If there’s one theme that’s characterized Americana in 2025, it’s a sense of taking stock. But if you’re Zdan, the new stage name of Nashville singer-songwriter Brandy Zdan, that process comes with less quiet introspection and more a jubilant tossing of her last few fucks out the window. SO WHAT! boasts the subtlety of live voltage and offers the same kick of energy.
From the very first seconds of pulsing drums on album opener “hell no!” Zdan introduce a world of high-octane guitars, crunchy riffs, and a bare-bones enthusiasm for rock’n’roll. The song crackles with the refrain “what do you do when they don’t care? Do you stop? Hell no!” And with that mantra, Zdan sweeps aside the intricate network of good old boys, politics, and social media algorithms that comprise Nashville’s music industry. Country music may be three chords and the truth, but sometimes you just need to say what you fucking mean.
