“This whole album is almost like my fight against loneliness,” says Nicole Atkins of her latest release, Drama.  “A lot of the songs came out of the fact that my husband and I basically have a long distance relationship. We’re both on the road. He’s a tour manager. I’m an artist. We can be apart for months at a time.” Those feelings of isolation and separation, complicated by sleep problems and some career uncertainty, left Atkins feeling overwhelmed at times. “I had to write myself through a lot.”  With a summertime release, and touring planned for early 2027, Atkins feels optimistic about the album, noting a change in the music world at large. “When I first came out,  I was kind of on an island,” she says.  “Nobody other than Richard Hawley was doing new takes on past love for melodies.  There’s more of a scene now. Lemon Twigs, Steven Sanchez, The Last Dinner Party, Haute & Freddy. I felt like they gave me permission to just be myself.”