Lane's signature is the falsetto. In Lane's hands, mixing those earth-shattering high notes with banjo plucks and a danceable beat (whether that dancing is done in cowboy boots or Nike sneakers) has never felt more natural, or so unique. He may have some Girl Problems, as the title of his forthcoming debut album suggests, but he has no problem at all weaving a fresh sound that both thrills country fans and encourages pop faithfuls to dip a toe into his side of the Mason-Dixon.
After touring with Dustin Lynch, Kelsea Ballerini and Rascal Flatts, Lane has been making a name for himself as one of the genre's most groundbreaking new stars: his first single, "Fix," is bound for the top of the country radio charts and just passed both 20 million streams on Spotify and over 3.5 million views on Vevo, making waves for how effortlessly it blends progressive pop and that sultry falsetto with his country roots. It's a record-breaker, too: the song has accumulated the most first week single adds from a debut male artist in Country Aircheck history, all while drawing praise from the likes of Selena Gomez, Lucy Hale, Daughtry and more. Now, Lane's ready to share Girl Problems with the world, his much-anticipated debut LP produced by Joey Moi (Florida Georgia Line, Jake Owen) to be released by Big Loud Records on August 5th.
Originally from North Carolina but now residing in Nashville, Lane once thought his life was heading in an entirely different direction: an ace athlete, he played football and baseball until an injury sidelined him permanently. Looking for an outlet, he turned to the guitar – he'd always loved music growing up, and listened to everything from Garth Brooks and Usher to Justin Timberlake – and it quickly turned from a hobby into a downright passion. He started playing in a cover band and became a must-see act in town, all while starting to write his own songs, a talent that came unexpectedly easily.
"Once I got a taste of what it was like to be on stage," says Lane, "and more and more people came out to the shows, I thought, 'well, I should try and write my own music.' I sat down and wrote twelve songs. After that, it instantly felt like music was what I truly was supposed to be doing. I discovered a passion I never thought I could have."
Soon, Nashville came calling, and it wasn't before long that he found himself working with Moi, who was instantly drawn to his cutting-edge originality and ability to transcend genres. One day in the studio, Lane was singing an Usher song to himself while Moi was working behind the controls – including all of the high, falsetto notes that are impossible for most to even approach. And, suddenly, a light bulb went off: they realized they could integrate those vocal abilities into Lane's music in way that country had never quite done before. "I'm so glad we discovered that," says Lane. "It's out of the box for country music, and that's how I like to be."
Once Lane felt free to unleash those killer vocals, everything fell into place: it was the thread that laced together his diverse pop and country influences, and "Fix," written by Sarah Buxton, Jesse Frasure and Abe Stoklasa, was the first piece of that puzzle (and also the title of his debut EP). Girl Problems – named as an ode not only to the difficulties of romance but the beauty of learning from missteps and mistakes - takes the ride one step further, pushing even more boundaries, packing more surprises and, most of all, always remembering to make people dance or sing along. From the smooth, R&B vibe of "Who's It Gonna Be" that absolutely smashes with its infectious, eighties-pop infused chorus; to the twang disco of "All The Time"; to the mid-tempo "For Her," which Lane describes as his "Backstreet Boy" moment – if the Backstreet Boys played a little banjo – it's a contemporary ride from one exciting corner of the genre to the next, reinventing country with every octave.
"I love what Florida Georgia Line is doing, and what Sam Hunt has done," says Lane. "They have created something that was unique to country that nobody else had tried. That's how I strive to create music, too. To infuse so many different aspects and influences into one unique sound, that always pushes forward."
Florida Georgia Line, in fact, has been a mentor of sorts to Lane – they recognized his talent early on and took him on the road before anyone barely knew his name. It was a good gamble – audiences loved his high-energy, captivating performances, and other artists like Rascal Flatts snatched him up as a tourmate, too. Tireless on the road and always on all cylinders at every show, Lane attributes his work ethic to his years as an athlete.
"I guess I've gone from playing baseball in stadiums to singing in stadiums," Lane laughs. Either way, he's still hitting soaring homeruns.
