Warren Zeiders Talks "Pretty Little Poison," His New Album And Chris Stapleton
Warren Zeiders released his debut album "Pretty Little Poison" last week. And while an artist's debut album is always personal, the 24-year-old Pennsylvania native says the title track is so close to his heart that he chokes back tears when introducing it on stage every night.
"The reality of the situation is the song is a statement for knowing that you're going for something for someone that you know, at the end of the day, is not good for you," he said of "Pretty Little Poison." "You continue to keep going back for more and more. I feel that that's a story for many people."
Zeiders said he intended "Pretty Little Poison" to be a dark, romantic song about an ex, but it could apply to someone who isn't part of a romantic relationship.
"We have tendencies to do things that aren't always good for us, and you have to learn from it," he said. "And I learned from it and happened to write a really good song that I love."
"Pretty Little Poison" is 14 songs deep and packed with some of Music City's most recognizable co-writers, including Ross Copperman, Randy Montana, Rivers Rutherford, Eric Paslay, and more. Zeiders co-wrote every song on the album besides "Inside Your Head," which was penned by Chris Stapleton and Lee Thomas Miller. It's the first time Zeiders recorded a song he didn't have a hand in writing.
"I thought if I was gonna put a song out I didn't write, it should be someone like Chris, who I admire and love so much," he said. "I think it takes a specific person to try and approach a Chris Stapleton song. I just hope I did it justice. I think I did."
While Zeiders isn't yet a staple on country radio, fans have embraced him on streaming services. So far, he has accumulated more than 1.2 billion global streams, 1.4 billion views on TikTok, and 6 million social followers.
"Pretty Little Poison" debuted as most added on Country radio and recently broke into the Top 25 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs Chart.
'Pretty Little Poison' Tracklist:
"Pretty Little Poison" (Warren Zeiders, Jarred Keim, Ryan Beaver)
"Some Whiskey" (Warren Zeiders, Randy Montana, Mark Holman)
"Love's A Leavin'" (Warren Zeiders, Ross Copperman, Joy Beth Taylor)
"Tell Me Like It Is" (Warren Zeider, Rivers Rutherford, Warren Zeiders)
"Black and Blue" (Warren Zeiders, Bart Butler, Joe Clemmons, Ryan Beaver)*
"Weeping Willow" (Warren Zeiders, Randy Montana, Mark Holman, Erik Dylan)*
"Pain Killer" (Warren Zeiders, Erik Dylan, Josh Phillips)*
"Inside Your Head" (Chris Stapleton, Lee Thomas Miller)
"Coming Down High" (Warren Zeiders, Bart Butler, Ryan Beaver, Benjy Davis)*
"God Only Knows" (Warren Zeiders, Eric Paslay, Rob Crosby)
"Drive You Crazy" (Warren Zeiders, Stephen Wilson Jr., Randy Montana)
"West Texas Weather" (Warren Zeiders, Austin Taylor Smith)
"Pittsburgh Steel" (Warren Zeiders, Randy Montana, Joe Fox )
"Cowboys Ride Away" (Warren Zeiders, Ryan Beaver, Jared Keim)