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Morgan Evans: ‘Life Upside Down’ – EP Review

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Morgan Evans releases new EP, Life Upside Down out now on all streaming platforms. Listen to the brand-new project here.

In recent times, Warner Music Nashville’s Morgan Evans has found his life turned upside down. Following a very public divorce and consequent musical he-said-she-said, the Australian import is back with a new EP, reflecting this unique phase in his life.

The Life Upside Down EP is a five song collection that finds Evans in a state of flux, dealing with heartbreak, moving on, and so much more. “I called the EP Life Upside Down because this collection of music could only have come from this time, when my life felt exactly that,” He revealed. “To me, these five tracks journey through unexpected heartbreak, self-rediscovery, new beginnings and a new found gratitude for the present moment.”

There’s the much-discussed “Over for You,” both in studio and live forms, which finds the singer-songwriter wondering when a relationship ended for his former love. While the song has been the subject of much tabloid fodder, if you look past the gossip, it’s truly a heart-wrenching time capsule of love lost. “You used to tell me everything,” He sings, his voice heavy with emotion. “And that’s what hurts the most.”

Likewise “On My Own Again” has him dealing with the aftermath of divorce, looking at the logistics of moving on and flying solo, while realizing that his future suddenly looks brighter than the past. Here, he’s realizing that healing won’t be linear, but that the world is his proverbial oyster.

“If forever’s gonna end like that, I guess I’d better start // The rest of my life, like the best times, up around the bend // Oh-oh, on my own again (on my own again) // I could turn left to California, ride to New York city // Hell, I could go to Mexico right now, if I want to // And I know it might get lonely on my way out of here// But as long as the windshields bigger than the rear view mirror”

It’s not all heartbreak on Life Upside Down, however, with both “Hey Little Mama” and “All RIght Here” providing the perfect antidotes. Both are much needed doses of aural sunshine, with the former featuring a clap-along-worthy chorus and the latter full of clever lyrics. On “Mama,” we find Evans letting loose and channeling the Hank Williams’ classic “Hey Good Lookin’” paired with Keith Urban-esque guitar riffs. “This kinda heaven,” He sings over the sunny guitar riff. “Takes all the lemons, makes a little lemonade.”

Likewise, “All Right Here,” is another summer-ready Kenny-Chesney-meets-Old-Dominion toe tapper with cheeky lyrics and catchy instrumentation. Everyone in the world is going through something, but that’s what bonds us. “All night long, singing them country songs, In a world where a whole lot of things go wrong,” He sings. “They’re going all right here.”

While Morgan Evans may have been handed lemons as he found his Life Upside Down, the Warner Music Nashville singer-songwriter is certainly making musical lemonade. With a perfect mix of breakup ballads and sunny “it’s alright” anthems on his new EP, it’s obvious that the Aussie is sure to land on his very talented feet.

Life Upside Down EP Tracklist:

  1. Over for You
  2. On My Own Again
  3. Hey Little Mama
  4. All Right Here
  5. Over for You (Live in Melbourne)
Morgan-evens-ep

Morgan Evans new EP, ‘Life Upside Down’ is out now on all streaming platforms.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Morgan Evans releases.

To keep up with Morgan Evans, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Life Upside Down EP is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Morgan Evans Shares New Song “On My Own Again”

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Morgan Evans shares brand new song “On My Own Again,” out now, March 17th, on all streaming platforms. Listen to the new track below.

In what feels like a candid response to Kelsea Ballerini’s surprise EP, Morgan Evans is speaking his truth through his new music. The Australian singer-songwriter is opening up about his divorce and future in his new song, “On My Own Again,” out today.

Written by Evans with Zach Kale and Geoff Warburton, “On My Own Again” follows the viral single, “Over For You.” Although lyrically, the song is melancholy, there is also an added hint of hope complemented by some island sounds. Evans does an exquisite just of emoting through song, while also leaving the listener with a sense that all will be okay, even though everything is changing.

“The pictures in my head are all of her I’m taking with me // The rest of it, I left back in that house // Tomorrow when she wakes up I wonder if she’ll miss me // This time I ain’t hanging round to find out // I’m gonna drive until the wheels fall of this old truck in my heart // If forever’s gonna end like that I guess I’d better start // The rest of my life like the best time’s up around the bend // Oh, on my own again”

Evans seems to be in the creative spirit, prioritizing connecting with fans and releasing new music. While “Over For You” felt heartbreakingly beautiful, “On My Own Again” feels real, honest, and like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Fans of Evans should be excited for what is in store for the artist next!

