We Speak Music

HIGHWAYVES deal with escapism with intense alt-rock whirlwind ‘Evie’!

Published

3 years ago

December 1, 2023

Don Reed

HIGHWAYVES (HWYVES) are from the North West and have honed a sound that races from spacious to suffocating, combining the dark aggression of grunge with dreamlike swathes of shoegaze. Each piece punctuated with intimate, poetic lyricism that feel both personal yet incredibly universal. HIGHWAYVES are unashamedly earnest, laying bare their deepest emotions for all to join in a form of collective catharsis.

HIGHWAYVES take an obsessive approach to their art; writing, recording, and producing their own music as well as writing, directing and editing their videos. Their uncompromising approach is the key to creating an unassailable connection with their audience.

New HIGHWAYVES single “EVIE” is a slick, fuzzed-up track that soars to epic heights. A tidal wave of gritty emotion and effervescent guitars, it’s impossible not to get swept up in the track’s chorus as it twists and turns through its verses of underbelly episodes which conjure 90s nostalgia shot through to full raw power into a highly charged energy that lifts the track through to an intense whirlwind of scream-a-long anthem levels.

On the darker tones underpinning the track, HIGHWAYVES lead singer & lyricist Brad explains; “EVIE’ is heavily based on people I knew growing up who turned to drugs as a form of escapism. It’s endemic for young people where I grew up to feel a sense of entrapment and stagnation when they hit their late teens/early 20s. This is especially true if you’re drawn to city life and have a desire to be in a place where things happen. A lot of the time this manifests itself in a way that makes these kids do everything they can when they get an opportunity, whether that be drugs, sex… whatever.”

He continues, “Most people come out the other side more or less unscathed. But some people really fuck up their lives. I’ve been really close to people who have gone far down that road, it can get really really dark. Luckily those people close to me came back around and have gone on to lead great lives, but a lot never get that chance. It can happen to anyone and often it’s people you would never expect, people on the surface level who have a life that people would kill to have”.

“EVIE” wasn’t written to make a political point or say HIGHWAYVES have an answer to the issues that Brad has seen growing up. It’s not to criticise the people who this happens to, and it’s certainly not to romanticise the lifestyle but the track is here to shine a light on it and say, “Look, this is happening. We can’t deny that it’s happening, and it can happen to anyone.”

HIGHWAYVES will be heading on tour in the UK in 2024 and setting their sights further afield soon after. “EVIE” is the latest piece that will ultimately culminate in an album-length body of work in 2024.

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We Speak Country

Miranda Lambert to Headline Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Halftime Show, Kicking Off Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign

Published

7 hours ago

October 25, 2026

We Speak Media

Miranda Lambert at AT&T Stadium ahead of the Red Kettle Kickoff. (Photo courtesy of The Salvation Army)

Multi-Platinum, three-time GRAMMY Award-winning country music superstar Miranda Lambert will perform live at AT&T Stadium during the nationally televised Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles for the 30th consecutive Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show. The game will air on Fox at 3:30 p.m. CST, shining a spotlight on the needs of millions during the holiday season and throughout the year.

This year marks The Salvation Army’s 136th Red Kettle Campaign. Over the last three decades, the kickoff performance has become a holiday staple, using one of the biggest national stages in sports to help the Red Kettle Campaign raise more than $3.4 billion.

“There’s something special about how music brings people together, especially when it’s to spread joy and hope to families who need it most,” said Lambert. “The Salvation Army and the Dallas Cowboys have built an incredible tradition with the Red Kettle Kickoff, and I can’t wait to be back home in Texas this Thanksgiving to help carry it forward.”

“The Red Kettle Kickoff has become one of the Dallas Cowboys’ proudest traditions and one my family and our entire organization look forward to every Thanksgiving,” said Charlotte Jones, chief brand officer and co-owner of the Dallas Cowboys and former national advisory board chairman for The Salvation Army. “For 30 years, incredible artists have appeared on our halftime stage to help The Salvation Army bring hope to millions of people in need. We’re grateful to Miranda Lambert for joining that legacy and helping us continue this meaningful tradition.”

That tradition began with Jones herself. In the 1990s, her dad, Dallas Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones, challenged her to inspire fans to care as much about the Cowboys’ impact off the field as they did about the game itself, and the Joneses saw an opportunity to partner with an organization making a real difference in communities across the country. Charlotte envisioned turning the team’s nationally televised Thanksgiving halftime show into the launch of The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign, pitched the idea to network executives, and has championed the partnership ever since.

Reba McEntire headlined the inaugural show in 1997, followed by iconic artists including Destiny’s Child, Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers, Selena Gomez, Dolly Parton, Lainey Wilson, and, most recently, Post Malone. Each performance rallies viewers to support The Salvation Army’s year-round work in their own communities.

“The Red Kettle Campaign gives people a simple way to spread joy and support their neighbors in need,” said Commissioner Merle Heatwole, national commander of The Salvation Army. “The Red Kettle Kickoff has brought that spirit of giving to a national audience for the last three decades. We’re grateful to the Dallas Cowboys, the Gene and Jerry Jones family, and Miranda Lambert for helping us kick off the season by bringing attention to the needs of neighbors throughout the nation.”

Every donation stays in the community in which it’s given to provide help and hope for those in need. To learn more, give help, or get help, please visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.

About Miranda Lambert

Miranda Lambert has defined her multifaceted career as an artist, entertainer, producer, entrepreneur, advocate and businesswoman with an unflinching quest for excellence, honesty and conviction. Her latest album, Crisco, featuring current single “Snakeskin Boots” with Ella Langley, is available everywhere now via MCA and continued her unbroken streak of 11 consecutive Top 10s on the Country Albums chart. The most-awarded artist in Academy of Country Music history, including their top honor for Entertainer of the Year, she has also won three GRAMMYs, 14 Country Music Association Awards and was named to the TIME 100 list of the world’s most influential people. Lambert has taken those standards to become a New York Times bestselling author and a label co-founder, teaming with longtime collaborator Jon Randall to launch their own imprint, Big Loud Texas, in partnership with Big Loud Records. Her passion for animals inspired the creation of MuttNation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which has raised over $15 million since inception to promote shelter pet adoption, support rescue organizations nationwide, advance spay & neuter and help shelters recover from natural disaster.

About The Salvation Army

The Salvation Army provided more than 28 million service touchpoints to people in 2025, helping them overcome poverty, addiction, and spiritual and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination. From providing food, shelter, and eviction prevention assistance to emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, youth programs, and spiritual enrichment, The Salvation Army serves communities across the United States through nearly 7,600 centers of operation. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.