delivered in meticulous harmony. 

“The songs were written from our personal experience, but together they tell the arc of humanity,” Davis reveals. “The album tells the story of a character that any listener can identify with.” Graceland Way came into existence at UHF Studio in Glendale, Calif., and represents another chapter in the relationship between Davis and the studio’s producer/bassist, Dan Horne, and Shannon. The aforementioned trio also plays together in Grateful Shred. 

Word of the forthcoming album, first single, and official music video for “(Looking Through) Rose Colored Glasses” arrives alongside an extensive roster of new tour dates, which will support Davis’ latest project. For more information, visit www.mikaeladavis.com.

Pre-order/ save Graceland Way.