Rae Isla’s “Years Beers Her Tears” Is as Honest as It Gets
- Sophie Ray
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 16 hours ago
It’s 10 a.m. in my apartment, there’s three empty coffee mugs on the table, and I’m listening to Rae Isla’s new song “Years Beers Her Tears” for the fourth time in a row. I’m not okay, and that’s exactly the point.
It feels like the kind of song you don’t just hear—you feel it in your bones, in the places where your family’s stories live, in your grandma’s kitchen, in that one memory you don’t talk about much. Rae Isla doesn’t just sing, she testifies. And this one hits different.
Originally written for a male country singer (imagine someone like Zach Bryan singing this—yeah, it would slap), Rae played it live in LA, and the crowd knew. She knew. It was hers. She didn’t change a word, and thank god she didn’t, because there’s something so powerful about a woman reclaiming that kind of emotional narrative and just owning it. When she sings “It takes a strong strong woman to make a good man,” you believe her. You feel the weight of the generations behind it.
It’s produced by Americana genius Lawrence Rothman—who’s worked with Jason Isbell and Margo Price, so you already know it’s rich with grit and honesty—and mastered by Pete Lyman (aka the dude behind Chris Stapleton and Brandi Carlile’s most soul-crushing tracks). But this isn’t just a sonic powerhouse. It’s a personal reckoning.
The song explores Rae’s struggle with alcohol, her relationship with her dad, and the strength of the women who raised her. She doesn’t glamorize anything—she just tells the truth. Raw and lyrical and clear-eyed. There’s a line about calling her dad after selling out her first show and he’s already drunk in the kitchen. It’s heartbreaking. It’s real. And by the time she hits the chorus, you’re not just rooting for her—you’re rooting for yourself.
But Rae doesn’t stop at music. She teamed up with a Washington-based non-alcoholic beer brand called Self Care to drop a custom “Years Beers Her Tears” brew this May. Yes, you read that right. A non-alcoholic beer. For a song about reclaiming your life. Honestly? That’s the kind of art-brand crossover I want to see more of. She’s not here to push perfection—she’s creating space for better choices, judgment-free.
Being part of the music scene doesn’t have to mean being drunk every night
Rae says it best: “I’m super passionate about creating a healthier relationship with alcohol in my life and inspiring my community to examine how it plays a role in theirs.”
And you can feel that—whether you’re two months sober, sober-curious, or just trying not to stay sober for the every weekend.
She’s playing shows at Hotel Café in LA on May 24, and if you’ve ever seen Rae live, you know she creates this kind of cozy, electric space where the audience becomes part of the story. She’s got tour dates all summer—from Colorado to the Pacific Northwest—and honestly, if you’ve never cried on an island to live acoustic Americana, you’re missing out.
Rae Isla is the kind of artist who makes music that stays with you. Not just because it’s good (it is), but because it matters. “Years Beers Her Tears” isn’t just a song—it’s a moment. It’s a choice. It’s an anthem for everyone trying to be better than the people who broke them.
Check out this latest release and listen to more of Rae Isla on Spotify & YouTube.