Kree Harrison’s debut album This Old Thing is finally here -- and was it ever worth the wait.

Since moving to Nashville at age 10, the American Idol runner-up has been regarded as one of the most sought-after voices in town. The Texas native boasted publishing and record deals when most her age were riding bicycles and climbing trees, but it wasn’t an easy road. Tragedy also struck in those early years for Harrison. She lost her father at age 11, a record deal and then her mother at age 19.

But the journey of Harrison’s comeback personally and professionally has molded her into the artist she is today.

For her post-Idol debut album, Harrison came back full-circle and made a truly authentic record with the people her knew and loved her best: her longtime Nashville friends. The gang gathered in an Asheville, North Carolina, studio to produce what would become her artistic introduction to the world. And for Harrison, it was the hands-down the right decision.

“When I first walked into the studio in Asheville, I felt an overwhelming feeling of sureness,” Harrison told CMT.com.

“I knew I was supposed to record my first record here, with these players, with these songs and these people. I’m so excited everyone finally gets to hear what truly is a lifetime in the making.”