My Girl The River return with powerful new single ‘Heavy’, released on 29 May, offering the latest glimpse into their forthcoming album Manifest Good Things, set for release on 4 September.
Led by songwriter, artist and producer Kris Wilkinson Hughes, My Girl The River continue to carve out a distinctive space where Americana, folk and deeply personal storytelling meet. With Heavy, Kris delivers one of her most emotionally resonant songs to date — an honest reflection on resilience, emotional burden and the quiet strength people carry every day.
At the heart of the song is a lyric that cuts straight through:
“Just because I can carry it, doesn’t mean it’s not heavy.”
It’s a line that speaks to anyone who has ever been expected to keep going while carrying unseen pressures — whether personal, emotional or practical — and captures the raw honesty that has become a hallmark of My Girl The River’s songwriting.
“Sometimes people assume that because you appear strong, you’re unaffected by what you’re carrying,” says Kris. “This song is about acknowledging that weight — and recognising that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same space.”
Heavy is taken from the widely anticipated forthcoming album Manifest Good Things — a deeply personal and uplifting body of work that Kris describes as the finest of her career.
Written, performed and self-produced at the age of 60, the album challenges outdated industry perceptions around age and creativity while celebrating growth, connection and artistic freedom.
“Music creation shouldn’t have an expiration date,” says Kris. “This album could only have been made now, with the life experience I’ve had behind me.”
Recorded primarily at Saltwell Studio near Huntingdon, Manifest Good Things features a full band sound and an impressive roster of collaborators from across the UK and US, including guitarist George Marinelli (formerly of Bonnie Raitt’s band), keyboardist Jerry Dale McFadden of The Mavericks, and Nashville arranger Kristin Wilkinson.
The band will celebrate the release with a special launch show at The Water Rats on 16 June, ahead of a run of live dates, including an appearance on the main stage at Americana UK 25th Anniversary Festival on 28 November, where they are one of just 11 acts invited to perform.
With Heavy, My Girl The River deliver a song that feels timely, relatable and deeply human — setting the tone for an album that promises to be their most powerful release yet.
Single: ‘Heavy’ – out 29 May
Album: Manifest Good Things – out 4 September
Instagram: @mygirltheriver