Alt-country musician Nicki Bluhm plays the Belly Up on Monday. Her new album, "To Rise You Gotta Fall," chronicles personal and artistic growth.
Bluhm created the record after divorcing her husband and musical partner and moving across the country from California to Nashville. She said that music was one of her only places of refuge during this tumultuous time.
"I was writing for me and I was writing for my life," Bluhm said. "I was writing for peace of mind and to find some comfort in the discomfort."
Bluhm noted that the songs on this album came out of pain and vulnerability, but that they ultimately show her looking forward. She embraced new professional challenges, new collaborations, and playing with a new band instead of as a solo artist.
And even though she’s still healing, this tour feels like a bit of a victory lap.
Nicki Bluhm takes the stage Monday at 8:00 p.m. at the Belly Up.
