Austin Burke Reflects on His Parents’ Divorce on ‘Let It Burn’
"Part of me felt as if it was my fault..."
Austin Burke is ready to reflect on the pain of his parents’ divorce on his new song, “Let It Burn.” Out now, the pensive track comes from the recesses of Burke’s heart – one that was previously held captive by despair, anger, guilt, and a myriad of negative emotions.
“I wrote ‘Let It Burn’ when I was finally ready to process my parent’s divorce. Obviously, that’s going to be a tough situation for any kid to be in. At the time, I had just moved to Nashville and it took me a long time to get to where I wanted to write about it.” the singer tells Sounds Like Nashville.
Burke’s parents’ divorce was untimely. His mother had driven him to Nashville when he was 18. It felt like the world was at the palm of his hands as he teemed with excitement at the chance of finally being able to pursue his dreams. However, after dropping Burke was dropped off on a Saturday, his mom headed back home and filed for divorce from his father the next Friday. The then-late teen was completely distraught, both as a son and older brother.
“Alone in Nashville, I struggled with the fact that I couldn’t be there for my younger siblings and part of me felt as if it was my fault,” he reveals. “I think every kid of divorce feels that way.”
Burke’s self-reproach and anguish are captured candidly on “Let It Burn.”
“I gotta let it burn / Let it sting / Let you go / Let you be / Let it bring me to my knees / Let you fly, set you free / Let it all go up in flames / My whole life, all my dreams / Let you find a spark with someone you deserve, it will hurt / But I gotta let it burn,” he sings in the unabashedly honest self-reflective song, which was co-written with Johnny Simmen and Steve McMorran.
@austinburkemusic Wait till the end… 😢 @bitcoinburke @whiteeknee @lasagnafein #letitburn🔥 #siblings #divorce #RufflesOwnYourRidges #sadsong #countrymusic #austinburke #fyp ♬ original sound – Austin Burke
Fortunately, Burke eventually found the strength in him to emerge from a place of insurmountable pain. “After a very nasty divorce, much therapy, and 6 years,” he was ready finally ready to put this chapter of his life in a song. “It took me a long time to get to where I wanted to write about it. But thankfully, this song ended up being a healing part of that process.”
With no ax to grind, the singer is embracing honesty, authenticity, and sharing his truth so that others in his position can be comforted by it. “I realized that it wasn’t anyone’s fault, they just grew apart instead of growing together,” Burke reflects. “That’s what ‘Let It Burn’ talks about and I think that is why so many people are connecting with the song.”
@austinburkemusic Showing my parents Let It Burn (Part 2) @burkelifeshawn #divorce #uncomfy #letitburn🔥 #parents #austinburke #fyp #heartbreak #sadsong #part2 #awkward ♬ original sound – Austin Burke
While “Let It Burn” is a new song, it has already been embraced by countless fans on TikTok. Prior to its release, the Scottsdale, AZ native shared clips of the autobiographical track on the platform by filming first-listen reactions from his wife Lexy, siblings, and even his parents. In fact, the one with Burke and both parents sitting in the car and listening to the song for the very first time has amassed an impressive 3.5 million views.
“Let It Burn” is the latest preview of Burke’s forthcoming EP, Changed Everything. Due out March 25, the five-track set will also include the previously released title track. A fast-rising independent country artist, Burke is known for songs such as “Slower,” “Town Home,” “One Summer,” and his first single “Whole Lot of Love,” which catapulted him into the spotlight.
Becoming a mainstay in country music, the singer has been featured in Sirius XM’s The Highway and, in 2019, Burke made his debut on the legendary Grand Ole Opry stage. Most recently, Burke signed his first publishing deal with Home Team Publishing – a joint partnership between country superstar Thomas Rhett, Rhett Atkins, Virginia Bunetta, and Warner Chappell Music.
While you wait for Burke’s new EP to drop, listen to “Let It Burn” now.
