James Johnston has released his latest hit, Some Things Never Change, his highly teased collaboration with Zac & George.
Led by an acoustic guitar, Johnston’s signature drawl and the harmonies of Zac & George in the second verse, Some Things Never Change takes on a life of its own once the chorus lands.
An electric guitar signals the bridge, and handclaps welcome a too-short but wonderful acapella moment between the trio. It’s a confident single from Johnston that bridges the gap between traditional country and pop music. You can check out the track below.
Johnston teased the collaboration with Zac & George last Friday, inviting fans to get on board in a series of Instagram reels.
Talking about the co-writing session with the lads that took place in Nashville, Johnston explained, “Listening back to the demo on the plane ride home, I knew we had captured something special.
“I wanted to record and release it in a way I had never seen anyone do before,” he added in a press release, taking the co-write with Zac & George and then getting them on board for the final recording.
Some Things Never Change was recorded in Nashville by Justin Wantz and mixed by Liam Quinn in Sydney. From there, the trio hosted late-night Zoom meetings to tinker with the song further so Johnston could really impress Zac & George with the new single.
When Zac & George landed in Sydney last Friday, they went to the studio and then Johnston’s hometown of Wingham, New South Wales.
“This is the part that you come in!” Johnston exclaimed last week. “I’ve got it all organised – it’s happening at the Australian Hotel – we’ve got the camera crew there waiting.
“The guys have no idea what they’re about to walk into, and I want you guys to be a part of the video clip.”
According to a press release, Johnston’s fans descended into Wingham and created the “perfect party atmosphere” for the music video.
Johnston added, “The video was truly special, to be back in my hometown with the boys at the local pub I used to go to every Friday night; it just felt right that the video for SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE was captured there.”
Some Things Never Change is out now. Stay tuned for the music video.
Countrytown brings you Australia’s best country music news, interviews, charts and more every week! This post was authored by Countrytown and originally published on the Countrytown website. It has been re-published with permission.
