A Dark Gospel Masterpiece

There's something haunting about a voice that emerges from darkness, carrying stories too raw for Sunday morning radio. Ruby Cross has that kind of voice—the kind that stops you mid-conversation and makes you lean closer to the speakers. At 25, she is stepping out of her father's considerable shadow with her debut single "Baptism in Mud." Honestly, it's time for us to hear what she has to say.

If you know anything about dark country, you've probably heard of Waylon Cross. The man's got that weathered, whiskey-soaked voice that tells stories of back roads and broken promises. But Ruby? She's carved out something entirely different. Ground Wave Audio just dropped her debut single, and it's not quite country, not quite gospel—it's something rawer, something that gets under your skin and stays there.

When Water Isn't Clean: The Story Behind "Baptism in Mud"

"Baptism in Mud" isn't your typical Sunday service anthem. This is a confession wrapped in a hymn, and it asks the question most believers are too scared to voice out loud: What if the water isn't clean? What if salvation doesn't feel like what they promised it would?

The song opens with Ruby describing a preacher dunking her in a muddy river, promising her sins would be washed away. But here's the thing—she doesn't feel saved. She doesn't feel different. She emerges from the water just as disoriented as when she entered, perhaps even more so. There's this line that'll stick with you: "He said my sins were washed away—I think they just swam down."

That's the genius of Ruby Cross right there. She's not afraid to voice the doubts that keep people awake at 3 AM, staring at ceiling fans and wondering if anyone's really listening to their prayers. It's dark gospel for the doubting, for the ones standing at the water's edge wondering if they should bother stepping in at all.

The inspiration for the song came from Ruby's own experience at seventeen, when her father's drinking had reached a breaking point and her grandmother insisted on a family baptism. "We drove two hours to this little church in the middle of nowhere, Alabama," Ruby recalls. "The preacher was sweating through his white shirt, and the river behind the church looked more like chocolate milk than holy water. But Grandma said it was blessed, so we went through with it." "" The ceremony felt performative rather than transformative, leaving Ruby with more questions than answers about faith, family, and what it means to be truly clean.

The Sound That Sets Her Apart

Musically, "Baptism in Mud" is stripped down in all the right ways. We're talking fingerpicked acoustic guitar, soft pump organ, and the distant heartbeat of a bass drum. The intimate production places Ruby's voice at the forefront, where it rightfully belongs. You can hear every breath, every crack in her voice when she hits those emotional peaks.

This isn't overproduced Nashville polish—it's an honest sound for honest stories. Ground Wave Audio knew exactly what they were doing when they kept things minimal. Sometimes the most powerful songs are the ones that don't try to impress you with bells and whistles. They just tell you the truth and let that be enough.

The recording process itself was deliberately sparse. Ruby and producer Marcus Chen set up in an old church sanctuary in East Nashville, using the natural reverb of the space instead of digital effects. "We wanted it to sound like you're sitting in the pew next to her," Chen explains. "Every imperfection, every moment of vulnerability—that's what makes it real." The pump organ they used was the same one Ruby learned to play as a child, adding another layer of authenticity to the already personal track.

Ruby Cross: More Than Just Waylon's Daughter

Let's talk about Ruby herself for a minute. Ruby has raven-black hair and striking green eyes that seem to penetrate your soul. There's something about her face—weathered but beautiful, like she's seen things most 25-year-olds haven't had to see yet. Growing up as Waylon Cross's daughter meant being raised on "hymn books and hangovers," as she puts it. Her father taught her how to pour a drink before he taught her how to pray.

But Ruby found her path. She kneels beside her bed most nights, talking to a ceiling fan because "it's the closest thing to heaven." That image right there tells you everything you need to know about her approach to faith—it's personal, it's complicated, and it's real.

She believes in redemption, even if it doesn't believe in her yet. As she says, "I sing hallelujah quietly because I'm not sure who's still up there. But a baptism in mud is better than no prayer at all, I swear. "That's the kind of honesty that cuts through all the noise and gets to the heart of what faith actually looks like for most people.

What Makes This Release Special

Ground Wave Audio has something special in their hands with Ruby Cross. When they first heard her sing, they knew she was different. There's a pain in her voice that can't be faked, a beauty that doesn't need polish. She embodies the future of dark gospel, and it's long overdue.

The production credits are straightforward—Ruby wrote the song herself; Ground Wave Audio handled the producing, mixing, and mastering. Sometimes the best music happens when you keep things simple and let the artist's vision shine through. That's precisely what happened here.

What's Coming Next

This isn't just a one-off single. Ruby's currently working on her debut EP with Ground Wave Audio, and the track listing alone tells a story. We're looking at "Baptism in Mud," "Daddy's Dust," "Empty Pews & Ceiling Fans," and "The River Didn't Take Me." Each title hints at the kind of raw storytelling we can expect from Ruby—family legacy, spiritual questioning, and survival.

There's also a music video in production for "Baptism in Mud" that sounds like it'll be something to see. Imagine muddy riverbanks, golden hour light, and Ruby's green eyes piercing through the camera. If the song is any indication, this video is gonna be haunting in all the right ways.

Why This Matters Now

In a music landscape full of manufactured emotion and focus-grouped authenticity, Ruby Cross feels like a breath of fresh air—even if that air carries the scent of muddy water and unanswered prayers. She's not trying to be the next big thing; she's just trying to tell her truth. And in a world where so many people are struggling with questions of faith, purpose, and belonging, that truth resonates.

"Baptism in Mud" isn't for everyone, and Ruby probably wouldn't want it to be. It's for the doubters, the questioners, the ones who've stood in dirty water hoping to be clean. It's for anyone who's ever wondered if their prayers are hitting the ceiling fan instead of heaven.

You can find "Baptism in Mud" exclusively through Ground Wave Audio right now. If you're looking for licensing opportunities or sync placements, they're the ones to contact. Did you ever feel like your baptism didn't take, like you walked out of the water just as lost as when you went in? This one's definitely for you.

Bakugou is not afraid of the test of courage nor is he faint of heart but how he hates the feeling of being surprised and the anxiety of waiting for the next jump scare. The deeper he and Todoroki walk through the forest the more frequent the Class 1B scare attacks came. Bakugou finds himself trailing behind Todoroki in confusion of it all and once they reach a clearing in the forest he speeds up to keep pace with Todoroki. He takes this moment of peace to catch his breathe and still the rush beating of his heart. He feels like he has run a mile.

The soulmate pair reach a part of the path where nobody is hiding behind the bushes to jump out and scare them and Bakugou appreciates the small relief. He glances to Todoroki to check up on him and its hard for Bakugou to decipher what sort of face Todoroki is making. He seems rather distance, closed off from all of this as if he wasn’t here at all. Bakugou immediately falls to worry for him.

“Hey!” He grabs Todoroki by his wrist and stops him. “What’s wrong with you?”

Bakugou asks as he turns to face his classmate. He realizes they shouldn’t remain out in the open during the test courage when Bakugou is trying to have a serious conversation with Todoroki. He doesn’t want any interruptions like last time so he takes Todoroki off the path and into the underbrush of the forest.

“You been out of it for a while now. Even before this class trip.” Bakugou finally releases his hold on Todoroki’s hand and he looks at him with a concern stare.

“Since the sports festival. I don’t know why you’re acting all sour about it. I’m the one who was hurt by the results of that bullshit match. I didn’t win shit. You didn’t even use your—the hell is that?!” Bakugou’s attention is drawn to the thick mist that is crawling along the forest floor and immediately his heart sinks. They haven’t a choice but this conversation will have to happen another time it seems.

Bakugou hasn’t much of a choice to fight either, relying on Todoroki for his long distance ice attacks, and that angers Bakugou beyond compare. Todoroki has someone on his back and the affect of using the ice is starting to crawl up Todoroki’s arm and face with frost. Bakugou feels the pain of it and the years of sharing it has made him accustom it.

“Todoroki! Watch out!” Bakugou yells out in warning when another of Moonfish’s attack comes their way. The villain keeps Bakugou from coming closer and Bakugou can’t use his heavy large scale explosions in fear of starting a fire and they’ll become boxed in with the villain in front of them.

“Goddamn it! We gotta fucking do something!” ” Bakugou warms his hands with minor explosions before placing one on Todoroki’s right’s forearm and the other on his right check, melting the frost effectively. He didn’t think how it must look or feel, but rather as a way to help Todoroki with the pain of nearly freezing.

     As he waits for the point as to why Bakugou is pulling him aside, Shouto only finds himself growing more and more confused than he already was. He’s always taking care not to overstep and remind himself of the fact that they don’t belong together. There isn’t anything unusual about his own behavior that he can recall. They weren’t friends before the Sports Festival and while Shouto actively went out of his way to avoid Bakugou, he can’t think of a time when it would have affected his classmate. If anything, he’s been thinking that would agree with his choices and be glad. 

     He shouldn’t be thinking of this right now. His mind should be entirely, wholly focused on getting them out of this situation. His mind should be wracking with how he intends to trap this villain or keep him at bay until help can come. If he doesn’t stop thinking about it they could both lose their lives. It’s at least easy to forget when someone is actively attempting to murder them. Shouto doesn’t have to think about trying to forget, it just fades to the back of his mind as he reacts to every blow. 

     The only warning he gets for the latest blow is Bakugou’s warning. The air grows ever-colder around them because of his own quirk. Their breaths fog into the air. He’s eerily aware of the ice creeping across his skin. Eventually it may inhibit his ability to keep the villain at bay but he’s trained with worse for longer. 

     The ice crackles and falls away. He rips his eyes from his opponent for a second to find Bakugou’s hands lingering. He’s got no time to ask or comment as Moonfish takes the opportunity to swing which Shouto counters wither another wall of ice. 

     "Bakugou! Todoroki! One of you please make some light!” 

