Jon Pardi’s ‘She Drives Away’ Captures The Bittersweet Journey Of Fatherhood

Now that he’s a proud dad to two little girls, Jon Pardi is taking a break from his rowdy party anthems and tapping into his softer side with the heartwarming new song, “She Drives Away.” The fresh release is set to appear on his upcoming fifth studio album HONKYTONK HOLLYWOOD, dropping April 11.

Written by Zach Abend, Jimi Bell, Seth Ennis and Jordan Minton and produced by Jay Joyce, “She Drives Away” powerfully portrays the emotional turmoil a father faces as he watches his daughter grow up. Pardi opens by sharing the moment he watches his little girl go off on her first date. Although she might see him as overprotective when he sits the boy down for a talk about treating his daughter right, he reveals his true feelings in the chorus.

“She drives away/And he’s scared to death/ You hold the wheel/ He holds his breath/ You ain’t thinking ’bout him/ Thinking how it feels like yesterday/ He drove her home/ Now she drives away,” he sings.

The song goes on the further emphasize how fast life truly goes, especially through the eyes of parents. One day they’re holding their newborn in their arms, feeling like they have all the time in the world, and in the blink of the eye, 16 years have passed and suddenly, their kids are ready to take on the world all by themselves.

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Jon Pardi admits he instantly felt a close connection to the story while reflecting on his own journey with his wife Summer and their two girls – Presley Fawn and Sienna Grace.

“‘She Drives Away’ is a song that I knew I was going to record immediately,” said Pardi. “I think most dads of daughters will relate to it, but it reminded me so much of Summer and my journey. From when we started dating, to asking her dad for her hand in marriage, and then having our daughters. Now, I’ll go through it from the other side with my daughters. It’s a special song, and I’m really excited for people to hear it.”

Adding to the sentimental nature of the song, Pardi also released a black and white music video that features a few adorable family moments in between the performance clips. While Jon Pardi has a true knack for creating late-night anthems, this song is a great example of the tenderness that also lies within his artistry.

This tear-jerking song is one of the 17-tracks that found their way onto the multi-platinum country star’s next project. The country singer spent three weeks in the studio, carefully bringing each track to life alongside his touring band and renowned producer Jay Joyce. “She Drives Away” joines previously released tunes “Love The Lights Out” and project’s the lead single “Friday Night Heartbreaker.” 

Jon Pardi will kick off his HONKYTONK HOLLYWOOD TOUR on April 25, making stops in arenas and amphitheaters across the US with support from Kassi Ashton as well as Corey Kent on select dates.