The next pop star who wants to go country?
Last night, Michael Bublé attended the ACM Awards, and most casual fans probably know him for his incredible Christmas songs, which have his killer crooning vocals on fully display. He’s become a quintessential part of the 21st century Christmas soundtrack for so many people, and he also has a long-history of producing some of the best mainstream jazz as well, with hits such as “Haven’t Met You Yet,” “Save the Last Dance For Me” and “Everything.”
And he revealed late last year that he was in the process of making a country album himself, and he previously talked about doing classic-sounding record, making sure to note that it does NOT sound like modern country that is currently plaguing the Top 40 at country radio as of late.
“It’s old-school, it’s not like, modern. It’s my interpretation. I have never had an experience that has been better musically. I am so excited to put out this record. I don’t know if ten people are going to love it, but I don’t care.”
He’s worked with artists like Blake Shelton (they were both judges on The Voice, though at different times) and Shania Twain before, so country isn’t a completely new space for him, and on the red carpet ahead of the show last night, he told ExtraTV that he was very happy to be there, noting that he feels very special to be invited into the country universe.
He explained that he appreciates the values that are an intrinsic part of the genre, saying he also loved the humility, goodness and faith that is the invisible chord, so to speak, that runs through so much of the music and sets country apart from every other type of music.
Bublé also noted that so many artists were coming up to introduce themselves to him, no matter how famous they are, and it speaks volumes about how these kinds of events usually go with more mainstream, all-genre award shows. There are divas in country too, of course, but I do think there’s a much different feel to the country-specific shows than something like the Grammys:
“Being in the moment with all you beautiful people. You know, I think the people that are lucky enough to be invited to this world realize what a beautiful universe it is. You know, you’ve got like-minded people that have the same values, and here we are tonight, we’re standing on the shoulders of our heroes.
We’re with the people that we’re crazy about, and the doors are open, and everybody’s coming and introducing themselves no matter how famous they are. No one has that thought that you just should know who they are. There’s humility and there’s goodness and there’s faith, and there’s all these things that I’m really grateful to be a part of it.”
It might a well-coached response, but I think there’s sincerity and he clearly has some sort of reverence and appreciation for the genre so I’m intrigued to hear what he does with a country album. There’s no question the man can sing, and that’s obviously a very important component for any genre.
He also told The Tennessean that he’s been in Nashville working on his “love letter to country,” and he views it as a genre like jazz in terms of its importance within the “great American songbook”:
“Actually, I’m making a country album. That’s what I’m dong in Nashville. I’m making a love letter to country, man. You know, for me, country music was never different than jazz. It was always part of the great American songbook.”
Bublé previously said he was working with producer Dan Huff, who in the last five years alone, has produced the likes of Riley Green’s Way Out Here, Don’t Mind If I Do and Ain’t My Last Rodeo, Brooks & Dunn’s Reboot II, Jon Pardi’s Mr. Saturday Night, Ella Langley and Kameron Marlowe’s “Strangers” and Morgan Wallen and Thomas Rhett’s #1 hit, “Mamaw’s House.” This isn’t even mentioning his production credits on the likes of recent records from Midland, Keith Urban, Mackenzie Carpenter, Darius Rucker and more.
So it sounds like he’s off to a solid start…
There’s no word on who he might be writing with or other Nashville people who might be involved, but I’ve always liked his voice and music, so we’ll see if there’s any substance to it and whether or not he can translate that cool jazz style into a classic country album like he wants to.
