Crys Matthews has never been an artist who looks away. “Forged In Fire,” her powerful new single produced by Seth Glier, arrives as both a document of a specific moment in American political life and a rallying cry that reaches back to the Civil Rights movement for its emotional foundation. It is urgent, fully realized, and exactly the kind of song Matthews was built to write.
The single was written during a particularly turbulent week under the second Trump administration, born from headlines covering birthright citizenship battles, farmworker raids, press freedom violations, and the targeting of undocumented children. Matthews connects those headlines directly to the conditions endured by Civil Rights activists before her, and the song carries that weight without flinching. Hopelessness, she reminds us, is not an option.
The production matches the ambition. Powerhouse vocalists Kyshona, Kiley Phillips, Nickie Conley, Wil Merrell, and Jason Eskridge surround Matthews in a performance that draws fully on her A.M.E. upbringing. This is a song that takes you to church, and means it. The blend of Country, Americana, Folk, Blues, and Bluegrass that defines Matthews’s sound gives “Forged In Fire” both roots and reach.
The single also marks a significant career milestone. Matthews has signed an exclusive publishing and recording agreement with TRO Essex Music Group, home to Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, Pete Townshend, Pink Floyd, and Black Sabbath, alongside its label arm Shamus Records. It is a signing that places her in company that reflects exactly the kind of artist she is.
The recognition has been building for years and is now impossible to ignore. Matthews is the 2025 and 2022 Song of the Year winner at the International Folk Music Awards, making her the first artist to claim that honor twice since the award’s inception. She was also named 2024 Artist of the Year. “Forged In Fire” is out now.