When Avicii premiered ‘Wake Me Up’ featuring Aloe Blacc at Ultra Music Festival in 2013, fans were presented the surprising marriage of two completely different music genres – country and EDM. It went on to become the highest-charting dance music track of the decade and the beginning of electronic producers dipping into country with success. Now Diplo, under his Thomas Wesley alias, has announced his debut country album dropping May 29.
He unveiled the tracklist for his album, Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil, Monday on social media. It has songs with country singers he has already released since starting his cowboy hat-wearing alter ego last year. Those include ‘So Long’ featuring Cam, ‘Heartless’ featuring Morgan Wallen, and ‘Lonely’ with pop band Jonas Brothers.
Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Wesley Pentz, played at Stagecoach for the first time last year with Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus, after remixing their song ‘Old Town Road.’ Diplo released a rodeo tune, ‘Do Si Do’ featuring Blanco Brown, just last week.
The tracklist revealed more collaborations with country heavy-hitters including Zac Brown, Orville Peck, and Thomas Rhett. Diplo also worked with Noah Cyrus and rapper Young Thug.
“My kind of country will unite us all,” Diplo captioned the image of the tracklist.
EDM and Country
Since ‘Wake Me Up’ and Avicii’s other country-dance hit ‘Hey Brother’ took EDM to uncharted territory, other producers have gone that direction. Marshmello went there last summer with country singer Kane Brown for ‘One Thing Right.’ Gryffin’s ‘Hold You Tonight,’ with country singer Chris Lane out earlier this month received wide praise.
Diplo is the first DJ to go so far as putting out a full country album. It’s quite the expansion for the Mad Decent record label owner, who’s had a number of projects over the years. Diplo is the lead member of Major Lazer, one in the duo Jack Ü with Skrillex, and part of LSD with Sia and Labrinth. Diplo has won three Grammy Awards: best dance/electronic album for Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü, best dance recording for ‘Where Are Ü Now’ as Jack Ü, and best dance recording for ‘Electricity.’
Here is the full tracklist for Diplo Presents Thomas Wesley Chapter 1: Snake Oil:
1. Intro ft. Orville Peck
2. So Long ft. Cam
3. Heartless ft. Morgan Wallen
4. Lonely with Jonas Brothers
5. Dance With Me ft. Thomas Rhett and Young Thug
6. Do Si Do ft. Blanco Brown
7. On Mine ft. Noah Cyrus
8. Real Life Stuff ft. Julia Michaels and Clever
9. Hometown ft. Zac Brown and Danielle Bradbery
10. Heartbreak ft. Ben Burgess
10. Heartless with Julia Michaels and Morgan Wallen
11. Old Town Road – Lil Nas X & Billy Ray Cyrus (Diplo Remix)