Bro-country duo doesn’t care what critics say
Florida Georgia Line-mates don’t care what critics say about them, Lynn Saxberg writes.
Where: Canadian Tire Centre When: Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets: capitaltickets.ca You can’t blame the guys in Florida Georgia Line for being oblivious to those who denigrate their music as the kind of shallow, frat-boy fare that’s ruining the country genre.
After all, Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard make up one of the hottest acts in the industry these days, burning up the charts with party anthems about girls and trucks, and packing arenas with screaming fans night after night. Dismiss their slick blend of country, rock and hip-hop as knuckle-dragging bro-country, and the insult barely registers.
“They can label it whatever they want,” declares Kelley, the taller, shorter-haired half of the muscular, blue-eyed duo. “We don’t really ever hear it or care about it. We love playing our music to sold-out shows with tons of fans that love what we do. We’re focused on our fans. They love us, we love them and we love country music.”
So there. It’s all about the fans and always has been, insists Kelley. The two men first met in 2008 while they were students at Nashville’s Belmont University. Kelley, who’s from Florida, graduated from entertainment industry studies, while Hubbard, a Georgia boy, earned his degree in music business studies. They would play guitar and write songs between classes.
“Right when I met Tyler, I felt like I’d known him all my life,” recalls Kelley. “It felt like a kid I’d grown up with down the street. We listened to the same music and liked the same things. He’s one of those friends who makes you want to be a better person, one of those guys who pushes you. He’s a lifer that you want around, and also very talented. We just clicked creatively, and our voices clicked and our work ethic is, and was, at the same level. We’re very competitive, not against each other but against the world.”
From the beginning, the fans were there, knocking back shots, kicking up their heels and cheering them on.
“When we started playing, it was just me and him on acoustic guitars sitting on stools at the Hotel Indigo, and people were showing up to hear the songs we’d just written, week after week,” Kelley says. “That’s when we knew we had something special, and that’s when we knew that our fans are special: loyal and passionate and willing to spread the word and go the extra mile and make more fans with us and grow this thing up. It’s been a party since Day 1.”
Although country was a big influence growing up, Kelley and Hubbard listened to everything, from Lil Wayne and Eminem to Nickelback and AC/DC. They also found common ground in the Baptist church community.
In coming up with their own music, it felt natural to work within the country genre, but pump it up with guitar riffs, hip-hop beats and a party-hearty attitude. As noted in Billboard magazine, almost everything they’ve released contains a song that rhymes party with Bacardi.
“Our vision was big,” Kelley explains. “Our songs have big choruses and big hooks, and we wanted to pack arenas and pack stadiums and basically just party with our fans. We’ve always tried to be open with our lyrics, open with our lives. We try to share as much as we can. We’re just normal dudes who love country music, and playing our songs to whoever will listen.”
The breakthrough started to happen after a management deal was in place and Vancouver producer Joey Moi entered the picture.
We playing love our music to soldout shows with tons of fans that love what we do. We’re focused on our fans.
He’s worked with everyone from Nickelback to Tim McGraw, and is largely responsible for the sonic development of Florida Georgia Line.
“He’s basically at the foundation of our sound,” Kelley says. “He’s definitely taken our dream of our sound and helped shape it and mould it. He worked with us along the way, helped us sing better, helped us write better. His influences are all over the map just like ours, and it just so happened that we kinda dig what each other digs. The vibes are there and it’s really special.”
The Moi-produced full-length debut album, Here’s To the Good Times, was one of the bestselling albums of 2013, thanks to a long string of No. 1 singles, including Cruise, Get Your Shine On, Round Here, Stay and This is How We Roll.
The remix of Cruise with stillpopular rapper Nelly crossed over to the pop charts and made the earworm of a tune even more ubiquitous.
The sophomore album is Anything Goes, another Moi production, and it’s a big hit, too, selling more than half a million copies since it dropped last fall.
Judging by the latest single, Sun Daze, and the reaction of fans at shows, the party is in no danger of winding down.
“Country music is in a crazy place right now, and our brand of country music, our fans seem to love,” Kelley says. “The fans are what’s making it as crazy as it is. If you come to an FGL show, we’ve got all sorts of ages and everybody’s having a great time. The only thing you can label that is a party. I’ll sign up for that every night.”