Morgan-evans-new-song

Morgan Evans shares new song, “On My Own Again,” out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news about future Morgan Evans releases.

To keep up with Morgan Evans, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

“On My Own Again” is now available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released music here on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Morgan-evans-new-ep

Here Is Morgan Evans’ New EP: ‘The Country And The Coast Side A’

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Morgan Evans’ brand new EP, The Country And The Coast Side A is out now, October 29th on all streaming platforms. Check out the details and listen to the brand new music below.

Morgan Evans is the type of artist that makes music that is good for the soul. After releasing a handful of tunes, the singer-songwriter finally shared his brand new EP with the world. The Country And The Coast Side A is a six-song project that features music for the in-love and the hopeful. Each song on the EP showcases a type of brightness we all need in the world.

Fans may recognize his previously released songs “Love Is Real,” which anchors the project, as well as, “Country Outta My Girl” and “Sing Along Drink Along”. The latter two tracks bring a sense of fun, home, and levity to the impressive collection of songs. Take a listen below!

The Country And The Coast Side A Track List

  1. “Love Is Real”
  2. “Country Outta My Girl”
  3. “Beautiful Tonight”
  4. “American Dream Truck”
  5. “Sing Along Drink Along”
  6. “Love Is Real” (Int’l Mix)
Morgan-evans-ep

Morgan Evans brand new EP ‘The Country And The Coast Side A’ is out now.

Fans can join our Weekly Round-Up e-newsletter here, for the latest in country music and more news and announcements about future Morgan Evans releases.

To keep up with Morgan Evans, follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

The Country And The Coast Side A is available everywhere you buy or stream music. Take a listen below and check out more new recently released tunes on our ‘New Country Music’ playlist. Be sure to give the playlist a follow for your weekly new country music fix.

Morgan Evans and Madison Kozak Captivate a New York City Crowd

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Back in 2017, we caught Morgan Evans when he played for Opry Circle in the City, a free show in the middle of Bryant Park, prior to his debut album, debut radio single – “Kiss Somebody”, which hit the top of the charts, and before he was married to superstar Kelsea Ballerini.  Although that wasn’t the last time we got to see him perform, last night Evans headlined his own tour at Bowery Ballroom and the fans packed the room, making it the most magical night.

madison kozak nyc morgan evans

To kick things off, an artist we have been very excited about since we first picked her song “Graduation Day” as our May Monthly Pick, Madison Kozak took the stage in New York City for the very first time. Kozak is the flagship artist at a new, female-driven label, Songs and Daughters which is run by Nicolle Galyon and is in partnership with Big Loud Records. The singer-songwriter has been in Nashville for 8 years and has absolutely perfected her songwriting craft, which was evident by the tracks she’s released in 2019. As she took the stage, we could see from our spot above the audience that not only were people packing the venue early but that they were just as excited as we were to catch this magical artist live for the first time.

Her set included tracks, “Little Bit Of You” mashed with a snippet of Whitney Houston’s  “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”, “Click”, and  “Phases”. The Ontario native also carefully selected the perfect mash-up of Lauv’s “I Like Me Better” and Jesse McCartney’s throwback of “Beautiful Soul”. If the audience wasn’t paying attention before, they were instantly engaged hearing songs they all knew and loved.

Her confidence and banter with the crowd far surpassed an artist who has only been on the road this past year, proving she has a pivotal quality to engage with an audience, make them listen and pay attention to her own personal style and songs. “Everybody always said ‘it only takes three minutes to change your life’ and I never really believed them until this song came along and you guys it’s been a crazy year.”  She was vulnerable in her storytelling, especially during her current radio single “First Last Name”.  She closed her set with the infectious and incredibly catchy, “OMG ILY” which she performed for our most recent Swag Session. Check back soon for the full video. We can’t wait to continue to champion Madison and her journey.

Morgan Evans NYC

Just a few minutes later, Morgan Evans took the stage and the truly magical night continued. Seeing the packed house sing along to every single song he performed, which kicked off with the bop, “Young Again” and included the love song “I Do” and his current single “Diamonds” made for a memorable night.

Evans, who was just named one of the 2020 New Faces of Country Music for the upcoming Country Radio Seminar interacted with the crowd, all while playing the pedal loop, which allows him to record each and every sound throughout the song and put it on loop, making his solo performance sound and feel like there was a full band behind him.

He successfully mashed together his track “Everything Changes” with a flawless rendition of Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin'” as well as the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” which certainly went over well with the crowd. He also performed “Hooked”, a song that Dylan Scott performed but Evans was a co-writer on. “I just want to chill it out for like 3 minutes and 9 seconds right now, and I promise we’ll get back to the party after that but, I want to play you my favorite song that I’ve written, it was the first song I wrote for my now wife,” Evans explained before tenderly singing “Dance With Me”.

Feeling the full New York City Christmas spirit, Evans acoustically sang a snippet of the famous holiday song “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, as well as a cover of “We Will Rock You”, “Dancin’ In The Dark” and after telling a story about going to see Keith Urban in his home of Australia, “Somebody Like You”.

Morgan Evans NYC

One of the most entertaining songs of the night, “Day Drunk” had fans clapping to the beat and singing the chorus as loud as they could. His encore included his “tech guy” Keith, on guitar as they closed the night with a second performance of “Young Again” but this time, the bluegrass version. The intense guitar solo and the crescendo at the end of the song made for the perfect way to end an already incredible night of country music in New York City.

Morgan Evans heads to Hawaii at the top of 2020 to perform with Old Dominion while Madison Kozak will head overseas with Chase Rice. For all of Morgan’s tour dates head to www.morganevansmusic.com and to keep up with Madison’s tour dates head to https://www.madisonkozak.com/

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Morgan Evans, Madison Kozak & Chris DeStefano Announce World Tour

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Morgan Evans Chris DeStefano Madison Kozak

Just announced, Morgan Evans is heading out on a world tour with special guests Madison Kozak and Chris DeStefano. Warner Music Nashville recording artist, and songwriter, Evans impressed U.S country fans when his American debut, “Kiss Somebody” hit the top spot on the charts. The Australian native’s album Things That We Drink To has garnered millions of streams and he will now be bringing one man band style of performance to 8 countries and over 25 dates.

“This tour feels like something I’ve been working toward forever and, at the same time, the start of something,” said Evans. “I couldn’t be more stoked to sing these songs all over the world over the next few months! Some places we are visiting for the first time and some places will feel like coming home but, no matter what, we’re gonna make a whole bunch of great memories together!”

Morgan Evans Chris DeStefano Madison Kozak

We’ve been fans of Evans since we caught his acoustic performance in Bryant Park back in the summer of 2017, naming him one of our 2018 Artists to Watch and since then we’ve watched his career blossom, selling out shows in New York City, making his television debut and releasing his incredible first album. 

Joining Evans on his US and Canadian tour dates in one of our favorite rising female artists, Madison Kozak. The singer-songwriter is the flagship artist for Songs and Daughters, an all-female run by our Woman of the Month for July, Nicolle Galyon.  Her debut single, “First Last Name” is heartfelt and showcases honest songwriting. Read more about Kozak and thing single here.

For the Australian dates, Evans will bring along Grammy-winning songwriter Chris DeStefano. He has co-penned over 20 hit songs for artists like Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chase Rice, Rascal Flatts, Billy Currington, Dan+Shay, Miranda Lambert, Chris Young, and of course, he co-wrote “Kiss Somebody” amongst others with Morgan Evans. We caught DeStefano at Opry City Stage last year when he performed some of those big hits in a songwriter round.

The tour is hitting the NYC area on December 7th at The Bowery Ballroom. For more information about the tour and for tickets head to MorganEvansMusic.com

