Rachel McIntyre Smith is something special. Maybe it’s the classic country vibe that imbues her music with a familiarity and ease that really makes it shine. Maybe it’s her wise-beyond-her-years lyrics, that speak of experience and maturity, clever and adroit. Her “Glory Daze” EP introduced us to this wise and wonderful artist, and Smith is taking some of the songs from that record, breaking them down to acoustic versions, and releasing these new takes on an EP entitled “Glory Daze (Acoustic)” that will be released this spring.

Today, Vents Magazine is pleased to exclusively present her latest acoustic single from the forthcoming EP. Entitled “First Love (Acoustic),” it shimmers with an innocence that the folk-country take on the song sets aflight: it floats gently on the air, sharing secrets among friends in hushed tones, cradled by banjo, mandolin, and acoustic guitar.

Vents Magazine sat down with Smith to talk about the new single, and we took a deep dive into the creation of the song, including its inspiration, and the writing process and recording the acoustic version. We also chatted about what’s coming up next for this amazing artist. Listen to the song while you read the exclusive interview below.

What is the story behind this song? What inspired you to write it?

Probably one of my biggest character flaws is that I’m always looking for something better. In academics, I was always trying to get the perfect grade. In my music career, I’m always trying to get a bigger audience, have higher streaming numbers, and sell more CDs. In some ways, that’s good, but I think I’ve missed out on a lot of magic moments because of it.

When I was dating my first boyfriend, I didn’t realize how good it was because I just saw all the ways it could be better. After several years of mediocre dates, I realized that it was actually a lot better than I knew at the time. I found myself comparing those experiences with my first love, and nothing really measured up. This song is all about that realization. I think it can all be summed up in a line from the bridge that says: “Now, I spend my days cursing my former self for always reaching for the higher shelf.”

Talk to us a little bit about the songwriting process for this one. How did the song come together — both lyrically and musically?

This song took me quite a while to write, probably five or six months. It started as more of a diary entry than a song. Most of my songs start with a concept, and then I write the whole song with the concept in mind. This song was just a line or two at a time. When I found myself in that melancholy mentality, I would go to a note in my phone and write down my thoughts. I have several verses of this song that didn’t make the cut because I just kept writing. I didn’t even plan on releasing it until my best friend told me that I had to include it on my EP. It just felt too personal to put out in the world. Usually, I like to hide my feelings within metaphors and puns, but this one serves it up exactly how I felt. Nothing to hide behind – just 100% honesty.

Once I had the lyrics like I wanted them, the melody came quite quickly. I love putting vocal flips in my songs, and this one got a heavy dose of them, which is really fun to perform live.

What about this song made you want to record an acoustic version of it? How does it differ from the original version on the “Glory Daze” EP?

This song in particular always felt acoustic to me. I actually considered releasing this version as the original version because I liked it so much. In this version, there are no drums and nothing electric. The lyrics and harmonies stand out more. It kind of feels like I’m at a sleepover, telling the story of my first love to my friends.

In addition to sounding different, did it feel different to record an acoustic version of this song? What sorts of emotions did it bring to the forefront to really strip the song back and get to the heart of it?

It definitely feels different from the original, because it takes it back to where it started. The majority of this song was written while I was sitting on the carpet alone in my apartment. Stripping it back to this acoustic version feels like peeling back all the layers and leaving the heart of the song. It’s easy to get lost in the groove and vibe of the original version, but in this version there is no escaping the lyrics and the story. It took a long time before I could listen to this song without getting sad, because I felt and meant every word when I was writing it. Writing it and releasing it has helped me work through all those emotions, so now I have a much healthier perspective on it. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it seemed like the right time to put it out.

What do you hope this song’s message is to listeners who hear it?

Hmmmmm, that’s a good question. I suppose if someone were to take a positive message from this it would be: you’re not alone in your feelings. If the words and this song resonate with you, then know that there are other people who are right there with you.

What is coming up next for you in February and March and into the spring months?

So much exciting stuff is coming up! I’ll be releasing some more music, more videos, and playing shows. One show in particular that I’m really excited about is on April 30th. I’ll be playing at The National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburg,TN, and it will be a really fun time. I plan on singing my heart out, then eating my weight in cornbread. I’ve also been in the studio recording new music, and I just finished a festive and fun Christmas song that I’ll be releasing later in the year.