Shaboozey Performs ‘Highway’ on Colbert

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Shaboozey recently performed "Highway" on The Late Show, a song from his new album Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going.

In this performance, he sang in front of a video screen with sepia tones. It was an intimate setting, quite different from his usual high-energy style when he performed “A Bar Song” on other late-night shows. That hit single, based on J-Kwon’s 2004 track “Tipsy,” reached Number 1 and pays homage to artists like Pharrell Williams and Zach Bryan. Shaboozey mentioned in an interview how he loves adding gang vocals and friends’ voices to create an energetic vibe: “We love incorporating gang vocals and all our friends singing things,” he said. “I think the more energy and the more people you put on a song, the more it’s felt.”

The new album, Shaboozey’s third, came out in May. Besides “A Bar Song,” the album showcases his mix of hip-hop and country styles. This unique blend is why he fit so well on Beyoncé’s genre-bending album Cowboy Carter, where he contributed to tracks like “Spaghettii” and “Sweet Honey Buckiin.”

Fans can sense the excitement. Shaboozey’s music crosses boundaries.

David Browne from Rolling Stone reviewed the album and said Shaboozey seems like someone who grew up with country but also loves hip hop. Browne noted, “In doing so, he’s effectively changed the game. Cowboy Carter (where he made two cameos) lobbed the first volley in redefining and modernizing country, but Shaboozey’s second album is a full-on barrage of all those possibilities.”

Shaboozey is planning a tour this fall to promote the album. Starting on Sept. 9 in Minneapolis, he’ll visit cities like Chicago, Toronto, Boston, and Brooklyn. He will also perform at the FONO Festival in Quebec on Sept. 14.