In his home studio just outside Nashville, Kane Brown sat down to discuss his fourth studio album, “The High Road,” a fitting title for an artist well-acquainted with hard work. Just days prior, he was in Los Angeles, sharing the stage at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball with a diverse lineup of major artists, including SZA, Tate McRae, Madison Beer, T-Pain, Paris Hilton, and K-pop group NCT Dream.
This genre-blending might seem unusual to some, pairing a prominent modern country voice with pop acts. However, Brown is no stranger to mixing genres. While country music, with its narrative storytelling, fiddles, slide guitar, and Brown’s signature twang, forms the core of his music, “The High Road” boldly explores different sounds. He admitted to past hesitations about pushing boundaries but stated, “I’ve been here for almost a decade now, so I needed to stop hiding and just do what I love to do. And country is always my number one.” He expressed his deep connection to this album, saying, “This is by far my favorite album, from the sequencing to the songwriting to the different sounds. There’s definitely a song for everybody. My other albums, I always kind of, you know, cared what people thought about. And this album, we don’t… we gave our everything into the songs.”
Brown has a history of collaborations, from his recent work with regional Mexican country star Carin León on “The One (Pero No Como Yo)” to his 2019 hit “One Thing Right” with EDM artist Marshmello, who also features on “The High Road” with the successful radio track “Miles On It.”
Set to release on January 24th, “The High Road” boasts more collaborations than any of Brown’s previous albums, including tracks with Khalid, Jelly Roll, and country legend Brad Paisley. These collaborations arose organically. Khalid expressed interest in exploring country music, and Brown facilitated the collaboration. The track with Paisley, “Things We Quit,” came about after Brown shared a video of himself singing it online, prompting many to remark on its Brad Paisley-esque sound. Brown noted its comedic country vibe, making Paisley a perfect fit.
The collaboration with Jelly Roll on the song “Haunted” originated during Brown’s stay in a unique hotel suite in Manchester, England, which was a former bank vault. Surrounded by old paintings, they wrote several songs that day. Struggling for a title, Brown suggested “Haunted,” inspired by the atmosphere of the vault, and the song delves into themes of depression. Brown found Jelly Roll, who is open about mental health, to be an ideal collaborator for this deeply personal song. He shared that Jelly Roll was so connected to the song that he initially wanted to keep it for himself, highlighting its profound meaning to him.
Also significant to Brown are two new duets with his wife, Katelyn, following the success of their 2023 single “Thank God.” Katelyn explained their musical approach, stating, “Our music is about telling our story.” The album features the R&B-pop influenced “Body Talk” and the traditional country sound of “Do Us Apart,” drawing from the rich history of country music duets by couples. Brown revealed their inspiration for “Do Us Apart,” citing Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood’s “I Told You So” as a favorite duet they often sing together.
“The High Road” also features a variety of other country tracks, including the jukebox-ready “Fiddle in the Band,” the slow-building “Backseat Driver,” and the laid-back “Says I Can.” The album concludes with “‘When You Forget,'” a deeply personal song Brown wrote about his grandfather’s battle with Alzheimer’s. He considers this track a prime example of “’90s country song storytelling,” emphasizing his commitment to honoring country traditions while also exploring new sonic territories in other songs on the album.
Ultimately, with “The High Road,” Kane Brown hopes listeners can find a personal connection to at least one of the album’s diverse stories. He looks forward to sharing these songs both on the record and during his upcoming North American tour next spring.
“The High Road” Tracklist:
- “I Am”
- “Fiddle In the Band”
- “Backseat Driver”
- “Miles On It” (featuring Marshmello)
- “Says I Can”
- “3”
- “Rescue” (featuring Khalid)
- “Haunted” (featuring Jelly Roll)
- “Start A Fire”
- “Body Talk” (featuring Katelyn Brown)
- “Gorgeous”
- “Beside Me”
- “I Can Feel It”
- “Things We Quit” (featuring Brad Paisley)
- “Back Around”
- “Stay”
- “Do Us Apart” (featuring Katelyn Brown)
- “When You Forget”