Plenty of country singers try to capitalise on the genre’s connection to the working class, finding ways—some genuine, others not so much—to link their own backstories to those of blue-collar listeners. Only a handful of these artists actually have the working-class cred to back up their own claims, but genre newcomer Bailey Zimmerman has that and then some. The 22-year-old Illinois native spent his teen years working in a meat processing plant and, later, on a gas pipeline, experiences that, alongside a difficult break-up, partially inform the nine songs on Leave the Light On, his debut project. Though Zimmerman only began releasing music in 2020, he landed a record deal in Nashville after songs “Never Leave” and “Fall in Love” found viral success. Both tracks are reprised on Leave the Light On, as are standouts “Rock and a Hard Place”, a down-on-your-luck break-up song that features one of Zimmerman’s finer vocals, and the rollicking kiss-off “Where It Ends”.