Renowned Scottish DJ and producer Calvin Harris has announced a surprising shift in his musical direction with the upcoming release of a country-inspired single titled ‘Smoke the Pain Away’. The track is scheduled to debut on March 14, marking Harris’s first venture into the country music genre. The DJ teased the new song on his TikTok and Instagram account, where he appeared with longer hair and a bushy beard, strumming an acoustic guitar, a stark contrast to his usual electronic dance music persona.
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The announcement comes after nearly a year of musical silence from Harris, following his last album ‘96 Months‘ (2024) and a collaboration with Ellie Goulding on the track ‘Free‘. The forthcoming single is expected to blend electronic elements with country motifs, reflecting a growing trend among DJs like Avicii and Diplo, who have explored similar fusions.
Calvin Harris has been a dominant force in the music industry since his debut album ‘I Created Disco‘ (2007). He holds the record for the most top ten hits from a single studio album, with nine tracks from his 2012 album ‘18 Months‘ reaching the UK top ten, including ‘We Found Love‘ in collaboration with Rihanna, ‘Feel So Close‘, and ‘I Need Your Love‘ featuring Ellie Goulding. His most recent chart-topping single ‘Miracle’, another collaboration with Ellie Goulding, reached number one in April 2023.As the DJ embarks on this new musical journey, fans are eager to see how he will blend his electronic roots with country influences. While ‘Smoke the Pain Away’ is set for release next week, there has been no official confirmation regarding a full country-inspired album. This single may signify a broader exploration of genre fusion, but details about subsequent projects remain unknown. Fans are encouraged to keep an eye on Harris’s official social media accounts for any hints about what’s next.
