Devin Dawson fans have been eagerly anticipating the release of new music and today it’s finally here. The Pink Slip EP is available everywhere today (LISTEN HERE) and finds the Warner Music Nashville / Atlantic Records artist building on the edgy confidence he pioneered with his critically-acclaimed debut album, Dark Horse. To celebrate the release, Dawson will host a free livestream event tonight at 7:00pmCT on YouTube (WATCH HERE) and Facebook (WATCH HERE) featuring performances of all six tracks, behind the scenes commentary and a fan Q&A. He’s then set to join the Saturday Night Oprylineup next Saturday (1/23) alongside fellow artists including Keb’ Mo’, Maggie Rose and more.
“I want to be honest and vulnerable and take the next step, because I always want to be creating music that’s fresh and different from anything I’ve released before,” Dawson explains. “There are definitely vibes on this EP that I wouldn’t peg for myself, but I like the unexpected nature of doing things that people don’t see coming. I’m always trying to reinvent the wheel, every single day. I will always be a dark horse, but I have come a long way from the person I was, and I understand more of what it means to be an artist. I’m still in black and white, but the background is a little brighter now. I used to write songs for me to get through something, but I have more people in mind now. So if you’re still in that place where you’re trying to get somewhere – if you’re still in that first quarter mile? Just know that if I can do it, you can do it.”
Dawson staked out a lyrically-electrifying territory all his own with Dark Horse, but where that set found him prowling the shadows of his own stormy soul, The Pink Slip EP punches through the clouds. His new headspace is filled with hope, and he wants others to know the anything-is-possible truth he’s discovered. So back once again with producer Jay Joyce, the pair aimed for something happier overall but by no means less challenging.
Tracks like “Not On My Watch” are full of determined bravado, returning to the sonic strut of Dark Horsestandouts like “Dip” as it alchemizes frustrated anger into stand-your-ground courage. And likewise, “Range Rover” matches its refined-but-playful beat with a wry lyrical eye roll, dropping into low gear for a torquey tune-up Dawson calls “the country version of Kanye West’s ‘Gold Digger.’”
However, the remaining songs capture his shifted attitude. With its sunny devotion and bouncing romantic pulse, “Whatever Forever Is” embodies the love that led Dawson to his October 2019 marriage. And the reassuring Caribbean flair of “Who’s Gonna Hold Ya” was inspired by a question of faithful fidelity from his new father-in-law. Then on “He Loved Her,” Dawson embraces the simple building blocks of legacies that last. Using his grandfather as a model, Dawson built the technicolor anthem around a man who valued integrity and reliability but was most proud of loving his wife.
Recently topping the charts again as a featured artist alongside Lauren Alaina on HARDY’s “One Beer,” the EP marks the first new solo releases from the breakout star since the success of his GRAMMY-nominated, ACMand CMA Single of the Year, “God’s Country,” that he co-wrote for superstar Blake Shelton. The multi-week No. 1 also landed Dawson his first-ever ACM and CMA award nominations for Song of the Year, adding to his previously earned nods from the ACM, CMT Music, Radio Disney, BMI and MusicRow Awards.
Called “one of country music’s most tender and articulate wordsmiths” by The Tennessean, the acclaimed singer/songwriter has appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers,ELLEN and TODAY in addition to receiving overwhelming critical praise from outlets such as HUFFPO, Esquire, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, People, ELLE, AXS, HITS and more. The Nor-Cal native has also toured with major label artists including Maren Morris, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and label-mates Brett Eldredge and Dan + Shay.
