Song of the Day 9/28: Alana Springsteen, “twenty something”

Bruce Springsteen has cancelled all his remaining 2023 concert dates as he combats peptic ulcer disease, demonstrating that the Democratic Party isn’t the only institution plagued by decrepitude. The rockers of the ’60s and ’70s who didn’t have the career-boosting foresight to die at 27 are at an age where they’re more likely to expire from chronic health issues than drug overdoses.

You can still find Springsteen concerts this year, though, provided you don’t insist on it being Bruce. Rising country singer Alana Springsteen is touring behind her new album, “twenty something.” She’s no relation to Bruce, and says she considered adopting a stage name so it wouldn’t seem like she was capitalizing on her surname. On the other hand, I wouldn’t know about her if she hadn’t popped up when I put “Springsteen” in the search field, so there you are.

Alana Springsteen is only 22, but she was just 14 when she got a publishing deal in Nashville, where the emphasis is on the second word in “music industry.” Her major-label debut album, “twenty something,” was released in three parts; the last six songs dropped last month. All are stylized without capital letters – does someone in every generation think this is cute? – and while all are co-written, Springsteen is listed as “lead writer” on each of them.

Nashville has been seeking the next Taylor Swift for several years now, and this young woman has as good a shot as anyone at becoming country’s next it girl. If the folks who book the Delaware State Fair are smart, they were on the phone with her agent yesterday.