Twenty-three year old Gabby Barrett is a Christian, wife, mother of three (counting the child in her womb), and a multi-platinum country music singer. Her second album, Chapter and Verse, released Feb. 2 and is full of sweet songs. Some lines from the opening song, “Chapter“:

I ain’t a kid, but I ain’t all the way grown
And I’m makin’ a mess, but I’m makin’ a home
I’m blazin’ the trails and I’m burnin’ the biscuits
I still ask for help and God is still listenin’ and
I’m finally lettin’ go of things that don’t really matter
This is a chapter
This is a chapter

For by grace I have been saved, oh
This is a verse I read every day

The album’s last song is “The Verse: Doxology (Amen),” featuring Christian worship artist Phil Wickham. It’s the old, classic hymn with extra lyrics written by Wickham.

In “Glory Days,” Barrett conveys contentment and joy in raising a young family:

This is as good as it gets, I don’t know what I would change
I love this life that we live, I love that smile on your face
No, we ain’t gotta look back at all those pictures in frames
And wish it all stayed the same
‘Cause right here, right now I say these are the glory days

The album also features a sweet song dedicated to parenting, the music video featuring a pregnant Barrett. It’s called, “Growin’ Up Raising You.”

Here’s the first verse and chorus:

Six in the morning, hands are shaking
Half ready, half scared to death
Hand me the world, wrapped in a plain blanket
The world falls asleep on my chest
I’m so in love even more we just met
Got no clue what I should do next

We’ll get it wrong, we’ll get it right
Whole lot of tears we both have to cry
You’ll learn to run, I’ll learn to let go
Years will go fast, nights will go slow
But Lord knows the best thing that I’ll ever do
Will be growin’ up raising you

A Transformation

These sweet songs highlight a transformation from the 19-year old Gabby Barrett who rose to fame because of the 2019 hit vengeance song, “I Hope.” The chorus: “And then I hope she cheats / Like you did on me.” Yikes.

Barrett told People in 2021, “I’d definitely write ‘I Hope’ differently, for sure.” But what would she hope instead, People asked her. “And then I hope you’re … blessed’?” She laughed. “I don’t know — something less angry!”

Barrett definitely doesn’t seem too angry these days, instead thankful for all the blessings in her life.

Barrett Opens Up About Prioritizing Her Marriage Over Romantic Duet Offers

Barrett has been in the news recently for the way she prioritizes her marriage over money. Barrett is married to her fellow American Idol contestant, Cade Foehner. Sadly, not everyone saw the beauty in her comments about protecting her marriage by turning down certain duet offers in which she’d be singing intimate lyrics with a man who isn’t her husband. In December she said on the Unexpected with Hannah Love podcast:

There’s been songs that have been not appropriate to sing, like these love songs that are really intimate wording-wise. And then when you accept a song, there’s obligations that go along with it, that you could sing it on awards shows together, you might be doing interviews together. What does that look like on the stage? What does that dynamic look like if I’m singing with another man? Is that gonna make my husband uncomfortable? Probably.

She added: “I respect him and love him so much that I am not going to jeopardize my marriage to do a duet with somebody. … I pray and hope and know that God will bless my efforts in trying to keep my marriage straight.”

With respect for her husband and dedication to her family like that, it’s no wonder Barrett’s heart seems to be overflowing with contentment as a wife and mother.

Aliya Kuykendall is a staff writer and proofreader for The Stream. You can follow Aliya on X @AliyaKuykendall and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.