Country pop artist Jordana Bryant is roping in a cowboy with her brand new single "Saddle Up," hitting the airwaves on May 31st, 2024. In 2023, the Pennsylvania native made a significant mark with her radio debut on SiriusXM's The Highway and released her self-titled debut EP, which reached #10 on the iTunes country album charts.
Jordana also signed an exclusive tour booking deal with CAA and supported NBC's The Voice Season 21 winners, Girl Named Tom, as well as Alexandra Kay. She ended the year with releases like "18" and "Best Friend," while celebrating over 10 million global streams and counting.
"Saddle Up" is a high-energy summer love anthem guaranteed to make even a grizzled ranch hand slip a grin. However, beneath the fun imagery and infectious beat, 18-year-old Bryant slips in a clever message: it's all about finding that special someone who treats you like the MVP of their life.
"I've heard people say "If he wanted to, he would", Jordana Bryant recalled to Wide Open Country exclusively. She explained that "Saddle Up" is about the romantic partner who "wants to and does".
"I've been playing it on the road all year," Bryant added. "[At] every show, people ask me if it's out yet, so I'm so excited to finally be able to say yes, it is!" A first listen of the song is available below.
Jordana Bryant's 'Saddle Up' Name Drops an Iconic Cowboy
The upbeat tune is chock full of cowboy imagery. The young songwriter (alongside co-writers Jonathan Gamble and Sajan Nauriyal) even name-drops perhaps the most iconic movie cowboy around: The Duke himself. It begs the question, has the zoomer Country crooner ever seen a John Wayne film?
"Well, I can't say that I've seen many of the movies to be honest," Bryant admits. However, she explained that her grandfather was a "big fan" of the True Grit icon. Plus, Wayne remains shorthand for what a cowboy embodies even for folks born in the 21st century.
"I think even for the younger generations that may not know him well, the name still evokes the imagery we were going for in the song," Bryant explained.
Some Country Music purists might also raise an eyebrow that the young artist is from up north. However, Bryant dismisses her Pennsylvania roots as a barrier.
"Regardless of where you're from, Country Music is about storytelling," she explained. [It's about] life lessons and that's what's always drawn me to the genre."
She continued, "I love how when you hear a country song, you can close your eyes and picture every lyric. Ever since I was little, I've always wanted to write songs like that."
As one of the songwriters of the new tune, Bryant is hoping listeners have a visceral reaction when they hear it."I hope when listeners hear "Saddle Up," it makes them think about the person they know who puts them first and puts a smile on their face!"
Jordana Bryant also has the ideal location to listen to "Saddle Up"... the open road.
"I think it's a fun one to listen to with the windows down and I hope you add it to your summer playlist! "
"Saddle Up" drops tomorrow at your preferred streaming app.
