By day Tanya Gallagher practices cartography, turning geographic information into maps for Santa Rosa County, where she resides. By night, she writes the folk-pop songs that make up her new EP One Hand On My Heart, which splits the difference between Lucinda Williams and Brandi Carlile, and delivers an authentic roots-Americana vibe that feels immediately classic.

Gallagher channeled her frustrations through music while in Vancouver, pursuing a PhD in forestry. She credits the process of songwriting as an aid in overcoming the stress of academia, and admits that she might not have a degree if not for the songs that she had written. Barren Land tells the tale of heartbreak and the slow road to redemption, while it showcases the raw emotion of Gallagher's lead vocal and her ability to create inspiration from hardship.

Tanya Gallagher is a Pensacola, Florida native who once interned for NASA. This song is featured on our Roots Collection playlist.