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Country music phenomenon Bri Bagwell is performing at the Buckaroo Ball, a charity gala at Bishop鈥檚 Lodge in Santa Fe, on Saturday, July 26, as part of her 2025 nationwide tour.

For those who can鈥檛 catch her in Santa Fe, she鈥檒l also perform at the 8750鈥� Festival in Red River later next month.

Bagwell released her latest single, 鈥淏order Girl,鈥� in April. The lyrics reflect her formative experiences growing up in Las Cruces on the U.S.鈥揗exico border.

鈥淚 just love where I鈥檓 from, and I wanted to write a song about that. I sat down to write it, and it was just one of the easiest songs I鈥檝e ever written,鈥� Bagwell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just about loving the Mexican American influence. And it鈥檚 been really well received. I think there鈥檚 a lot of people who feel like they are part of two different cultures, like I do.鈥�

Although Bagwell is not Hispanic, she said Mexican American culture has had a profound influence on her.

鈥淚 always joke that I loved George Strait and Selena in the same vein,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I sing in Spanish every night, and I go home and just can鈥檛 wait to eat green chile.鈥�

Bagwell recognizes that in today鈥檚 era of heightened political division, a song about being a 鈥渂order girl鈥� might be misinterpreted as an overt political statement.

鈥淚 think it鈥檚 so funny,鈥� she said, 鈥渂ecause I released a song about voting, and then I released this. And people are quick to make the assumption that I鈥檓 saying something political.鈥�

鈥淚 think everyone wants that sort of division,鈥� she continued. 鈥淏ut this song is maybe the polar opposite of that.鈥�

At its heart, 鈥淏order Girl鈥� is about 鈥渢he pride that we all have about our hometown,鈥� Bagwell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 talking about feeling the division in my heart of being (between) one culture and the other, but how it鈥檚 beautiful when it melds together.鈥�

Bagwell, who is 37, said she thinks her songwriting has gotten better over time, but she has constantly had to confront ageism and sexism in the country music industry.

鈥淚鈥檓 not in my 20s anymore, and I鈥檓 totally okay with that, even if Nashville is not,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 just a weird stigma about it, where no one asks my boyfriend how old he is, or no one really cares if he鈥檚 over 40.鈥�

鈥淚 actually had a deal in Nashville when I was 26, and there was a record executive in the room who had told me I was too old at 26, which I thought was hilarious,鈥� she said.

鈥淏ut I feel so much more comfortable in my skin than I did 10 years ago,鈥� Bagwell continued, 鈥渁nd I鈥檝e grown so much as an artist.鈥�

Bagwell plans to release a six-song EP in the fall, which will include 鈥淏order Girl.鈥�

鈥淭hen, later on this year, I鈥檓 releasing a double record called 鈥�20 Years in Texas,鈥� because I moved to Texas 20 years ago, which is wild to think about,鈥� Bagwell said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be kind of a compilation of quote-unquote 鈥楪reatest Hits,鈥� plus a couple new songs.鈥�

Although 鈥淭exas鈥� is in the title, some of the songs are about New Mexico.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to put a song on there I wrote about Billy the Kid, because he was also all over New Mexico and in jail in Las Cruces,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have a manager or a label right now, so I can kind of record anything I want,鈥� Bagwell said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think they would necessarily encourage me to write songs about the border or Billy the Kid. But I can, and it鈥檚 so much fun. I鈥檓 having a ball!鈥�

There鈥檚 a mischievous glint in Bagwell鈥檚 eyes as she talks about defying music industry expectations and embracing outlaw figures like Billy the Kid.

鈥淛ohnny Cash and my grandma were second cousins, actually, so I really blame that whole part of my family (for my outlaw spirit),鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 probably less of a real life outlaw than the one I have created in my brain.鈥�

鈥淚 want to have bullets around my hips and ride a pony across New Mexico,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 love the idea of being an outlaw, but in practice, I鈥檓 probably just a Goody Two-shoes with a big imagination.鈥�

Bri Bagwell talks outlaws and ageism ahead of Santa Fe gala appearance