Hunter Metts poses for the release of his latest EP, “A Crater Wide.” Credit: Courtesy of Christine Wolff
Hunter Metts, a singer songwriter and indie-folk artist from Nashville, released his latest EP, “A Crater Wide,” Oct. 10.
Sunday, he will take the stage at A&R Music Bar — located at 391 Neil Ave. — as part of his headlining 10-stop tour, alongside supporting folk artist Emma Andersen.
Regarding the tone of his recent EP, Metts said his sound is “a little bit haunting and hopefully thought provoking.” Metts said the lyrical themes of “A Crater Wide” teeter the line between grief and hope.
“I think a lot of it is pulled from real experience,” Metts said. “Folk music can just naturally tend to fall into a sad, hyper-emotional state, and I really wanted to challenge that with good things that are happening in life too.”
Metts said it was difficult to navigate the task of depicting the things he deemed worth sharing, whether they’re good or bad.
“A lot of the time, those negative emotions almost trump the good in life,” Metts said. “Those things tend to linger so long, and so I really had to be intentional about, ‘What do I want to say about the good things?’ and making sure that they don’t pass me by.”
“A Crater Wide” took approximately a year and a half to complete, Metts said. It was not until he began collaborating with his current producer, Andrew Berlin, that the EP felt complete.
“Prior to this record, I had produced everything myself,” Metts said. “It took awhile to find the right person to work with or the right things to say … In the current climate, it feels like a constant need for songs all the time. I felt that pressure, but hopefully I didn’t compromise the art.”
Metts said he started his musical career on the American Idol stage in 2021. As a member of the reality series’ 19th season, Metts finished the competition in the top 10, placing seventh overall.
“I think that show serves its purpose, but it always felt like one big first impression,” Metts said. “I’d love people to know me for me, and maybe not the televised version.”
Metts said that since his time on the show, his sound has been ever-evolving, and that his most recent work feels more true to who he is.
“It just feels more like an authentic representation of me at this time, and something that I can look back on and be really proud of,” Metts said.
Throughout his childhood, Metts was interested in songwriting from a young age. But before his time on American Idol, he did not plan to pursue music full-time.
“Both my parents moved to Nashville from small Southern towns to try to make it in music, but it never really panned out for them,” Metts said in a press release. “I’d seen how that affected my family financially, so right after high school I went to a trade school for coding.”
In 2023, Metts said he quit his day job to pursue his music career full-time.
“It almost became such a distraction that I couldn’t put it off,” Metts said. “There were certain things that, in my brain, I was totally willing to sacrifice just for the opportunity to do music — or what I love — full time.”
Metts said one of his most cherished memories from the making of the EP came from the first week of production.
“I drove out to Colorado with a car full of gear — like guitars, synths,” Metts said. “I really didn’t know how it was going to go. I just remember feeling so seen in the studio for the first time.”
Metts said he allowed himself unlimited time in Colorado to begin production on “A Crater WIde” alongside Berlin. There, he knew he had made all the right decisions.
Now — when he performs live — Metts said rather than reflecting on where he has been, he chooses to stay grounded in the moment.
“I feel like when I’m performing, that is the little memory that I’ll take with me, rather than thinking about something from the past,” Metts said. “It feels very present.”
Since his earlier work, Metts said his songwriting has only evolved, and “A Crater Wide” feels like the truest representation of who he is now.
“For a long time, I was kind of afraid to press into whatever is happening in my life and then using that as inspiration,” Metts said. “But I’m really trying to embrace that right now, especially with [‘A Crater Wide’].”
Metts said he hopes his performance inspires others to speak their truth and tell their stories.
“The fact that I have the opportunity to travel to places and play music is still so surreal,” Metts said.
Within his lyricism and sound, Metts said he hopes his music will continue to connect with people.
“The bar is always kind of raising with me, whether that’s from the guitar, to how it’s recorded, to the lyrics,” Metts said. “Being more honest and more vivid, then somehow more relatable — I really value that evolution.”
Doors for Metts’ concert will open at 6 p.m. Sunday, with his show starting at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $30.07, which includes taxes and fees, through the AXS website.
