Yelawolf to make tour stop at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing
Yelawolf, left, and J. Michael Phillips are touring in support of the album 鈥淲hiskey & Roses.鈥� The pair will make a stop in Santa Fe on Thursday, Aug. 7, at Santa Fe Brewing Company.
As the sun rises, Yelawolf once again is looking forward to the day ahead.
The rapper, born Michael Wayne Atha, knows that today will be a different day on tour.
鈥淚 literally just jumped off the bus and will be golfing on my day off,鈥� Yelawolf says. 鈥淭he tour has been amazing and it gives me an opportunity to introduce J. Michael (Phillips).鈥�
The rapper and up-and-coming country artist teamed up for the album 鈥淲hiskey & Roses,鈥� which was released on July 7. Yelawolf鈥檚 headlining tour is set to make a stop at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing in Santa Fe on Thursday, Aug. 7.
Yelawolf wanted to work with Phillips because of his unique style.
鈥淚 just didn鈥檛 want to step on his toes,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 wanted to share creative space with him. We dialed into the process and let it happen. I didn鈥檛 really overthink it. It took a couple of records to get into the flow. Once we did 鈥楢mnesia,鈥� I knew how to handle the project. If you鈥檝e heard the demo that he turned into me on that song, it鈥檚 the complete opposite of where it is now.鈥�
鈥淲hiskey & Roses鈥� has 10 songs on the album, though 15 were originally recorded.
鈥淭his album is all killer and no filler,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 waste people鈥檚 time with mediocre records. Just because you record it, it鈥檚 not the law that it has to make an album.鈥�
Yelawolf says the album has a nostalgic feel all while feeling different and new.
鈥淭he message to me with 鈥榃hiskey & Roses鈥� is simply: no apologies given. Period,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his oversaturated genre needs to be shaken up, in the best way though. I hope fans are moved forward by this project, but mostly, I hope they become J. Michael fans like I am. What he is about to do can be heard on his solo song 鈥楢ll I Ever Seen鈥� that closes out this record.鈥�
Yelawolf says the album is a journey through life鈥檚 ups and downs and the determination to keep pushing forward.
There may be obstacles along the way, but you can become anything that you put your mind to and work towards, he says.
鈥淢y passion, it鈥檚 always been pretty present as far as the way I perform these days,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 evolved into something new. I don鈥檛 really know how or why it happened. People are taking notice that there is a new spark within me and it鈥檚 showing through the music.鈥�
Yelawolf is calling his current tour 鈥�45,鈥� which is significant because of his age.
At 45, Yelawolf knows that he's having a rare opportunity to still be making music and touring the country.
鈥淲here I鈥檓 from, not many people make it to 45 much less 30,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 sign my first record deal until I was 30. There鈥檚 a renewed energy in my life and in my music. The upcoming solo album captures this exact moment for me. I鈥檝e gone back home to (Alabama and Tennessee) and a lot of my friends I grew up with have given up. I鈥檓 owning 45 and leaning into the power it鈥檚 bringing.鈥�
As for the set in Santa Fe, Yelawolf says it will have a few songs featuring Phillips.
鈥淭he majority of the set will be my songs representing my journey in music,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of the work I鈥檝e put in this far and we鈥檙e going to start switching gears moving forward.鈥�
