- Words Notion Staff
From close-knit collaborations to record-breaking radio hits, Jordan Davis is expanding his sound while staying true to his roots.
Jordan Davis has learnt a thing or two about balance. Between family life, relentless touring, and becoming one of country’s most bankable modern storytellers, the Louisiana-born singer-songwriter has been navigating the sweet spot between stadium-scale success and keeping it real. His new album, Learn The Hard Way, released last month, leans right into that tension: 17 tracks that wrestle with regret, resilience, and the kind of lessons you only pick up by screwing things up first.
This isn’t just another round of recycled Nashville polish. Across the album, Jordan lets more of his Louisiana DNA show through: Southern rock-grit collides with blues-soaked soul, while lyrics act as raw confessions, reading like a page torn from a diary. There’s the swampy swagger of ‘Louisiana Stick’ with Marcus King, the heart-on-sleeve ache of ‘Mess With Missing You’ featuring Carly Pearce, and of course the record-breaking ‘I Ain’t Sayin’’, which held the No.1 spot on UK Country Radio for eight weeks.
For Jordan, who first broke through with Platinum-selling anthems like ‘Singles You Up’ and ‘Buy Dirt’, this album feels like both a homecoming and a level-up. He’s already notched eight career No.1s, performed everywhere from Jimmy Kimmel to Kingston’s Banquet Records, and built a reputation for being country’s “modern-day storyteller.” But Learn The Hard Way isn’t about coasting on past wins, it’s about pushing boundaries while still keeping the honesty that’s made his music connect from Nashville to Newcastle.
We caught up with Jordan Davis to talk lessons learnt, collaborations that clicked, and why getting more personal only makes the songs hit harder.
Let’s start with the title track. ‘Learn The Hard Way’ feels like a phrase loaded with life lessons. What made it the right name for the album, and how does it sum up where you’re at personally and creatively?
A lot of the songs share a theme of looking back and wishing that you had done things differently. Tracks like ‘Mess With Missing You’, ‘Turn This Truck Around’, and ‘Jesus Wouldn’t Do’ all carry that sense of regret. The past couple of years have been amazing for the music, but balancing family and work has been tough. I’ve learnt that the hard way. That’s why the title felt right for this batch of songs.
You’ve had huge success with Bluebird Days with four No. 1 singles and two “Song of the Year” titles, yet this record feels even more personal and expansive. What did you want to explore sonically or lyrically this time that you hadn’t before?
With this album, I wanted to show my influences directly, both lyrically and in production. Growing up in Louisiana, I was shaped by Southern rock and the bluesy soul of New Orleans, which comes through in songs like ‘Louisiana Stick’ and ‘Good Gone Bad’, a sound we haven’t really explored before. Lyrically, I’ve always aimed for honesty and authenticity, and tracks like ‘Keeping the World Away’ and ‘Jesus Wouldn’t Do’ continue that approach carried through Bluebird Days and Homestate.
The album opens with ‘Her Way or the Highway’ and moves through tracks like ‘Ain’t Enough Road’ and ‘Muddy the Water.’ Was there a story arc you were consciously building, or did it come together more organically in the studio?
The album really came together originally in the studio. We wanted a more rootsy, natural feeling with the album, so we pulled back on programming and heavy pre-production, focusing instead on playing with great musicians and letting our sound grow. From the reviews we’ve seen, people are picking up on that more organic feel, which is exactly what we were aiming for.
‘I Ain’t Sayin’ has already broken records at UK Country Radio. When you were writing and recording it, did you have any sense that it would connect on such a massive scale internationally?
I had no clue in the world. One of the most exciting things music has allowed me to do has been to see that song go big in the UK. I knew it had potential, but never would I have dreamt it would go #1 for eight weeks.
You’ve got some incredible collaborations on the album, from Carly Pearce on ‘Mess with Missing You’ to Marcus King on ‘Louisiana Stick.’ How do you decide which artists to bring into your world, and what did they add to the songs?
I met Carly back in 2012 when I first moved to Nashville, and it’s been so cool to watch her career take off. We’d always talked about doing a song together, but didn’t want to force it. When ‘Mess With Missing You’ came along, it felt like the right one, and once she got in the studio, our voices blended even better than I expected. With Marcus, I’ve been a fan of his for years, and ‘Louisiana Stick’ was written with his sound in mind. I never imagined he’d actually be part of it, but now it’s probably my favourite track on the album, as it’s something different. For fans who have been around for a while, they’ll know it’s a song we’ve never done before. It feels good that we are still pushing to try and find new sounds and push boundaries. ‘Louisiana Stick’ definitely feels like that.
From Louisiana to Nashville, and now sold-out UK shows, your sound has travelled far. How do those different audiences shape your live performances, and does the reception change the way you approach a song on stage?
Not really. Going back to the first time I ever performed in the UK, I felt like I’ve always connected with fans, and I’ve always prioritised honesty in songwriting. The more personal you get, the more universal it becomes, as everyone is going through the same stuff. Being able to put all of that down on paper makes you realise that somebody else is going through the same thing. It’s made me want to become even more honest and real in my writing.
You’ve been described widely as a “modern-day storyteller.” Can you share a track from this album where the storytelling really pushed you creatively or emotionally?
Songs like ‘Jesus Wouldn’t Do’ and ‘Keeping the World Away’ are two that stand out from the album. ‘Jesus Wouldn’t Do’” is autobiographical on some of the verses, especially about things that I wish I had changed and done differently in my past. But I feel like I’ve learnt a lot from them and it’s helped me become who I am today. ‘Keeping the World Away’ stands for taking your own words and living by them. Those are the two tracks that I hope I can live by.
With eight career No. 1s under your belt, how do you keep finding fresh angles and avoiding the temptation to repeat past formulas?
My biggest fear as an artist is putting out a song or record that fans think I recycled or that I cashed in. With every release, you have to get in the writing room and find a different angle to make sure you’re doing something fresh. That may be changing your co-writers or listening to other songs outside of your world. There are so many incredible writers in Nashville, which is a way that helps me feel like I’m staying fresh.
Country music has evolved a lot since your debut Home State in 2018. What’s one thing you think the genre is doing right at the moment, and one thing you hope changes in the next few years?
As a fan of ’90s country, it’s exciting to see that more traditional sound coming back: the steel, the fiddle, the kind of production that takes you right back. I’m a huge Cody Johnson fan, and it’s amazing to see the connection he’s making, even with fans in the UK. Honestly, country feels healthier now than ever, with artists like Jelly Roll and Post Malone bringing fresh energy into the format. So, if there’s anything that can make it better, I’m excited to see it. But it feels like it’s in a really good spot.
Finally, with the UK/European tour just announced for 2026, what can fans expect from those shows? And what’s on the horizon for Jordan Davis?
I hope fans know how excited we are to be back. I’ve been holding back talking about touring here for so long, so it’s great to finally share it. Last year’s UK tour was some of the most fun I’ve ever had on stage, and now we’re returning in even bigger venues. The fans have been amazing, and we live by the motto that if we have fun on stage, it shows. I’m especially excited to perform ‘I Ain’t Sayin’’ and our new music, so I hope they’re ready for a full two-hour show because we’re going to be playing for a while.