Miranda Lambert announced her presence on the country music scene with a fiery major-label debut album, Kerosene, on March 15, 2005.
Kerosene reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart, while the title track became Miranda’s first Top 20 single. More importantly, the album set the stage for Miranda to become one of country music’s most important figures over the next two decades.
Miranda Goes From Star to Star
Miranda placed third on the first-ever Nashville Star talent competition in 2013. Two years later, Miranda, 22, released Kerosene on Sony’s Epic Records label. When Sony offered Miranda a recording contract after Nashville Star, the Texas firebrand wanted to make sure Sony knew what they were getting.
“Basically, I told Sony, ‘This is who I am. This is what I have to say. And if you’re gonna try to change that, or push things on me that I don’t enjoy, then I’m just gonna go back home,'” said Miranda to Country Weekly magazine in 2009.
More than 16 years later—and six additional studio albums—Miranda Lambert is still with Sony. Nashville Star may have jump-started her career, but Miranda was about to take it into overdrive.
Miranda Lights a Spark With ‘Kerosene’
Miranda’s major-label debut album spawned four Top 40 singles, including “Me and Charlie Talking,” “Bring Me Down,” “Kerosene,” and “New Strings.” But “Kerosene,” along with its combustible video, was the standout track.
Penned by Miranda and Steve Earle (yes, that Steve Earle), “Kerosene” was a breakup-song that took on fiery proportions, with the female narrator torching her cheating boyfriend’s home.
While the single reached No. 15 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, the video really “blew up” as Miranda stormed through the countryside exacting her revenge with a can of kerosene.
Awards Show Darling
Since the release of Kerosene, Miranda has become one of country music’s most-decorated artists.
Miranda has earned 34 ACM Awards (most all-time), 14 CMA Awards, and three Grammy Awards. In addition, Miranda received five nominations at the upcoming 56th ACM Awards on April 18.
Over the last 16 years, Miranda Lambert has scored 11 Platinum or Multi-Platinum singles, as designated by the RIAA. But it all started with “Kerosene,” which was designated Platinum in 2013 for sales of more than 1 million units.
