Chase Rice has lived a full and well-rounded life earlier than turning 40—and earlier than establishing himself as considered one of nation music’s hottest voices. Rice’s résumé contains elite faculty soccer athlete with NFL aspirations to a actuality TV star—ending runner-up on the hit TV collection Survivor, Nicaragua. Alongside the way in which he additionally earned a pair of NASCAR Dash Cup championships as a pit crew member for high driver Jimmie Johnson.
Now the previous North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker’ drops his seventh album, Go Down Singin’, which he calls his greatest work but. This comes after his earlier private fave, the uniquely titled 2023 album I Hate Cowboys and All Canine Go to Hell. Over a decade after he began his pursuit of music greatness, Rice, who simply turned 39, is assured on this newest launch.
“This album is my favourite album I’ve ever executed,” Rice says, “as a result of it’s actual, it’s private, it’s nice songwriting, it’s storytelling, and it’s nation.”
Rice’s entry into nation music is something however abnormal. As he rehabbed an ankle damage that ultimately lower his soccer profession quick, Rice turned to the web for DIY guitar classes. After studying a couple of chords, Rice turned a low second of his life (his father had additionally handed away on the time) right into a nation music alternative. Rice has developed right into a profitable singer-songwriter who continues to depend on a hard-nosed work ethic—just like the dedication that helped him earn a beginning spot at UNC. Whether or not it’s transferring up the charts, or conserving match, Rice is aware of the method going ahead will all the time be a steady grind.
“Different individuals are extra proficient than me,” he admits. “Morgan Wallen is a means higher singer than me. Zach Bryan’s a means higher poetic songwriter than me… So what can I do higher than [them]? That’s the aggressive aspect of this. However I’m simply attempting to be the very best model of me.”
Chase Rice Enjoys the Outside Life
Rice plans a tour within the spring of 2025, throughout that point he’ll even be engaged on songs for his subsequent album. The delay he says is to permit his followers to soak within the album. “I’m going to provide the give folks time to be taught the album and actually dig into it,” he says.
However whereas he doesn’t hit the weights as typically or intense as he did throughout his taking part in days, Rice, who additionally owns a buffalo ranch exterior of Nashville, does use his time away from the stage to benefit from the outside.
“I’ll be elk searching, deer searching, duck searching with my canine,” he says. “When winter rolls round, I’ll snowboard, and I’ll have time to put in writing a whole lot of songs.”
One expertise that also stands out to him personally was a rucking journey with famend bow hunter Cameron Hanes, which included carrying a boulder up a mountain. Rice mentioned Hanes took it straightforward on him, however it was nonetheless one thing he remembers fondly whereas acknowledging how intense it was.
“He’s an absolute animal,” Rice says. “He might’ve smoked me, however he didn’t. Cam’s man. He’s been a giant affect on me.”
Carrying a boulder up North Carolina’s Mount Pisgah was tough, he says, however like each different problem, Rice has discovered methods to regulate and succeed when confronted with sturdy types of adversity. His knowledge will be utilized to each bodily and life challenges.
“You bought to be smarter than everyone,” Rice says. “You bought to be work more durable and be smarter than everyone.”
He used to use that precept on the gridiron and initially of his music profession, however now he invests extra time and vitality into himself with out concern for out of doors elements.
“I simply need to bust my a** and make the very best music that I could make,” he says. “That’s the one likelihood that I’ve to be the very best artist and the very best individual that I will be, and that’s the place I’m at.”
Perpetually a Soccer Mentality
Rice’s hard-nosed mindset was cast partially because of the load room. He spent a whole lot of time lifting for his faculty coach at North Carolina, and all the things had a objective—get higher to carry out higher.
“We did a whole lot of bands, a whole lot of squats. a whole lot of energy cleans,” he says. “[Our coach] was massive on fast-twitch muscle mass. Something we have been doing that was fast and quick, that was enormous, which I don’t do anymore, and I have to get again on.”
Rice now not works with that coach, however he by no means misplaced that fireside for coaching. He began working at a CrossFit fitness center and met the proprietor, who turned his coach throughout the pandemic. That coach is now on the street with Rice and his group working in a administration place. The exercises contain extra body weight and bands than plates and bars. However the work remains to be difficult and rewarding whereas he maintains a weight of round 205 kilos.
Chase Rice defined, “I’m simply attempting to optimize my physique now, versus being a loopy match dude. I simply need to be in fine condition.”
Getting ready to get onstage is way totally different than placing on the pads and taking the sector. However there are nonetheless many individuals watching him do what he does, and he by no means loses sight of that. The primary distinction is as an alternative of getting ready his physique for the collisions each down, he’s getting ready his voice to encourage and entertain the followers.
“I need to be optimum whereas I’m up there on stage and have the ability to sing and provides the folks the very best present that I can. So, yeah, it’s a sport day,” he says.
Rice continued by explaining that the mindset is sort of totally different as nicely. “Soccer, it was do your job and be an absolute murderer on the defensive aspect of the sector. That’s the aim. And music isn’t that it’s very it’s inventive, it’s feeling, it’s vulnerability, it’s being probably the most actual model of your self.”
Chase Rice is a DIY Nation Music Star
Rice’s expertise on the guitar really got here to him whereas he was recovering from an ankle damage. He began studying from watching YouTube movies, then a buddy confirmed him some chords. These chords ultimately turned part of Florida Georgia Line’s hit tune, Cruise, which turned his first No. 1 tune as a co-songwriter. Though he’s thriving in nation music, he’s nonetheless a scholar in his thoughts.
“The method remains to be occurring, which is the loopy half, like I’m studying new s*** on daily basis on these new data.”
His dedication to the method and success he has seen in recent times goes again to that linebacker mentality—do no matter it takes to win, and don’t think about some other end result.
“I’ve not had a plan B since I began doing this, which is a big a part of it.”
That mentality goes to be helpful as Rice enters future levels of his musical profession. He’ss at present a free agent as an artist. He not too long ago ended his document cope with a earlier label and is now exploring selling himself and his music independently. He isn’t one for self-promotion however is adjusting to it.
“I logged into TikTok [receently] for the primary time in my life,” he admits
As Rice did on the sector, within the weight room, and on his boulder-carrying journey with Hanes, the end-goal is what issues, and Rice’s present aim is evident.
“What’s essential to me is folks liking my music, coming to exhibits and sing alongside, and us having time.”
Rice’s new album is obtainable to pre-order now. You’ll be able to observe him on Instagram @chaserice.
