ERNEST Opens Up About Taking His Music Full Circle With Forthcoming Album, ‘Deep Blue’

ERNEST released his debut album Locals Only in October 2019, and the journey hasn’t stopped since. Since then, he’s gone on to write hits for other artists, launch his own record label, and now he’s ready to focus on himself again with his next project, Deep Blue.

During a conversation with comedian John Crist on the Net Positive podcast, ERNEST declared that Deep Blue is set to be his “shortest” yet “most cohesive” album to date. He advises listeners to revisit Locals Only in preparation for the upcoming project, as both collections were heavily inspired by St. Thomas, a place that has holds a special place in his heart.

“In 2012 or 13, 2013, I came down to St. Thomas and I ended up staying for nine months. It has been a crucial part of my development. I came back from St. Thomas and signed my first publishing deal with Sony/ATV and the Warren Brothers,” he shared in a social media clip. “This next album feels like it’s down here.”

After more than a decade of writing songs, many of which were later cut by other artists, ERNEST says Deep Blue marks a full-circle moment in his career. While he explains that all these forthcoming tracks live in a “pretty blue world where it’s always sunny,” not every story is going to be about the beach. Instead, it will be a compilation of “happy songs, sad songs, let’s get together songs and have a good time songs.”

“I’m excited. I mean, this album is different for me,” he adds. “Take it back to Flower Shops and then to Nashville, Tennessee, I definitely have stuck to the traditional country music sound, which I love and believe in for my own artistry…But this one is more of a concept album than the others.”

ERNEST also revealed he recorded more songs that didn’t end up getting cut for the record because he wanted it to be more digestible for fans.

“I think, in a world where there are so many songs on albums, because we write so many songs, I could have easily had a 30-song album, but it’s like these 13, these are my horses. Let’s roll.”

The first taste of what’s to come from his new musical chapter will be “Lorelei,” a song he shares is set to drop at the end of January.

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The country act will continue to build anticipation for Deep Blue when he hits the road for his Live from the South Tour, kicking off January 1 in Denver, CO and running through April 18, when he will bring things to a close in Minneapolis, MN

Throughout the trek, ERNEST will be joined by Chandler Walters, Cody Lohden and Rhys Rutherford, each serving as support on select dates.