Taylor Acorn’s latest album release, “Poster Child,” is a must-listen for fans of pop-punk powerhouses Avril Lavigne, Hayley Williams of Paramore and Olivia Rodrigo.  

With blazing vocals, electric rhythm and her signature streaks of red hair, Acorn revives what fans of the late 90s and early 2000s music never forgot: punk music. Despite her punk edge, Acorn’s roots trace back to country music.  

Her musical trajectory has been one of trial and error, as she attempted to break into the country scene a decade ago. Returning to Nashville clearly marked an emotional full-circle moment, as many of her earliest musical experiences took place here in Music City. Acorn commented on her career before singing “Birds Still Sing.” 

“My career has been a whirlwind, I thought I was going to quit music,” Acorn said. 

Fortunately, Acorn found her voice through a different and refreshing medium: punk. Her 2020 quarantine single “Shapeshifting” revitalized her career at a time when many of us were searching for an emotional outlet. Acorn created that outlet then and continues to do so for music fans who crave emotional release. 

Her breakout single “Shapeshifting” was among the highlights of Thursday night’s set, along with “Coma,” which features Cassadee Pope, winner of The Voice Season 3 and former lead vocalist of the pop-punk band Hey Monday.  

With “Vertigo,” Acorn captures the dizzying confusion of love — the push and pull between sweetness and instability that comes with giving someone else power over your heart. 

“My heart’s dead set, but my head’s so dizzy / You’re giving me the spins / I think I might be sick / Love is such a b—h,” Acorn sang. 

Of the songs she performed, her delivery of “Poster Child’s” second single, “Hangman,” stood out the most. The track, like many of her others, demands vocal agility, especially when performing live. However, for Acorn, that was no obstacle  

Matching and surpassing her recorded vocals, Acorn showcased a level of control and power that affirmed her lasting presence in the punk scene. The successful release of her third punk album further proves that fans also have no desire to see her go anywhere else.  

By the end of the night, I was punked-out — screaming, headbanging and, yes, doing the “Disney knees.”