In August 2021, Smith's next studio album was released on the Fat Possum label titled The Cry of the Heart. It was the third project produced by Stuart and her first album of new material in ten years. The New York Times described The Cry of the Heart to evoke the traditional styles that "recall Smith’s ’60s era recordings". It was Smith's first album since 1976 to reach a charting position on Billboard, peaking on the Current Album Sales chart following its release. PopMatters gave the album an 8/10 rating and concluded "If you wanted to understand what traditional country is, you could go to the same place today as you could have 50 years ago: a Connie Smith record."