MORGAN EVANS WORLD TOUR DATES:
Sept 3 – Dublin, Ireland – Green Room at The Academy
Sept 4 – Glasgow, Scotland – Oran Mor
Sept 5 – Liverpool, U.K. – Arts Club Loft
Sept 6 – London, U.K. – O2 Academy Islington – SOLD OUT
Sept 7 – Lutterworth, U.K. – The Long Road Festival
Sept 9 – Berlin, Germany – Frannz Club
Oct 17 – Sydney, NSW, Australia – Enmore Theatre*
Oct 18 – Sydney, NSW, Australia – Enmore Theatre* – SOLD OUT
Oct 20 – Perth, WA, Australia – Astor Theatre* – SOLD OUT
Oct 21 – Adelaide, SA, Australia – The Gov* – SOLD OUT
Oct 22 – Melbourne, VIC, Australia – Forum Theatre* – SOLD OUT
Oct 26 – Brisbane, QLD, Australia – Eatons Hill* – SOLD OUT
Oct 27 – Toowoomba, QLD, Australia – Empire Theatre* – SOLD OUT
Oct 29 – Auckland, New Zealand – Tuning Fork – SOLD OUT
Nov 6 – Vancouver, Canada – Venue^
Nov 7 – Kelowna, Canada – OK Corral Cabaret^
Nov 8 – Calgary, Canada – Cowboys Dance Hall^
Nov 9 – Edmonton, Canada – Cook County Saloon^
Nov 21 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour^
Nov 22 – Las Vegas, NV – Stoney’s Rockin’ Country^
Dec 5 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony^
Dec 6 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall^
Dec 7 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom^
Dec 12 – Minneapolis, MN – The Varsity Theatre^
Dec 13 – Chicago, IL – Joe’s on Weed Street^
Dec 14 – Columbus, OH – The Bluestone^

^ with Madison Kozak
* with Chris DeStefano

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Morgan Evans Mashes up “Day Drunk” and “Tequila”

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Morgan Evans Day Drunk Tequila Mashup

Morgan Evans just wrapped up opening for Dan + Shay on the first leg of their sold-out Dan+ Shay Tour which we caught earlier this year at Hammerstein Ballroom, and it seems like he is already missing the duo. In a newly released video, Evans shows what happens when you take his hit song “Day Drunk” and mix it with Grammy-winning song “Tequila”.

Accompanied by a looping pedal and acoustic guitar, the mashup starts with the Australian-native showing off his beatboxing talent. He then goes into singing the first verse of “Tequila,” hits the pedal to go right into “Day Drunk,” then switches it back just in time for the “Tequila” chorus. “Tequila” was written by Dan Smyers, Jordan Reynolds, and Nicolle Galyon while Evans co-wrote“Day Drunk” with Chris DeStefano and Lindy Robbins. With a similar rhythm, these two great songs flow right into one another without skipping a beat.  If you didn’t know the two songs were separate, you would think this was an original song.

In a recent press release, Rolling Stone called the mashup a “summery slam dunk.” And we couldn’t agree more. It’s a great tune to play at your bonfire or BBQ this season!

Evans isn’t slowing down anytime soon. He’ll not only be making appearances at a few festivals, including Carolina Festival, but the singer-songwriter is also hitting the road with Rascal Flatts on their Summer Playlist Tour. The artist doesn’t stop there, in the fall he will be headlining a run of shows over in Europe.

Evans is certainly making a name for himself in the country music genre, and we can’t wait to see what the talented singer does next. Watch Evans work his magic on this mash-up and his pedal loop above.

To keep up with Evans follow him on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

 

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Thank You for supporting Country Music in NYC & Beyond!

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Grammy Winners Dan + Shay Sell Out Hammerstein Ballroom

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Dan + Shay Hammerstein Ballroom

Last night, Grammy award-winning duo Dan + Shay brought their headlining Dan + Shay The Tour to the historic Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City with special guest, Morgan Evans. Luckily for us New Yorkers, we were one of the stops on their completely sold-out tour this spring, making it a night to remember.

To kick off the night, Dan + Shay invited their friend and labelmate Morgan Evans to warm up the crowd. Evans took the stage with nothing but his acoustic guitar and loop pedal, performing in his signature style to showcase his undeniable talent. Opening up his set with his song “American” off his debut album, Things That We Drink To right off the bat, the rising country artist was captivated the crowd.  Slowing it down for one song, Evans began talking to the fans about his album and how he was picking the songs during the time he was seeing a girl. Mentioning to the crowd, “When your a guy that sings and writes songs in that part of your life you write a lot of love songs and I just want to chill this out for 3 minutes and 9 seconds. I really want to play this song for you guys, it’s maybe my favorite song I’ve ever written, it’s the first song I wrote for my now wife, it’s called “Dance With Me.”

