Exclusive Premiere: Brett Kissel and Cooper Alan Reflect On Their Fun-Filled, Tropical Getaway In ‘Two of Us’ Music Video
The video finds the emerging artists punching out of the 9-to-5 grind with a “Friday night buzz.”
Cooper Alan, Brett Kissel; Photo Courtesy of Aristo Media
Brett Kissel and Cooper Alan have teamed up for a one of a kind music video for their collaborative single “Two of Us.” They have chosen to share the exciting visual with readers of Country Now first in this exclusive premiere.
Set In Tropical Paradise
This clip finds the two artists, vacation bound and sharing a common thread as hardworking men tired of the long work week. The video’s opening sequence shows Kissel and Alan closing out separate meetings with their bosses after promising to finish up their respective projects while in tropical paradise — the Bahamas (Pig Island).
From there, the singer/songwriter’s make small talk over drinks at an oceanfront bar.
“Hey man, tell me / What brings you in here?” Alan mouths out the beginning lyrics of the song over a breezy melody.
“I’m about to pop the top off on a five o’clock beer,” Brett Kissel replies in song. “Been workin’ like a dog in that Tennessee sun.”
“Hey man / That makes two of us,” Cooper Alan sings the catchy hook.
Working Hard or Hardly Working?
Bonding over similar grounds brings Kissel and Alan together as they get ready to punch out of the 9-to-5 grind with a “Friday night buzz.” By the time the chorus hits, the boys are having the time of their lives hanging out with pigs, sporting leisurely clothes while seaside, driving a golf cart, and cruising around on a boat on the water. Throughout the fun and hilarious storyline, fans catch the pair keeping their party-like behavior a secret from their boss, who assumes they’re on board to meet a tough deadline. Needless to say, the accompanying clip is one most people can highly relate to after coming off of a stressful and busy work week.
“I definitely want the fans to feel the party vibe of the video,” Alan tells Country Now of the meaning behind the clip. “That’s really what the whole song is about. Having a big time with your friends and unwinding after a long week.”
“The video is really fun. And I mean REALLY fun,” Kissel added. “We wanted to follow the lyrics, but do so in a way that would make this video a lot more fun than if we filmed it in a fake bar somewhere in Canada or the US. Cooper and I “meet” at a bar after just faking Zoom meetings with our terrible bosses. We play hooky and drink a lot of beer while we’re supposed to be on the job!”
Watch The Official Music Video For “Two Of Us”
As with the accompanying clip, “Two of Us,” written by Kissel and Alan alongside Matt McKinney and Seth Mosley, offers a laid-back feel reminiscent of Alan Jackson and the late Jimmy Buffett’s 2003 smash “Five O’Clock Somewhere.” The song came together in a unique way when TikTok star Alan took to social media inquiring about a possible duet with a Canadian artist. As luck would have it, Kissel jumped on board, turning the song into a vacation-ready anthem worthy of any playlist.
Along with debuting their music video for “Two of Us,” Kissel and Alan spoke with Country Now to talk more about the song, the video and what they have planned next. Check out the Q&A with Cooper Alan and Brett Kissel below.
Can you walk me through the day of the video shoot?
Brett Kissel: All of my videos are relaxed now. At the beginning of my career, they used to be high-stress and fast-paced. But hey, we were in the Bahamas. We filmed Cooper and I having a party all day, and we call it now a music video.
Cooper Alan: What a day. We shot in the Bahamas and spent the day in various spots around Exuma. Hung with pigs, rode on the boat, went to a private island, and played golf, not your typical music video shoot day. Brett is the man, and we always have a blast together.
How did the collaboration between the two of you come about, and what was that conversation like?
BK: Last summer, Cooper got on TikTok after selling out 5 or 6 shows in a row in Canada. He said something about wanting to collaborate with a Canadian, so he asked his fans to tag their favorite Canadian in the comments below. Well, my phone blew up. I TikTok’d him back and offered to be his Canadian tour guide. After about 20 TikTok’s back and forth, we met in Nashville, wrote a few songs, and formed a great friendship.
CA: It started on TikTok. I put up a video saying I wanted to collaborate with a Canadian country artist, and then I asked people to comment on their favorite. I woke up to about 1000 comments the next morning all saying, “You’ve gotta collab with Brett.” I’ve always been a huge Brett fan, so it was a no-brainer. We traded TikTok DMs/videos for a while and ultimately found a day to write while he was in Nashville. We wrote “Two of Us” with Seth Mosley and Matt McKinney and knew it was too good not to put out. The rest is history.
Can you share the story behind how the song came together?
BK: Well, we met “online,” and to us, that is kinda hilarious. We didn’t have to swipe right or left, but we instantly hit it off. When we finally met face to face in Nashville, I knew immediately, Cooper and I were gonna be buddies. And thanks to the magic of Matt McKinney and Seth Mosley (our co-writers), Cooper and I were able to pen “Two of Us.” Nowadays, songs take hours and hours or days and days to write and perfect. Our song? I think, we wrote it in one hour and then drank beer for three hours.
CA: Matt McKinney, an incredible writer, came in with the title, and it instantly clicked as a potential great duet concept. We wanted to give it a “Five O’Clock Somewhere” type feel. We also wanted to be unique in how the duet was delivered by trading lines throughout the song, more like a conversation, as opposed to the traditional “you take a verse and I take a verse” duet. The song turned into a big ol’ party right away.
What was the biggest highlight of shooting the video?
BK: I think hanging out with the pigs was the most fun. That and the weather. For a week leading up to the video shoot, we kept an eye on the weather, and it was supposed to storm in the Bahamas all week. When we landed, it was storming. And the forecast for the film day was supposed to be a downpour, but I have a mantra: “The sun always shines on me.” And when we woke up in the morning, it was clear skies. Funny, as soon as our director yelled “That’s a wrap,” the clouds poured rain on us. So yeah, the weather was a highlight, and hanging with the pigs on Pig Island was really cool.
CA: Being in the Bahamas was pretty epic the whole time, so it’s tough to choose one highlight, but I’d probably say just getting to feed off Brett’s performance energy. The dude is an incredible entertainer and an even better human. Being around people like that creates an awesome energy that is truly contagious. The beer wasn’t bad, either.
Tell me about working on set with the pigs on pig island.
BK: The pigs are amazing. I grew up on a farm, so farm animals make me happy. I played with one of the little ones on the island, and this big, fat, boss-pig befriended me. He cooled off in the water, and I decided to lay beside him and cuddle up to him, which made Cooper and the whole crew laugh. I don’t think anyone will be able to watch this video and not feel like they’re a part of the most fun beach day ever.
CA: Wasn’t expecting them to be that big. Those are some bold animals. They’ll walk right up to you and step all over you if they know you have food. I was okay with the pigs, but of course, Brett was over there holding them, standing right next to them, talking to them. The guy’s never met a person or animal that didn’t love him. We said that by the end, he could probably tell you a deep story about each pig’s family after hanging with them.
What’s the significance behind the hero shot line at the end of the video?
BK: I own a new company called HERO SHOT, which is meant to help your liver and save the next day — after a night out of drinking. We will be launching the product worldwide in 2024 and 2025, and I wanted to start drumming up a little anticipation from my fans and have anyone who watches it ask the same question you did: “What’s Hero Shot?”
CA: Y’all gotta try these shots. Brett developed the best hangover shot I’ve ever had. Those shots never work, but this one actually does. They were definitely put to good use in the Bahamas. Felt like Superman the next morning.
What’s next for each of you?
BK: Cooper and I are both on tour — I’ll be touring across Canada, and he’ll be touring across the USA. But we are working on some amazing dates together, on both sides of the border. First, we have a co-headline banger in Calgary at the Calgary Stampede. I’m jacked up for that one. Kip Moore is joining us too, and we’ll kick off the Calgary Stampede with Cooper, Kissel, and Kip.
CA: Lots of new music and touring for the rest of the year. Looking forward to connecting with more and more people across America and Canada at these shows. Got a ton of fun dates planned and definitely going to hit some shows with Brett so we can rock this song together on stage. Stay tuned.
Written by
Melinda Lorge
Melinda Lorge is a Nashville-based freelance writer who specializes in covering country music. Along with Country Now, her work has appeared in publications, including Rare Country, Rolling Stone Country, Nashville Lifestyles Magazine, Wide Open Country and more. After joining Rare Country in early 2016, Lorge was presented with the opportunity to lead coverage on late-night television programs, including “The Voice” and “American Idol,” which helped her to sharpen her writing skills even more. Lorge earned her degree at Middle Tennessee State University, following the completion of five internships within the country music industry. She has an undeniable love for music and entertainment. When she isn’t living and breathing country music, she can be found enjoying time outdoors with family and friends.