Shaboozey talks A Bar Song (Tipsy) UK chart success and hopes of a Lana Del Rey collaboration

From Zach Bryan's recent success to Dasha's breakout hit Austin, country music is truly having its moment here in the UK.

One man leading the charge is Shaboozey. Having featured on two tracks on Beyoncé's record-breaking COWBOY CARTER LP - SPAGHETTI and SWEET★HONEY★BUCKIIN' - he's now set to score his first-ever Official Top 10 single with A Bar Song (Tipsy).

Already topping the UK's Official Trending Chart, A Bar Song (Tipsy) interpolates J-Kwon's 2004 hit Tipsy; a move which as good as guaranteed its viral social media success. But Shaboozey's genre-defying artistry is so much more than an ephemeral TikTok trend.

Today, we catch up with Virginia-born Shaboozey, real name Collins Obinna Chibueze, to talk chart success, his limitlessly-experimental brand of country and hopes of a Lana Del Rey team-up.

Shaboozey, you're on your way to scoring your first-ever UK Top 10 single. Congratulations!

That's crazy, it's awesome!

It’s crazy what’s happening right now. I’m just trying to keep it going, keep momentum up and make sure I’m doing everything I can on my part.

Did you ever expect A Bar Song (Tipsy) to take off the way it has globally?

Sometimes, when I perform a show, the people in the front row aren’t even looking at me during it. They turn around, facing the crowd, and we’re all just having a party. That’s when you realise the song is bigger than yourself, you know?

Which three songs from your back catalogue would you play to somebody new to your music to showcase your sound?

Those three songs, to me, would be All Men Die (Freestyle), Beverley Hills and Winning Streak; but All Men Die (Freestyle) is probably my favourite song we’ve done in recent years. That one really shows the world what I’m trying to do. The instrumentation is there, the writing is there. I love that song.

With your blend of hip-hop, rock and Americana influences, it's difficult to box you into one genre. How would you define your music?

I’d call it music for the modern cowboy. It’s just fun, for when you just want to be immersed in something; almost like a fantasy. You’re listening to it like ‘am I a part of this movie?’. I think we’re doing something that’s pretty revolutionary, to be honest.

Country music's experiencing such a moment on the UK charts right now. How does it feel to be at the forefront of its

It’s insane. I think with the help of the likes of Zach Bryan, obviously Beyoncé. That’s opened the floodgates. 

A lot of people I listen to are getting their flowers. Vincent Neil Emerson from Texas, Leon Bridges; all homies that’ve been here for a while. Sierra Ferrell, as well. They’ve all been doing their stuff for years and the world’s finally come around to them. They’re some of the new pioneers of this new resurgence of Western music.

Your last album Cowboys Live Forever, Outlaws Never Die was released in 2022. Are you working on new music beyond A Bar Song (Tipsy)?

Yeah! I have ideas and different concepts in mind. I’m an artist; there are no limitations to what I can make or what I can do. That can be scary at times, figuring out which direction to go in. It’s free-flowing. I’m trying to finish my project that’s coming out on May 31.

Going into the writing process, are there any themes you were keen to cover in your upcoming work?

It always changes. Existentialism is one thing. I like to touch on religion a lot and spirituality; things of that nature. If I had to lock into one concept right now, what evokes a lot of thought is ‘what happens when we die?’.

A little morbid, but it’s something I’m super excited about exploring. I have some songs in that world that are already written.

What has the success of A Bar Song (Tipsy) unlocked for you as an artist?

I’m just excited that, with this song and its success, I have a lot more access to collaborators. I can say ‘I have this song, I have this person will sound great on it.’ I can hit them up and be like ‘yo, I’ve got this idea – let’s get in the studio!’

Who's top of your hit list, collaborator-wise?

There are so many cool ones, and a lot of them are friends now.

I met with Lana Del Rey this weekend, she’d be cool to do a song with. All these people, man. It’s so interesting to meet all these people who’ve reached out. I’m super excited to just get in with everybody. Lana’s cool, my homie Wyatt Flores, Drayton Farley; all these Amerciana kids that are doing something that’s super real. I’d love to do something with those guys.

Shaboozey's A Bar Song (Tipsy) is out now via American Dogwood/EMPIRE.

Listen to Shaboozey's A Bar Song (Tipsy) below: