The"Eyes On You" singertells PEOPLE exclusively that he always knew the final installment of his most recent project,The Album, would feature a song discussing the pain he felt from a breakup. So, when releasing the final four songs that would complete the album, he started with “The Nights.”
In the song, Rice sings: “I can still hear the gravel on my truck tires down the drive/You were in the passenger seat and we were both cryin'/Holdin' hands at the airport, I was droppin' you off/Left you in a ticket line for the last time/It’s almost like you were never here/Now it’s a sip, a hit, and I disappear” in the first verse.
The country artist reveals the song was written two years ago during a “tough time” but to this day, he remains civil with his ex.
“She’s an amazing girl,” he says. “She’s just doing her thing, as she should be, and she’s killing it. I’m very happy and proud of her on that.”
Chase Rice.Kaiser Cunningham
Previously, Ricerevealed to PEOPLEthat he drew inspiration from the breakup to inspire all seven songs onThe Album Part I, which surprise dropped in January 2020.
“All of the songs are about one girl,” Rice said at the time. “I dated a girl for a year and a half and we broke up and I wrote songs about it. I’m not the first person to do that and I won’t be the last. It’s tough s— to go through. It’s not fun, especially when you love somebody. But the coolest part about my job is that I get to tell my side of the story.”
Chase Rice.Broken Bow Records
“Bedroom” is a classic country mix of a night out with a little dirty side. “It’s obviously about getting home and taking care of business,” Rice tells PEOPLE.
“It’s simple. It’s just six, eight and it’s that waltz vibe,” Rice says. “It’s literally the same chords throughout the entire song, and when I write like that it’s so much easier for me to focus on the lyrics. I really want this song to be one everyone can relate to, whether it’s a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a loved one, mom, dad, fans, it can be whatever. It’s just a song that tells a story about how the people in your life help save it.”
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Of course, Rice culminated his album with hismost recent single “Drinkin' Beer. Talkin' God.Amen.” which featuresFlorida Georgia Line’s Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley. Rice believes that song has the potential to be a No. 1 hit single, and says the fan response has been “the best in the world,” similar to how it felt when he released his first single “Ready Set Roll.”
“Going back to ‘Ready Set Roll’ I remember being like, ‘Oh my God, we have something crazy here. What is happening? People are singing this like nuts and it’s only 44 on the charts. I don’t even have a record deal yet,” Rice says. “This is the first time I’ve seen that since then. There’s really something special happening with ‘Drinkin’ Beer. Talkin’ God. Amen.'”
Now, Rice is releasing an acoustic version ofThe Albumon Tuesday, is gearing up to go on tour, and is focused on writing music for his next project, which will feature many songs he penned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The song level is just another thing,” Rice says, hinting at his next body of work. “I think it’s because I am actually writing songs I lived in Tennessee, lived while I was off and not on the road, so I actually have some real stuff to write about as opposed to just trying to write a hit.”
Of course, he wants to enjoy the success ofThe Album, but he says he feels confident in the completed project and is ready to move on to the next chapter, “whatever that may look like.”
“It’s been a long journey,” Rice says. “I loved all of these songs so much and wanted to get them out. These songs all fit so perfectly together because they didn’t have anywhere else to fit, really. It’s a perfect time to wrap it up, be done with it, and hopefully end with a No. 1 song in Drinkin' Beer. Talkin' God. Amen.”
The Albumis available for streaming now.
source: people.com
