Cody Johnson is sharing more details about his duet with Carrie Underwood. After announcing their collaboration earlier this year, their song was not included on the track list for his upcoming Leather album, out on November 3. But rest assured, Johnson says fans will get to hear their voices together, likely next year.
“It’s on the deluxe edition,” Johnson shared with Everything Nash and other outlets, during a recent virtual media event. “The issue is, when you’re dealing with an artist of that caliber; you have to be very respectful of their time. You have to be respectful of their tour when they’re releasing an album when they’re releasing a single.”
While the timing didn’t work out for their collaboration to be on Leather, the Texan has nothing but praise for the country music superstar.
“Carrie was so gracious to work with,” Johnson boasts. “I respect her so much as a vocalist and an artist. I think a lot of newer artists would have got that [collaborations]. and said, ‘Look, I have a duet with Carrie Underwood! Look, look, look!’
“I’m very thankful she did it, so I don’t care when it comes out,” he adds. “I know that it’s done. I know that when the timing is right, it will be beautiful.”
Johnson, who currently has a Top 30 hit with “The Painter,” hints that their duet could potentially become a single, one that will change his entire career.
“I think it’s something that’s gonna be trajectory-altering as a single if it gets to be a single,” Johnson predicts.
Johnson, who has collaborations with Jelly Roll and Brooks & Dunn on Leather, was happy to not include his song with Underwood on the project, and is willing to be patient as long as possible, in honor of Underwood.
“I’ve just tried to be really respectful of Carrie and her camp,” Johnson explains. “So we chose to put it on the later half, just in case for some reason, if she calls and says, ‘Hey, it can’t be on there.’ I’m not gonna be mad. We’re just trying to really put the ball on her court.”
When Johnson first announced he had recorded something with Underwood, he said he knew as soon as he heard the song that it was perfect for the two vocalists to sing together.
“I love Carrie’s music, but she wasn’t like — I don’t have her poster on my wall,” Johnson says (via iHeartCountry). “But when I heard this song, I heard her voice, and I just knew that it was going to work out. We had never sung together, so when we get in the room and we start singing together, it’s like family harmonies. The only way I can describe it is kind of like the way it was growing up, singing with my mom. It just instantly fits and it meshes.
“It’s really interesting to me, because my voice and her voice are really drastically different,” he continues. “But put together, they make a very, very unique sound. So I’m excited for it to come out. I’m not sure when it is. We’re kind of holding the ace card close to the sleeve.”
Johnson will embark on his The Leather Tour on January 19. Find music and tour dates at CodyJohnsonMusic.com.