lifestyle WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015 Gossip Free music becomes top-selling album for singer Sam Hunt am Hunt may be celebrating the one-year anniversary of Hunt put seven songs from the mixtape onto his major a singer. “I felt like I finally found a direction as an artist and ... I his debut album, but most of the songs from label debut, including two songs that eventually topped started writing with a purpose or writing as myself,” he said. “I S“Montevallo” have been living online since 2013. Hunt, Billboard’s Hot Country songs chart (“Leave the Night On,” held that song and never pitched it.” who released “Montevallo” last year, first released a free mix- “House Party”). He also created three new songs - including tape in 2013. Seven of the 10 songs from “Montevallo” were another No. 1 hit “Take Your Time” - and released the 10-track Sophomore superstar originally on his 15-track free album. “I put it out on the “Montevallo” last year. The album has sold more than 810,826 Hunt has started work on his follow-up to “Montevallo,” and Internet for free and the success we had after, that was units and still sits in the Top 25 on the Billboard 200 albums he says there’s some pressure to match the success of his because of the fans,” Hunt said in a recent interview. And more chart. “One of the biggest artists right now in pop music is The debut album. He also said there’s less pressure because he has fans have continued to support the 30-year-old singer, who is Weeknd and I remember being around when his mixtapes been able to succeed in country music with a sound that one of the brightest voices in country music. came out and it was the same sort of concept,” Hunt said of blends country with elements of R&B, hip-hop and electroni- Hunt has three No. 1 country singles, and he is nominated the breakthrough singer, who had massive hits this year with ca. “Everybody had a different opinion as to where the bound- for three Country Music Association awards, to be presented “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills” and “Earned It.” “I’ve sort been aries actually were as far as what we could do musically and in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday night. To repay fans, he watching his career since then, I’m a fan of his music and it’s sonically and lyrically, and that can kind of mess with your digitally released an acoustic version of his free mixtape last In this file photo, Sam Hunt arrives at the CMT Music interesting to see now how that has grown into what it’s head,” he said. “Now that we’ve put out a record and we’re a lit- week. “Between the Pines (Acoustic Mixtape)” is available on Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. — AP become now,” he said. “This is the same concept.” tle more established and we have some eyes and ears (on us), iTunes for $7.99. “Unfortunately we had to take the (free) mix- release a mixtape of free songs to help push his style and I feel like a little bit of that pressure is off,” he continued, “and tape down ... (but) this is just sort of a special occasion that we sound - a page taken from rappers and hip-hop artists, and a Newbie of the year we have a little more freedom to go wherever the creative thought would be suited for reissuing that original mixtape,” rarity in the country music world. Hunt said he was familiar Hunt is nominated for three CMA Awards, including new process takes us.” — AP he said. In a recent interview, Hunt talked with The Associated with rappers dropping mixtapes and got an extra push to artist of the year. He’s the only breakthrough act to be up for Press about releasing free music, his CMA nominations and his release free music from his producer Zach Crowell, who has song and single of the year for “Take Your Time,” which he co- sophomore album. worked with underground hip-hop artists in Nashville. wrote. His competition includes hits like Little Big Town’s “Girl “(Crowell) was very familiar with that concept and I was famil- Crush” and Kenny Chesney’s “American Kids.” Hunt, who has School of hip-hop iar with it, I just never associated it with country music,” he co-written songs for Chesney, Keith Urban and Reba McEntire, Before he earned a recording contract, Hunt decided to said. says writing “Take Your Time” helped him find his own voice as Sam Smith back with ‘saddest song’ of life am Smith was by some measures last year’s biggest Described by Smith as “the saddest song I’ve ever written,” breakthrough musician, but on his latest song, he is sad- the 23-year-old English crooner demonstrates the power of Sder than ever. Smith returns to his familiar subject mat- his soaring, soulful voice on “Drowning Shadows” as he nar- ter of fleeting love on “Drowning Shadows,” a previously unre- rates his battles with alcohol and casual relationships. Smith leased song that will appear on a deluxe edition of his block- sings: “I don’t know how I’ve reached this place / So far from buster album “In The Lonely Hour” that comes out Friday. heaven, so far from grace. “Go home to nothing or stay out “Brace yourself, this is going to be really depressing. So sorry if more? Give in to someone or lock down my door? Or drown anyone’s in a happy mood,” Smith joked as he premiered the all my shadows, drown them like before?” he sings to piano song Monday on Apple’s Beats One radio. and strings. Smith explained to radio listeners that the song was in fact written prior to “In The Lonely Hour” but was left off the album because “something didn’t work” in the produc- tion. The singer, who re-recorded the song, said that “Drowning Shadows” was about his former life as he returned home each evening in London from the studio in a taxi. He would face a daily crossroads as he decided whether to hit the gay bars or go home alone. “I was in such a lonely, sad place when I was recording this album,” said Smith, who was a bartender until a few years ago. “I used to go out by myself and drink and try and find love. Or I would just go home and chill,” he said. But the album proved to be a global hit backed by the strength of the ballad “Stay With Me,” itself a tender reflection on the after- Justin Timberlake, from left, ASCAP president Paul Williams, former President Jimmy Carter and Trisha Yearwood take a math of a one-night stand. Smith has since gone on to pack photo after Yearwood received the Voice of Music Award. — AP photos stadiums and won three of the four most prestigious awards at the latest Grammys. More recently Smith, who successfully underwent surgery for vocal cord problems, composed the theme song for the latest James Bond film. — AFP President Carter, Timberlake honor Trisha Yearwood File photo shows Grammy winner Sam Smith, poses in the press room after performing on stage during the 57th ne of country music’s leading ladies, Trisha Yearwood, annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, California. — AFP was honored as the voice of a generation of music fans OMonday night by former President Jimmy Carter and pop star and actor Justin Timberlake. Her fellow country stars, including Lady Antebellum and Reba McEntire, surprised the Georgia-born singer with performances of her songs, including Inspired by circus, sisters “Walkaway Joe,” and “She’s In Love With the Boy,” during the 53rd annual ASCAP Country Music Awards on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. “Since her debut in the early ‘90s, Trisha Yearwood has given young women a voice chart Japan pop niche through song, with powerful lyrics about love, loss and staying true to your own self,” Timberlake said. Yearwood was given the heir head-to-toe cute factor brings to mind fellow eventually was scouring YouTube to discover different styles Voice of Music Award, while Ashley Gorley was named the song- crowd-pleasing Japanese musicians, but for the two sis- including klezmer and Roma music. “In the circus, there are writer of the year and Sam Hunt was named songwriter-artist of Tters who form Charan-Po-Rantan, the inspiration comes lots of different people and nationalities all gathered together, the year by the music licensing agency. Hunt also received the not from pop idols but the circus. With songs driven by an so we wanted to make a band that encompasses a bunch of award for song of the year for “Leave the Night On,” written by accordion, Charan-Po-Rantan has created a sound that mar- different genres and styles,” she said. Hunt and Josh Osborne. ries J-pop with klezmer, the festive music of Ashkenazi Jews, The Grammy-winning artist has sold more than 12 million and the theatrical atmospherics of vaudeville. Making their No banal pop lyrics albums and is also a successful cooking show host and cook New York debut, the sisters in Charan-Po-Rantan-which loose- The duo’s New York debut, held Thursday night at the book author, Timberlake noted, adding, “Girlfriend is busy.” ly translates as sloppy-appeared in poofy dresses of wildly Japan Society, also displayed a playful touch of irony.