JIMMIE ALLEN AND ABBY ANDERSON RELEASE SULTRY COVER OF LADY GAGA AND BRADLEY COOPER DUET “SHALLOW”
Allen’s New Single “Make Me Want To” was Most Added at Country Radio in First Week with 61 Stations Reporting; Nominee for New Male Artist of the Year at 2019 ACM Awards
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 22, 2019) – On the heels of the release of his second single “Make Me Want To,” now in its fourth week at Country radio, and a first-time nomination this week for New Male Artist of the Year at the upcoming ACM Awards, country music breakout Jimmie Allen and fellow country newcomer Abby Anderson have released their own cover of the hit song “Shallow.” The GRAMMY and Golden Globe winning smash performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper in the critically acclaimed and Oscar nominated film “A Star is Born” is up for “Best Original Song” at the 91st Academy Awards ceremony airing this Sunday, February 24.
The accompanying video shows a split screen of Allen and Anderson going about their daily lives before uniting in the studio to deliver the passionately soulful chorus together in perfect harmony. Watch the video here.
“‘A Star is Born’ was one of my favorites from last year, and the performance of this song in the film really moved me as an artist,” shares Allen. “I had chills! Getting to cover ‘Shallow’ with my good friend Abby was such a cool experience. She’s an incredible vocalist, and I’m excited for fans to hear our take on the song.”
“I think I speak for everyone when I say that I bawled like a baby during ‘A Star Is Born.’ The song ‘Shallow’ immediately stood out to me,” says Anderson. “When Jimmie called and asked if I would sing on this song with him, I was honored. I mean I’m no Lady Gaga, but working on this with Jimmie, who pours his whole heart into a song vocally, was an absolute joy.”
Allen burst onto the country music scene with his breakout three-week No. 1 debut single, “Best Shot,” described by Rolling Stone as a “rare honest love song, with a catchy, melodic chorus that flirts with pop-rock power balladry,” and enabled the Delaware native to etch his name in history as the first black artist to launch their career with a No. 1 at Country radio.
The pop-infused follow up single, “Make Me Want To,” is the second from Allen’s Stoney Creek Records / BBR Music Group debut album Mercury Lane, which The New York Times asserts is one of 2018’s strongest and describes it as “a conventional country album, filled with songs about the small details.” Allen is currently supporting Kane Brown on his Live Forever Tour where he continues to break new ground for African-American country artists. He will also be hitting the road this summer as support on Chris Young’s Raised on Country Tour and Rascal Flatts’ Summer Playlist Tour.
As announced earlier this week, Anderson is set to open for Rob Thomas as direct support on Thomas’s Chip Tooth Smile Tour. The 44-date tour kicks off in Red Bank, NJ on May 28th and runs through August 4th with stops in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville.
Named one of The Bobby Bones Show’s “Class of 2019,” Anderson is also one of MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing for 2019,” and is included in Sounds Like Nashville’s “19 New Country Artists to Watch in 2019,” NYCountry Swag’s “2019 Artists to Watch” and Country Music Tattle Tale’s “Artists to Watch in 2019.” Armed with that support, Anderson is set to take the stage at several music festivals this year including Stagecoach, Tortuga Music Festival, Country Thunder, and Off the Rails Country Music Fest. Making her first international appearance, Anderson is due to perform at C2C in London, UK on March 8th. Finishing up in the recording studio now, Anderson is set to release new music on Black River Entertainment this spring.
Fans can stream Allen and Anderson’s version of “Shallow” here. For more information and tour dates, visit jimmieallenmusic.com and AbbyAndersonmusic.com.
About Jimmie Allen:
The epitome of the phrase “persistence pays off,” Jimmie Allen laid it all on the line to make his dreams a reality. Now signed to BBR Music Group’s Stoney Creek Records, Allen’s debut single “Best Shot” is a certified hit, claiming the top spot as the No. 1 Most Shazamed song in the format for eight consecutive weeks, and the No. 1 spot on Country radio for three weeks, marking the first time a black artist has launched a career with a No. 1 hit with their debut single on country radio. On the heels of that historic success, Allen is back with his latest single, “Make Me Want To” which was most added at country radio in its first week with 61 stations.
“Make Me Want To” is the second single off his Stoney Creek Records / BBR Music Group debut album Mercury Lane released Oct. 12, 2018. Named in tribute to the street he grew up on and the origin of his incredible journey, Mercury Lane features a cutting-edge mix of country, rock, R&B and pop that draws upon the influence of his family and small-town upbringing of the critically-acclaimed rising star. Rolling Stone raved Allen’s debut “challenges the narrowly defined model of what constitutes a next big thing in country music in 2018” and The New York Times dubbed it one of 2018’s strongest, calling it “a conventional country album, filled with songs about the small details.”
The Southern Delaware native’s talent for songwriting is undeniable, having written a song that was featured in a Super Bowl commercial and appearing in a Diet Coke ad with megastar Taylor Swift. “Blue Jean Baby,” off his debut self-titled EP, immediately caught the attention of country music fans and critics alike with its soulful groove— rocketing it to the top of digital playlists, across all genres. Allen recently wrapped his run on Scotty McCreery’s Seasons Change Tour and is currently on the road with Kane Brown on his Live Forever Tour. He will also be hitting the road this summer as support on Chris Young’s Raised on Country Tour and Rascal Flatts’ Summer Playlist Tour. The hot newcomer was heralded as one of the top “artists to watch in 2018” by Rolling Stone, Billboard, Pandora, Sounds Like Nashville, NY Country Swag, Country Music Rocks and New England Country Music and has earned spots in CMT’s “18 for 2018” Listen Up program and Bobby Bones’ Class of 2018. For more information, visit www.jimmieallenmusic.com.
ABOUT ABBY ANDERSON:
Songwriter/artist Abby Anderson is slated to open as direct support for Rob Thomas on Thomas’s 44 date Chip Tooth Smile Tour, kicking off on May 28th in Red Bank, NJ and running through August 4th with stops in New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville. Additionally, Anderson is confirmed to perform at multiple music festivals this summer including Stagecoach, Off the Rails, Country Thunder, and Tortuga. Marking her first international tour stop, the Black River Entertainment artist will make her debut performance at C2C in London this March. Named one of The Bobby Bones Show’s “Class of 2019,” Anderson is also one of MusicRow’s “Next Big Thing for 2019,” and is included in Sounds Like Nashville’s “19 New Country Artists to Watch in 2019.” Since the release of her debut EP I’m Good, Anderson has earned over 25 million streams, caught the attention of fans nationwide and has had the privilege to open for some of the Country's brightest stars including Kelsea Ballerini, Bobby Bones, Billy Currington, Devin Dawson, Russell Dickerson, Brett Eldredge, Walker Hayes, Chase Rice, and more. Making her Grand Ole Opry debut in 2018, Anderson received a rare standing ovation following the performance of her first song, "Make Him Wait." Watch the official music video for Anderson’s “Make Him Wait” here. For more information and tour dates on Abby Anderson, please visit AbbyAndersonmusic.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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Media Contacts for Jimmie Allen
Ebie McFarland | Joseph Conner
Essential Broadcast Media
(615) 327-3259
[email protected] | [email protected]
Jay Jones | Quinn Kaemmer
BBR Music Group
(615) 610-2096 | (615) 610-2142
[email protected] | [email protected]
Media Contacts for Abby Anderson
Dawn Delvo | Aly Schlepp
Black River Entertainment
(615) 968-4999
[email protected] | [email protected]