"I really kind of put myself in a bubble with this record and didn't want to really look over my shoulder and [tried to] protect myself from all the pressures."

"Harmonium" is the follow-up to her debut effort, "Be Not Nobody," which spawned the hit "A Thousand Miles." The new set was recorded over the course of a year, allowing plenty of revisions.

Carlton spoke to liveDaily about the new album (due out Nov. 9), working with Jenkins and allowing her creativity to flow.

Tell me about the recording process for "Harmonium." Was it any different than "Be Not Nobody"?

It was fantastic. It was produced by Stephan Jenkins. We worked for a year on it. It was a very collaborative effort. We ended up co-writing three songs together, which I had never done before. I've grown so much since the first album. I really figured out this time around just how to approach the arrangements of the song, not just writing the piano/vocals. It's really keeping in mind how the rest of the puzzle works. This is probably the most personal to date. I know so much more about what kind of guitar sounds I want, and all those things.

You sound very happy with "Harmonium."

This album is something that I would listen to all the time. I don't know if it is as true of the first record. This is something that's really easy for me to hear all the time. The arrangements--they're just so in line with my aesthetic. Stephan did just a fantastic thing producing.

How would you compare "Harmonium" and "Be Not Nobody"?

I've grown a lot from the first record. I've just become better at communicating and as a writer. You just kind of grow beyond your diary confessional stage.

What can people expect from your upcoming tour?

It is actually just me and the piano. It's like a living room. I'm carrying the whole show. I'm controlling the whole show.