For Drew Green, a country singer and songwriter who used to play Nashville’s honky-tonks, life could be pretty quiet right now since the famous music bars have closed because of Covid-19.
Instead, he’s busy embracing the start of a new life as an artist in his own right, after signing with Sony Nashville in early June.
Recent release ‘Right Where I Be’ comes with a music video featuring ‘The Bachelor’ star Danielle Maltby.
“When we started writing it, what I had visioned in my head, was sitting in the tailgate with a girl,” Drew said. “The creek bed we used, when I showed up to shoot the video, I was blown away. It was literally what I had in my mind when I was writing the song. That was a great experience.”
Drew saw one of his co-writes, ‘Colorado’, feature on the last Florida Georgia Line album. He’s still ‘writing like crazy’ in lockdown. “I’ve been getting used to writing on Zoom,” Drew said. “It’s been a little different, but it’s been good.
“Before the artist stuff, I was writing every day, because that was all I was focused on. Now I’ve probably cut that in half, but I’m still writing three or four songs a week.
“I can be a little crazy in the writing room sometimes. I can see a song from A to Z.
“Most people in the songwriting world, they have an idea, they need to know what it’s about from start to finish. I can just hear a melody sometimes and just start singing and turn it into a song.
“On ‘Right Where I Be’, I saw the whole song after that opening line.”
After writing many songs before he was signed, he noticed some of the things that get all writers stuck sometimes.
“Everyone, including myself, has the tendency to overanalyse what you’re trying to do,” Drew said. “You’re trying to get somebody who’s not a songwriter to listen to it and feel the same way you do when you’re writing it, and that’s hard sometimes.”
Drew thinks his twin passions of country and R&B allow him to approach songs with whatever they need, whether it’s a guitar twang or an 808 beat. He also has a surprising love of Britain’s own Craig David. “I don’t know how I found him, but I was probably 8th or 9th grade,” Drew said. “I got his album ‘Born To Do It’ and I was obsessed with it. It’s one of my most-listened to albums as a kid. I love the way he tells stories, he’s an incredible singer and a phenomenal artist.”
While it could take a while because of the global situation, he has ambitions to make it to the UK. Drew said: “I’m holding out on all these trips to go and play shows in the first time going places.”
It’s quite a shift for the former bank employee stepping into the spotlight. Even if the artist trail has taken away from his passion for golf, mentioned in his song ‘Little More Be Alright’. “I used to play a lot in college,” Drew said. “I haven’t played in a while, I’ve been pretty busy.”
It’s a trade-off he accepts while starting the artist career.
“I’ve dreamed about this forever,” Drew said. “I wish it didn’t happen during Covid, but I’m really blessed to have this opportunity and I have a really good team.”
And his big ambition? “I just hope I have a lot of songs to put out for a long time. I hope I never lose that fire to keep writing songs. I hope people everywhere, over there, over here, enjoying listening to it.”
You can watch the official video for ‘Right Where I Be’ here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1buPcmVd6_U
Photo credit: Ford Fairchild
TrueMendous describes her debut album as the best project she has ever created, and she’s eager for fans to finally hear it. Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson, released on April 1, marks a major step forward for the Birmingham artist after building momentum through a series of EPs and mixtapes.
“I’d never created an album before,” she shared. “I had to make sure it stood apart from everything I’ve released in the past. Listening to it from start to finish, I feel like it’s stronger than anything I’ve made so far. Everything about it is on another level. All the elements made it better.”
That vision extends beyond the music itself. From the visuals for the new tracks to the album artwork designed by Father of Cain—which also appears on new merch—every detail has been carefully considered. Although the writing process wrapped up months ago and the final mixes were completed last summer, taking time to plan the rollout proved valuable.
“It’s frustrating to sit on music, but it makes me even more excited to release it,” she explained. “It’s good, too, because I get to plan the music videos properly and figure out the best way to put it out there.”
The album was shaped by a mix of Birmingham-based producers and collaborators from her label, High Focus. “It’s great to have a team that pushes and supports you,” she said. “They help amplify your voice without making it feel toxic or stifling.”
The album title is inspired by Lauryn Hill, one of her biggest storytelling influences. Following the success of her 2020 HUH? EP, expectations are high. That EP led to unexpected opportunities—Adidas used the beat from “Sweetheart” in a campaign, while “Hmm” landed on the FIFA 21 soundtrack. She also appeared in major ads for Pepsi Max and McVities.
This time, she’s aiming for more film placements. “‘Cause A Scene,’ which has an animated music video, would be perfect for a wild fight scene,” she said. The track kicks off the 17-song record, which blends rap, R&B, and pop, showcasing her versatility. “I’m a bit of a chameleon,” she explained. “I love adapting to different sounds.”
She even made the tough decision to remove some songs from the final tracklist for the first time. The result is a mix that ranges from the nine-minute “Selfish Behaviour” to a 99-second burst of energy on “You Don’t Wanna.” “I don’t plan song lengths—it just feels right,” she said. “When the lyrics ended with the beat, it felt like the perfect close.”
This variety keeps listeners engaged, appealing to fans who enjoy both long, intricate stories and quick, punchy tracks. “If you’re good enough as an artist, it doesn’t matter how long the song is,” she added. “If Drake put out a 30-minute song, people wouldn’t just stop listening halfway.”
Lyrically, the album blends her personal experiences with stories inspired by friends and documentaries, creating a unique and heartfelt perspective. “My older songs were all story-based,” she said. “I used to tell other people’s stories through my voice as a narrator. It’s only in the last two years that I’ve started opening up more about myself.”
The final track, “Yvonne’s Daughter,” is her most personal yet. For someone who admits, “I don’t reveal anything about anything,” it’s a raw look at her relationship with her mother. Family ties keep her grounded in Birmingham, even as her career grows in London.
“Birmingham’s slower than London,” she reflected. “It doesn’t lack talent—it just needs to be seen and heard. London has the labels, A&Rs, and events. I go back to Birmingham to slow down.”
That calm may not last long, with more projects in the pipeline and global ambitions ahead. She’s particularly excited about performing in places where fans don’t speak English but still know the lyrics.
“More than anything, I just want the album to do well,” she said. “I know how much effort went into it, and it’s a really good project. I’m confident and comfortable with it, and I can’t wait to see how people respond.”
Misdiagnosis of Chyvonne Johnson by TrueMendous is out now on High Focus Records.
Instagram I Facebook I Twitter
.jpg)
.jpg)