Tanner Adell stopped by the Genius office to discuss her hit song “Buckle Bunny.” Named as one of the Best Songs of the Year (2023) by NPR the hot track is also the title track of her debut album Buckle Bunny.Produced by Leelee, Cambo, and LOUALLDAY, the record showcases Adell’s unique style and vibrant energy. Fresh off her feature on Cowboy Carter, the self-proclaimed “Buckle Bunny” dives into the infectious tune, the inspiration behind the record, her admiration for Beyoncé, and the excitement of working with her idol on today’s episode of Verified.
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00:00Buckle bunny is a term that I have been called before.
00:03It used to be a derogatory term used to describe a lady who got all dressed up to go to the rodeo
00:10and hit on the cowboys and hopefully link up with the cowboy with the biggest buckle,
00:14which would be whoever won that night.
00:16But for me, three things that define a buckle bunny in 2024,
00:21independent, a woman who knows what she wants, and someone who's not afraid to take risks.
00:30I had wanted to write a song called Buckle Bunny for a really long time,
00:36and I had the concept of what it really meant to me.
00:39And I've watched so many women in pop and hip hop take
00:43certain words and make it into something positive.
00:46It's not a nice word.
00:48And some people don't really understand the song.
00:50And they go, she knows buckle bunny's not good, right?
00:52And I'm like, I wrote the song.
00:55I know what a buckle bunny is, clearly.
00:57I mean, you're looking at one.
01:00I'm at the mini mart in a miniskirt about to steal your man in a torn up t-shirt.
01:08This ain't the Hamptons.
01:10We all got tramp stamps.
01:12Acrylic covered and barbecue at the line dance.
01:15This was kind of funny.
01:16I had this idea for Hamptons to rhyme with tramp stamps.
01:21And my co-writer was like, I don't know if Hamptons is a tramp.
01:24And I was like, oh, I'll just say it like this.
01:26Hamptons.
01:27So, for me, it was kind of like joking about like, see who play.
01:33You know, because the Hamptons is the Hamptons.
01:34And East Hampton is like, that's where everybody's going.
01:37And it's summertime.
01:40So, I thought it would be cool to kind of say, this is not the Hamptons.
01:45We got tramp stamps out where I'm from, you know?
01:48And the acrylic covered and barbecue at the line dance.
01:51I absolutely love barbecue.
01:54There's nothing like getting barbecue sauce underneath those nails when you are going ham
02:00on some relps, okay?
02:18It's a very common country term to say knocking boots as like, hooking up.
02:23And so, that's kind of what it means.
02:25Like, you know, riding cowgirl and make my boots rattle when knocking boots.
02:30The second half is sassed up.
02:32Sassy.
02:33Round them like cattle.
02:35Like, get your girls together.
02:36Get those buckle bunnies together.
02:38We're getting ready now.
02:39Bunny gang.
02:40Looking like Beyonce with a lasso.
02:42A common thing that people say is they could see if Beyonce and Mariah had a baby that
02:48would like, be me.
02:49The deeper meaning to this is not just looking like Beyonce, but to me, Beyonce is a black
02:56woman that is one of my idols.
02:58Someone I really look up to.
02:59And it's not just looking like Beyonce, but the pinnacle of a black woman.
03:03Looking like a black woman in country music.
03:06This song is a statement.
03:19Rhyme Stone has seized Kentucky.
03:22Everyone wants to know what bang with the cha means.
03:25It's chewing tobacco.
03:26Because I wanted to say what could be in my mouth so that I would be like, talking funny.
03:30Because it's bang with the cha, so I talk funny.
03:33Because you kind of talk like this and you have it like, and you look like that.
03:35That's what it looks like.
03:36And it's not cute, so stop it.
03:38But the way that we phrase it was actually just an inside joke between my producer and
03:43like, his high school friends.
03:45They would just say bang with the cha instead of cha banging.
03:49I'm a buckle bunny, I'm a buckle bunny, woo.
03:53Ate the whole cake, left them no crummies.
03:56Bottle bleach blonde, but I'm no dummy.
04:00Big bag poise, but a little tummy.
04:03Can't take nothing from me.
04:05I'm a buckle bunny.
04:07This is a reference to Dolly Parton's first radio hit single.
04:13It's called, Dumb Blonde.
04:14You know, the whole blondes are dumb thing.
04:18And it's just a play on that type of thing and saying that I'm proud to be a blonde.
04:22Big back poise, little tummy, big old booty, little tummy.
04:27People have thought that this means like, no tummy, like tiny little waist.
04:32No, I'm an endometriosis girlie, so I've got a pouch, you know, for my extra cookies.
04:37I got a little tummy, I got a big back poise, I got a little tummy.
04:40I'm a buckle bunny.
04:41Like, it's potty positive.
04:43Can't take nothing from me, especially not my ribs.
04:46Maple stirrups, banana pudding, where the wrangler put it, sterling silver.
04:51Now give me more, watch the buckle hit the floor.
04:53When I talk about more intimate subjects, I have to make it about food.
04:59I have a song called Strawberry Crush, and that's strawberries, meaning, you know.
05:05Bake It is a song all about intimacy, but it's about baking.
05:10It's maple syrup, but maple stirrups, because that's what you put your feet in when you're
05:13riding a horse.
05:14That's the part where your feet go.
05:15Banana pudding, where the wrangler put it.
05:17Banana pudding is my favorite, first of all.
05:20A man's hmm could be like a banana, and so like, if it's like hmm, then it's like banana
05:29pudding, because it's smashing.
05:33So that's the part of the hooking up with a cowboy.
05:37It's banana pudding, where the wrangler put it.
05:39Put it where the wrangler put it.
05:40Push it for me, he blowin' a fag.
05:42B.B. on a custom tag, hot pink on pink, it's rap.
05:46V.V.'s on teeth, he snap.
05:48Let him spoil me, boy know I'm a cheapskate.
05:50To the factory, buy me a cheesecake.
05:52If he buy me cheesecake, I'm a holler.
05:54Big boy, big blick, blue collar.
05:55If he gets me dessert, I will holler at your boy.
05:58Big boy, big blick, blue collar.
06:00I like my big boys.
06:02And I don't mind if you're strapped.
06:04I don't.
06:05I grew up in a very country home and very part of my regular life, so I feel safe.
06:12And blue collar, it doesn't matter to me if you're buying me a Porsche that's wrapped
06:17in pink.
06:18It holds just as much value for me if you're taking me to Cheesecake Factory and you're
06:24a blue collar boy.
06:26Doesn't matter.
06:26Well, I could buy it all myself anyway.
06:28Penn Game, Cash, Hemingway.
06:29But I like my Luckys thrifted, Casies thrifted, buckle thrifted, bunny gifted.
06:34I could buy you a Porsche.
06:35I could take you to the Cheesecake Factory.
06:37It's empowering to be able to take care of your person.
06:42It's because this Penn Game is strong.
06:44The Penn Game.
06:45That's my writing skills.
06:47My Penn Game is cash.
06:48I'm making money with it.
06:50And obviously, Hemingway is one of the greatest writers of all time.
06:53So I wanted to say that.
06:54Penn Game, Cash, Hemingway.
06:57Like it's so good.
06:58It's Hemingway good.
07:01I landed on the Cowboy Carter album.
07:04There's a video of me floating around on social media.
07:07I posted it the day that the album actually dropped.
07:10It's a clip of me at the Renaissance tour.
07:13It was my first time seeing Beyonce.
07:14And the video is me bawling my eyes out during her first song, Dangerously In Love.
07:20And then it cuts to a clip of me bawling my eyes out again
07:24because I see my name on the track list.