Picking up the pace, Evans continued his set with his latest single “Day Drunk.” While in the middle of the song he stopped to say, “I’m here to warm you up for my buddies Dan + Shay tonight! This is the third show of the tour, I’ve watched the first two shows they are going to rock your socks off tonight. As I’ve said I got one job to warm you guys up! Are you feeling warm yet NYC?!?” Evans continued with the crowd singing along, doing just what he was set out to do. Not stopping there, he incorporated covers “Free Falling” by Tom Petty, “Hey Jude” by The Beatles, “We Will Rock You” by Queen, and “This Is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan into his song. Throwing it back, getting the crowd fired up while belting out the lyrics along with him.

Dan + Shay Hammerstein Ballroom

Before ending his set Evans told the crowd, “It’s early in the night but I’m going to go out there and say you guys are the best crowd of the tour so far! You showed up early in the freezing cold and are singing your asses off and it sounds bloody beautiful!” Performing his number one hit song “Kiss Somebody,” making it a moment to never forget with the entire venue singing back his lyrics. To close out the set, Evans did one final jam, performing his song “Young Again” while incorporating “Honey I’m Good” by Andy Grammer and “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk The Moon.

Next up was the moment everyone was waiting for, as the lights went down and a video started playing the venue erupted in cheers and screams waiting in anticipation for the duo to take the stage. Running out, Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney kicked off Act I of their set going straight into their songs from their newest self-titled album including “Alone Together,” “Make Or Break,” their most current single “All To Myself,” and their duet with Kelly Clarkson “Keeping Score.” This was just the start of their set and the crowd was already fired up screaming the words to every song they played. After “Keeping Score,” Smyers took a moment to speak to the crowd saying, “You caught us off guard, this is absolutely insane. I’m at a loss of words right now…Thank you so much for being here, this is one of the most beautiful venues we’ve played in our entire career and you guys, I think, are like 4 or 5 songs in and Y’all might be the loudest crowd we’ve ever played for New York!”

With the night just getting started they continued Act I performing their hit single “From The Ground Up,” while the entire crowd belted out the lyrics with the duo. After the song, Dan + Shay stood there in disbelief looking into the crowd with tears in their eyes before the crowd started to chant their name. After the chant, Smyers began talking to the crowd again, “Wow that may be the coolest thing that’s ever happened to us, that’s crazy. Thank you!… I feel like we are letting you all down we are supposed to keep this thing rolling but man that was such a moment there, like the last like 30 minutes of our lives, we’re just trying to soak this in if that’s okay, I’m sorry I’m getting emotional.” Doing just the opposite they exceeded everyone’s expectations, putting on a show to never forget. Their hard work shining through each and every song they played, showing they deserve every last bit of success they have. They continued Act I playing their songs, “What Keeps You Up At Night,” “Stupid Love,” and “No Such Thing.”

Dan + Shay Hammerstein Ballroom

When it came time for Act II of their performance, another video popped up onto the screen showing Dan + Shay’s journey along the years including them winning their very first Grammy Award. As the lights came back up the duo were seen sitting on a couch in the middle of the stage getting ready for an acoustic set. Before continuing,  Smyers mentioned that New York City has been the loudest crowds they have ever played for and thanked the crowd once again saying, “I know we sound like a broken record up here and we get emotional a lot but this is seriously the coolest thing, we dreamed about this our whole lives and we appreciate you guys sticking with us throughout it.” They were nothing but appreciative the whole night and to show it, they took the time to check their socials to see what the fans wanted to hear, coming up with this part of the show were they perform some of their older songs acoustically. Each date being different this time it was their single “Show You Off,” “Sway,” and “Lipstick,” before bringing the band back onto the stage to continue the set. They covered the song “Someone Like You” by Adele along with their hit single “How Not To” to end Act II.

As the night was coming to an end with the Final Act approaching they once again thanked the crowd for listening to their music and coming out to see them live. They ended the night on a high note, starting Act III with their number one hit single “Speechless,” before continuing with their first debut single “19 You + Me.” Before performing their last song of the night Smyers said, “If the previous songs are any indication I feel like this has potential to be the loudest this song has ever been sung, we’re going to do this together, we are gonna do it big, we’re gonna do it loud!” Performing their number one hit single “Tequila,” the crowd did just that, screaming the lyrics back, making it the loudest song of the night.

