Pamela Hopkins kicks down the saloon doors with her latest single, “Me Being Me,” a rollicking, defiant slice of contemporary honky-tonk that struts with the self-assurance of a woman who’s long since stopped apologizing for being exactly who she is. Drawn from her album Lord Knows I Ain’t No Saint—itself a nominee at both the Arkansas Country Music Awards and the International Singer Songwriters Association Awards—this track plants its boots firmly in the soil of classic country rebellion, while flashing the polish and punch of today’s country radio standouts.
From the opening line—“You say that I’m too crazy / Too rough around the edges, baby”—Hopkins delivers her vocal with a seasoned rasp and clarity that cuts through the mix like a shot of Tennessee whiskey. This is no put-on. It’s lived-in. It’s honest. And in a musical landscape that too often favors polish over personality, Pamela Hopkins leans all the way into her rough edges—and we’re better for it.
Lyrically, the tune plays like a manifesto of radical self-ownership. “I can’t do a damn thing about it / If you don’t like what you see” serves as both chorus and credo. But what elevates the track is not just the lyric’s sass—it’s the sincerity underneath. There’s a knowing vulnerability wrapped in the bravado, particularly in Hopkins’ vocal delivery. She’s not playing a character; she is this woman. A little wild, a little weary, and completely unwilling to compromise her truth.
What makes the song even more resonant is its backstory. Co-written by Nashville veterans Vickie McGehee, D. Vincent Williams, and the late Jim Femino, “Me Being Me” found its way to Pamela through a deeply personal connection. Femino, while hospitalized, played the song for her from his bed—a moment of profound mentorship and musical kinship. That Hopkins waited years to release this song until she felt she could fully do it justice only underscores how personal this performance is. It’s not just a song—it’s a legacy fulfilled.
Musically, the production rides a muscular groove. Electric guitars growl and snap, while the rhythm section keeps things tight and propulsive. There’s a fine balance here between country rock swagger and traditional grit—a testament to the care in arrangement and Hopkins’ instinct for how to shape a vocal line for maximum emotional impact.
The bridge is a highlight: “I ain’t gonna stop ya / Leave if you wanna,” she sings, daring her partner—and the listener—to take her or leave her. This is more than posturing. It’s the hard-earned wisdom of a woman who’s walked through fire and came out singing.
Pamela Hopkins continues to prove herself as one of country’s most compelling independent voices—one who carries the torch for female firebrands like Gretchen Wilson and Miranda Lambert while carving her own path with grit, grace, and authenticity. “Me Being Me” isn’t just a standout single—it’s an artist at her most unapologetically alive.
–Bobby Oher
