Heidi Shepherd: Turning a Lifetime of Experiences Into Music With NIGHTBLOOM

Heidi Shepherd of Butcher Babies joins Press Play Radio Conversations from the road to talk about her upcoming new album NIGHTBLOOM, the experiences that shaped its songs, and the personal journey behind her most vulnerable music yet. Currently on tour with Chad Gray, Shepherd reflects on her long career, her love of heavy music, and the evolution that led to this new chapter.

Set for release October 2, NIGHTBLOOM is much more than a collection of songs for Shepherd. She describes the album as her “autobiography” and a “documentary” of her life. The project grew out of a decision to begin therapy in January 2020, when Shepherd began revisiting memories and emotions she had carried for years. Those experiences became the foundation for songs that transform difficult moments into something positive.

One of the most powerful examples is “Sincerity,” a song inspired by Shepherd’s divorce. She explains that she was only around 20 when she got married and initially viewed the divorce as a major personal failure. Looking back through therapy, however, she came to understand the experience differently and recognize how it ultimately helped shape the person she became. The emotional weight of that story can be heard in the way she performs the song, with Shepherd saying that every lyric comes from a real place.

That vulnerability helped change the direction of the album itself. NIGHTBLOOM originally began as an EP, but after the response to “Sincerity,” Shepherd and her collaborators noticed how strongly listeners connected with her clean vocals. Rather than limiting the project, they continued writing and expanded it into a full album that explores both her melodic and heavier sides. Shepherd describes the result as a rebirth for Butcher Babies and says the album feels almost like a debut because of how personal it is.

The album was also intentionally structured as a complete listening experience. Songs such as “Lost in Your Touch,” “Sincerity,” “Blame It on the Wind,” “Broken and Beautiful,” “Are You Waiting Up,” and “Black Clouds Over Georgia” unfold like chapters in a larger story. Shepherd explains that albums are meant to be a “roller coaster of emotions,” with the songs deliberately moving between vulnerability, melody, screaming, rage, and reflection.

Her musical journey began far from the heavy music world she would eventually become known for. Shepherd grew up listening to her parents’ record collection, including the Bee Gees, the Osmonds, INXS, and other popular music. Her discovery of metal and hard rock came later through friends at a skate park, where she encountered bands such as Slipknot and Korn. She remembers listening to Limp Bizkit’s Three Dollar Bill, Y'all$ as an angry teenager and writing lyrics that reflected how she felt at the time.

One artist had an especially significant impact on her future. Shepherd recalls hearing No Doubt’s “Spiderwebs” for the first time while traveling with her track team and immediately wanting to know more about the band. Later, she secretly watched MTV in her parents’ basement and saw Gwen Stefani in the music video. Shepherd says that moment made her realize what she wanted to do with her future.

The personal nature of NIGHTBLOOM extends into Shepherd’s SongStory choices as well. When asked what music gets her through difficult times, she chooses Lana Del Rey, particularly “West Coast,” explaining that she listened to the Ultraviolence album repeatedly during the period that inspired “Lost in Your Touch.” She also talks about recently discovering Sabrina Carpenter and praises her music as fun, playful, and cheeky.

Even with all the vulnerability surrounding the new album, Shepherd continues to embrace the lighter and more unexpected parts of her musical personality. Her first concert was the Backstreet Boys with her mother and sisters, and years later she found herself seeing the group again during their Las Vegas Sphere residency.

As Shepherd continues touring and preparing for the release of NIGHTBLOOM, the album represents more than another chapter in her career. It is a collection of memories transformed into songs, with difficult experiences revisited through a new perspective. Shepherd may have spent years known for the power and intensity of her voice, but NIGHTBLOOM reveals what happens when that power is paired with vulnerability, reflection, and a willingness to tell her own story.