INK is no stranger to the limelight. The singer-songwriter has co-written some of the biggest hits of the last decade, including Beyoncé’s “16 Carriages” and the Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Texas Hold ‘Em,” as well as Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Hot 100-topping “Luther.” On Friday (Oct. 23), she tries something completely new: she makes her debut in a scripted television series.
In the exclusive clip below, INK debuts her new song “American Reject” on CBS’ hit series Fire Country. She appears as the entertainment at Smokey’s Bar in a scene where firefighter Bode Leone, played by Max Thieriot, deals with mounting financial pressures to try to prove that Edgewater’s new volunteer firefighting program can make a difference.
“I grew up watching musical guests appear on my favorite TV shows, so having my new single ‘American Reject’ make its debut on Fire Country is a real childhood dream coming full circle,” INK tells Billboard. “There’s something so nostalgic and special about that for me. I started out performing on street corners, never knowing where my gift would take me, and now here I am stepping into a whole new world of storytelling.”
The song addresses overcoming adversity and using others’ doubts to fuel your passion. “‘American Reject’ is special to me because it’s one that I didn’t have to write. It’s one that poured out of me within minutes,” she says. “Everything from the story to the rawness, the message, is truly who INK is at the core. I’m excited for people to get into the stripped-back layer of my artistry.”
INK couldn’t be more pleased with her TV debut, which was written just for her. “They actually wrote me into the script and made room for me to do what I do best,” she says. “As an artist, it really doesn’t get any better than that. I’m all about painting where it ain’t, and Fire Country opened a whole new door for me to do exactly that.”
The taping was filled with good vibes, INK says. “What made this experience even more special was how genuinely welcomed I felt,” she says. “Max is a visionary, and he and I hit it off right from jump! The entire cast and crew made me feel right at home. I came in, let my INK spill and they showed me nothing but genuine love.”
The song and video officially come out at midnight on Friday, distributed through Vydia. “American Reject” follows Big Buskin’, INK’s debut release as a performer, which came out last fall.
In addition to the above-mentioned hits, INK co-wrote “Guilty” with Meshell Ndegeocello, “2.0” with BTS and “Freak” with Mesto.
Fire Country airs Fridays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CBS and streams on Paramount + the next day.
