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.
Who's It Gonna Be
Chris Lane Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Five hundred horses outside at the valet
I got the keys, if you want we can leave here tonight
24/7, your body's on my brain
But it don't mean ish if somebody else is on your mind
'Cause I know, yeah I know, yeah I know
That you know, yeah you know, yeah you know
What you're getting into
I don't care what he does
'Cause he's only wasting his time
And I know what you like, what you like
Who's it gonna be?
Baby is it him or me?
We can fix this easily
If you just follow me home now
Who's it gonna be?
'Cause you know he can't compete
I'm the only one you need
You should get me at hello now
Who's it gonna be? (Who)
(Gonna be, gonna be, who)
It's paradise when I'm touching your body
Put my hands on your waist
We can keep making ways on if you want
You should be mine
'Cause you just ain't anybody
Take it or leave, but I'll never leave you alone
So who's it gonna be?
Baby is it him or me?
We can fix this easily
If you just follow me home now
Who's it gonna be?
'Cause you know he can't compete
I'm the only one you need
You should get me at hello now
Who's it gonna be? (Who)
(Gonna be, gonna be, who)
(Gonna be, gonna be)
'Cause I know, yeah I know, yeah I know
And I'm touchin' on you
That you know, yeah you know, yeah you know
What you're getting into
I don't care what he does
'Cause he's only wasting his time
And I got what you like, what you like
So who's it gonna be?
Baby is it him or me?
We can fix this easily
If you just follow me home now
Who's it gonna be?
'Cause you know he can't compete
I'm the only one you need
You should get me at hello now
Who's it gonna be? (Who)
(Gonna be, gonna be, who)
(Gonna be, gonna be, who)
(Gonna be, gonna be, who)
(Gonna be, gonna be)
The lyrics of Chris Lane's song "Who's It Gonna Be" talks about a man who is in love with a woman, but she seems to be distracted by someone else. The man assures her that he knows what she wants and what she needs, and he is willing to give it all to her. He sings about how he has everything the woman desires and that the other person is only wasting his time trying to compete with him. He asks the woman to choose between them, and if she picks him, he promises to make her his paradise and never let her go.
The singer appears confident and assertive in his approach as he tells the woman that she should get him at hello. The chorus carries a sense of urgency as he questions who the woman wants to choose, emphasizing that she needs to pick between the two of them. The lyrics play on themes of love, desire, and competition, and Chris Lane's vocals bring them out with a sense of passion and urgency.
Line by Line Meaning
Five hundred horses outside at the valet
I have a luxurious car that's waiting outside
I got the keys, if you want we can leave here tonight
We can go on a ride together if you're interested
24/7, your body's on my brain
I can't stop thinking about being intimate with you all the time
But it don't mean ish if somebody else is on your mind
It's pointless if you're thinking about someone else while I'm thinking about you
'Cause I know, yeah I know, yeah I know
I have complete confidence
And I'm touchin' on you
I'm physically close to you
That you know, yeah you know, yeah you know
You're fully aware of the situation
What you're getting into
You understand the nature of our relationship
I don't care what he does
I'm not interested in what the other guy is doing
'Cause he's only wasting his time
Because he doesn't stand a chance against me
And I know what you like, what you like
I'm familiar with your preferences
It's paradise when I'm touching your body
It feels amazing when we're physically connected
Put my hands on your waist
I'm touching your hips
We can keep making ways on if you want
We can explore new ways to be intimate if you're interested
You should be mine
You belong with me
'Cause you just ain't anybody
You're special and I value you
Take it or leave, but I'll never leave you alone
You have a choice, but I'll always be around
So who's it gonna be?
Who are you going to choose?
Baby is it him or me?
Are you picking him or me?
We can fix this easily
We can sort this out without any trouble
If you just follow me home now
Just come with me and everything will be okay
'Cause you know he can't compete
You're aware that he's no match for me
I'm the only one you need
I'm the only person who can fulfill your needs
You should get me at hello now
You should have picked me from the very beginning
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES JOHN ABRAHART JR., NICK BAILEY, KEVIN FISHER, RYAN OGREN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind