Kellie Pickler's new album "100 Proof" a true reflection of herself

(CBS) Kellie Pickler says her new album, "100 Proof," is a truer reflection of herself than previous albums. It was released today.

Country music fans have already gotten a taste of Pickler's third album from her hit singles "Tough" and the title track, "100 Proof."

"Every song lyrically pulls from parts of my life and the production [of the album] is Kellie Pickler all the way," Pickler said.

That is especially seen in her single "Tough," which is about her relationship with her father, who was in and out of jail during her childhood. The song, which is written as a letter to him, was initially meant for her eyes only.

"We were actually writing an up-tempo song that day and my mindset was just not in it. I could not get into the song we were working on and I just told them 'guys this is just not working,'" Pickler explained. "I told them what was going on in my head and we ended up writing the letter. There was no intention for anyone to ever hear it."

Pickler also had no intention of including the candid song "Mother's Day," about celebrating the holiday in absence of her real mother, on the album. Pickler was abandoned by her birth mother at 2 years old and was raised by her grandparents.

Ultimately, it was her close friends who encouraged her to share the songs with her record label and it "just kind of happened."

"I needed to write those songs at that particular time in my life for closure," she said.

The album's title track is more upbeat. "It's kind of a twist of whiskey and love in a way," Pickler explained of "100 Proof."

The song depicts two types of relationships - a healthy one and an unhealthy one.

"I've been both girls in that song and I'm happy to say I'm the girl in the happy healthy relationship now, and what my husband and I have is '100 Proof,'" Pickler said.

The singer secretly married her husband, songwriter Kyle Jacobs, on  Jan. 1, 2011. Jacobs helped his wife write the emotional song "Mother's Day."

"We are still married. We are still together," Pickler said. "He is so good to me; I think I'll keep him."

While Pickler said she's been too busy with the new album to catch this season's "American Idol," she said she would definitely like to come back and perform.

"Now that the new album's coming out, maybe I'll get a chance to go back and perform. I would love to be able to do that. It would be so fun," she said.

Though her main focus is "100 Proof," she is heading out to Los Angeles this week to discuss some new projects that are in very early stages.

"It's too early to talk about," said the singer. When pressed if it was a movie or TV show she responded, "possibly." We will all just have to wait and see.