After captivating audiences worldwide with her viral America’s Got Talent audition, Courtney Hadwin has officially released her debut album, Little Miss Jagged, marking a landmark moment in her rapidly evolving music career. The album, out on September 15th, reveals Hadwin not only as a powerhouse vocalist but also as a songwriter unafraid to expose the jagged edges of her journey into adulthood.
With 15 tracks spanning from the fiery opener Dirty to the anthemic Move Over, Little Miss Jagged fizzes with Hadwin’s irrepressible spirit.
The album skillfully moves through moods and genres—from swaggering hard rock to Motown-inspired grooves, funk, punk, and epic ballads—while her signature soul-and-blues voice remains arresting on every track. Influences of Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner are clear, yet Hadwin’s youthful energy and contemporary edge ensure her artistry feels entirely her own.
“This album has been in the making since I was about 15,” Hadwin reflects. “Every song has been a part of my life. It feels like one big diary entry that I’m finally letting people hear.” Tracks such as Spellbound, You Only Love Me When I Lie, and Electric highlight her range, moving seamlessly from delicate purrs to powerful, possessed wails that capture the soul of her lived experience.
Hadwin’s path to her debut has been far from easy. After stunning the AGT judges with her interpretation of Otis Redding’s Hard to Handle at just 13, she faced the challenge of breaking free from the label of “the girl from the TV show.” Early songwriting sessions with pop-oriented teams felt disconnected from her musical identity, and a record label collapse shortly before her 16th birthday left her career in limbo.