Jo Dee Messina looks back on 30 years in country music, from the unexpected story behind “Heads Carolina, Tails California” to her new album Bridges.

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For many country fans, Jo Dee Messina's voice is the soundtrack to the '90s and early 2000s. With hits like "Heads Carolina, Tails California," "Bye-Bye," and "Bring On The Rain," she quickly cemented herself as one of country music's most recognizable voices.

Now, 30 years after signing her record deal and releasing the debut album that launched her career, Jo Dee is looking back on the moments that changed her life, and looking ahead with her new album, Bridges. Bridges (available now) is Jo Dee's first new album in a decade, and one she describes as "having something for everyone."I caught up with the country star as she embarks on her Bridges tour to reflect on the surprising story behind "Heads Carolina, Tails California," what success means to her today, and her exciting new music.

Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

BuzzFeed: Looking back to 1996, what was going through your mind when you signed your deal and started recording your first album?

Jo Dee: I was excited. I had been trying to get a record deal for the first few years that I was here in Nashville. To finally land that deal and be able to work on a record — it was all new to me.

I had always performed live, even growing up, so being in the studio was very intimidating. Your voice is right there. It's like when you hear your voice, and you think, "I don't sound like that!" I had to get used to that, and there was a lot of adjustment there.

But it was an exciting time, and it was a very hopeful time as well.

BuzzFeed: One song that completely took off was "Heads Carolina, Tails California." When you heard that song for the first time, what was your reaction, and what memories do you have of making it?

Jo Dee: Oh, there are a lot of memories. My album was done, and the songwriter said, "Hey, Jo Dee, I just wrote this song. Can I drop it in your mailbox on the way home?" And I was like, "Well, we're done with this record."

He said, "I really, really want you to hear this song." So he dropped it in the mailbox. I listened to it. I loved the chorus, but I didn't really "get" the first couple of lines. The first couple of lines were:[Jo Dee sings]:

"We should've known it the day they shut that paper mill down. There'd be no future for us, no more in our little town. I've got people in Austin. Ain't your daddy still in Des Moines?"

I was thinking, "I can't really relate to that part of the song." My producer asked them to go back and rewrite those lines to what they became in the final version. I'm from Boston, Massachusetts, so they changed Austin to Boston.

The album was done, and it had to be turned in, so we needed to find a time to record it. All the studios were booked, so we had to record it on a holiday, which turned out to be the Fourth of July. It was the only time the studios and the musicians were available.

BuzzFeed: Do you remember hearing yourself on the radio for the first time?

Jo Dee: I remember I was on a radio tour, and they told me, "Hey, we're going to play this tomorrow morning." I was so excited. I called my mom, and I was like, "Listen, I'm on the radio!"

I still get excited. Literally, I was getting my hair done yesterday, and I'm like, "That's me on the radio!" It's so wild.

BuzzFeed: How did you define success when you started, and how has that changed looking back 30 years later?

Jo Dee: Well, success for me, I thought, was having a song on country radio. Then you had to keep having songs on country radio. It became a race. You had to keep going and keep doing.

I think now, when I look back, just being able to do what you love to do for a living — that would be success.

BuzzFeed: I have a few in mind, but is there a song in your catalog that you think is underrated and deserves more love?

Jo Dee: There are lots of them. What are yours?

Jo Dee: I was gonna say that! Oh my gosh, "Not Going Down." What was your other one?

BuzzFeed: "I Wear My Life," also from Delicious Surprise.

Jo Dee: [Sings the chorus] Yes! That's a good one.

BuzzFeed: Is there a song that you perform on tour that always gets a reaction from the audience and surprises you?

Jo Dee: "Downtime," from my album Burn. People sing it, and I'm like, "Wow!"

When that song came out, we'd just come off a couple of No. 1s, and that song topped out at No. 8. Everybody was predicting, "That's the end. She's done. That's the end of her."

That thought was etched in the back of my mind. To see people singing it and singing every word, I'm like, "Oh my goodness. You remember this one."

BuzzFeed: Your new album, Bridges, is your first in 10 years. When did the inspiration for it start to take shape?

Jo Dee: I've been a single mom, and so most of my time over the last 10 years or so has been just being there with my kids — participating in school things, driving them around. Now my kids are older. They're a bit more independent. They're both teenagers now.

I started co-writing with other songwriters, and I loved it. I had so much fun. The co-writers were saying, "You should record this. You need to record this."

We just started putting together more and more songs. One of my co-writers, David Spencer, was a producer, and I'm like, "Dude, I wouldn't even know how to put a record together anymore."

He said, "Well, I'll help you put the record together. Let's just get the songs." So we started writing for this project, and here it is.

BuzzFeed: Did you find yourself writing from a different place emotionally than you did on your earlier records?

Jo Dee: I think I have a different perspective now because I've lived through more. There's a bit of wisdom and perspective in these lyrics that you can't have at that age.

BuzzFeed: Is there a track on the album that you're most excited for fans to hear?

Jo Dee: There's something on there for everybody. I don't know if I could pick one. "Message in a Bottle" is a fun one. I love "If You Knew Jesus." That's just a really honest, stripped-down song. "Where the Cowboys Ride" is also fun. We just did a snippet of that live, and people have been posting it everywhere.We've gotten some really encouraging feedback from different outlets, and I was just on The Kelly Clarkson Show. I'm getting such a response from people on "Can Anybody." They're creating their own videos, and sometimes it's sad to watch. People are hurting. They feel alone.When people listen to the album, I want them to have fun. I want them to find hope in the lyrics and feel seen.

BuzzFeed: If you could talk to the Jo Dee who was about to record her debut album 30 years ago, what would you tell her? What do you think she'd say if she could see you now?

Jo Dee: I would say, "Don't sell out who you are just to be successful. Put family first."

And if she could see me now?(Laughs) "Wow. You're still going?"Thank you, Jo Dee! Bridges is out now, available on all streaming platforms and her official store. Keep up with Jo Dee on Instagram and TikTok (@jodeemessina).