With a voice that once left the world speechless at just 13 years old, Courtney Hadwin has continued to evolve far beyond the child prodigy who stunned on America’s Got Talent.
And now, with the release of her new original song performance, Hadwin makes one thing clear: she’s no longer hiding behind the shadow of her past.
In a raw, self-filmed video that has taken fans by surprise, Hadwin performs her original song “You Only Love Me When I Lie” in front of the mirror—blowing the roof off with mind-blowing vocals and a presence that feels both intimate and electric.
Watch the video below.
With soulful grit and unfiltered emotion, the performance feels less like a casual at-home session and more like a declaration. Hadwin is stepping out of her shell and into the spotlight, trading youthful shyness for a fierce self-assurance that’s impossible to ignore.
READ MORE: Courtney Hadwin leaves her “child star” label behind with the upcoming album “Little Miss Jagged”
It’s a performance that highlights her growth not just as a vocalist, but as an artist with purpose. Her tone is rich with elegance, her phrasing effortless, and her natural talent on full display. There’s a newfound confidence in every note—proof that Courtney Hadwin isn’t just returning. She’s arriving.
And the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Seven years after her jaw-dropping AGT audition, Courtney Hadwin is ready to fulfill the world-conquering potential fans always saw in her. She recently announced that her long-awaited debut album, “Little Miss Jagged”, will be released on September 12, 2025.
The album’s launch was kicked off by the lead single “You Only Love Me When I Lie”, which premiered with an equally captivating official video.
“I loved every minute working on the ‘You Only Love Me When I Lie’ set and portraying myself as a woman and not a child,” Hadwin shares. “A big part of my journey and this song was showing and telling how I’m no longer that kid everyone wants me to be. Everyone grows up and changes—and sometimes when you’re in the limelight and achieve that at such a young age, many people expect you not to develop in the normal way we all do.”
“Little Miss Jagged” is a bold and blistering debut, alive with Courtney’s irrepressible energy. The soul-and-blues powerhouse voice that first caught the world’s attention is now sharper, richer, and more commanding than ever.
The album swings from swaggering hard rock to funky grooves, Motown flair to stripped-down ballads—all anchored by the vocal electricity that evokes shades of Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, and Tina Turner, yet remains unmistakably her own.
Hadwin co-wrote the majority of the album with Grammy-winning producer Kevin Bowe (Etta James, Joe Cocker) during sessions in Minneapolis—sessions that gave shape to what she calls “coming-of-age songs.”
“They’re written either when I was going through the worst of times or when I felt on top of the world,” she reflects. “I’m both nervous and excited to be putting them out into the world, as this is the most personal I’ve ever been in my songwriting. It’s the story so far.”
With her debut album on the horizon and a fresh sense of self guiding her music, Courtney Hadwin is no longer the shy girl who once surprised judges on national TV. She’s a full-fledged artist—bold, brilliant, and ready to be heard.
