Jerrod Niemann Opens Up About New Single, Upcoming Album

Jerrod Niemann's new single, "Blue Bandana," was officially released to radio on Friday (July 10). The song, Niemann says, will be on his upcoming new album, which is currently a work-in-progress.

"Right now, we’re still trying to find a complete package and lineup of songs," Niemann tells The Boot. "Sometimes it’s fun to get the music out, when you put your record out, and see what everybody out there is gravitating towards."

The singer-songwriter has written several of his own singles, including "One More Drinkin' Song" and "Shinin' on Me," along with songs for Garth Brooks, John Anderson, Jamey Johnson and others, but Niemann says that he isn't concerned about whether or not songs that he wrote make it onto his new project. His only goal, he adds, is to find great songs.

"I’ve cut a little bit of the stuff I’ve written, but I haven’t really written much, just with being on the road," Niemann concedes. "We originally wanted to put something out a little earlier in the year, but we didn’t have the right music. I think sometimes you feel a little pressure to put music out because everybody has plans, and you want music out, but it’s not right and it’s not fair to everybody involved, especially the fans out there. We want to try and give the best stuff we’ve got."

And Niemann, who is once again co-producing his album with Jimmie Lee Sloas, knows exactly what he wants in a song, whether it's one he wrote or not.

"I want songs that make you feel something," Niemann says. "I think you can overthink stuff to death when it comes to trying to figure out hits and things like that. If it’s something that just hits you, it usually hits everybody else. So if you hear a song, and go, ‘Wow, man, I’ve got to download that,’ I['ve got] to have that song.

"I usually just try to gravitate towards songs that made you want to move to town, or make you want to go to a live show, or just stuff that makes you anything but indifferent," he adds.

The 35-year-old will be heading into the studio in a few weeks, but even though he hasn't finished the record, he already knows what the new project will sound like.

"A lot of the stuff out there, there’s just so many effects on music, and I love music effects sometimes, but I really enjoyed leaning towards some more acoustic songs," Niemann explains. "So there’s definitely electric stuff on the record, but it was fun to try everything out a little bit and get some highlights from, I feel like, all the records we put out, bits and pieces of everything."

"Blue Bandana," which pays homage to the women seen at summer festivals across the country, was written by Ben Goldsmith, C.J. Solar and Andrew Scott Wills, three writers who have never had a song cut by another artist, until Niemann.

"There’s no jadedness in the lyric," Niemann says of the tune. "It’s all fresh talent."

Press play on the video below to hear "Blue Bandana," and download it on iTunes.

Listen to Jerrod Niemann, "Blue Bandana":

Jerrod Niemann Opens Up About His New Music

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