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Priscilla Block has never shied away from writing music with an undeniable authenticity, whether it’s a vibrant party anthem to crank up at your own “Block Party,” a heartache ballad and everything in between.
Nearly 10 years into living in Nashville and striving to make music of her own, Block continues to write songs that reflect “a lot of ups and downs,” in an effort to “just keep it real and write my life.” That could be anything from going “through some breakup” to “songs about having PMS,” she laughed during a recent interview with iHeartCountry.
“I think what makes me a fan of a lot of different artists is just, you know, people I feel like I can find myself in a little bit. That just seem like me,” Block said. “I think it’s really important to be authentic. I honestly think that’s kind of only what wins anymore, just staying real in life. People want to relate to something, and I don’t ever wanna be something that I’m not. So, I put it all out there and if you like it, great, if you don’t, I really don’t care!”
For Block, the best way to see how her music resonates with audiences is during live shows, where she can see her fans singing back every lyric to her songs and feel “like you’re all just home together.” The North Carolina native recently returned to her home state for a stop on the “Smirnoff ICE Relaunch Tour,” which also featured “God Gave Me A Girl” hitmaker Russell Dickerson. The show took place in Charlotte and benefiting Women in Music, a global nonprofit that aims to promote female artists in the industry.
Block hopes that her decade-long journey in Nashville can help any other aspiring artist, including women in music. That includes everything from the hard work and heartache to the victories along the way (including a shoutout from global megastar Taylor Swift, who happened to be driving by when Block was walking down a Nashville sidewalk wearing the Midnights artist’s merch. Block said the encounter eught years ago inspired her to keep moving when she was ready to pack up and move back home).
“I’m a girl in music and I think it’s really important to help out in any way that we can. …I’ve been in Nashville for almost 10 years just working really, really hard. A lot of people think this happened for me overnight because I blew up online and, you know, that was part of the story, but it’s been a journey for me and it hasn’t been just this overnight thing,” Block assured. “You’ve gotta work hard. So, any time that I can inspire any new artist coming up and just say, ‘you gotta work, and really want it.’ Any time that I can inspire, I’m all about it.
“I’m such a ‘part of the journey’ girl. I don’t know if I would tell myself anything, to be honest,” Block continued, when asked what she would tell her past self about her life now. “I really am glad that I, that it has been a struggle and there’s been times that I can’t pay my bills and all that stuff because I think it really makes all of it so much more worth it, and you appreciate it so much more. I think that there’s times I’d look back and be like, ‘girl, it’s gonna work out, I promise! Don’t go down this trainwreck-ness you’re about to do, just keep pushing.’ I’ve loved the journey. It’s been really, really awesome.”
Block unleashed her first-ever full-length album, Welcome To The Block Party, in 2022. The 12-track project included the title track, “My Bar,” “Like A Boy,” “Thick Thighs” and other fan-favorites. Block kept the party alive with a deluxe edition earlier this year for a total of 16 tracks, adding “Me Pt. 2,” “Off The Deep End” and more. Now, she’s gearing up for her next era of music — and it might arrive “sooner than you think.”
“We’ve definitely got new music coming, probably sooner than you think, which I’m really excited about. The start of a new album,” Block said. “I put out my first album, ‘Welcome To The Block Party,’ a while ago, and I’m ready for this new chapter with new music, tons of touring and all the crazy content I typically post on Instagram. Y’all can definitely be expecting that! …I don’t need another party record – (or) maybe (I do), it’s worked out pretty well – I think that there’s been a lot that’s happened over the past year and a half and you can expect maybe not so many breakup songs. Maybe we’ll go the other direction .”