Janet Devlin enters new territory with Move A Muscle, an intimate country-pop track that swaps familiar stories of heartbreak for softness, sensuality and playful vulnerability.
Written with longtime collaborator Angus Parkin ahead of sessions at Nashville’s Blackbird Studios, the single grew from a central guitar riff into a minimal, slow-burning production shaped around Devlin’s close vocal delivery.
In this FM PRO 10Q, Devlin discusses finding the song’s authenticity, her evolving relationship with country music, performing its quieter emotions live and the recording choices behind its understated sound.
With every album release, I feel like we get closer and closer to the core of who I really am.
Q1. You’ve written openly about heartbreak, difficult relationships and personal flaws. What made Move A Muscle the right moment to reveal a more playful and sensual side?
It’s a part of myself I’ve never shared before. Especially musically. To be in love is to be vulnerable. To write about it feels somewhat exposing. I do love to push myself outside of my comfort zone though. I’ve also tried writing love songs/sensual tracks a million times over my 15 years but they’ve all missed the mark. Lacking something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Turns out, it’s authenticity.
Q2. The idea arrived shortly before your Nashville sessions. How quickly did the song find its identity once you began writing it with Angus Parkin?
Instantly. Angus brought the Move a Muscle title idea plus the riff you hear in the recording is the same vibe as the demo. It had its identity already. It just felt like we had a big block of marble and with every lyric and melody, we were getting closer to the statue that was always there inside.
Q3. The song can suggest romantic intimacy, but also the comfort of holding a baby, sitting with a pet or sleeping beneath the stars. How important was it to leave that emotional space open to interpretation?
Most of us listen to music as if it’s written about us and our life story. When I can, I do like to make sure the chorus of a track is as open as it can be. Mainly because it’s such a nice feeling as a listener to be able to feel seen in a song.
Q4. You described the sonic idea as “if John Mayer did a country love song.” Which elements helped you translate that reference into something recognisably your own?
Production wise, it’s such a minimal track. So I can’t claim any of it is particularly indicative of having my stamp sonically. But lyrically, I think it’s very much my own. I was very particular about the words on this one. Knowing how much focus was going to be on the vocals plus the fact it would be my first ever song in this sphere.
Q5. How has your long-running collaboration with Angus Parkin evolved, and what does he understand about your songwriting that another producer might miss?
Frankly, it’s the friendship! We only met once before going to Australia on tour with Russell Crowe for almost 2 months. Lots of tour bus conversations and living in each other’s pockets meant getting to know each other very well. So that insight and knowledge of how my brain works plus knowing my life gossip – makes for super personal songs. Which is hard to achieve on a cold call songwriting session.
Q6. Your career has moved through folk-pop, confessional songwriting and country influences. Do you now feel less pressure to fit neatly inside one genre?
I always knew I wanted to end up in country music. I just wanted to make sure that when I made the move officially that I was at the top of my game writing wise. One of the biggest factors of country music is life experience and stories to tell. I wanted to wait until I had a few years of real life experience to share.
I think the benefit of living within the country music genre is the fact that it is 10 miles wide. From heavy country-rock all the way to Country rap. I don’t feel constricted when I can incorporate so many of the sounds I love onto one record.
Q7. You’ve played festivals, intimate venues and major stages this year. Does performing Move A Muscle require a different kind of presence from your more emotionally intense material?
I definitely have to turn my back to the stage and take a deep breath to centre myself before I sing it! There’s a lot of spirited/silly/angsty stuff in the set which is all quite easy to capture in the adrenaline of it all. Move a muscle is the complete opposite of that. I almost have to imagine I’m not on stage at all, that I’m at home in bed, away from it all.
Q8. A new album is currently taking shape. What does this single reveal about its wider sound and the version of Janet Devlin we’ll hear on the record?
There’s definitely a layer of sentimentality and softness to the record that we haven’t seen from me before. With every album release I feel like we get closer and closer to the core of who I really am.
Q9. FM PRO TECH: The track grew from its central riff. How did that musical foundation guide your decisions around tempo, arrangement and vocal delivery?
Straight away I knew this track would be a little “breather” within the album. I wanted it to be the right amount of sleepy to match the lyrics – so it couldn’t be too fast. Drums were definitely an integral part of the sound and feel. Luckily the drummer just “got it” straight away from hearing the demo.
Vocal delivery took a day or two to figure out. I tried singing it multiple different ways, with different approaches. I wanted to capture the right amount of softness and vulnerability whilst still making it sultry and playful. There’s no real right way to do it… but there’s sure as heck a wrong way.
Q10. FM PRO TECH: When recording understated vocals like these, which production techniques help preserve their closeness and detail without making them feel overprocessed?
When it comes to “soft singing” I always turn my headphone volume up. Not only that, I make my vocal much louder than the track. Somehow, it always works for me. It stops me over singing/over performing. Because if I sing too loud it feels like I’m shouting at someone who’s stood right in front of me.
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