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Nate Smith Fulfills Lifelong Dream With Release Of Debut Album: ‘It’s A Huge Moment’
“I felt like there was more to tell…”
Nate Smith; Photo by Matthew Berinato
Nate Smith has unveiled his self-titled debut album along with an additional six songs to complete the collection.
With a total of 26 tracks out now, the rising country star has added to his repertoire of songs that conquer the effects of love, heartbreak, and the never-ending rollercoaster of life.
Throughout the entire collection, Smith found a way to turn some of life’s toughest moments into a beautiful expression of hope and wisdom for the future. The album features a slew of previously released fan-favorites such as “Under My Skin,” “Wreckage,” “I Found You,” “Raised Up,” “Oil Spot,” “Better Boy,” and Smith’s platinum-certified No. 1 hit, “Whiskey On You.”
With the deluxe collection, Smith shows off a new side to his musicality as he takes a more hard-hitting approach with his rocker side through songs like “World On Fire,” “I Don’t Miss You,” “Good By Now,” “What An Angel Ain’t,” “Dear Heart,” and “Love Is Blind.”
Collectively, the project solidifies Smith’s talent for stretching the bounds of creativity and his ability to connect with fans on a deeper level.
This round of releases has already been building a strong reputation during live shows, and this summer, Nate Smith will bring his set on the road in support of Thomas Rhett’s Home Team Tour. This trek is slated to kick off May 4 in Des Moines, IA at Wells Fargo Arena and continue with stops in 40 cities and 27 states.
Keep reading to learn more about Smith’s new album, the additional deluxe version, and his upcoming shows.
So not only do you have a new album coming out, but it’s your first album. What’s going through your head ahead of the official release?
I could not be more excited. I’ve wanted to do an album my whole life, like it’s a huge moment. I’ve been living with these songs, and I’m like ready to get them out so finally, everybody can hear ’em. And I can’t wait to see all the reposts and all the cool stuff, you know, people saying that this one sucks, we like this one, I want all the info. So, yeah, I’m literally so thrilled.
What does this project represent for you?
It was really hard to pick what songs we put on there, obviously, cause I’ve been writing a ton and stuff like that. But I just tried to pick songs that really meant something to me personally. So something that I’ve personally been through that I wrote about, or like somebody wrote a song and I connected to it in a way that was really special or I felt like, not only do I connect with it, but I think other people might as well. Like this means something to me, but it’ll also mean something to you. I tried to be really selective with that, so it’s been a process. But yeah, a lot of the songs are just different parts of my life that I’ve been through, heartbreaks and love and all the above.
Earlier this year, you dropped “Better Boy” and “Oil Spot.” Why did you decide to release both these tracks at once?
I wanted to give the fans a little more, you know? Cause I feel like typically, most people will just release one song off of the album, that kind of thing. I’m like, let’s just do two. Let’s give them a little bit more and see how they respond. Also, ‘Better Boy,’ we really wanted that one to go. That one was written by HARDY and Taylor Phillip. “Oil Spot,” we did a really great video for it in LA and I wanted to get that video out cause I’m really proud. It was the first video I’ve co-directed, and it was such a blast. So that’s why we did that. We did it to get the content out to everybody.
Another track on the project is “Whiskey On You.” How does it feel to see that song become a platinum-certified No. 1 single?
I think it’s great. I think it means that there are a lot of people out partying to the song, having a good time, and making memories. I think that’s the big thing. Everyone’s making memories and it’s also a huge win for my team. It’s a win for Lindsay Rimes, Russell Sutton, and my entire label, and everybody. So we’re all very excited about this and we’re gonna do a party soon.
You’re gonna get to showcase this album on the road with Thomas Rhett this summer. So far, which songs off this project do you feel like have been really resonating with fans when you play them live?
“World On Fire,” people are screaming at the top of their lungs. It’s so cool. It’s not even out, like we’ve just been teasing it on socials. I’ve seen, like you said, “Better Boy,” it seems to be a moment live. We just don’t do it the way that it is on the record. I just play it acoustic every time and that’s always a really special moment. “Alright, Alright, Alright,” is one that people get right away, so they sing that one immediately. They could sing the chorus back to you as soon as you start singing it. That’s another part of what songs you’re choosing, you know, like I’ve played songs that we weren’t sure if they were gonna go on it yet, and then I saw that they reacted and then went, “okay, this is great. This just means that they’re connecting with it.”
What is your relationship like with Thomas Rhett?
We’ve only been texting and we talked on the phone and stuff. I haven’t met him in person yet, but it seems like we’re gonna be buds. I actually texted him yesterday and I was asking if he had a gym or if he works out on tour cause I’ve been working out. I’m seeing a personal trainer and trying to get healthy, that’s like my big theme of the year. It’s fun and healthy. He’s like, “yep, we workout.” I’m like, “perfect. Let’s do it. I’m game.” I don’t know what his level of working out is. I’m kind of nervous. I think he seems like a beast and I’m just getting going.
Without your health, you really don’t have anything. And I’m not trying to be like some health nut right now or anything like that. I’m preaching to myself going, I really gotta get myself together. I’m a little older now and I wanna be able to move good on stage and I don’t wanna be sweating the whole time and all that kind of stuff. And it feels good for my mental health. It really helps me a lot.
Another exciting performance coming up is Stagecoach and you will be taking the stage the same day your album drops. That seems like a great place to celebrate your release.
I’ve never been to the show, but this is a good way to go for your first time. And I love Jon Pardi a lot, I’ll be seeing him. He’s playing that same day. It’s perfect cause I can announce the album out there and be like, “everybody before I play another song, let’s go,” you know, “get your phones out” and stuff. So, it’s gonna be great.
Is there anything else you want to share about the release of this album?
So we are dropping a six-song deluxe the same day that the album launches. So there’s gonna be 26 songs. It’s unbelievable. I literally cannot wait for you to see this.
What made you decide to want to add these surprise songs?
Well, I felt like there was more to tell, more stories to tell. And I also wanted to show everybody my rock side a little bit cause I’m a huge, huge rock guy. I’ve been into rock since I was really little and stuff. We had “Whiskey On You,” which is kind of a rock anthem sort of thing, and I’m like, let’s just evolve from there and tap into that. And that’s exactly what we did, so I think you’ll be a little surprised with this…It’s not like screamo. We’re not screaming, we’re not doing the HARDY thing, but it’s heavy. It’s heavier than you probably think it’s gonna be.
Fans can keep up with Nate Smith on Instagram.
Written by
Madeleine O’Connell
Madeleine O’Connell graduated from North Central College with a bachelors degree in Journalism and Broadcast Communications before deciding to pursue her studies further at DePaul University. There, she earned her masters degree in Digital Communication & Media Arts. O’Connell served as a freelance writer for over two years while also interning with the Academy of Country Music, SiriusXM and Circle Media and assisting with Amazon Music’s Country Heat Weekly podcast. In addition to Country Now, she has been published in American Songwriter, Music Mayhem, and Holler.Country. Madeleine O’Connell is a member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.