Welcome To The Plains is finally here. It's been a long time coming for
Wyatt Flores to give fans his debut record. After his career took off from the viral hit "Please Don't Go," Flores gave fans
Life Lessons and
Half Life , and while those EPs were incredible, fans were itching for a long-form record. When Flores announced this record, he noted that it was an authentic reflection of the Oklahoma plains that raised him, the feelings associated with growing up in a small town, and of course, finding yourself and taking care of your mental state.
"It’s an album about home and a search for happiness. It’s the stories of my life, my family, and the people and places in my life who have defined who I am today. It feels like these last three years have been building up to this music. We worked really hard to make a classic and I’m so excited for you to hear these 14 songs. This album is happy on one side and heartbreak on the other. Whether you’re from the east, west, north or south I hope you find something you love in here." https://www.instagram.com/p/C_QhD8BRWJT/?img_index=1 Flores has used his platform to not only be vulnerable with fans about his mental struggles but also to advocate for fans to take care of their mental state and seek help if needed. When Flores released his single
"Oh Susannah," he shared that feeling that he needed to help every one of his fans, which took a toll on him. That song is a letter to his fans telling them that he's there for them but has to be there for himself first and foremost. Throughout
Welcome To The Plains, you see where his mental state lies on songs like "Falling Sideways" and "The Truth." Flores authentically details the feelings of being a young adult trying to find love, feeling lost and alone, making mistakes, and learning from them to grow. Two tracks that stuck out to me instantly were the contrasting thoughts on "Stillwater" and
"Little Town." Flores released "Little Town" earlier this week, and the lyrics highlight the beauty of living in a small town. The narrator is from a tight-knit community, and although he hoped to get out of there one day, he fell in love with a girl and chose to stay. The overarching message is that a small town has everything you need when you are living with the one you love.
"Now I’m holding on After everyone else is moving on I’ve never felt the need to go seek higher ground As long as I got you I’ll stick around This little town..." However, in "Stillwater," Flores points out the flaws of hometown, which is also home to Oklahoma State University. The lyrics detail falling in love with a girl who moved there for college and the students' different experiences compared to the locals.
"And it must be nice to leave this place Put it in gear and leave it in the past It must be nice to watch it fade You'd know if you ever come back It'll still be kids getting drunk on the strip Acting like local boys don't exist Will still be the same 'cause nobody bothers That's the problem with Stillwater..." After the girl leaves the town, Flores is left with a distaste in his mouth as she gets to escape the city, which leads to heartbreak, but Flores is constantly tied to the town and reminded of the painful memories. Two opposite feelings of being from a "Little Town." You love it or hate it. The contrasting views of small towns in these two songs also highlight the happy and sad dialects throughout the album. Flores authentically captures the highs and lows of life and spins them into poetic lyrics that hit home. When he described this record as "happy on one side and heartbreak on the other," that was the perfect way to detail what listeners will experience when listening to
Welcome To The Plains . Flores cohesively tells a story through this record, making for a stellar debut project.
"Welcome To The Plains" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-tevMmgRvs
"Forget Your Voice" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o280y9eViMw
"Stillwater" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyOE_YR1dXc
"The Truth" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ5XNVm1Nzk
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