Luckily for us New Yorkers, Dan + Shay will be back again in July when they open for Florida Georgia Line on their Can’t Say I Ain’t Country Tour coming to Jones Beach in Long Island on July 20th.

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Morgan Evans Releases Highway 1 Sessions: “Everything Changes”

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Morgan Evans is poised for a huge 2019, having lined up opening slots on huge tours with Old Dominion and Dan + Shay. To kick off the new year, Evans has released a live acoustic version of “Everything Changes.” The video is part of his new Highway 1 Sessions video series.

The track appears on Evans’ debut album, Things That We Drink To, and speaks of a fresh start, and having a night that changes your life forever. In the video, Evans performs the heartfelt track on a beautiful coast at sunset. If you’re suffering from the wintertime blues, this video is sure to cheer you right up.

“Everything Changes” was written by Evans, Chris DeStefano, and Blair Daly. He filmed the video during some downtime between shows, heading out with a guitar and some friends to create a magical collection of videos that are inspired by his passion for music, adventure, and the outdoors.  He previously released acoustic videos of “Things That We Drink To” and “Young Again,” which are available on his YouTube channel.

Morgan Evans is currently on tour with Old Dominion as part of the “Make It Sweet” Tour. While no NYC date has been announced yet, they’ll hit Wallingford, CT on March 8.

 

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NYCS 2018 Artist to Watch Where Are They Now: Morgan Evans

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Morgan Evans

Here at New York Country Swag, we pride ourselves on being tastemakers, finding and championing new and up-and-coming artists and introducing our followers to the best of the best of the rising acts. Back in January of this year we named the 10 artists below in our “Artists to Watch in 2018” and we are proud to say, we know rising talent before they make it big. Someone to add to your watchlist, if you haven’t already, is Morgan Evans.

Evans has had quite the year as he has been taking over country radio globally, going on tour, making TV appearances and more. With the release of his newest album and many songs to radio, each one is taking him places he has dreamed of going.

Earlier this year Evans took on a huge project just in 10 days. Teaming up with Southwest Airlines, he raced across the country doing 10 shows in 10 different cities 10 nights in a row. Evans even made a stop in New York and we got the full experience for our readers!

“Kiss Somebody” was the first single off Things We Drink To and shot it up the charts. Once it hit Number 1 on the U.S. charts, making it Evans first number 1, he went to celebrate at the place it all started, Tootsies. Evans first stop in Nashville was Tootsie’s where he became close to everyone who worked there after making the move to the U.S. Surprising everyone who happened to be there and buying the whole bar shots was quite the memorable way to celebrate.

Days after releasing his album, Things That We Drink To, Evans made his morning television debut on the Today Show. He took the stage and performed “Kiss Somebody” and won the hearts of not only the hosts but America yet again.

Evans’ latest single to country radio, “Day Drunk,” was inspired by a day at home with his wife, Kelsea Ballerini. He had a whole day of activities planned for her birthday but after coming home from a long stretch on the road, Ballerini wanted nothing more than to stay in. The song goes back to their day at home together getting “Day Drunk.” Not only is it climbing the U.S. charts but the rise of country music on the Australian Top 40 radio continues with Evans snagging his first #1 single on the TMN Hot 100 airplay chart.

After a whole year of touring with Chris Young on the Losing Sleep tour, Evans is ready for some downtime around the holidays. Although it will not last long as he jumps on tour with Old Dominion for select shows before heading off with Dan + Shay. Evans is making his way Manhattan Center Hammerstein Ballroom and you can grab your tickets here!

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2018: Most New Artists to Top Charts with Debut Singles in Over a Decade

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Top the Charts

In 2018, country music saw a dynamic shift at the top of the charts, with radio no longer being ruled by the old guard. While the likes of Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Thomas Rhett, and Old Dominion all had #1 hits this year, the charts saw an onslaught of chart-toppers hits by country newbies. In fact, there were five new artists who scored #1’s with their debut singles, including Jordan Davis, Jimmie Allen, Russell Dickerson, Mitchell Tenpenny, and Morgan Evans.

Russell Dickerson: “Yours”

Despite originally being released digitally in 2015, “Yours” was truly the little song that could, being released to country radio by Triple Tigers Records in April 2017. The romantic wedding song, co-written by Dickerson, Parker Welling, and Casey Brown, slowly climbed the charts, hitting #1 for two weeks in late-January and early-February.

