Chase Rice has lived a full and well-rounded life earlier than turning 40—and earlier than establishing himself as one among nation music’s hottest voices. Rice’s résumé consists of elite school soccer athlete with NFL aspirations to a actuality TV star—ending runner-up on the hit TV collection Survivor, Nicaragua. Alongside the best way he additionally earned a pair of NASCAR Dash Cup championships as a pit crew member for prime driver Jimmie Johnson.
Now the previous North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker’ drops his seventh album, Go Down Singin’, which he calls his finest work but. This comes after his earlier private fave, the uniquely titled 2023 album I Hate Cowboys and All Canines 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 performed,” 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 odd. As he rehabbed an ankle damage that ultimately reduce his soccer profession quick, Rice turned to the web for DIY guitar classes. After studying just a few 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—much like the dedication that helped him earn a beginning spot at UNC. Whether or not it’s transferring up the charts, or protecting match, Rice is aware of the method going ahead will at all times be a steady grind.
“Different individuals are extra proficient than me,” he admits. “Morgan Wallen is a manner higher singer than me. Zach Bryan’s a manner 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 most effective model of me.”
Chase Rice Enjoys the Out of doors 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 usually or intense as he did throughout his enjoying 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 looking, deer looking, duck looking with my canine,” he says. “When winter rolls round, I’ll snowboard, and I’ll have time to jot down loads 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 stated Hanes took it simple on him, nevertheless it was nonetheless one thing he recollects fondly whereas acknowledging how intense it was.
“He’s an absolute animal,” Rice says. “He may’ve smoked me, however he didn’t. Cam’s a very good 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 robust types of adversity. His knowledge might be utilized to each bodily and life challenges.
“You bought to be smarter than everyone,” Rice says. “You bought to be work tougher and be smarter than everyone.”
He used to use that precept on the gridiron and firstly of his music profession, however now he invests extra time and vitality into himself with out concern for outdoor components.
“I simply wish to bust my a** and make the most effective music that I could make,” he says. “That’s the one likelihood that I’ve to be the most effective artist and the most effective individual that I might be, and that’s the place I’m at.”
Perpetually a Soccer Mentality
Rice’s hard-nosed mindset was cast partly due to the load room. He spent loads of time lifting for his school coach at North Carolina, and the whole lot had a objective—get higher to carry out higher.
“We did loads of bands, loads of squats. loads of energy cleans,” he says. “[Our coach] was huge on fast-twitch muscle mass. Something we have been doing that was fast and quick, that was large, which I don’t do anymore, and I must 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 grew to become 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 wish to be in good 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 making ready his physique for the collisions each down, he’s making ready his voice to encourage and entertain the followers.
“I wish to be optimum whereas I’m up there on stage and be capable of sing and provides the folks the most effective present that I can. So, yeah, it’s a recreation day,” he says.
Rice continued by explaining that the mindset is kind of totally different as properly. “Soccer, it was do your job and be an absolute murderer on the defensive aspect of the sector. That’s the purpose. And music just isn’t that it’s very it’s inventive, it’s feeling, it’s vulnerability, it’s being essentially the most actual model of your self.”
Chase Rice is a DIY Nation Music Star
Rice’s expertise on the guitar truly got here to him whereas he was recovering from an ankle damage. He began studying from watching YouTube movies, then a pal confirmed him some chords. These chords ultimately grew to become part of Florida Georgia Line’s hit track, Cruise, which grew to become his first No. 1 track as a co-songwriter. Although he’s thriving in nation music, he’s nonetheless a scholar in his thoughts.
“The method remains to be taking place, which is the loopy half, like I’m studying new s*** every single day on these new data.”
His dedication to the method and success he has seen lately goes again to that linebacker mentality—do no matter it takes to win, and don’t take into account another consequence.
“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 the moment a free agent as an artist. He just lately ended his document take care of 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 purpose is obvious.
“What’s vital to me is folks liking my music, coming to exhibits and sing alongside, and us having a very good time.”
Rice’s new album is offered to pre-order now. You’ll be able to comply with him on Instagram @chaserice.
