Review: Munhall native Gabby Barrett shines on debut album 'Goldmine'

As the big day drew closer Thursday afternoon, Gabby Barrett felt a “roller coaster of emotion.”

It’s understandable, those twists and turns of excitement and nervousness, along the tracks of happiness.

The Munhall native and “American Idol” finalist was hours away from the June 19 release of “Goldmine,” her first full-length album put out via Warner Music Nashville.

Coming off the heels of a platinum single, the 20-year-old budding country star recognizes she has a lot of eyes on her music. But she points out that “I Hope” is just one song, and people will get more of her the LP she and her team have worked on for the past two years.

“This album (gives you) a real feel of who I am as a person,” Barrett said Thursday.

On the near 43-minute release, streaming on Spotify and Apple Music, Barrett shows versatility, putting together an album that’s accessible to country fans, pop fans and Christian music fans, if not others outside those circles.

From the banjo-heavy “Jesus & My Mama,” to the redone version of “I Hope” with pop star Charlie Puth, to faith ballad “Got Me” with contemporary worship group Shane & Shane, Barrett shows different sides of herself on “Goldmine” and she shines through.

And her Pittsburgh side is there, as well.

On “The Good Ones,” written about her husband and fellow “American Idol” contestant, Cade Foehner, Barrett sings “He’s solid and he’s steady / Like the Allegheny runs.”

While Barrett was looking forward to touring on her new album, the coronavirus pandemic has delayed plans indefinitely, stopping Barrett’s going, going, going schedule for first time in nine years.

“The worst thing we can do right now is have a huge concert,” says Barrett, who hopes to be playing for fans in early 2021.