“[“Yours”] was only the second song that the three of us ever wrote together,” Dickerson told Billboard. “It’s certainly a love song, written for my wife, Kailey. I’m not kidding: when we finished it, we knew it was special, and I said to Casey and Parker, ‘You can go to zillow.com and pick out a new house, ’cause we just wrote a No. 1 song.'”

Dickerson would go on to score his second #1 eight months later with “Blue Tacoma.”

Jordan Davis: “Singles You Up”

Written by Jordan Davis, Steven Dale Jones, and Justin Ebach, “Singles You Up” was the debut single from Davis, and the first release from his album, Home State. “It took us a little while to land on something, but at the time Justin had just gotten engaged and through congratulating him on the engagement that term, ‘single her up,’ got said,” Davis told Rolling Stone Country of the writing session. “Right when it was said, I think all three of us were like, ‘Oh man, that’s really cool.’”

Davis will be spending much of 2019 on tour with Old Dominion, Morgan Evans, and Mitchell Tenpenny as part of the Make It Sweet Tour. The tour will stop at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT on February 8.

Morgan Evans: “Kiss Somebody”

Released in July 2017, at the lead single from his Morgan Evans EP, “Kiss Somebody” was Morgan Evan’s first release to U.S. country radio, and his first #1. Co-written by Evans, Chris DeStefano, and Josh Osborne, the track hit #1 over a year after its initial release.

Interestingly enough, Evans told Nash Country Daily that the romantic tune was NOT inspired by his superstar wife, Kelsea Ballerini. “A lot of people asked me if I wrote [“Kiss Somebody”] about Kelsea,” said Evans. “No. The answer is absolutely no. It was inspired by a mate of mine, actually. I used to stay with him in Nashville before I moved here, and he went through this really rough breakup and he was devastated. And, I was with him through that period, and I went back to Australia. A year and a half later, I came back and he was still devastated over this situation. And, I was like, ‘Dude! You need to kiss somebody!’ And so, the lyrics kind of go, “Sometimes you’ve got to drink about somebody / Sometimes you’ve got to cry and miss somebody / Sometimes you’ve got to kiss somebody.’”

Jimmie Allen: “Best Shot” 

When Jimmie Allen’s “Best Shot” became a #1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart, Allen made history by becoming the first black artist to have a debut single top the country charts. Interestingly, after losing the top spot on December 8 to Kane Brown’s “Lose It,” Allen’s song returned to the top spot December 15, making “Best Shot” the first song by any artist to reclaim the top spot after descending in over a decade.

“If someone asked me two years ago if I thought that this would be my life today—that I’d be on the red carpet at the CMAs or my song would be the No. 1 song on country radio, I would have honestly said no,” reflected Allen in a statement. “Did I think it would happen eventually? Absolutely! Just not this soon. I’m humbled and grateful— it’s such an honor to get my first No. 1 and to know that my song is connecting with people and resonating in a way that hopefully makes us all better people in the end, because that’s really what ‘Best Shot’ is all about.”

Allen will kick off 2019 on tour with Scotty McCreery’s Seasons Change Tour, with a stop at Westbury, NY’s NYCB Theatre on January 26.

Mitchell Tenpenny: “Drunk Me” 

Just five days before the release of his debut album, Telling All My Secrets (December 14), on Riser House/ Columbia Nashville, Mitchell Tenpenny’s first single, “Drunk Me,” became the top song on the Mediabase/ Country Airplay chart. Co-written by Tenpenny, Jordan M. Schmidt, and Justin Wilson, the single was officially released in March, and climbed to the top position nearly nine months later.

“I recorded ‘Drunk Me’ after pitching it to other artists in town for over six months,” recalled Tenpenny in a statement. “I believed in my heart it was such a special song and that it would be a hit for someone. I never dreamt it would be the song labels first heard from me, resulting in a record deal … or that it would go on to bring us our first single, let alone a number one.” He continues, “It’s been a two-year journey with this song, yet so many believed, and so, this is one of those moments we all share together – my co-writers, our band and record label, country radio and all the fans that have streamed it over 120 million times. I can’t get over you. You’ve changed my life.”

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