     His head swivels to spot Shouji running towards them with Midoriya on his back. This night continues to throw him for loops, one after another after another. This has to be the weirdest, however, because Tokoyami is trailing right behind the two boys and appears to be destroying nearly everything in his path and obliterates the villain who’d been pestering them. Shouto is glad to have the villain gone despite the fact that it was so easily done. 

     The reason that they were running from Tokoyami was that he had been possessed by Dark Shadow. Then, they had gone into a destructive rage and destroyed anything in their path. The two of them were leading said destructive quirk to Shouto and Bakugou as they were the only two capable of ending said spree. This is what Shouto deduces from what he is told and from the logic of the situation. It all makes sense until they’re told that the villains are after Bakugou. 

     There’s some twisting in his chest like his heart is suddenly in his throat. He shouldn’t be letting his emotions control him so easily and be led down a road mutually disagreed upon, despite what fate may think.

It hurts. It hurts to hear Todoroki repeat the words what the millions in this city are saying about Bakugou. More than anything in this world all he ever wants to be is a hero and if the world turns against his dream than is it really worth achieving? Is it really worth saving a classmate who is so determine to tear himself apart for his vengeance?

Bakugou scoffs at Todoroki’s vile words, but his smile never falters. All Might. He thinks of his hero. He thinks of himself as his hero and not as the monster father Todoroki is trying so hard to paint him as. Bakugou looks between the villains around him and scoffs at all of them. Someone else will have to save Todoroki because Bakugou is that symbol. No, he is a symbol of victory. His very name means triumph and not even Todoroki can stamp out his dreams.

“No I don’t have to listen to you asshole!” Bakugou looks away from Todoroki and to the leader of this gang of misfits.

“I’m not joining your shitty ass group! I’m going to be a hero because that’s who I want to become! I don’t care what you, fucking zombie boy back there, or—” Bakugou looks to Todoroki and scoffs again.

“—you have to say about me. I do wonder what your mother will say about you Todoroki. She protected you all those years. She was beaten day and night because of you and for what? Nothing. You choose to become nothing. She’s not locked up because of your father but because of you!” Bakugou spits his words before looking back to the leader again.

“Hurry up with whatever you want with me! I fucking tired of you all misfits and crybabies. You’re all gonna lose one day, but some of you are already lost. That’s not me! I’m—”

KNOCKKOCK!

Everyone goes quiet.

“Pizza delivery!”

He already knows what she'd say. He can still recall the way her haunted eyes bore holes into him and the utter terror on her face when she set eyes on him. Tears that boiled had already been cried over this - over the monstrocity that he is. While this life isn't what she would want for him, if she still cared about him at all, he knows his doom was set in stone the instant of his birth. Even his hair made this undeniable fact sickeningly apparent. When he opens his mouth to say as much while ignoring the sudden knock at the door, the wall bursts in and bricks fly. One by one the league of villains are captured by the heroes who rush in. If Tomura were more reasonable and less childishly stubborn, Shouto would tell him, "I told you so" just to watch the realization crash down upon him. On U.A. student would have been an incident whereas two was a declaration the league wasn't quite ready to make.

The bad part of this turn in events was the fact that Shouto was quickly sinking in this shipwreck alongside them. With every villain downed, his revenge flutters like smoke, impossible to catch no matter how he tries. Bakugou is the only one outside U.A. who knows his affiliation with the league. Thus, the instant he tells the swarming heroes, Shouto's ambitions are ashes. He could risk using his left side to bathe the room in an inferno just how Endeavor had taught him. If anyone asked, Dabi could be the source of the fire - too hot for even himself to handle by the burns scars. It would be a perfect plan except for the one person standing in Shouto's way.

All Might towers at the center of the downed wall. If it were any other hero, he wouldn't stop. While he may hesitate, he would come to the same conclusion. If Endeavor stood in the number one hero's place, it would have been icing on top of the cake. But it isn't just any hero with questionable morals and a sketchy background, it's the symbol of peace. The one hero that Shouto ever depended on was All Might, who illuminated his rather gloomy childhood with that broad grin that told people, Don't worry, It's okay now. If only it were someone else.

The beats draw out, Shouto's eyes shoot to his brother and then to Bakugou. He knows where this is going. He takes one step and his mouth opens but the words die in his throat. All Might is going to find out either way - about Touya and himself, about the league - so why can't he find it in himself to tell the truth? If he isn't the one to say it, Bakugou will and as much as that might be the easier route, Shouto owes it to his childhood idol to be forthcoming even in the most trying of times.

Poetry Starters | Accepting

      “You did…?” Shouto trailed as he wracked his mind for any clue as to what Bakugou was talking about. If he met anyone like Bakugou, Shouto is sure he’d have remembered it. His soulmate was an unforgettable being and dominated the attention of anyone nearby. Even as a child, there isn’t a way Shouto wouldn’t have been swept up in his attitude. That begs the question, then; Where did Bakugou know of him from?

     His father had never mentioned him to the outside world prior to the Sports Festival. No one should’ve known about his existence prior to the time they met at school. Everything considered, there’s absolutely no way for the statement to make sense. The absolute only way for anything else to be true is if Shouto had forgotten or mistook something before.