Written by

Nathan Smith

Gatlin’s debut album is confessional, confrontational, and deeply cathartic. The Eldest Daughter, out October 3 via Dualtone Records, sees the Florida-born, Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter peeling back the layers of her past with a sharp pen.

Announced July 20 alongside the new single “Jesus Christ & Country Clubs,” the ten-track album reflects on Gatlin’s upbringing in a conservative religious community, her journey of coming out, and the emotional labor of breaking generational patterns – especially as the eldest daughter. “I know now who I am, where I’m from, and where I’m going,” she says in the album announcement.

On “Jesus Christ & Country Clubs,” Gatlin pairs humor and heartbreak, skewering the hypocrisies of the communities that raised her. This track is for anyone who’s ever been made to feel small in the name of fitting in. “I played a part for so many years growing up,” she shares, “and when I finally left Florida I really got to discover who I am… and parts of who I am are rejected by my community and family. This track is about not being able to fit in where I grew up, and not wanting to.”

Co-written with Liza Owen (Carly Rae Jepsen, Selena Gomez) and Jennifer Decilveo (Miley Cyrus, Hozier), the track also comes with a visual that’s equal parts satirical and soul-baring. If you grew up queer in a place that wasn’t built for you, this one should really resonate.

The album also includes “If She Was A Boy,” a fan-favorite inspired by a rediscovered diary entry from early in Gatlin’s coming out process. The track, released back in May, was named a “Song You Need To Know” by Rolling Stone and highlighted by GLAAD as one of the “Best Songs of the Week.”

With over 150 million streams on her self-released EPs and singles, Gatlin’s no stranger to connection. But The Eldest Daughter marks a new chapter. It’s her first full-length project and her first release through Dualtone Records. It’s a record for the black sheep, the brave hearts, and the boundary-pushers, wrapped in hooks and honesty.

Gatlin will hit the road this fall in support of the album, opening for Noah Floersch on a run that includes stops in New York, D.C., Toronto, Chicago, and a Boston date at Brighton Music Hall on October 7. Before that, she’ll headline The Troubadour in Los Angeles on July 31 with Charlie Burg.

Tracklist – The Eldest Daughter

1. Florida Man
2. If She Was A Boy
3. Man of the House
4. Soho House Valet
5. LOVE ME
6. Pipe Dream
7. Jesus Christ & Country Clubs
8. Happy
9. The Hill
10. Kissimmee

Fall 2025 Tour Dates
July 31 – The Troubadour – Los Angeles, CA #
Sept 29 – The Social – Orlando, FL *
Sept 30 – Aisle 5 – Atlanta, GA *
Oct 2 – Union Stage – Washington, DC *
Oct 5 – First Unitarian Church – Philadelphia, PA *
Oct 6 – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY *
Oct 7 – Brighton Music Hall – Boston, MA *
Oct 8 – The Drake Hotel – Toronto, ON *
Oct 10 – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, IL *
Oct 12 – Fine Line – Minneapolis, MN *
Oct 13 – Slowdown – Omaha, NE *

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