Penning songs is often compared to writing in one’s diary. For Tristan Prettyman’s upcoming release Cedar + Gold this is exactly what occurred. The hard part was playing the tracks for ex-financé Jason Mraz.

“He’s heard a couple songs. His response to, I think it was, ‘Marry You’ was, ‘Wow. You really just put it all out there,’” Prettyman confessed.

The powerful ballad, titled “I Was Gonna Marry You,” tells the tale of Mraz and Prettyman’s broken engagement.

“Just so you know I never thought you’d let me go/I don’t even know the truth/Yeah we were fine then all at once you changed your mind/And I was gonna marry you,” she sings.

While Mraz initially showed surprise at her honesty, Prettyman is certain he appreciates it.

“I know he’d be proud of me for doing that as well,” she said. “It was important for me to be that specific and that bold. To be an inspiration for other people to really step up and out into expressing themselves and not being scared or ashamed or worried about what people would think.”

The majority of Cedar + Gold is made up of sad songs and Prettyman admits that it’s easier than writing about falling in love.

“I definitely think it’s easier to write about heartbreak. And I’m so curious why that is because there’s so many songs about heartbreak and this yearning and all these breakup situations. But it definitely is,” she said.

“I got out of a really long relationship and immediately had inspiration for days. It was pouring out of me. I had to have journals everywhere, all over my house. It was madness,” she said. “I think that there’s just something in that that triggers your heart and you want to express yourself in a way that’s not complaining to all your friends all the time about stuff.”

Tristan Prettyman’s Cedar + Gold will be released October 2. Pre-order the album on Amazon.

-Annie Reuter, CBS Local