By Judy Shields
I had the opportunity to catch up with Ian Flanigan to talk about the new video of his Christmas song “Blue Christmas” and the new album “The Man My Mama Raised.
Flanigan recently released his highly anticipated new album, The Man My Mama Raised. The album showcased Flanigan’s signature gravelly vocals and deeply personal storytelling, further cementing his place in modern country music.
Adding to the excitement, Ian’s single “Something Strong” from the album was added to Spotify’s official All New Country playlist—a coveted spot that put his music in front of millions of listeners worldwide. The placement marked a major milestone in Flanigan’s career and served as a testament to the growing recognition of his distinctive sound.
Enjoy our conversation:
The Man My Mama Raised reflects Ian’s journey—both personal and musical—with songs that speak to resilience, love, and the lessons learned along the way. The album features a mix of soulful ballads and high-energy anthems, each track delivered with the raw emotion that has become Flanigan’s signature.
“I recently hit ten years alcohol-free,” shares Flanigan. “Second Chances” is a song I wrote with my buddy, Johnny Woods about getting a new outlook on life and realizing sometimes it takes a thousand small steps to make a big change. I will always encourage you to never give up! It does get better!”
To purchase/stream: IanFlaniganSe
About Ian Flanigan:
Hailing from Saugerties, New York, Ian Flanigan’s journey to the top of the country music scene has been marked by grit, passion, and perseverance. His road-tested voice and authentic style earned him a third-place finish on The Voice, where he gained a devoted fan following. Known for his soulful take on modern country, Ian’s music often reflects themes of love, resilience, and heartland values, appealing to a wide range of listeners.
Ian can be accurately described as slow, stoic, southern grace. He is humble yet focused, peaceful but engaged, and undisputedly talented. For the last decade, he has toured his distinct voice and evocative lyrics across America, with a country sound reminiscent of Joe Cocker and Chris Stapleton.
Ian found fame by becoming Blake Shelton’s finalist on NBC’s The Voice, where he was dubbed a “once-in-a-lifetime vocalist” by Shelton. Since that time, he has released an album with chart-topping singles (“Grow Up” reached #5 on the US iTunes sales chart, approaching 3 million streams), extensively toured with the likes of Trace Adkins and Chris Janson, and recently released his sophomore album, The Man My Mama Raised. He has been featured on CMT, RFD-TV, Fox News, American Songwriter, Whiskey Riff, The Music Universe, Country Now, Everything Nash, Entertainment Tonight, People Magazine, USA Today, Yahoo News, The Wrap and The Hollywood Times.
Flanigan represents Taylor Guitars, Lucchese, KICKER AUDIO, and Hook and Cleaver Ranch as a brand ambassador. He also gained exposure as a Reviver Publishing writer in Nashville. He released his debut album Strong (2022), the follow-up acoustic EP STRONG: The Muscle Shoals Sessions (2023), and sophomore album The Man My Mama Raised (2025) on Reviver Records.
To keep up with future releases and everything Ian Flanigan, visit HERE and follow his social channels.
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