Her Own Kind of Beautiful
Chris Lane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A toe ring to the tip top
From Hagard to the Hip-Hop
She can play either side of a bad cop, good cop
From a sun dress to her Sunday best
A cover girl type or just a hot mess
Oh my my yeah
She's a blue jean roll sweet supermodel
Like a stained glass rain from a broken bottle
Make ya promise she won't
But she knows she gonna
Yeah, she's her own kind of beautiful
She's a roman candle, she's a tin revival
She's a needle dancin' on classic vinal
She's a sunset wish with a ten mill smile
Her own kind of beautiful
Beautiful
A hello yeah just clicked
So she settled in for a slow sip
And when we leave in a little bit
All the other guys will be so pissed
She's a blue jean roll sweet supermodel
Like a stained glass rain from a broken bottle
Make ya promise she won't
But she knows she gonna
Yeah, she's her own kind of beautiful
She's a roman candle she's a tin revival
She's a needle dancin' on classic vinal
She's a sunset wish with a ten mill smile
Her own kind of beautiful
Beautiful
You're beautiful
From her sundress to her Sunday best
That Maybelline red lip gloss kiss
Oh my, my yeah, she's the girl that got my heart beatin' out of my chest
She's a blue jean roll sweet supermodel
Like a stained glass rain from a broken bottle
Make ya promise she won't
But she knows she gonna
Yeah, she's her own kind of beautiful
She's a roman candle, she's a tin revival
She's a needle dancin' on classic vinal
She a sunset wish with a ten mill smile
Her own kind of beautiful
(Ball cap to the flip flop)
Beautiful
(A toe ring to the tip top)
You're beautiful
(From Hagard to the Hip-Hop)
Yeah, her own kind of beautiful
She's a roman candle she's a tin revival
She's a needle dancin' on classic vinal
She's a sunset wish with a ten mill smile
She's her own kind of beautiful
"Her Own Kind of Beautiful" by Chris Lane describes the beauty of the girl he's singing about. From her casual look in a ball cap and flip flops to her glamorous Sunday best, she can rock any style. She can fit in with any crowd, from the country-loving Hagard fans to the urban hip-hop heads. The artist describes her as a "bad cop, good cop," indicating that she's a mix of sweet and tough.
The chorus describes the girl as someone who can appear to be a sweet supermodel one moment and a wild child the next. She's like a stained glass rain from a broken bottle, which implies both beauty and danger. Despite her promises to not fall for someone, the singer knows she will. She's her own kind of beautiful, and she knows it.
Overall, the song is about a girl who is confident in herself and can fit in anywhere she goes. She doesn't feel the need to conform to one specific style, and her beauty shines through regardless of what she's wearing.
Line by Line Meaning
Ball cap to the flip flop
She can rock any style, from casual to beachy
A toe ring to the tip top
She pays attention to detail and adds special touches to any outfit
From Hagard to the Hip-Hop
She can appreciate and enjoy different genres of music
She can play either side of a bad cop, good cop
She's versatile and can adapt to situations and personalities
From a sun dress to her Sunday best
She can dress up or down and look stunning in any outfit
A cover girl type or just a hot mess
She can look like a supermodel or be relaxed and laid-back and look beautiful either way
Oh my my yeah
She catches his attention and he's captivated by her beauty
She's the girl that got my heart beatin' out of my chest
She has a powerful and irresistible effect on him
She's a blue jean roll sweet supermodel
She can be casual and comfortable in blue jeans but still look like a supermodel
Like a stained glass rain from a broken bottle
Her beauty is unique and vibrant like a stained glass window created from pieces of broken glass
Make ya promise she won't but she knows she gonna
She's unpredictable and spontaneous, but that's part of what makes her beautiful
She's a roman candle, she's a tin revival
She can be explosive and dazzling like a roman candle or rustic and vintage like a tin revival
She's a needle dancin' on classic vinal
She's graceful and elegant like a needle on a vinyl record playing classic music
She's a sunset wish with a ten mill smile
Her smile is breathtaking and lights up the sky like a beautiful sunset
Her own kind of beautiful
She's unique and one-of-a-kind, and her beauty is special and distinctive
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BARRY GEORGE DEAN, RODNEY CLAWSON, MATTHEW PETERS DRAGSTREM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind