Jaime Wyatt’s ‘Goodbye Queen’ Is a Song for the Leavers, and the Ones Who Love Them [Exclusive Premiere]

Jaime Wyatt's "Goodbye Queen" is "just another spin on the classic 'road song,'" in the singer's words, but that description belies the track's groovy, sunny sound and vaguely self-deprecating lyrics. Readers can hear the song, which is premiering on The Boot, below.

"Goodbye Queen" pairs Wyatt's dusky vocals with twangy guitars and a bit of '70s sparkle. "If you want a lover that leaves / I will be your goodbye queen / I will be your Santa Ana wind / You can count on me to let you down again," she sings in the chorus. "I'm afraid you might just break before I bend / And I'd have to swing too wide to turn this thing around."

"I was feeling like I’d never get a girlfriend or have a successful romantic relationship at all, since I was always on the road and working 24/7. I had no time to pursue one, and I figured no chick would want a lover that was just gonna leave," Wyatt explains to The Boot of the song's genesis. She brought that seed of a song to her friends the Mastersons (Chris Masterson and Eleanor Whitmore), and "Goodbye Queen" was born.

"Goodbye Queen" comes from Wyatt's new album Neon Cross, due out on May 29. The project follows 2017's Felony Blues, for which she received much praise but the release of which was part of a dark time for Wyatt, who battled a heroin addiction in her early 20s and spent nearly a year in a California jail for robbing her dealer.

Wyatt, who first signed a record deal as a teenager, relapsed shortly before Felony Blues' release; then, her father died 11 days before the album dropped, and a few months later, her friend overdosed. Wyatt spiraled, then got clean and went through a period of major self-reflection. She has now been sober for two and a half years and out as gay.

"Life is very different, and life is fantastic for me now ... I’ve done a lot of work on myself and grown leaps and bounds. I’m just done messing around," Wyatt tells The Boot. "My struggles have led me to a beautiful place of freedom and insight that I want to share with people ... I just hope it helps people find themselves and connect to their own emotions."

Neon Cross was produced by Shooter Jennings, and features Jessi Colter and the late Neal Casal, who died by suicide in August. Wyatt considers the three "musical heroes," and knows that they, too, all know a little something about the demons that can come with life in the music business. In particular, Shooter, his wife Misty, his band and Adam Barnes, who is both Jennings' and Wyatt's manager, supported Wyatt as she got sober and helped her find her confidence again.

"They all believed in me, and it made a huge difference. We bonded on the road a lot, and Shooter was constantly giving me compliments on my voice and performances and listening when I’d tell him my insecurities about certain shows or songs I was writing," Wyatt says of Jennings. "He’s got a strong presence, and I finally got it through my thick head that he didn’t lie to get on people's good sides. He’s a very authentic and empathetic person, and for that, I knew I’d be able to give my best performance on the album, with him as the producer."

Neon Cross is available for pre-order and to pre-save now.

Listen to Jaime Wyatt's "Goodbye Queen"

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